Raising the Flag at U.S. Embassy Havana

A New Chapter for the United States and Cuba On January 4, 1961, U.S. Marines Jim Tracy, F.W. “Mike“ East, and Larry C. Morris assigned to U.S. Embassy Havana lowered the American flag outside the embassy for the last time. For 54 years, the Marines’ warm affection for the Cuban people never wavered. And neither did their belief that, one day, they would reunite to raise the flag again. On August 14, 2015, these three U.S. Marines reunite and join Secretary of State John Kerry to re-open the U.S. Embassy