Norberto Collado Abreu
Encyclopedia
Norberto Collado Abreu (c. 1921 – April 2, 2008) was the Cuba
n captain
and helmsman
of the yacht
Granma
, which ferried Fidel Castro
and 81 supporters to Cuba
from Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico
, in 1956. The 1956 landing of Castro from the Granma in western Cuba launched the Cuban Revolution
which resulted in the overthrow of President Fulgencio Batista
in 1959.
Collado Abreu joined the Cuban Navy in April 1941 during World War II
. He participated in the sinking of the German U-Boat 176
in May 1943 in the waters northeast of Havana
.
However, Collado Abreu's left-wing sympathies landed him in jail following the war, where he met Fidel Castro, who was also imprisoned at the time. Both Castro and Collado Abreu were later freed as part of an amnesty
program. The two went into exile in Mexico, along with other supporters of Castro.
The Granma set sail under Castro on the night of November 25, 1956, from the Veracruz
port city of Tuxpan. Collado Abreu captained the Granma, which carried a total of 82 prominent supporters of the Cuban Revolution, including Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro
, Camilo Cienfuegos
and Che Guevara
, from Mexico to its landing site in Granma Province
in western Cuba. The landing on December 2, 1956, marked the start of the Cuban Revolution
, which toppled Fulgencio Batista from power in 1959. Collado Abreu was captured shortly after landing the Granma in Cuba. He was sentenced to prison, where he remained until the triumph of the Revolution in 1959.
Collado Abreu continued to work in various capacities for the Cuban Navy after the Revolution until 1981.
Norberto Collado Abreu died in Cuba on April 2, 2008. The Cuban News Agency, a Cuban state run news agency, did not disclose his age or cause of death at the time. His funeral was held the same day as his death at the Pantheon of the Revolutionary Armed Forces in Colon Cemetery
in Havana
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n captain
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
and helmsman
Helmsman
A helmsman is a person who steers a ship, sailboat, submarine, or other type of maritime vessel. On small vessels, particularly privately-owned noncommercial vessels, the functions of skipper and helmsman may be combined in one person. On larger vessels, there is a separate officer of the watch,...
of the yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
Granma
Granma (yacht)
Granma is the yacht that was used to transport 82 fighters of the Cuban Revolution from Mexico to Cuba in 1956 for the purpose of overthrowing the regime of Fulgencio Batista. The 60-foot diesel-powered cabin cruiser was built in 1943 and designed to accommodate 12 people...
, which ferried Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
and 81 supporters to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
from Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, in 1956. The 1956 landing of Castro from the Granma in western Cuba launched the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
which resulted in the overthrow of President Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista
Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
in 1959.
Collado Abreu joined the Cuban Navy in April 1941 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He participated in the sinking of the German U-Boat 176
Unterseeboot 176
German submarine U-176 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.Built at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen, U-176 was laid down on 6 February 1941, launched on 12 September 1941, and commissioned on 15 December 1941, under the command of Kapitänleutnant...
in May 1943 in the waters northeast of Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
.
However, Collado Abreu's left-wing sympathies landed him in jail following the war, where he met Fidel Castro, who was also imprisoned at the time. Both Castro and Collado Abreu were later freed as part of an amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
program. The two went into exile in Mexico, along with other supporters of Castro.
The Granma set sail under Castro on the night of November 25, 1956, from the Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
port city of Tuxpan. Collado Abreu captained the Granma, which carried a total of 82 prominent supporters of the Cuban Revolution, including Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro
Raúl Castro
Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008; he previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008...
, Camilo Cienfuegos
Camilo Cienfuegos
Camilo Cienfuegos Gorriarán was a Cuban revolutionary born in Lawton, Havana. Raised in an anarchist family that had left Spain before the Spanish Civil War, he became a key figure of the Cuban Revolution, along with Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Juan Almeida Bosque, and Raúl Castro.-Political...
and Che Guevara
Che Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
, from Mexico to its landing site in Granma Province
Granma Province
Granma is one of the provinces of Cuba. Its capital is Bayamo. Other towns include Manzanillo and Pilón.-History:...
in western Cuba. The landing on December 2, 1956, marked the start of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, which toppled Fulgencio Batista from power in 1959. Collado Abreu was captured shortly after landing the Granma in Cuba. He was sentenced to prison, where he remained until the triumph of the Revolution in 1959.
Collado Abreu continued to work in various capacities for the Cuban Navy after the Revolution until 1981.
Norberto Collado Abreu died in Cuba on April 2, 2008. The Cuban News Agency, a Cuban state run news agency, did not disclose his age or cause of death at the time. His funeral was held the same day as his death at the Pantheon of the Revolutionary Armed Forces in Colon Cemetery
Colon Cemetery, Havana
The Colon Cemetery or more fully in the Spanish language Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón was founded in 1876 in the Vedado neighbourhood of Havana, Cuba on top of Espada Cemetery. Named for Christopher Columbus, the 140 acre cemetery is noted for its many elaborately sculpted memorials...
in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
.
External links
- After receiving U.S. congressional recognition, he became the ‘Granma’ helmsman Granma InternacionalGranma (newspaper)Granma is the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party.Its name comes from the yacht Granma that carried Fidel Castro and 81 other rebels to Cuba's shores in 1956 launching the Cuban Revolution.-Editions:...
, 2001-11-30