Justice for a Brave American Veteran

This coming Monday, the 15th of November 2004, there will be a special case put before the Circuit Court Judge at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse. It is a case whose story began over 40 years ago and has traversed the bureaucratic myriads of three countries. A story that started out as a young woman's trek to learn her father's true fate only to later become a mission to seek the acknowledment and honor befitting an American Hero. Now, that same woman is seeking justice.

On April 19th, 1961 an American pilot disregarded the dire reports from the field, boarded his B-26 bomber on an air base in Nicaragua and drew course for a little unpopulated stretch of beach known as the Bay of Pigs. The eyewitness reports from the incoming pilots, among them Cuban members of the assault Brigade 2506 who had been trained by this pilot, did not deter him. There were no fighter planes to escort the B-26 bombers whose tailguns had been removed so that extra fuel tanks could be added for the long trip.

The beach had been hit by troops one day prior and the attacking army of men lay helpless for lack of the promised air support. The dead were all around. The usually beautifully blue caribbean water was now crimsom. Still, this pilot, this American Airman knew that he had to do what he felt was right. And he did. He took on what was essentially a suicide mission and proceeded to bomb the communist troops and weapons installations.

He was shot down that same day by the T-33 jets of his communist counterparts.

Thomas Willard "Pete" Ray, CIA Pilot and Alabama National Guardsman, was then taken prisoner by the forces of Fidel Castro and summarily executed (some reports say by a close range shot to the back of the head).

It was not until 1979, after years of research and lobbying the governments of The United States and Cuba, and years of traveling to Miami's Little Havana and delving into the Cuban exile community, that Janet Ray Weininger was able to confirm her father's death. For years the CIA had insisted that her father had gone missing during a clandestine or illegal cargo operation. This was the official stance of the CIA because, officially, the CIA had not been involved in the Bay of Pigs invasion.

For Janet Ray the confirmation of her father's death was not enough, however. She needed to know exactly where and what had become of his remains. That same year, after much more lobbying of the Cuban government, the Castro regime confirmed that they did in fact have his remains. They had had them frozen and intact for over 18 years. Castro had saved this American pilot's body, embalmed and frozen, to prove to the world that the US had, in fact, been involved in the Bay of Pigs Invasion. He had boasted of having the body of an American pilot that he would lay on the table of the United Nations as proof of that involvement.

Janet Ray ultimately convinced the Cuban government to release her father's body, and upon his arrival to the US was buried with full military honors. But the story does not end there...

On Monday, the 15th of November 2004, Mrs. Janet Ray Weininger will seek justice for her martyred father. That day will see the beginning of a trial against Fidel Castro for the execution of Thomas Willard "Pete" Ray and the 18 year desecration of an American Veteran.

I am behind you 100%, Mrs. Weininger. May true justice prevail.

For more on the story of Janet and Pete Ray, read "The Mission" at Wings of Valor.

UPDATE: I should note that it was through Mrs. Weininger's efforts that the other three American Pilots who lost their lives during the Bay of Pigs invasion - Wade Carrol Gray, Leo Francis Baker and Riley W Shamberger - received the military honors they deserved. All four pilots names are now also displayed at CIA Langley headquarters among all the other operatives who gave their lives for their country.

UPDATE: My thanks to Veterans today can be found here.

Posted by Val Prieto at November 9, 2004 03:07 PM

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» "Justice for a Brave American Veteran" from INDC Journal
Val Prieto writes about a very brave man that you've probably never heard of: This coming Monday, the 15th of November 2004, there will be a special case put before the Circuit Court Judge at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse. It... [Read More]

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» Castro Trial Update from INDC Journal
A little over two weeks ago, I linked to Val Prieto's post about a court case against Fidel Castro that sought justice for the cold-blooded murder of an American pilot involved in the Bay of Pigs operation. The verdict is... [Read More]

Tracked on November 19, 2004 10:04 AM

Comments

Posted by: yamy at November 9, 2004 04:59 PM

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