Havana, Cuba in 1960

[MSgt G]

My parents traveled to Havana for the last time in 1960, before I was born. Dad told me later that things had gotten so bad that he wouldn't return again.

Here are my dad and mom along with two military or police members. Anyone know what "PMR" stands for? Not sure how they talked them out of their weapons.

 

[GreyOwl]

Closest I could come up with--may or may not be the same.
Warriors- Internationalists of Ukraine and Pridnestrovie Meet in Embassy of Cuba in Kiev | Ministry of Foreign Affairs

 

[.455_Hunter]

My Dad stopped at Gitmo during a NROTC summer cruise in 1956. The PX was having a clearance/close-out sale on all sporting arms to eliminate inventory due the issues being caused by a certain rabble-rouser known as "Fidel Castro". He ended-up with a nice Winchester Model 88 in the trendy new .308 Win caliber, which serves as his elk rifle to this day.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Probably "Policia Militar-something-or-other" (Military Police)

 

[Watchdog]

Anyone know what "PMR" stands for?

PMR stood for "Republican Mobilization Party", a Communist political front/organization formed around 1958. I think it was more active in Nicaragua, but I could be wrong about that. All those little revolutionary splinter groups moved from country to country largely at will...wherever they could get paid and loot in exchange for their "loyalty".

Not sure how they talked them out of their weapons.

Probably didn't have to do much talking or try too hard. Five bucks to each guy would've got the job done. In 1958 and on into the early days of Fidel's regime, a ten-dollar bill would buy you just about anything you wanted. The American dollar was king in Cuba, even though Fidel had booted all the Americans out, or they had fled in fear for their lives.

Love that old photograph, by the way.

 

[Comrad]

Provincial Military Police.

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

I just bought my first Cuban cigar here in the USA down at my local Cigar shoppe.

Last Cuban cigar I smoked was in Jamaica in 1994.

 

[Ranger514]

I just bought my first Cuban cigar here in the USA down at my local Cigar shoppe.

Last Cuban cigar I smoked was in Jamaica in 1994.

So, how good a cigar was it?

 

[rwsmith]

Is it......

I just bought my first Cuban cigar here in the USA down at my local Cigar shoppe.

Last Cuban cigar I smoked was in Jamaica in 1994.

Is it legal now????

 

[Watchdog]

Sure love to have that .45 she's holding.

 

[DWalt]

I was in Havana during the summer of 1960. I had a few interesting and memorable experiences, even though things had already changed quite a lot after Fidel took charge. Most in the US at that time had no idea he was a Commie. But it was very evident to anyone who was actually there from the signs and posters everywhere.

 

[MSgt G]

Sure love to have that .45 she's holding.

Me too! She should have brought it back for a future son! Who can tell me what the rifle is?

 

[4506517]

Looks like an M1 Garand.

 

[DWalt]

I understand the Castros are demanding the return of Gitmo (along with other conditions) in exchange for normalized relations with the USA. And they'll probably get it.

 

[moralem]

I just bought my first Cuban cigar here in the USA down at my local Cigar shoppe.

Last Cuban cigar I smoked was in Jamaica in 1994.

I have been looking for Cubans but I have heard that they still cannot be brought in for sale. If you are one of the few to travel to Cuba you can bring back up to 100 dollars in tobacco......so let us know where they are selling those Cubans so we can mail order. What you may have had was a Cuban seed cigar grown in Honduras or the Dominican but not a real Cuban.....let us know.

 

[S&W ucla]

Had a late friend who went there in April of 1961 and stayed for several years getting "re-educated".

 

[DWalt]

I have been looking for Cubans but I have heard that they still cannot be brought in for sale. If you are one of the few to travel to Cuba you can bring back up to 100 dollars in tobacco......so let us know where they are selling those Cubans so we can mail order. What you may have had was a Cuban seed cigar grown in Honduras or the Dominican but not a real Cuban.....let us know.

True enough. At least at present, the only legal way to get Cuban cigars into the USA is to go there and bring them back, up to $100 worth. Or get them from someone who did. They cannot (yet) be otherwise legally imported or sold at retail here. Even bringing back Cuban cigars from Canada (which never embargoed Cuba) is illegal and they will subject you to confiscation and a fine if caught bringing them in.

 

[Stevens]

PMR probably means: Policia Militar (de la) Revolucion
Military Police of the Revolution
Steve W.

 

[Alk8944]

Who can tell me what the rifle is?

It's a Garand, "U.S Rifle Cal. M-1" The U.S. supplied these, and lots of other hardware, to the revolutionaries who were trying to overthrow that nasty dictator Fulgencio Batista, during the Eisenhower administration. Everyone believed at the time that they wanted to establish democracy in Cuba at that time!

 

[moralem]

True enough. At least at present, the only legal way to get Cuban cigars into the USA is to go there and bring them back, up to $100 worth. Or get them from someone who did. They cannot (yet) be otherwise legally imported or sold at retail here. Even bringing back Cuban cigars from Canada (which never embargoed Cuba) is illegal and they will subject you to confiscation and a fine if caught bringing them in.

That is what I thought......smoked mine all up after bringing a box back from my motorcycle trip to Alaska last summer. I crossed back into the states at a very small border crossing and was only given a quick eyeball and wave on through.