[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 44 (Friday, April 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E567]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING BAY OF PIGS VETERANS ASSOCIATION 2506 ASSAULT BRIGADE

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                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 2006

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Bay of 
Pigs Veterans Association 2506 Assault Brigade. On April 15 of this 
year, this brave group of men will observe two monumental events. They 
will be commemorating the 45th anniversary of the invasion of the Bay 
of Pigs and the 43rd anniversary of the liberation of the captured 
members of the 2506 Brigade. The members of the 2506 Brigade came from 
all walks of life, ages, and backgrounds. The men range from doctors 
and farmers to students and priests. The oldest was a highly decorated 
52-year-old World War II paratrooper and the youngest a 15-year old who 
lied about his age in order to be a part of the Bay of Pigs Assault 
Brigade. The 2506 Brigade trained for months with little supplies in 
preparing for this assault that they hoped would dethrone a cruel and 
heartless tyrant. These great patriots risked their lives in hopes of 
freeing their homeland from the tyrannical grip of a brutal dictator. 
My parents and I were fortunate enough to escape the oppression and 
persecution of Castro's regime when I was a young girl. Unfortunately, 
many have not been as lucky and still live in a country that does not 
recognize the human rights and personal freedoms that we cherish here 
in the United States. I applaud the efforts of all those who seek to 
eliminate the cruel dictatorship in Cuba and in its place instill a 
foundation for democracy and freedom. I along with the men in this 
distinguished group look forward to the day when Cuba is a free and 
sovereign nation. I pray that this day will soon come and that the 
Cuban people still living under Castro's oppressive regime will be able 
to have the freedom and democracy that was so patriotically fought for 
by the members of the 2506 Brigade.

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