Cuba Archive - Case 2654

Case ID: 2654

Title: N/A

First name: Manuel

Last name: Rionda Del Monte

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 37

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Day:11 / Month:10 / Year:1925

Civil Status: Married

Date of death/disappearance: Day:21 / Month:4 / Year:1961

Citizenship: Cuba

Last known address: #2804 3rd. Avenue, Miramar

Last known city: Miramar

Last known province-TOD: La Habana

Last known province current: Ciudad de La Habana

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Bay of Pigs

Location of death - city: N/A

Location of death province - at TOD: Las Villas

Location of death province - current: Matanzas

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: No

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: N/A

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: N/A

How long imprisoned/detained: N/A

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: N/A

Associated Event: 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion

Case description:

Member of the 2506 Brigade (of Cuban exiles) missing in action, presumed dead in the aftermath of the Bay of Pigs invasion that sought to liberate Cuba from Castro's Communist regime with U.S. government (CIA) support. After the invasion had failed, he was part of a group of six attempting to escape and join the insurgency in the Escambray mountains. They were hiding in the Zapata swamp exhausted, dehydrated, and starved when Castro militiamen shot at the group well after combat operations were over.  His body was never returned to his family for burial and the Cuban government refused to provide information or confirmation of his death. 
Son of a sugar mill owner who was a graduate in Business Administration from the University of Virginia. He left a wife and three young children.
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Miembro de la Brigada 2506 desaparecido en combate, presumiblemente muerto tras la invasión de Bahía de Cochinos. Después de que la invasión había fallado, formó parte de un grupo de seis que intentaban escapar y unirse a la insurgencia en las montañas del Escambray. Estaban escondidos en la ciénaga de Zapata agotados, deshidratados y hambrientos cuando los milicianos de Castro dispararon contra el grupo mucho después de que terminaran las operaciones de combate. Su cuerpo nunca fue devuelto a su familia para su entierro y el gobierno cubano se negó a proporcionar información o confirmación de su muerte. Su padre era dueño de un central azucarero y él se había graduado de Administración de Negocios en la Universidad de Virginia. Dejó a una esposa y tres hijos pequeños.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Confirmed with primary source(s)

Cause of Death: - Combat: Fatality or Missing in Action

Occupations: - Military Specific Occupations

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Armed Forces: Brigade 2506

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: - Case 2651: Armando Cañizares Gamboa

Case Record - Manuel Rionda Del Monte