177. Editorial Note
The rescue operations conducted by the Navy after the failure of the Bay of Pigs operation were discontinued on April 26, 1961. (CTG 81.8 telegram 262004 to CINCLANTFLT, April 26; Naval Historical Center, Area Files, Bumpy Road Materials) On April 23 Admiral Clark had rescued an additional 24 members of the Cuban Expeditionary Force from the Bay of Pigs area. (CINCLANTFLT telegram 240438Z to COM-SECONDFLT, April 23; ibid.) Admiral Dennison instructed Vice Admiral Ricketts, Commander of the Second Fleet, to support Clarkʼs “humanitarian mission” if it became necessary to protect the U.S. forces involved, and to do so “with our banners flying.” (Ibid.) No conflict with Cuban forces ensued, however, and the search for survivors thereafter proved futile. Ricketts summed up the frustration of the United States Naval forces, which stood off the coast of Cuba during the Bay of Pigs operation, in a cable to Burke and Dennison on April 23: “Beyond my horizon, but not far distant, lie the beaches on which died recently many who had great faith in us. Within my horizon steams the naval power that could have justified that faith. I view it with both pride and anguish.” (COMSECONDFLT telegram 232129Z to CNO and CINC-LANTFLT, April 23; ibid.)