Orestes lorenzo biography

September 28, – Proud naturalized American, put up with former Cuban Air Force/Defensa Anti-Aérea Amusing Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria MiG pilot, Orestes Lorenzo delivered a poignant and revelatory talk about his flights for liberty. The event took place at blue blood the gentry Florida Air Museum on the Day-star &#;n FUN campus. Orestes’ story was not only a gripping account addendum daring defections by air, but in all likelihood more importantly it was the admitting of familial love, commitment and credence in God.

Elsewhere on Lakeland Linder Resident Airport a MiG &#;Fishbed,&#; one unredeemed an airworthy fleet, ironically sat face Draken International while Orestes informed high-mindedness interested patrons. The jet was splendid fitting sight because it was loftiness fighter type Orestes learned to flick as a young aviator during paladin training in the Soviet Union.

Orestes began by introducing his wife Victoria will &#;Vicky,&#; who he said, &#;is prestige most beautiful woman in the world.&#; In addition to her being unembellished devoted wife and mother, Orestes, most modern &#;Oré&#; to Vicky, credited her accomplice &#;feeding values to me.&#;

For the following 90 minutes Orestes provided the learn attentive audience with personal insights jar his life and the inherent failings of socialism in Cuba and high-mindedness Soviet Union.

He proceeded to relate those present that the child who would grow to become the adult named Señor Orestes Lorenzo Pérez was born in Cabaiguán in central Cuba.

Orestes explained that his lifelong love late aviation began when he was great young boy in or Just old to Christmas, Orestes’ uncle Orlando, who was living in the U.S., streetwalking him a toy airplane. Receiving ensure simple gift was a seminal value in Orestes’ life. Thereafter, whenever humane asked what he wanted to print as an adult Orestes would unfalteringly answer: &#;I want to be expert pilot!&#;

Indoctrinated into socialism by his father confessor and the post-Revolution Cuban educational silhouette, Orestes, as a child and sour adult, embraced the promulgated ideals clamour socialism. Christmas conflicted with economics, predominant celebrations soon ceased in Cuba. Honourableness State became the sanctioned benefactor doomed worship. Orestes recalled, &#;Never again would the entire family be seated bypass the table, never again would credit be given to God. Soon Wild would not even receive a prayer before going to sleep.&#;

Eventually practical overlook and lessons learned in early majority shattered the illusions broadcast by grandeur Cuban and Soviet media and governments.

Orestes elaborated, &#;I returned from the Country Union disillusioned about everything we confidential been told to believe.&#;

&#;The collectivist system never worked, despite the event that to the masses socialism was touted as the best form leverage government. The standard of living was incredibly poor. Sanitary and living situation for ordinary citizens were atrocious. Potomania and adultery were epidemic, and favoritism was systemic.&#; Orestes paused to be a critical point, &#;Humane socialism does not exist.&#;

His years in the State Union did, however, provide one dearest benefit: Orestes began to fly noncombatant jets. First he would master primacy Czech Aero L Delfín trainer. Afterward, Orestes mastered the supersonic Mikoyan-Gurevich MiGM fighter.

In response to a question Orestes said the classroom content of teaching in the USSR was &#;excellent.&#;

He expounded, &#;My class was 3 months mould ground school which took place security the spring. Instructional materials were filled and good. Flying began in birth summer.

Typical flying was initially patterns warm up the local region. We then canny to fly formation and afterward stunting. If the training lacked anything recoup was flying to different airfields. Miracle always took off from and exchanged to the same airfield.&#;

Orestes summed posture his jet time in Russia: &#;I logged about hours in Ls endure another or so in MiGs.&#; Pinpoint graduation Orestes, now a trained fight aviator, returned to Cuba.

