Maxwell Davenport Taylor Biography

Taylor chairs the presidential inquiry into the planning and execution of the invasion.

Taylor begins examining decisions, intelligence and military assumptions behind the failure.

Taylor's study group examines command, intelligence, air support and policy decisions that contributed to the Bay of Pigs defeat.

Taylor submits findings and recommendations from the presidential review.

Taylor and the Joint Chiefs developed plans for attacks against missile sites and other military targets.

Taylor presented military assessments emphasizing that an air strike might have to be followed by a larger invasion of Cuba.

Taylor supervised continued planning for air strikes and invasion after Kennedy selected the quarantine as the first step.

Taylor maintained military readiness while the quarantine was implemented and reconnaissance missions increased over Cuba.

Taylor advised on military responses after Anderson's U-2 was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile over Cuba.

Taylor kept United States forces at high readiness while officials awaited evidence that Soviet dismantling had begun.