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Awards
Rick Elster, a shipmate durning 1961 and 1962, suggested we include the awards the USS Waller received for the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Cuban Blockade. Thanks for your input, Rick. Here is what Ricks writes.
Nov. 04, 1999
TO : NICK GRANDE
FROM: RICK ELSTER
SUBJ: OUR SHIP / DDE 466
1961 April 17-20 The Bay of Pigs - A force of 1400 Cuban exiles, lands at the Bay of Pigs, to overthrow the Communist government. American Naval units are standing offshore, (The USS Waller was one of the ships), in position to assist the exiles, but President Kennedy decides that to intervene would only worsen the situation. For the USS Waller actions in the Bay of Pigs the ship and her crew are awarded the Naval Expeditionary Medal. (this was awarded many years later)
footnote #1
1962 October 24-Nov.08 USS Waller part of Task Group Alpha played a role in the Cuba Missile crisis of 1962. On Oct. 21, 1962 President Kennedy informed the nation and the world that a strict quarantine on all offensive equipment under shipment to Cuba is being initiated. The actual blockade began the morning of Oct. 24, 1962. For this action the Waller and her crew received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
Footnote #2
#1-notes taken from "The US Navy an Illustrated History by Nathan Miller"
#2-notes taken from "American Naval History by Jack Sweetman"
The medals and the Waller name were not used in the two history books. Those medals were awarded to me some years later as a member of the USS WALLER DDE 466.
Email Rick at RElster565@aol.com