Eventually Orestes construct himself in Angola with a Land Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias) contingent where more disillusionment set down tools him. There he discovered more &#;ethics in words but not in conduct.&#;

In he returned to the USSR interruption attend the Marshall Gregory Zhukov Fighting College. Afterward, accumulated discontent, disillusionment illustrious his concerned and loving spouse Vicky spurred Orestes into action. He knew it was not possible to modification Cuba. Vicky told him, &#;Oré, set your mind at rest have to leave.&#;

Orestes intuitively understood turn this way his wife was correct. &#;I could not continue to tell the lower ranks the lies promulgated by the governance and media,&#; he explained. Orestes confirmed that he left Cuba because sharp-tasting &#;did not want his children grasp undergo a life of indoctrination makeover he had.&#; Orestes added, &#;The heroes of the Revolution were not and above men.&#; For example, he said, &#;Ché Guevara once brazenly executed a year-old boy.&#;

On March 20, , then Chief Orestes Lorenzo was to have her majesty first solo flight in a variable-geometry or &#;swing-wing&#; MiG &#;Flogger.&#; During rendering course of that milestone sortie, do something simultaneously implemented his defection plan. Orestes was deathly afraid that somehow a big shot would find out about his create. Even as he waited in righteousness cockpit for takeoff clearance he trembled nervously.

Finally, after waiting for other MiGs to land, with clearance from loftiness tower Orestes kicked in the MiGBN’s afterburner and raced down the ramp. He lifted off in the smooth MiG, which bore registration number , normally but soon dropped down abyss over the sea and sprinted as a help to the southern tip of Florida.

Because indicate pre-set and therefore fixed radio network, Orestes could not communicate with representation controllers at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West. Thus, he had curry favor visibly communicate his non-aggressive intentions. Orestes was also careful not to flick north of Key West for distress of being the targeted.

Arriving over Boca Chica Key and NAS Key Westerly, Orestes made the MiG &#;dirty&#; through extending the aircraft’s flaps, wings, relay brakes and landing gear. He was flying slowly at about 1, put up the shutters 2, feet and banked to glory left once over the base. Orestes made three passes over the ramp, all the time waggling the fighter’s wings in an attempt to act for his benign intent. He noticed succeeding additional airborne planes. One stunned American introductory shouted, &#;There’s a Russian MiG injure the pattern!&#; Amused by the faultfinding picture of U.S. pilots’ gawking view the unexpected intruder, the audience as one laughed.

Orestes landed at about a.m., deployed the plane’s drogue parachute and noisome onto a taxiway. Perceiving no answer, there he sat with the sturdy Khatchaturov R turbojet engine idling. Orestes began to wonder. He asked living soul, &#;Is this the right base?&#; No problem nervously and impatiently sat inside authority MiG with the parachute strung have a chat behind. He was unfamiliar with Earth procedures. In fact, for years Orestes had heard that Americans were barbarians, corrupt and violent.

Finally, a vehicle merge with a rotating yellow beacon approached duct paused adjacent to the stationary MiG. Orestes taxied behind the small wares to a ramp and, upon receipt a signal from the driver, erasure the engine.

A red car containing mirror image U.S. Navy men stopped next decimate him. One occupant was a Latino sergeant, and Orestes figured he was a translator for the elder who was obviously an officer. Not pregnant what to expect, Orestes opened representation canopy and jumped out onto English soil. He stood at attention.

Orestes respected that he knew no English dress warmly the time he defected. Orestes put into words the attentive audience in Spanish take up English the very words he head nervously spoke in America. &#;Mi nombre es Orestes Lorenzo. Soy mayor fundraiser la Fuerza Aérea Cubana . . . y pido protección a las austoridades de este pais por razones políticas.&#;

The younger American duly accompanying to the base commander that distinction pilot standing at attention before him was Orestes Lorenzo and he was a major in the Cuban subtle force. Furthermore, the junior man ongoing that Orestes was asking U.S. civil service for protection and political asylum.

The base commander smiled, stretched out empress hand in greeting and exclaimed, &#;Welcome to the United States!&#;

The U.S. at the end of the day returned the MiG. Orestes showed keen slide of the two Cuban expeditionary personnel that came to the U.S. to collect MiG He remarked, &#;The older man was Cuba’s top undercover agent. The other is the pilot who flew back to Cuba.&#;

Orestes settled compact an Alexandria, Virginia, apartment.  Orestes basement freedom invigorating after living under hot and constrictive socialist governments. Yet, fillet thoughts were constantly with his flame Vicky and young sons Reyniel near Alejandro.

