D(b)(1 ) ------------ .- - Central Intelligence Agency - CIA

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D(b)(1 )(b)(3)

History staff

September 1979

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PERMANENT HISTORICAL DOCUMENTDO NOT DESTROY

PHOTOS

(pages 507-541)

OFFICIAL HISTORYOF THE

BAY OF PIGS OPERATION

VOLUME I

AIR OPERATIONS,

MARCH 1960 - APRIL 1961

APPROVED FORRELEASEL DATE:25-Jul-2011

III

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III

VOLUME I

Contents

525

524

523

520521522

519

517

518

514515516

512

511

509

510

513

508

507Retalhuleu Control Tower\

Retalhuleu Service andMaintenance Area • . .

Retalhuleu Service andMaintenance Area

Retalhuleu Service andMaintenance Area . • • • • .

Retalhuleu Maintenance andService Area and Fuel Bunker



B-26 Spare Parts Inventory atRetalhuleu • . • . • • . • •

Retalhuleu Mess and Kitchen Area •Retalhuleu Outdoor LivingRetalhuleu Barracks - Exterior

View . . . . . . . . . .Retalhuleu Barracks - Interior

View . . . . . . . . . .Retalhuleu Barracks - Interior

View . . . . . . . . . . . .Retalhuleu Barracks - Interior

View . . . . . . . . . . . .Retalhuleu Supply Area . • . •Retalhuleu Supply Area • . • .B-26 Practicing Low Level Attackat Retalhuleu . . . . . . . •

B-26 Practicing Low Level BombRun at Retalhuleu . . . .

B-26 Practicing Low LevelBomb Run at Retalhuleu . • .

Figure 19.

Figure 18.

Photos

Figur-e 14.

Figure 15.Figure 16.Figure 17.

Figure 13.

Figure 8.

Figure 3.


Figure 7.

Figure 6.

Figure 5.

Figure 1.Figure 2.

Figure 12.

Figure 4.

Figures 1-23 - Air Training Base, Retalhuleu, Guatemala

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Figure 34-35 - Photos of Air Strip at Playa Giron, Cuba

• 527

• • 526

• • 528

529

. . .

B-26's Practicing Leader &Wing-man at Reta1hu1eu •

Paradrop Practice atReta1hu1eu • • •

Paradrop Practice atReta1hu1eu • • •

Paradrop Practice atReta1hu1eu • • • • • • • • •

- Photos of Forward Operations Base,Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua

C-46 and C-54 Parked Off Runwayat Puerto Cabezas • • • • • • • 530

Puerto Cabezas View of AirStrip • • • • • • • • • • • • • 531

Puerto Cabezas Bomb DumpAdjacent to Air Strip ••• • • 532

Puerto Cabezas Bomb DumpAdjacent to A~r Strip ••• 533

. Puerto Cabezas Bomb DumpAdjacent to Air Strip. • • 534

Puerto Cabezas Armed B-26 • • • • 535Puerto Cabezas Armed B-26 • • • • 536Puerto Cabezas Underwing DetailBrigade B~26 • • • • • • • • • • 537

Puerto Cabezas Underwing DetailBrigade B~26 • • • ~ •• • • • • 538

Puerto Cabezas PBY Air-SeaRescue • • • • • • • • • •• 539

Figure 34. Air Strip at Playa Giron,Cuba . . . . . . . . . . 540

Fiqure 35. Air Strip at Playa Giron,Cuba .• . . . . . . . . . . . · . 541

Figure 20.

Figure 21.

Figure 22.

Figure 23.

Figures 24-33

Figure 24.

Figure 25.

Figure 26.

Figure 27.

Figure 28.


Figure 32.

Figure 33.

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AIRFIELD, SAN JOSE, GUATR~LA

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FIGURES 1-23

AIR TRAINING BASE,

RETALHULEU, GUATEMALA

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FIGURE 2RETALHULEU SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE AREA

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FIGURE 4RETALHULEU SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE AREA

FIGURE 5RETALHULEU MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AREA AND FUEL BUNKER

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FIGURE 8B-26 SPARE PARTS INVENTORY AT RETALHULEU

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FIGURE 11RETALHULEU BARRACKS - EXTERIOR VIEW

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FIGURE 12RETALHULEU BARRACKS - INTERIOR VIEW

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FIGURE 14RETALHULEU BARRACKS - INTERIOR VIEW

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FIGURE 17B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL ATTACK AT RETALHUL~

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FIGURE 18B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL BOMB RUN AT,RETALHULEU(NOTE: BOMB BAY OPENS FROM FIGURE 18 to FIGURE 19)

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FIGURE 19B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL BOMB RUN AT RETALHULEU(NOTE: BOMB BAY OPENS FROM FIGURE 18 TO FIGURE 19)

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FIGURE 20B-26's PRACTICING LEADER & WING-MAN. INSTRUCTOR-OBSERVER AIRCRAFT TO RIGHT

(AT RETALHULEU)

FIGURES 24-33

PHOTOS OF FORWARD OPERATIONS

BASE

PUERTO CABEZAS, NICARAGUA

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FIGURE 24C-46 AND C-54 PARKED OFF RUNWAY AT PUERTO CABEZAS

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THEPHOTO SHOWS NOSE OFC-46 ON RUNWAY.

--FIGURE 25

VIEW OF AIR STRIP.3 PARKED B-26's.

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CABEZAS.PBY AND

,

PUERTO

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FIGURE 27PUERTO CABEZAS, BOMB DUMP ADJACENT TO AIR STRIP

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CABEZAS. TO AIR

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STRIP.

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FIGURE 28BOMB DUMP ADJACENTPUERTO

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FIGURE 29PVERTO CABEZAS. ARMED B-26. SIGNS OF BATTLE DAMAGE VISIBLE ON FUSELAGEBELOW COCKPIT AND ON BOMB BAY DOOR. NOTE SOLID, 8-GUN NOSE.

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FIGURE 30PUERTO CABEZAS. B-26. TAIL ASSEMBLY DETAIL. CUBAN INSIGNIA, FAR,

AND TAIL NUMBERS IDENTICAL TO CASTRO'S B-26's.

FIGURE 31PUERTO CABEZAS. UNDERWING DETAIL BRIGADE B-26. PYLON FUEL TANK,

ROCKETS, WIDE (BLUE) BAND AROUND WING TO DISTINGUISH FROM CASTRO B-26's.

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FIGURE 32PUERTO CABEZAS. UNDERWING DETAIL BRIGADE B-26. PYLON FUEL TANK, ROCKETS, WIDE

(BLUE) BAND AROUND WING TO DISTINGUISH FROM CASTRO's B-2S Ys.

539

FIGURES 34-35

PHOTOS OF AIR STRIP AT

PLAYA GIRON, CUBA

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CUBA COCHINOS, BAHIA DE 22 05 NNEW AIRSTRIP AND CONSTRUCTiON ON

453036 FOR SIMILAR VIEWS. SEPT.

81 08 wSOUTHEAST COAST OF BAY.

60. CONFIDENTIAL (2,31)

SEE CIA 453C~2 4~~o:~.J , .J-' --'.-I'

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FIGURE 34AIR STRIP AT PLAYA GIRON, CUBA

CUBA COCHINOS, BAHIA DE 22 05 N 81 08 WNEW AIRSTRIP AND CONSTRUCTION ON SOUTHEAST COAST OF BAY. SEE CIA 453932 ,4530 34,453036 FOR SiMILAR COVERAGE. SEPT. 1960. CONFIDENTIAL (2,31) CIA 453035

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FIGURE 35t.rR STR.IP AT FLAYA GIRON; CUBA

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