MORE STORIES

• FEBRUARY 16, 1971

  Guillermo Munoz

  I was only 7 yrs old but I, remember vividly that glorious day. I'm from Santiago de Cuba, and i still remember the scene at the bus station when we left Santiago for Varadero.

• JANUARY 26, 1967

  Estrella A. Espinosa

  Although we do not appear in the database, my parents and I arrived in Miami on January 26, 1967 by the Freedom Flights. We had remained in Cuba due to the Missile Crisis.

• DECEMBER 18, 1967

  Israel Padron

  I arrived on December 18, 1967. I was ten years old but I remember clearly the trip between Havana and Varadero. We left in the evening of the 17th and slept in my cousin’s car lined up with other cars at the entrance to the airport.

• JANUARY 8, 1969

  Ricardo S. Bode

  Mi familia y yo llegamos el 8 de enero del 69, ellos fueron mi papa Manuel Bode Delgado, yo mi hermano y hermanas Ricardo, Roberto, Carmen Silvia, Esperanza y Lillian, apellidos Bode Pacheco, estan en el database bajo firstname Bode.

• APRIL 15,1960

  Ana M. Sanchez-Medio

  I still remember the day we left from Jose Marti Airport with nothing but a suitcase for all our clothes. I was just four years old. I will never forget that right in front of me was a little girl my age that had a gold chain with a medal of “la caridiad” on it.

• OCTOBER 14, 1962

  Nelly Rubio

  We arrived from Cuba on October 14, 1962, only one week before the direct Pan Am flights between Cuba & MIA stopped. I have two experiences that I would like to share. Our family of five was my father Eleuterio Rubio, mother Nereyda, my older sister Mayda, younger sister Lilly and myself.

• AUGUST 30, 1966

  Tom Walcott

  I was 13-1/2 years old when I left Cuba. I vividly remember the two Cuban Policeman on a motorcycle arriving at our house to inform us that we were leaving Cuba, take inventory of the contents of our house and seal the door. I'll never forget the winter coat I forgot and left behind inside of our house.

• JANUARY 12, 1970

  Lourdes Seijas

  Now that I'm older I realize what my parent's must've gone through. Knowing that they were leaving everything behind them to start a new life in a place they had no idea what the future would hold for us.

• July 2, 1968

  Carlos Luis Eguaras

  I would like to highlight the fact that most of what left Cuba aboard the Freedom Flights were families with children. Those of us, who grew up here, are forever indebted to that generation.

• August 5th, 1966

  Mario Obregon

  As I read the article this morning, feelings that had been locked away for years returned with such clarity that I felt it had only happened months ago. My family and I came on August 5th, 1966 after months of waiting and two long sleepless nights at this house in "El Laguito" in Havana's "Country" neighborhood. I was 11 years old and together with my parents, Mario Obregon Bardina, Victoria Rodriguez, my sister Lupe and my aunt Nelda Pino and cousin, Osvaldo Pino.

• February 20, 1969

  Sergio M. Capablanca

  My sincere appreciation for the database project. I am certain it has been a tearjerker for so many “Freedom Flyers”. I cannot set aside thoughts about those who came on the Camarioca and later the Mariel boatlift. The Peter Pan kids of the 60s, the rafters of the 90s and those who keep coming in the new millennium. These Cubans wrote and continue to write indelible pages in the history of American immigration. I will be forever grateful to President Lyndon B. Johnson for accepting Fidel Castro’s challenge when he said, “All who are against the Revolution can leave. We do not want these worms here.”

• May 1967

  M. Emelina Mejer-Kondla

  The only memory that I have of the flight, I was only seven years old, is when we were being checked by the guard at La Pecera. My mother was carrying a statute of San Antonio. The statute was hollow and the guard told my mother that he would have to break it in half to make sure she had not hidden something inside. My mother told the guard that she would rather leave the statute behind that deface it.

• August 17, 1967

  Gloria Morales Mendizabal

  My son was given a carton of chocolate milk at the airport upon arrival. He had never had chocolate milk and liked it so much that he asked for a second carton. I was 8 months pregnant with my first daughter and appreciate all the care I received upon arrival. We stayed in Miami for 15 days and then were relocated to Kingsville, TX where I had an uncle.

• March 10, 1962

  Mayra E. Payette

  I came from Cuba March 10, 1962. My Dad who turns 91 on Sunday, Dec. 21st was just telling me about the day before I came to Miami.

• December 17, 1966

  Christina Acosta Sutter

  While I obviously could have no personal recollection of this event I have lived it many times through the eyes of my parents. Each year we quietly celebrate with an emphatic “thank you God.” When that plane took off many people aboard started crying, others chanted “Viva Cuba Libre.”

• March 17, 1961

  Maria del Carmen Souto

  My father left Cuba first because he was being persecuted by the Castro government. Then my sister and I came on March 17, 1961 with student visas and a $5 bill that my Grandfather had given to my sister to hide. We came with only the clothes we were wearing.

• December 6, 1967

  Rosa M. Nicot-Sante

  My mother Haydee Maria Fernandez was scheduled to travel with the rest of the family, unfortunately, she was detained at the airport in Varadero because she had given “our telephone line and equipment” to another member of the family that remained in Cuba, she was released and able to come to US on December 15, 1967.

• March 9, 1971

  Maria Vila

  The articles today brought tears to my eyes and great consternation to my heart. However it was wonderful to read about folks from my generation describing how they were plucked out of one country and dropped off in another world within 45 minutes.

• July 1968

  Nancy Cruz

  Reading the articles and viewing the interviews brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me of my first Ham and Cheese, Coke and a pack of gum given to us when we arrived – And, brown coat to be worn in NY where moved three days later.

• April 14, 1961

  Lorenzo Betancourt

  my name is lorenzo betancourt and i arrived on april 14 1961 to miami.The same day i was transporter to camp saint peter in orlando fla.There were around 50 to 60 kids already there.I was 14 years old and most the the kids were from 13 t0 18.

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