All,
It's 0615 on 1 Feb 1990, and CLA Special Operations Forces' A Squadron is on the outskirts of Havana (6). Their mission is to infiltrate and destroy a Castro-regime Surface to Air Missile (SAM) battery atop Hill 55, just west of Havana. This mission is in support of B Squadron's upcoming mission, which will see them insert via helo (CLA UH-60s) into southern Havana to seize a radio station later this morning. But this will be no walkover; the SAM site on Hill 55 is guarded by elite troopers Castro's Bodyguard: 1st Airborne Rifle Company, 1st Airborne Battalion, some of the few Cuban troops trusted enough to be be stationed in the capital of Havana.
So far we've had:
1) B Squadron SOF destroyed a radar site in support of amphibious landings at Playa Colorada (5). B Sqdn then egressed and linked up with CLA rotary wing assets for their follow-on mission in Havana (6).
2) C Squadron SOF destroyed a the Cuban military's communications center.
3) 1st Para Battalion dropped in and seized a bridge to screen the landings at Playa Colorada (5).
4) 2nd Para battalion dropped in and eliminated a Castro-regime garrison to screen the landings at the Bay of Pigs (just west of (4).
5) 1st Marine Company, 3rd Infantry Battalion, made an amphibious assault at Playa Colorada.
6) B Squadron SOF attacked a Castro-regime SAM site near Havana.
The opposing forces, with regime forces on the left and CLA on the right. A pretty even up fight, which is not good for the attacker, particularly as the CLA SOF had only a slight quality edge over the Cuban paratroopers, members of "Castro's Bodyguard," the Cuban 1st Airborne Battalion.
The CLA forces have a Command Stand, five rifle stands, a jeep-mounted HMG, and a SMAW. The regime's paratroopers have a Command Stand, five rifle stands, an MG, and a mortar. The mortar would play hell with the CLA commandos…
Overview, north is up. Hill 55, the location of the SAM battery, is at top right, with a small village at top left. The CLA SOF enter at bottom left near Hill 20. Regime forces are spread across the board, as are civilians.
Despite very heavy casualties, Captain Stelosavo and SOF Team 1 made it up Hill 55, within feet of the target, the enemy SAM battery, and then…
Check it out here:
link
What a fight, I can't wait to hear what you think of this one. Three more fights to post.
V/R,
Jack