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D(b)(1 )
(b)(3)
History staff
September 1979
Copy 1 of 2
D C I ~ 8
I copy ~ UL 1
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________ ~ _. oJ
---- --=----=-----=--------::::.::::....-.-. --_._-_ ....._-,
PERMANENT HISTORICAL DOCUMENT
DO NOT DESTROY
PHOTOS
(pages 507-541)
OFFICIAL HISTORY
OF THE
BAY OF PIGS OPERATION
VOLUME I
AIR OPERATIONS,
MARCH 1960 - APRIL 1961
APPROVED FOR
RELEASEL DATE:
25-Jul-2011
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VOLUME I
Contents
525
524
523
520
521
522
519
517
518
514
515
516
512
511
509
510
513
508
507 Retalhuleu Control Tower
\
Retalhuleu Service and
Maintenance Area . .
Retalhuleu Service and
Maintenance Area
Retalhuleu Service and
Maintenance Area . .
Retalhuleu Maintenance and
Service Area and Fuel Bunker
Retalhuleu Maintenance and
Service Area and Fuel Bunker
Retalhuleu Maintenance and
Service Area and Fuel Bunker
B-26 Spare Parts Inventory at
Retalhuleu . . .
Retalhuleu Mess and Kitchen Area
Retalhuleu Outdoor Living
Retalhuleu 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 Attack
at Retalhuleu . . . . . . .
B-26 Practicing Low Level Bomb
Run at Retalhuleu . . . .
B-26 Practicing Low Level
Bomb Run at Retalhuleu . .
Figure 19.
Figure 18.
Photos
Figur-e 14.
Figure 15.
Figure 16.
Figure 17.
Figure 13.
Figure 8.
Figure 3.
Figure 9.
Figure 10.
Figure 11.
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 at
Reta1hu1eu
Paradrop Practice at
Reta1hu1eu
Paradrop Practice at
Reta1hu1eu
- Photos of Forward Operations Base,
Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua
C-46 and C-54 Parked Off Runway
at Puerto Cabezas 530
Puerto Cabezas View of Air
Strip 531
Puerto Cabezas Bomb Dump
Adjacent to Air Strip 532
Puerto Cabezas Bomb Dump
Adjacent to A ~ r Strip 533
. Puerto Cabezas Bomb Dump
Adjacent to Air Strip. 534
Puerto Cabezas Armed B-26 535
Puerto Cabezas Armed B-26 536
Puerto Cabezas Underwing Detail
Brigade B ~ 2 6 537
Puerto Cabezas Underwing Detail
Brigade B ~ 2 6 ~ 538
Puerto Cabezas PBY Air-Sea
Rescue 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 29.
Figure 30.
Figure 31.
Figure 32.
Figure 33.
, ,
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AIRFIELD, SAN JOSE,
II
II

._------......
FIGURES 1-23
AIR TRAINING BASE,
RETALHULEU, GUATEMALA
_...- . _ - - - - - - - ~
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507
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FIGURE 2
RETALHULEU SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE AREA
__ _-,, __,. _ ..-. "-_. ._
1;$=----:---.- - - - - - ~ - - ---::=-::.;==.:,:-:;=:::.........-
FIGURE 4
RETALHULEU SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE AREA
FIGURE 5
RETALHULEU MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AREA AND FUEL BUNKER
-' 'cc. . . ' ._" --' . "e -,',..... .. "'.' ",.,.,,;;" ~ . _ . . . ..-",\c:c ---' . __.", ...,._..- ~ . ~ . , . . . . . . d nr .-bW" --Fe
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FIGURE 6
RETALHULEU MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AREA AND FUEL BUNKER
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FIGURE 7
RETALHULEU MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE AREA AND FUEL BUNKER
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FIGURE 8
B-26 SPARE PARTS INVENTORY AT RETALHULEU
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FIGURE 11
RETALHULEU BARRACKS - EXTERIOR VIEW
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FIGURE 12
RETALHULEU BARRACKS - INTERIOR VIEW
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FIGURE 14
RETALHULEU BARRACKS - INTERIOR VIEW
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FIGURE 17
B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL ATTACK AT
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FIGURE 18
B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL BOMB RUN AT,RETALHULEU
(NOTE: BOMB BAY OPENS FROM FIGURE 18 to FIGURE 19)
_ __ ._ "_0"
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FIGURE 19
B-26 PRACTICING LOW LEVEL BOMB RUN AT RETALHULEU
(NOTE: BOMB BAY OPENS FROM FIGURE 18 TO FIGURE 19)
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FIGURE 20
B-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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-- Of '65' .. .---.---.-.------ ..--"
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FIGURE 24
C-46 AND C-54 PARKED OFF RUNWAY AT PUERTO CABEZAS

......, . ..
In
W
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THE PHOTO SHOWS NOSE OF
C-46 ON RUNWAY.
--
FIGURE 25
VIEW OF AIR STRIP.
3 PARKED B-26's.
..
CABEZAS.
PBY AND
,
PUERTO
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FIGURE 27
PUERTO CABEZAS, BOMB DUMP ADJACENT TO AIR STRIP
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CABEZAS. TO AIR

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FIGURE 28
BOMB DUMP ADJACENT PUERTO
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FIGURE 29
PVERTO CABEZAS. ARMED B-26. SIGNS OF BATTLE DAMAGE VISIBLE ON FUSELAGE
BELOW COCKPIT AND ON BOMB BAY DOOR. NOTE SOLID, 8-GUN NOSE.

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FIGURE 30
PUERTO CABEZAS. B-26. TAIL ASSEMBLY DETAIL. CUBAN INSIGNIA, FAR,
AND TAIL NUMBERS IDENTICAL TO CASTRO'S B-26's.
FIGURE 31
PUERTO 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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----_.__._--- ._.. ---- -_.,--,.
--="'..
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FIGURE 32
PUERTO CABEZAS. UNDERWING DETAIL BRIGADE B-26. PYLON FUEL TANK, ROCKETS, WIDE
(BLUE) BAND AROUND WING TO DISTINGUISH FROM CASTRO's B-2S
Y
s.
539
FIGURES 34-35
PHOTOS OF AIR STRIP AT
PLAYA GIRON, CUBA
/ftE-U" orl '101 U;<
Tft'! -7 !A,.
lJpf (tA IfE-I D
CUBA COCHINOS, BAHIA DE 22 05 N
NEW AIRSTRIP AND CONSTRUCTiON ON
453036 FOR SIMILAR VIEWS. SEPT.
81 08 w
SOUTHEAST COAST OF BAY.
60. CONFIDENTIAL (2,31)
SEE CIA 4 5 3 C ~ 2 4 ~ ~ o : ~
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FIGURE 34
AIR STRIP AT PLAYA GIRON, CUBA
CUBA COCHINOS, BAHIA DE 22 05 N 81 08 W
NEW AIRSTRIP AND CONSTRUCTION ON SOUTHEAST COAST OF BAY. SEE CIA 45393
2
,453
0
3
4
,
453036 FOR SiMILAR COVERAGE. SEPT. 1960. CONFIDENTIAL (2,31) CIA 453035
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FIGURE 35
t.rR STR.IP AT FLAYA GIRON; CUBA
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. TOP
Aacess ControZled by
CIA History staff
TOP ECRET
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