CUBA INVADERS' FAMILIES DUE IN U.S. TOMORROW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100380086-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 7, 2000
• Sequence Number: 86
• Publication Date: December 26, 1962
• Content Type: NSPR

tON 'A R DEC 2 G 1962
Approved For Release 2000/06/13 : CIA-RD
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U b M I n vade rs' Farn ' I l eS scheduled 14 hours later. Both
y times are subject to revision in
vent of delays like those that
t ^ ^ :aft ( w MA A am"A%IL i 1 kept Miami exile colony mem- j
TV ntil the first batch of prison-
Refugees ,Allowed to Take Only Clothes , is arrived by air-nine hours,
ater than scheduled-for..
As They. Board Vessel for U. S. Trip " hristmas reunions.
HAVANA, Dc. 26 (AP).-Under a hot tropical sun, about. he home of Mrs. Berta Barretol
1,000 relatives of the freed Bay of Pigs prisoners gathers d ~~as thronged with Cubans
at dockside today to board the freighter African Pilot for , eking Cuban Prisoner Fami-
the United States. . ies, Committee approval to
a
here
.
10,000-ton mercy ship on a
Mr. Castro and Mr. Donovan
stretcher. I were dressed in their Sunday signed the agreement for the
Some of the women daubed 1 best. F ay of Pigs invaders' release
away tears. Children looked be- I Carefully madeup women, or ransom. The committee also
some of them still u caI-ing ir handled selection of relatives
wildered.
curlers, nervously e 1 u t c h e d who would make the ocean
It was a solemn nrocession-.
through six security and cus- The mood of the ,croup was i,' ?
The ransom voya-*e to CA,,
toms checkpoints marlend by solemn. 11 vith an $11 million down pay-
Cuban military ti personnel, as Within less than 48 hours, u lent in drugs and baby food,
the emigrees moved slowly to the relatives made un their i.1' nd the return trip will write
the dock. minds to leave their humeland.,! iris to the 400-foot African
Cuban Red Cr oss""6fficials many forsaking everything they ilot's 20?-year log of ocean
were correct-and i. times owned. service.
even solicitous--as '-thee lines
formed only a few 3~atds from CotsFImvn In Priest Celebrates Mass
the African Pilot's gangway. They were barred from tak- The craft is to go into "moth-
An official of the prisoners' ing Cuban money with them. m all" storage because of its age.
families committee said about In cases where whole families it was scheduled in fact, to be
850 -men, women and children decided to leave, they had to mothballed before the Cuba
had cleared through its check- surrender their homes arld -ound trip, but the sudden need
point by 10 a.m. everything else they owned in or a vessel to deliver ransom
Cuba. oods gave the African Pilo[, a
Dress in Sunday Best Ownership of homes and ew more days of active duty.
,Women and children made-other property can be retained I he craft was provided for the
up an estimated 70 per cent only if a member of the family 1 ssignment by, the Committee i
of the group Fidel Castro stays in Cuba. f American Steamship Lines. ;
allowed to follow the liberated Eight American Red Cross! Vessels that will bear the!
'Bay of Pigs invasion prisoners officials flew in from Miami J~ emainder of the ransom to
oni iei `bare belongings, night voyage of the ^emigrees delivered some of the ransom'
The African Pilot was to sail! Christmas with their families!
later in the day. n Miami was a happy day for
Meanwhile, informants said he invasion veterans, but a,
prospects were good for the1 uiet one by contrast with)
earl, release of 23 Americans ectic, emotional scenes of their.
imprisoned in Cuba. rrival at Homestead Air Force
Swiss, Ambassador Emil! ace and reunion with loved
1 Stalfipffer, who represents; nes at Dinner Key, Miami.
United States interests in Cuba,; One of the freed captives, the
held a confidential meeting ev Tomas Macho, celebrated
with Prime Minister Fidel hristmas night mass at Mi-
Castro on Monday, informants .mi's Gesu Roman Catholic!
said. They talked for nearly! hurcli. ' The church, a gather-I
an hour. ng point of. the exile colony,
The Swiss envoy declined to l 'as jammed for the mass and
comment on the meeting, but rief Spanish-language sermon.
it was learned that Red Cross -. One ear ago, priests among
Christmas packages have been! e invasion prisoners had to
accepted for delivery to the cake elaborate secret prep-
jailed Americans. , ' ratio! s for. ?Christmas service
14-Hour Trip n Cbnmunist Cuban prisons.
ey said the mass in a virtual
I The African Pilot's departure ) hisper on makeshift altars
Approved For lease 2000/06/13 :IA-RDP75-00001 R,9001
teal at Port Everglades was! tead of clerical vestments.
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D0380086-2