LOWERING THE AMERICAN FLAG FOR THE LAST TIME AT THE AMERICAN EMBASSY, HAVANA, CUBA ON 4 JANUARY 1961

    Early on the morning of 2 January 1961 the Cuba Government  (Fidel Castro) informed the American Government they could have only as many foreign diplomats in Havana as the Cuban Government had in Washington.  Cuba had four (4) officers in Washington.

    Since the Department of State could not run a six story building with only four officer, there were 36 Visa Officers plus other personnel assigned to Havana.  With Havana's request for the American Embassy to downsize, President Eisenhower decided to break diplomatic relations with the Cuban Government.  Consequently, the Americans were given a 48 hour notice to remove Americans Embassy personnel from Havana.

    At about 1700 hours, on 4 January 1961, the Charge d'affaires directed the MSGs to lower the American Flag in front of the embassy.  At that time there was a crowd of about 1000 Cubans in front of the embassy trying to get out of the country.  The crowd was situated between the embassy front door and the flag pole from which the American Flag flew. 

    Cpl Larry Morris and Cpl East and I formed up just inside the embassy door.  We were dress in Dress Blue "B", tropical shirt, blue trousers and white watch gear, and armed with .38 caliber pistols.  We opened the embassy front door and formed up on the sidewalk that lead through the crowd to the flag pole.

    I can remember looking at the crowd and then looking at the flag pole a few times.  A few in the crowd looked at us and then to the flag pole and seemed to understand what we were going to do, and parted, moving off the sidewalk.  Now with a clear path to the pole, out detail marched directly to the pole.  As we prepared to lower the flag I asked Morris and East if they wanted to lower the flag and stay there and properly fold the flag.  I think I heard "hell, yes" from them both.  I remember thinking as we folded the flag that a tropical shirt would not stop a sniper's bullet fired from one of the tall apartment buildings near the embassy.

    We lowered the flag smartly and properly and as we formed to march back into the embassy the crowd once again parted and our detail marched back into the embassy to the applause and cheers of the crowd.  I was holding on to the flag, hoping to take it back to the States with us when a USIS Officer asked if he could take a  picture of the flag.  He promised to return it to the Marines, but I never saw the flag again.

    After over 40 years Larry Morris and I have reconnected through MEGA. We still hope to find Corporal East.   One of these days I hope that Larry Morris, East and I can be in the detail that returns to Havana and raises the American Flag at the embassy.