In the early morning of April 15, 1961, a squadron of U.S. B-26 bombers camouflaged with Cuban insignias begin bombarding airports in Cuba in raids that would last for two days, destroying a large portion of the Cuban air force. 

Additional airstrikes to completely wipe out the air capabilities of Cuba are denied by Kennedy, to ensure the U.S. connection to the attacks remain secret, while world support already is beginning to swing strongly in favour of Cuban defense. On April 16, shortly before midnight, U.S. frogmen land on Cuba's beaches in the Bay of Pigs and set up landing lights to guide the coming invasion.

Thus began Playa Giron the invasion of Cuba that became known internationally as the Bay of Pigs – April 15 2013 marks the 52nd anniversary of the Cuban peoples defeat of this US sponsored invasion.

Below are links to a range of background articles on Playa Giron and on the sidebars  more in depth backgrounder; the Full Story and the Chronology  

 Hasta la Victoria siempre 

Eisenhower tramples right to travel to Cuba 

The CIA Nostra poison

The CIA Nostra 

Roa’s dramatic return

Diplomacy in the Bay of Pigs

50th Anniversary of the Bay of Pigs

Masetti's kidnapping 

The war on Cuba tormented Hemingway

The Dulles Brothers, architects of the Invasion 

Richard M. Nixon, one of the initiators of the war against the Cuban Revolution 

Comandante Victor Dreke on the Bay of Pigs

A  speech from Comandante Victor Dreke Cruz's to a  Cuba  Support Group – Ireland  meeting marking the 50th anniversary of the Cuban victory at Playa Giron (the Bay of Pigs).

Dreke fought alongside Ernesto Che Guevara during the Cuba Revolution and assumed control of two companies during the Playa Giron invasion. He served as second in command, under Che Guevara, of the Cuba internationalist combatants in the Congo. On this mission, Che wrote about Dreke in his report to Fidel Castro: 'He was...one of the pillars on which I relied. The only reason I am not recommending that he be promoted is that he already holds the highest rank'.

Dreke then went back to Africa in 1966-68 to head Cuba's military mission in Guinea-Bissau in their fight for independence from Portugal. In 1969 he was head of the Political Directorate of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.

In 1973 he was named chief of the newly formed Youth Army of Labour (EJT) in Oriente province, working on the most difficult and challenging agricultural developments in the area. In 1981 he graduated from the University of Santiago de Cuba with a degree in law. He retired from active military service in 1990.