Latest news with #A-26
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Alabama's unlikely role in Bay of Pigs invasion being commemorated at Southern Museum of Flight
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)– Yesterday, a rare Douglas A-26 Bomber flew into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport. Today, it will do a flyover in commemoration of the 64th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion. The A-26 and close relative B-26 cemented Alabama as a pivotal player in the failed invasion in 1961. At the time of the Bay of Pigs, Alabama's Air National Guard were the only ones who flew B-26's, which were essential to the invasion. After the invasion spiraled out of control for the U.S, four airmen from the Alabama Air National Guard lost their lives. One of them was Pete Ray, whose body was kept by Castro of proof of U.S involvement in the invasion. '[Castro] was basically keeping it as a bit of a token and as proof,' said Brian Barsanti, Executive Director of the Southern Museum of Flight. After being held 'on display' in a morgue, Ray's body was brought home after his daughter Janet pushed for his return, corresponding with Castro over phone calls and letters. This forced the CIA to acknowledge the nature of his death, which up to that point had been classified. Pete Ray's grave in Forest Hill Cemetery is the beginning site of the commemoration today, which begins at 2 p.m. with a fly over from the A-26. The lives and sacrifice of Ray, Leo Baker, Wade Gray, and Riley Shamburger are being celebrated. This is followed by the bomber on display and a program with guest speakers and food at 5 p.m. This commemoration is free and open to the public. For more information, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Douglas A-26 Invader flies to Birmingham ahead of Bay of Pigs invasion commemoration
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — A bit of history flew into Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport on Monday afternoon. A rare Douglas A-26 Invader landed at the airport ahead of Tuesday's commemoration of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. 'They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but an experience is worth a thousand pictures,' Million Air CEO Roger Woolsey said. Sixty-four years ago, four airmen from the Alabama Air National Guard died in the failed operation on the coast of Cuba in a mission known as the Bay of Pigs invasion. Retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Ron Fogleman was a part of the flight on the A-26. He said people must honor those who came before to keep the 'warrior spirit' in today's force. 'You see a grandparent bringing a grandchild out, talking about the airplane and this sort of thing,' Fogleman said. 'It's that intergenerational thing that really makes it work. That's the beauty of this airplane. It's like a magnet.' The company that flew the A-26 in, Million Air, said it loves to honor the past and bring it to the present. 'We have freedoms today because of people like that who were selfless, sacrificed and a lot of time are forgotten and, in this case, the Bay of Pigs,' Woolsey said. 'They had to be silent for what, 17,19 years? Couldn't even tell their families what had happened to them. They thought they were in an accident in the Caribbean.' Immigration judge requests information from US, attorneys before ruling on bond for Alabama student Alireza Doroudi Janet Ray is one of those families. Her dad, Pete Ray, was one of the four airmen from the Alabama Air National Guard killed in the Bay of Pigs. After finding out how he actually died, Janet Ray said she learned then-Cuba President Fidel Castro was keeping her father's body on display. She started her fight with the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. government to bring her father's body home. 'When I got him out of Cuba in 1979 after 18 years in a morgue on display, the CIA said, 'We can bury him in Arlington,'' Janet Ray said. 'I said 'No, he's a Southern boy. He's going home to Alabama.' He's buried at Forest Hill, and he overlooks the airport, the air guard and the hill that went to his house in Tarrant. He's home.' A commemoration ceremony will be held honoring the lives of Leo Baker, Wade Gray, Pete Ray and Riley Shamburger on Tuesday. The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. at Pete Ray's grave. The A-26 will perform a flyover as part of the ceremony. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