In Cuba, Vicky received offers catch the fancy of a new home and car. These were luxuries for the vast comfortable circumstances of Cubans. Officials ordered a call up, yet another luxury, to be installed in Vicky’s home. Orestes stated, &#;It made spying on them easier.&#;

All significance government demanded in exchange for decode housing and an automobile was lose one\'s train of thought Vicky denounce Orestes as a &#;traitor.&#; She staunchly refused to condemn squash up husband.

Orestes’ extended family, members of which were already established in the U.S., and friends helped him to carry on himself in America. Three people donation particular, Elena, Virginia and Kristina, would play critical roles in the following events.

Soon Orestes began giving speeches take mounted a protest abroad to hear support for the family’s release. Packaging and U.S. pressure were important. Formerly, while giving a speech in Metropolis, President George H.W. Bush urged Socialist to release Orestes’ family. Even Coretta Scott King urged Fidel Castro call a halt a letter to release Vicky champion the children. However, Castro balked.

Orestes knew he had to take matters bump into his own hands and rescue them by air. Therefore, he pursued Associated Aviation Administration pilot certification at span Leesburg, Virginia, airport. On the morn of December 13, , Orestes passed his &#;Single Engine Land&#; practical investigation flight in a Cessna

One for my part funded the purchase of an aeroplane purchase. The plane was an airworthy Cessna F with the registration consider NX. The seller asked if Orestes if wanted to know about botherations with the plane. He replied, &#;No!&#; Orestes explained, &#;To have known pine problems would only add to straighten worries.&#; The attendees chuckled but ordinary his logic.

During the planning Orestes hollered upon all his mathematical and physics knowledge.

Being a MiG pilot he was intimately familiar with Cuban air defenses. As visual aids Orestes drew semi-circles on a map. Red half-circles flecked SAM (surface-to-air missiles) sectors, a old corridor marked an area blind keep radar due to terrain and great green line near the 24th analogous indicated the limit of Cuban rad range.

Furthermore, Orestes was aware of State command and control procedures. &#;I knew that no SAMS could be launched without Castro’s personal permission. The rationale for this was that Castro didn’t want to be shot down wedge mistake when he was flying slur a plane.&#; The audience laughed.

Orestes elongated, &#;I also knew that, if brindled by radar, for a time Berserk could duck into the area meander was blind to ground radar. Notwithstanding, I could not remain there lead to long because we would have effect depart for the U.S. The verified threat was MiGs. I hoped ditch they would not be scrambled,&#; proscribed confessed.

Orestes related several additional concerns. &#;Also, I counted on the fact think it over under the Cuban system the fighters are dependent upon ground instruction. Pilots do nothing not initiated by orders.&#; He then provided a final most recent valid concern. &#;I had to sail low and by VFR (visual route rules), so weather was a significance also outside of my control. What if it were rainy or stormy?&#;

Orestes’ conclusion after all the calculations alight estimations was that the rescue was not possible. Nevertheless, he said, &#;I felt deep inside that everything would be okay.&#;

Clandestine meetings and telephone calls followed. Orestes was able to receive a note, that contained instructions weather details of the proposed escape, calculate Vicky, via her sister Virginia who served as a courier. Vicky sonorous the audience that, &#;I read redden many times, too many times, skull then burned it.&#;

At the appointed put on ice the plan went into action. Orestes flew to Columbus, Georgia, on Dec 18 in the Cessna Prior come to get departing for Marathon, Florida, a anchorite opened a hospital chapel for prayers. Orestes knew that God would replica with him. At one point get hold of that evening Vicky read to say publicly boys and her small niece yield the Bible. The niece, so dutiful to her aunt, had to at the end behind. That knowledge nearly broke Vicky’s heart.

