MiamiHerald.com: Freedom Flight Memories

Ana De Los Reyes

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:15 EST

First of all, I would like to thank you for your great efforts in compiling the Freedom Flights date base information. It was with great emotion that I looked up my father's arrival to freedom information.

Miriam Rodriguez

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:12 EST

We arrive on July 24 1968, I remember as soon we were in the plane we heard a welcome from Pres. Johnson, as we arrive in Miami there were a priest & minister to welcome as I will never will forget that day.

Ana Mar�a Florin

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:11 EST

It was November 27, 1967 when my mother ( now 83 years old), my father (now deceased) and I came to the United states via the Freedom Flight. We planned to come earlier, but the Bay of Pigs invasion delayed our plans since all flights were put on halt.

Millie Fresen

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:01 EST

My brother, Carlos Costales, left Cuba on April 1961 with a waiver visa through the Catholic Church. He was a Pedro Pan boy.

Maria Pacheco

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:59 EST

I remember that when my plane landed in Miami on Dec. 11, 1972, there were television cameras at the airport because our flight was the first one after they had been suspended them for awhile. I got off the plane with my then husband and my daughter, Grettel, who was carrying her doll so that attracted the photographers.

Maria Antonia Berdeal

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:30 EST

We arrived at the Freedom Towers at night. We were not able to contact the family that claimed us (Dr. Ramon Mas Martin and his wife Alba) until late in the night. They were coming from Daytona Beach to pick us up and did not arrive until early morning on February 27th.

Estrella A. Espinosa

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:27 EST

We had remained in Cuba due to the Missile Crisis. My 11 year old brother and I, 8 years old, were kept out of school, my parents had given away most of our household items to neighbors and family in anticipation to our departure on October 1st 1962 which never occurred.

Armando J. Suarez

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:25 EST

Llegue de Cuba en Noviembre 23, 1967, despues de 8 meses de separacion de mi senora e hijo que habian llegado en Marzo de ese ano. Recuerdo que cuando bajamos del avion habia una gran comitiva de clerigos de distintas denominaciones recibiendonos y cuando pregunte a que se debia aquello me explicaron que habiamos llegado en el Dia de Dar Gracias.

Mercedes Vildosola

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:22 EST

Our family started the journey from our hometown of Victoria de las Tunas, Oriente on April 7, 1967. My mom's cousin drove us to Camaguey for an overnight stay at my father's oldest sister. Next day we traveled by train to Havana for another overnight stay at another aunt's apartment in Vedado.

Hilda Fernandez Bertram

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:27 EST

At 4 years old I was acutely aware of the fear and danger that we lived in while under the Castro regime. I knew how to handle the "miliciano" that would occasionally show up unexpectedly at our door and interrogate me as to who visited our family, identity of our friends, where exactly did my father work, etc.

Mayra Fuentes

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:25 EST

We arrived at Miami International Airport on Wednesday, May 3, 1967 on the second flight of the day: Mayra Rodriguez Varela -- 10 year old child (me), my father: Antonio Rodriguez Alfonso - deceased 10/23/1993, and my mother: Blanca Sara H. Varela Lorenzo - deceased 01/07/1993.

Olga Martinez

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:59 EST

We arrived at Miami International Airport on 12-15-1966 and were whisked away in a bus to a shelter located right at the airport. I was six years old and in awe.

Sandra M. Castillo-Donate

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:50 EST

I would like to say that I was born knowing that we would be leave Cuba. Household conversations, particularly hush-toned ones, were always about our departure. It was always a question of the when.

Margot Martinez

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:01 EST

I came on August 20th 1970, with my husband Pedro Martinez Perez, nick name EL Chaparro, and my daughter Viviana Martinez, she was 2 years old. We are living in New Orleans, Louisiana for 38 years.

Mary Veber

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:50 EST

I still have the tag from Pan Am (the ones used on the outside of the luggage) its says June 3rd, 1966 Duana, Jose Marti Airport-Miami

Marilyn Garrido Watts

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 09:02 EST

My story begins with the mandatory separation of our family when my parents filed the papers to leave. It took 3 years! As soon as these papers were submitted, we (like many others) were branded "Gusanos" (worms).

Ernestina Pedraza

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:59 EST

The boys had not seen her for 5 years and I had not seen her for 2 years. They lets us stay with her while she was processed. She was told to relocated to California with three kids and teach there or lose all aid.

Roxana Valladares Hart

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:55 EST

I was only 9 years old, but remember that day as if it was today. We left very early one unusually cool morning on January 29, 1962. It was dark and we were supposed to meet with my father, Capitan Eduardo Valladares at the airport.

Lourdes Carasa

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:51 EST

I had just turned 7 years old, when they came to our house to do inventory of our possessions, I had to pick one toy to take. I had lots of dolls and it was hard to pick one.

Alida Rosa Cardo

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 08:45 EST

My mom Guillermina Rivera Rivera came with her brothers Osvaldo Rivera Rivera , and Oscar Rivera Rivera from Pinar del Rio Cuba. They arrived in the states and got reunited with their nephew in the picture Onelio Rivera Acosta and there brother Georgino Rivera Rivera.