◆ SpookStack

Se 2a ae aS Ne Se 2 <r 97. At Blue Beach the enemy ground attacks, Supported by aircraft, began from three directions on the afternoon of 18 April. Six friendly B-26s, two of them flown by Americans, inflicted heavy damage on the Castro colum moving up from the west » using napalm, bombs, rockets, and machine gun fire to destroy several tanks and about 20 troop-laden trucks. Air support to the Blue Beach troops was continued on the morning of 19 April, -when three friendly B-26s, including two piloted by Americans, were shot down by Castro T-33s. Jet cover from the Navy aircraft.carrier "Essex" had been expected to protect the 19 April sorties, but a misunderstanding over timing hampered its effectiveness. ; ‘ 98. In spite of this air action, however, and in spite of a reported 1,800 casuklties suffered by the Castro forces, the brigade's ability to resist depended in the last resort on resupply of ammunition, which had now become impossible. -On the - night of 18 April, when failure appeared inevitable >. the Cuban brigade commander refused an offer to evacuate his troops. And on the morning of 19 April, with ammmition rapidly running out, the brigade was still able to launch a futile counterattack against the forces relentlessly moving in from the west. 99. In the last hours of resistance the brigade commander sent a series of terse and desperate messages to the task force command ship pleading for help: ‘"We are out of ammo and fighting on the beach. Please send help. We cannot hold." ee eee a ee,