On 17 April 1961, together with the combatants of the Rebel Army and the National Revolutionary Police, the militias confronted and defeated in less than 72 hours 1,500 mercenaries whom the United States financed, armed and trained to invade Cuba at Playa Girón (Giron beach), in what became known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion.
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The graduation of the University Militia in January 1960 was done with an ascent up Pico Turquino, where they were joined by Fidel Castro, Celia Sánchez and other revolutionary leaders.
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There, Cuban prime minister Fidel Castro proposed creating the Voluntary Popular Militias, in response to the popular call to prepare citizens militarily to defend the Revolution; the idea definitely took shape in the NRM.
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The militias have their origins in a ceremony celebrated in front of the Presidential Palace (presently the Museum of the Revolution) in Havana on 22 March 1959.
A University Militia known as the José Antonio Echeverría Brigade was formed in 1959, which later became the 154th Battalion of the National Revolutionary Militias.
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