Annex No. 27 Report of Activities on Barbara J

27 59 EYES ONLY 4 MAY 1961 EEPORT OF ACTIVITIES ON BATBARA J The writer was Operations Officer on the Barbera J. The Barbara J is LOI fitted with eight .50 cal machine guns, three .30 machine guns, e in 5mm recoilless rifle, and a recoilless rifle, plus various automatic and carried weapons. The job for the Parbora J during the operation was s follows: 1. The Barbara J was to escort the transport ship Houston into ahie Cochinos to Red Beach. The Houston had aboard the 2nd and 5th attalions Reinforced. 2. The Barbara J was to spot the Houstcn offshore, while the Barbara beach reconnaissance team reconncited the beach and set light markers it each fleni: of a suitable landing site. 3. The Barbara J was to provide gunfire support when necessary and issist in the unloading of the Houston's men and supplies at Red Beach. 4. When the beach was considered in good shape, the Barbara J was to escort the Houston out of Bahia Cochinos and proceed to patrol the beach from Green Beach eastward for five miles, engaging any enemy sea or rond convoys heading towerd Green Beach. 5. The Barbara J was to engage in any harassment operations which ;could confuse the eneny and own forces. The objective of the 2nd Battalion on Red Beach was to secure the beachhead, proceed nerthward to Sopillar airstrip, link up with the paretroopers, and proceed to Objective A on the railroad at 82.0 - 72.0 on the 1:50,000 map. The objective of the 5th Battalion was to land behind the &nd Battelion and take over and sefeguard the beachhead. At 2330 on D-1 the Barbara 3 and the Houston separated from the major convoy on schedule. At 0115 on D-Day the Barbara J and the Housten were on staticn coposite Red Beach. One Barbara J small boat rith radio wes dispatched to stand by with the Houston. The other small boat with the reconnaissance tean and the writer proceeded ashore to the right of Red Beach and scouted and marked the right flank without being detected. e Then the term proceeded by water to the point which was to be the left flank of Per Beach and discovered the point was occupied by enery men. The 2nd Batialion commander was asked to notify us when he was within en rinutes of dispetching his first wave to the Beach. When the Battalion cremander signified he was ready, the recon team approached the point. At cbout 30 yards off the point four or five machine guns and sub- machine gun cpened fire cn the recon boat. The recon boat returned fire and silenced these guns. The recon boat backed uo to approximately 100 yards off the point and marked the left Flank: with a blinking flashlight towards sea. The first forty soldiers without opposition, though sporadic fire started as soon as they had landed ashore. This fire was their initial contact with the 50 militiamen in the village at the time of the landing. EYES ONLY 50 SEADLE