▁Domin icans ▁had ▁volunte ered ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁army ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁while ▁others ▁had ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Republican ▁Army . ▁There ▁were ▁also ▁some ▁pil ots ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁The ▁fund ing ▁and ▁weapons ▁of ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Leg ion ▁came ▁from ▁many ▁different ▁sources . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁weapons ▁deal ers ▁had ▁stock ▁left ▁over ▁from ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁willing ▁to ▁sell ▁to ▁the ▁Leg ion . ▁The ▁Leg ion ▁also ▁received ▁support ▁at ▁various ▁times ▁from ▁the ▁govern ments ▁of ▁Cuba ▁and ▁Gu atem ala , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁from ▁the ▁Costa ▁R ican ▁government ▁of ▁José ▁Fig uer es ▁Fer rer ▁after ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁power ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁The ▁biggest ▁source ▁of ▁fund ing ▁for ▁the ▁leg ion ▁was ▁Juan ▁Rod rig uez ▁Gar cia , ▁a ▁wealth y ▁Domin ican ▁ran cher ▁who ▁fled ▁the ▁Domin ican ▁Republic ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁ ▁A ▁prominent ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁Leg ion ▁was ▁F idel ▁Castro , ▁who ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁C ay o ▁Conf ites ▁affair ▁as ▁a ▁ 2 1 - year - old . ▁He ▁was ▁captured ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁invasion ▁force , ▁but ▁escaped ▁by ▁jump ing ▁off ▁the ▁Cub an ▁Navy ▁vessel ▁he ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁and ▁sw imming ▁to ▁safety . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Cit ations ▁ ▁S ources ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Category