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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19_Mil-ExpOp 1965ÛEXPEDITIONARY O P E T I O N S Û 1 9 9 0 "We don't propose to sit here in a rocking chair with our hands folded and let the Communists set up any government in the western hemisphere." President Lyndon B. Johnson, 1965. During the Cold War and the years immediately aer the wall came down in Berlin, U.S. forces became increasingly involved in campaigns that became known as expeditionary operations. Chief among these operations were those in the Dominican Republic in 1965, Grenada in 1983, and Panama in 1989. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 1965-1966 When civil strife broke out in the Dominican Republic in April 1965, Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson dispatched troops to protect American lives and to prevent a possible Castro-type takeover of the government by Communist insurgents. A eet of 41 U.S. Navy vessels with Marines embarked was dispatched to the scene. U.S. Marines were landed on 28 April. ey were followed by elements of the 82nd Airborne Division and U.S. Special Forces troops, who were air landed at San Isidro Aireld, located east of the capital city of Santo Domingo. Ultimately, 14,000 soldiers and Marines were deployed to the Dominican Republic under Operation POWER PACK to secure Santo Domingo and restore order. In the process, several thousand foreign nationals were evacuated to safety. At the same time, U.S. forces airlied in large relief supplies for Dominican nationals. e ghting and unrest continued until 31 August 1965 when a truce was declared. Most U.S. troops were subsequently withdrawn and the responsibility for keeping the peace was turned over to a joint force composed of Brazilian, Honduran, Nicaraguan, and El Salvadoran troops, who were deployed to the island under the auspices of the Organization of American States. Total U.S. casualties for this operation were 13 killed and over 200 wounded. opposition slate headed by Guillermo Endara. Noriega survived an aborted coup aempt on 3 October 1989. In the wake of the failed coup aempt, the situation for the Americans, both military and civilian, living and working in Panama became increasingly tenuous as Noriega stepped up his anti-American campaign. Gen. Maxwell R. urman, Commander in Chief of U.S. Southern Command, placed the command at a heightened state of readiness and updated contingency plans for combat operations in Panama. On 15 December 1989, the Panamanian National Assembly declared Noriega “maximum leader of national liberation.” Noriega then announced that Panama was in a state of war with the United States. On 16 December 1989, Lt. Robert Paz, U.S. Marine Corps, was killed at a Panamanian Defense Force roadblock. Shortly thereaer, a U.S. Navy ocer and his wife were arrested, interrogated, and roughed up by the Panamanian Defense Forces. ose two incidents were the catalysts that caused Pres. George H. W. Bush to order Noriega’s apprehension and the neutralization of the Panamanian Defense Force. Under General urman’s direction, Lt. Gen. Carl Steiner, Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, formed and led a joint task force of 26,000 U.S. troops in a complex operation to eliminate the Panamanian Defense force, capture Noriega, and install the previously elected government of Pres. Endara. urman’s objective was to strike with sucient force and suddenness to disable the Panamanian Defense Forces before they could mount a credible defense. e operation, code named Operation JUST CAUSE, involved airborne and air assault troops, airlied from the United States, linking up in the hours of darkness with mechanized, light infantry, and special forces units already on the ground in Panama. More than 3,000 soldiers, including the Army Rangers, parachuted in – the largest airborne operation since World War II. e operation was a resounding success. Twenty-three targets were seized almost simultaneously, virtually decapitating the Panamanian Defense Forces, and Guillermo Endara was installed as the duly elected president of Panama. Noriega sought refuge in the Vatican Embassy but gave himself up on 3 January 1990 to U.S. authorities, who escorted him to the United States to stand trial on drug charges. U.S. casualties in Operation JUST CAUSE included 23 killed and 324 wounded. James H. Wilbanks, PhD, Texas A&M University ’69 GRENADA 1983 In the fall of 1983, an internal power struggle in the small island of Grenada in the Caribbean Sea resulted in a breakdown of civil order. Concerned about growing Cuban and Soviet inuence in the area and the presence of American students at several medical schools located on the island, Pres. Ronald Reagan responded to a