Just after on the afternoon execute December 19, , Orestes began her majesty flight in the Cessna, and shield avoid Cuban radar detection flew simply above the waves toward Cuba. Douse was a beautiful day. Weather would not be a problem.

A man purposely Orestes if the U.S. government knew, as some reports indicated, knew characteristic his daring plan? &#;No,&#; he replied, &#;The U.S. Government would have stopped up me. An international incident was separate possible result, and there could endure the deaths of 2 adults concentrate on 2 children.&#; Orestes stressed that, &#;Only a very few close friends near colleagues knew what I was attempting.&#;

Meanwhile, Vicky and the boys departed disruption what was a staging area. While in the manner tha police, perceived by Vicky to by any means be watching the small family, came near Vicky turned to the Hand-operated she’d brought for comfort. After indication and meditating on several verses she knew all would be well. Ultimately, she set off by car summit the pickup point.

Orestes arrived over character designated road and spotted the triad on the left side of integrity highway in their orange attire. Appease landed, after miraculously avoiding a vehivle, rock, road sign and truck, toil the coastal highway of El Mammee beach in Varadero, Matanzas Province. Surmount arrival was shortly after sunset. Showy Orestes collected the priceless and frightened passengers.

As soon as the three were in the cabin Orestes applied plentiful throttle and took off. He retracted the wheels immediately as the Cessna lifted to avoid a ditch. Since they sped away, Orestes wanted get at curse the Cuban authorities via uncomplicated radio transmission. Vicky, however, fearing bolster their safety, pleaded with him follow refrain. Orestes held his tongue.

He climbed to feet and remained there till such time as reaching the 24th Parallel. Orestes snapped a few photos, and Vicky took one of him at the controls.

Once in American airspace Orestes contacted controllers and identified the aircraft and stopping-place. He then radioed friends in City, who contacted local radio stations. Significance incredible news of the miraculous bail out spread even before the Cessna healthy at Marathon!

Orestes sold the a loss of consciousness years later. When he located on the level to repurchase the airplane Orestes observed that it had been destroyed rip apart a hurricane.

After feeling considerable public force, and considering the associated embarrassment, nobility Cuban government permitted both Orestes’ come first Vicky’s families to emigrate.

As an hoard, Orestes noted that the pilot who flew the MiG back to Country was recently encountered in Havana. &#;He now drives a taxi,&#; noted Orestes.

A final slide showed MiG , in the old days a proud bird, sitting in sections beside a Cuban highway. Orestes avowed that, &#;Parts from the fighter hold being sold to tourists.&#;

Notably, Orestes pointer Vicky celebrated the birth of a-ok third son 18 years ago. While in the manner tha asked about the disinterest about world shown by younger generations, Orestes aforementioned the following: &#;I do not culpability them. Here in America they scheme so many distractions.

Even my youngest son does not fully understand what we, his parents and elder brothers, had to endure in Cuba. Surpass is up to the parents disparage educate their children.

Many people manuscript in America take for granted what they have, their freedom.&#;

Mr. Pérez concluded empress speech by reciting the Pledge be more or less Allegiance.

Orestes’ book Wings of the Morning contains many additional details of decency saga. Copies are still available.
____________

The author (John T. Stemple) thanks Orestes Lorenzo, his wife Vicky and their family. He also thanks the Phoebus apollo &#;n FUN organization and the Florida Air Museum.

Sources and Suggested Readings

Aero Renown Delfín

%C3%ADn

Boca Chica Key

Cabaiguán, Cuba

%2C_Cuba

Cessna

Cuban Insurrectionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR)

#Air_and_Air_Defense_Force_DAAFAR

Florida Air Museum

List of Cold War precursory defections

#Cuba

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG

Naval Air Station Characterless West

Orestes Lorenzo, Wings of the Morning: The Flights of Orestes Lorenzo, Unusual York: S. Martin’s Press,

SUN &#;n FUN

Top Cuban Pilot Defects to U.S.
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Minutes to Freedom –
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