116. Editorial Note
At 6 p.m. on April 17, 1961, Admiral Clark reported that the four remaining ships of the Cuban Expeditionary Force, Blagar, Barbara J., Atlantico, and Caribe, were 55 miles off the Bay of Pigs with the two EW destroyers assigned to the area maintaining distant contact. The CEF ships were proceeding south at 5 knots. (CTG 81.8 telegram 172300Z to CINCLANTFLT, April 17; Naval Historical Center, Area Files, Bumpy Road Materials) During the early morning hours of April 18, Admiral Clark attempted to convince the CEF ships to return to Point Zulu, some 41.2 miles off the coast of Cuba. At 4:50 a.m. Clark reported that Blagar and Barbara J. had turned around and were expected to return to Point Zulu by 7 a.m. Atlantico and Caribe were still headed south, however, and the master of Atlantico stated that he would have trouble with his crew if he attempted to turn north, unless support from the Task Group was visible. Clark indicated that he planned to send CAP over the Atlantico at first light to boost morale. (CTG 81.8 telegram 180950Z to CINC-LANTFLT, April 18; ibid.) At 5:26 a.m. Clark reported that Atlantico had turned north but that he was still working on the reluctant Caribe. (CTG 81.8 telegram 181026Z to CINCLANTFLT, April 18; ibid.)
Blagar and Barbara J. reached Point Zulu by 11 a.m. and Clark reported that there was no hostile activity in the area. The CEF ships had been under an air CAP since first light. (CTG 81.8 telegram 181604Z to CINCLANTFLT, April 18; ibid.) At 12:26 p.m. Clark reported that the two planes that he had sent out to search for the Caribe had found the ship approximately 218 miles south of the Bay of Pigs and had persuaded the master to turn north toward Cuba. (CTG 81.8 telegram 181726Z to CINC-LANTFLT, April 18; ibid.)