José María Martínez Tamayo

Cuban guerrilla fighter and military officer who fought in the Cuban Revolution, in the Congo and in Bolivia under the command of Che Guevara, where he died in combat in 1967. He achieved the rank of captain in the Cuban army.

His death occurred in Bolivia, when he was part of the internationalist guerrilla force of Commander Ernesto Che Guevara. He was 31 years old at the time of his death. From a humble family and a farm worker, he was a combatant of the II Eastern Front Frank País during the revolutionary war and third in command in Che's guerrilla force in the Congo, from where he departed for Bolivia, being the first to arrive in that country to prepare for the new campaign.

Che described him as an extraordinary combatant and regarding his death said it was another significant loss due to his quality.

He was born on Antonio Guiteras Street # 211, Mayarí, Holguín. Papi, as they affectionately called him, was the oldest of four children of José Ramón Martínez and Lucía Tamayo. As a child he preferred to share adventures with the boys of poor peasants and Jamaican and Haitian day laborers. He liked to hunt, ride horses and explore the forests and mountains of the area.

He learned his first letters completing first grade at the Julio E. Carballo school. He was extremely strong and very intelligent but was only able to attend school up to fourth grade.

At seventeen years old he decided to become a tractor operator. One of his friends, the Jamaican Zili Hubert, taught him. It was in this profession that he began working at the former Preston sugar mill, now Guatemala. During this time his mother and siblings were living in Havana and he, when the dead season arrived, would go to the capital, work at whatever he could, and then return to his town.

When the 26 of July movement was founded in Guaro he was among the group of young people who began conspiratorial activities. After the strike in April 1958, together with three acquaintances, he went to the mountains following the trail of the bearded rebels. He brought with him his grandfather's shotgun and revolver and had made a sign on the tractor where he worked that read: I'm going to the Sierra... Freedom or Death.

Without finding the rebels and located by his father he had to return. He set out again to the hills. He joined the II Eastern Front Frank País and became part of column 17 directed by Captain Abelardo Colomé Ibarra, Furri. He was valued for his courage, determination and boldness in combat. It is said that on occasions he fought standing.

He was the image of the conscious revolutionary, forged through hardship in struggle over the years; yet at the same time full of feelings, great modesty and sensitivity, showing himself amid vicissitudes and dangers, never forgetting his homeland, parents, children, siblings, nor the fulfillment of his revolutionary duty.

After the war ended he served in a tank company in Managua, then moved to the Army Intelligence Department and later, when the Ministry of the Interior was created, he was one of the first to join it.

During the October Crisis, he once again tested the character, boldness and determination to fight that he possessed. The triumph of the Revolution allowed him to develop in various activities and advance militarily; he was assigned to the tank company and promoted to sergeant. He completed training as a war tank operator, learned to pilot airplanes and received practical training in driving race cars. Later he was transferred to the Intelligence Department of the Rebel Army. He completed training in the officer course at the Space Troops school of MININT and received training in various disciplines of operative secret work.

Moving were the moments of the hero's death and burial. This is how fellow internationalist combatant Leonardo Tamayo would describe it in an interview given to journalist Elsa Blaker: "He was so calm that I thought he wouldn't die, but the doctor thought otherwise. Che kept asking how he was. Around eight o'clock at night, 12 hours after being wounded, he asked for coffee and Che ordered it strained for him; when it was given to him, he said it was hot and set it to cool on the sand.

"He asked about his brother. Olo (Captain Orlando Pantoja Tamayo) had put him on guard and as was natural Che reprimanded him for it and sent for him. Both brothers met on the river beach. René put Papi's head on his legs. Papi took off his watch and gave it to him telling him to give it to Jorgito, his oldest son, help him because he's tough on grandmother, he asked.

"To René he said: My brother, may Fernando (the name Che had at that moment) never have to call your attention and if you happen to fall, do it like men, fighting".

René Martínez Tamayo, his brother, at the moment of final farewell, swore to continue the struggle with honor. And on October 8th of that same year, he fell in combat, trying to protect the life of Commander Ernesto Che Guevara.

José María Martínez Tamayo (Papi) joined his name to the revolutionary history of the Cuban people, just like Frank País, Raúl Pujol and René Ramos Latour (Commander Daniel) who died on July 30th. That is why he receives also, on this date, the grateful remembrance of his people.