AMBASSADOR JEFFREY DeLAURENTIS: How far is 90 miles?
The 90 miles that separate Cuba and United States have in recent generations served as
a symbol of our differences with the Cuban government. For over half a century, these
differences have turned those 90 miles into an economic and ideological barrier that has
separated not just our governments, but our peoples as well.
Many of these differences remain. But President Obama’s new direction toward Cuba changes
our focus from our differences with the Cuban government to the deep and significant ties
we enjoy with the Cuban people. We are tied together as neighbors, with a
flight from Havana to Miami lasting only 45 minutes. We are tied together as family, with
Cuban-Americans having made enormous contributions to our country. And we are tied together as
friends, with a deep and shared commitment to increasing the prosperity and freedom of
our region. In the 54 years since our governments terminated diplomatic relations and the U.S.
embassy lowered its flag in Havana, this friendship between our peoples has never weakened. Larry
Morris, Mike East and Jim Tracy know this firsthand. They have been waiting since 1961
to return to Havana. On the 4th of January, 1961, these three Marines
assigned to U.S. Embassy Havana were faced with the grim prospect of lowering the American
flag outside the embassy for the last time. For 54 years, the soldiers’ warm affection
for the Cuban people has never wavered. And neither has their belief that, one day,
they would reunite to raise the flag again.
MIKE EAST: We knew in advance,
that in three days, we had to be out.
LARRY MORRIS: DiPasquale, he was our NCOIC.
He said, ‘I need three volunteers to bring the flag down for the final time.’
JIM TRACY: I think the NCOIC said something about ‘the biggest, ugliest marines you can find.
Send them down here.
LARRY MORRIS: And I said, ‘Well, I’ll be one.’
JIM TRACY: I was the senior watchstander,
as a Sergeant E4. Morris was a Lance Corporal, E3, and East was a Corporal, E4. Embassy’s
got these big glass doors, and we went out, the three of us. Went out, stood on the steps.
And out there is 300 Cubans.
(Snaps fingers) The sidewalk just parted!
We had to go down, turn left, and get in front of the flag. We didn’t have anybody on the
sidewalks at all. They knew what we were going to do.
LARRY MORRIS: Brought the flag down.
JIM TRACY: I think Morris might have said
‘You want to stay out here and fold the flag?’, because there’s a certain way
you have to fold it. We could have just wrapped it up and marched in.
LARRY MORRIS: And somebody says ‘Hell, yeah!’
So… (overwhelmed)
we folded the flag!
MIKE EAST: It was a touching moment. To see Old Glory flying for the last time in Cuba,
it was… just didn’t seem right. Seemed like something was wrong,
something was missing, you know?
JIM TRACY: People liked us!
MIKE EAST: Kinda like family, I guess you could say. The people were just happy, they
were lucky, they were carefree, and they were loving people!
JIM TRACY: Really nice people, liking other nice people, and letting people know that
they like them. That they wanted them there. They want to mix with us, get to know each other.
MIKE EAST: I guess there’s just a special bond with Cuba.
It’s a bond that you can’t put into words; it’s just something that you’d like to see.
LARRY MORRIS: I was there four, four and a half months.
But I enjoyed the people and Cuba better than any place I’ve ever been.
JIM TRACY: Oh yeah. I think about Cuba all the time.
LARRY MORRIS: Me and my wife have been married 44 years. I’ve talked to her for 44 years about it!
(laughs). 47 years! (laughs)
MIKE EAST: It’s a place I always wanted to go back to.
You think about the good times you had,
think about the people that you met,
the friendships…
Today, the United States of America is changing
its relationship with the people of Cuba. In the most significant changes in our policy
in more than fifty years, we will end an outdated approach that, for decades, has failed to
advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two
countries. Through these changes, we intend to create more opportunities for the American
and Cuban people, and begin a new chapter among the nations of the Americas.
LARRY MORRIS: It’s coming back to where it should be.
JIM TRACY: I’m really excited about this. I think everybody’s going to like what comes out of this.
MIKE EAST: There’s a lot of people that have been hurt.
You know, families separated and all these things, you know. This will
give them time to get back to their families. Plus it would give me a time to maybe get
back to Cuba, too! See what things are like.
JIM TRACY: I’d like to see a whole bunch of senators and congressmen just travel to Cuba to say Hi.
LARRY MORRIS: Have you ever been to Cuba?
You gotta go, too!
MIKE EAST: Larry and Jim started calling me,
telling me about ‘Cuba! Cuba! Cuba!’
LARRY MORRIS: Me and Jim would be kidding each other
about going back to Cuba and raising the flag, and he says, ‘Would you go?’
I said, ‘Jim I’d pay my own way if I had to!’
MIKE EAST: I never thought I’d be going back,
but I welcome the chance.
JIM TRACY: I’m gonna love seeing that flag go back up.
MIKE EAST: Yeah, I think about it very night now.
Seeing that flag go back up! It means a lot.
LARRY MORRIS: If I’m talking to an American, you will enjoy your time in Cuba.
And I’ll bet you, you will go back.
AMBASSADOR JEFFREY DeLAURENTIS: How far is 90 miles?
How long are 54 years? Long, perhaps in terms of lifetimes, but nothing in the
face of the deep and enduring friendship between the United States and Cuban peoples.