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John F. Kennedy: Autograph Note. ...
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Description
John F. Kennedy: Autograph Note. One index card, 2.75" X 5", [Washington]; [April 18, 1961]. Handwritten notations from the president in which he writes "Secy. Rusk" six times on the recto and verso of the plain white index card as well as "Sec. Rusk #21", written by Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, to let him know that Rusk was waiting on phone line number 21. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Lincoln offering additional contextualization for the note.Lincoln's letter reads, in part, "The handwritten notes...were written by President John F. Kennedy during a telephone conversation with Secretary of State Dean Rusk at 9:15 a.m. on April 18, 1961. Re: situation in Cuba. It was later on that evening that the internal overthrow of Castro, which had been planned became impossible and Kennedy was forced to stop our help in the Bay of Pigs invasion."
As soon as Fidel Castro took control of Cuba in an armed revolt in 1959, the U.S. government began planning an internal coup to be carried out by Cuban exiles trained by American forces. On April 15, 1962, that plan came to fruition when eight bombers left Nicaragua to destroy Cuban airfields. Their departure initiated a three-day attack on Cuba that included the infamous Bay of Bigs invasion. The operation was ill-fated from the start. In order to supply the Cuban exiles with aircrafts, the CIA had appropriated old World War II bombers. Because of this, most of the planes missed their targets, leaving the Cuban air force almost wholly intact. On April 17, the exile Brigade 2506 landed at the Bay of Pigs and they faced heavy fire from these unscathed planes. Immediately, Castro's forces sank two ships and destroyed half of the invaders' air support. To make matters worse, the U.S.-backed invaders faced a combination of bad weather conditions amidst the unrelenting counterattack from Castro. On April 19, Kennedy authorized six unmarked fighter planes to help defend what remained of the retreating exile brigade. It is likely this very decision that was discussed by Kennedy and Rusk.
Condition: Lightly toned. Otherwise well preserved.
Auction Info
2023 November 13 - 14 Americana & Political Signature Auction Signature® Auction #6276 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
November, 2023
13th-14th
Monday-Tuesday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 2
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
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