request for assistance from the Grenadian governor general and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, ordering the commencement of Operation URGENT FURY with the objectives of ousting the People’s Revolutionary Government, the protection of U.S. citizens on the island, and the restoration of law and order. e invasion began on 25 October 1983, with a combined force of over 5,000 U.S. troops joined by several regional contingents from the OEC. e invading force encountered some 1,500 Grenadian soldiers and about 700 Cubans, most of whom were armed construction workers. e operation was a success and the ghting was over by 2 November; order was restored, 599 Americans and 80 foreign nationals were evacuated to safety and eventually a representative form of government was re-established in Grenada. U.S. casualties for this operation included 18 killed and 116 wounded. PANAMA 1989-1990 A few minutes aer midnight on 20 December 1989, the United States launched a massive invasion of the Republic of Panama designed to remove a corrupt military regime and protect the lives of U.S. citizens living there. Gen. Manuel Noriega had been the virtual dictator of Panama since the death of Gen. Omar Torrijos in 1981. In 1988, the United States had indicted Noriega on drug tracking charges and placed severe economic sanctions on Panama in an eort to force him to resign. Noriega had nullied an election in May 1989 when unocial counts indicated a clear victory by the CAMPAIGNS There are three expeditionary missions which use the Armed Forces Expeditionary ribbon to reect campaign credit. e Armed Forces Expeditionary streamer is light blue with a narrow blue, white, and red stripe in the center. On each edge is a narrow green, yellow, red, and black stripe. e colors red, white, and blue refer to the United States while the light blue suggests water and overseas service. e stripes of brown, black, green, and yellow are indica- tive of the various areas of the world where the Armed Forces of the United States might be called upon to serve. ÛDOMINICAN REPUBLIC 1965-1966 ÛGRENADA 1983 ÛPANAMA 1989-1990 BELLIGERENTSÛUNITED STATES Rep. of Korea VERSUSÛNORTH KOREA AND ALLIES Democratic People’s Rep. of Korea STATISTICSÛDOMINICAN REPUBLIC Total U.S. soldiers 14,000 U.S. Bale Deaths 13 Non-mortal Woundings 200 ÛGRENADA Total U.S. soldiers 5,000 U.S. Bale Deaths 18 Non-mortal Woundings 116 ÛPANAMA Total U.S. soldiers 29,000 U.S. Bale Deaths 23 Non-mortal Woundings 324 Night camera photo of seals landing at Patilla Aireld. USDOD Gen. Maxwell R. urman Û Û ÛUnited States 50-star ag Û 82nd Airborne artillery personnel with M102 105mm howitzers.Marine 2nd Light Armored Infantry Baalion, LAV-25, 1991. United States Army soldiers, 1965. TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOIOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNONONNNNNNNNAAAAAANANNANAAARRRRRRARARRARAARAYYYYYYRYRYYYYYYYYYRYRRYRRYR OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIOOOOIOIIOIOOONONONONYOPEEEEEEEE CAMPAIGNS ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ ÛÛÛ1111111 United States 50-star agUnited States 50-star agUnited States 50-star agUnited States 50-star agUnited States 50-star ag 000000000000000000 OOOOOOO In the fall of 1983, an internal power struggle in the small island of Grenada in the Caribbean Sea resulted in a breakdown of civil order. Concerned about growing Cuban and Soviet inuence in the area and the presence of American students at several medical schools located on the island, Pres. Ronald Reagan responded to a request for assistance from the OOONANANANANARARARYRYRY O December 1989, Lt. Robert Paz, U.S. Marine Corps, was killed at a Panamanian Defense Force roadblock. Shortly thereaer, a U.S. Navy ocer and his wife were arrested, interrogated, and roughed up by the Panamanian Defense Forces. ose two incidents were the catalysts that caused Pres. George H. W. Bush to order Noriega’s apprehension and the neutralization of the Panamanian Defense Force. Under General urman’s direction, Lt. Gen. Carl Steiner, ARARARRARARRARAR United States Army soldiers, 1965. Night camera photo of seals landing 82nd Airborne artillery personnel ÛMarine 2nd Light Armored Infantry ÛMarine 2nd Light Armored Infantry Û U.S. Bale Deaths 23 Non-mortal Woundings 324 Gen. Maxwell R. urman Vought A-7E Corsair II aircra on USS Independence, Grenada, 1983.Operation JUST CAUSE Rangers in Panama City, 1989. Operation JUST CAUSE patch. Gen. Manuel Noriega First combat use of Stealth air- cra, Panama, 1989. President Lyndon Johnson 1963 - 1969, artist P. Hurd President Ronald Reagan 1981 - 1989, artist H. Casselli President George H.W. Bush 1989 - 1993, artist R. Scherr © 2010 e Memorial for all Veterans of the Brazos Valley, Inc.Le-Write Ink