Following a breakdown in civil order, U.S. forces, in conjunction with contingents of the security forces of several neighboring Caribbean states, invaded the independent state of Grenada on October 25 in response to an appeal from the governor general and to a request for assistance from the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. The mission was to oust the People's Revolutionary Government, to protect U.S. citizens and restore the lawful government.
To secure objectives in Grenada and to facilitate operations, the island was operationally split in half. The Marines covered the northern half of the island while Army rangers covered the south. The invasion in the south focused on an unfinished runway at Point Salines. A Navy SEAL team which was to have provided intelligence on the airfield at Salines was unable to get ashore. At 0534 the first Rangers began dropping at Salines, and less than two hours elapsed from the first drop until the last unit was on the ground, shortly after seven in the morning. After the rangers had secured the runway, 800 more troops would land, freeing the rangers to press northward where they were to secure the safety of American medical students and bring under control the capital of St. Georges. At the end of the first day in Grenada, the Rangers had secured the airfield and True Blue Campus at a cost of five dead and six wounded. Once the Rangers had secured the runway, elements of the 82nd Airborne Division landed, and late in the evening of the 26th the 82d Division's 3d Brigade began to deploy across the island. In the north, 400 Marines would land and rescue the small airport at Pearls. Contents:
I.Backround
II.Grenadian Forces
III.American Forces
IV.Grenadian Losses
V.American Losses
VI.Conclusion
VII.Pictures
I.Backround
II.Grenadian Forces
Cuban Commander: Col. Pedro Tortolo
| Country | Troops | Grenadian | 1,200 | Cuban | 784 |
|---|
In addition to the Grenadian and Cuban forces there were also 49 Soviets, 16 East Germans, 14 Bulgarians, and 4 Libyans on the island. Their whole mission was setting Grenada up to be a base from which they could launch a campaign to spread communism into Central and South America.
The defending forces were equipped with light weapons, mostly AK's, but there were also 2-3 Armored Personnel Carriers.
III.American Forces |
| Country | Troops |
|---|---|
| United States | 7,000 |
| OECS | 300 |
The initial invasion involved 1,900 troops, 700 Army Rangers and the rest were Marines and Navy Seals. They were to secure the island before the 5,000 paratroopers were dropped to eliminate small resistance and evacuate the Americans on the island.
IV.Grenadian Losses |
| Country | Troops Killed | Troops Wounded | Grenadian | 60 | 184 | Cuban | 24 | 40 |
|---|
The American military was criticized for using too much force, but that proved false when the defenders put up stiff resistance. The Cubans were much better trained than the Grenadians and were holding out longer, but they too were defeated and forced back to Cuba.
V.American Losses |
| Country | Killed | Wounded | USA | 19 | 45 |
|---|
The American military performed brilliantly and thanks to their bravery democracy was restored. Tragically 4 Navy Seals drowned at sea because of the load they carry plus the water was turbulent.
The invasion had some good and some bad sides. The good was that the military under President Reagan sent a message to the world that communism will not be allowed to overthrow democracies in our own back yard. The bad was that most Western European allies were against the invasion. They feared terrorist attacks on their soil where US had bases.
VI.Conclusion |
Preceding the operations in the north and south, Navy seal teams were airdropped near St. Georges to secure the safety of the Grenadian Governor General who was being held under house arrest by opposing forces in the governor’s mansion and to capture the government radio station at St. Georges. The 22d Marine Amphibious Unit was diverted to Grenada while en route to Lebanon. The Marine amphibious unit conducted landings as part of Operation Urgent Fury at Grenada on 25 October and at Carriacou on 1 November. By 3 November, the Marine amphibious unit was reembarked aboard its amphibious shipping and had resumed its passage to Lebanon.
The first challenge was the lack of good intelligence data. For example, at Point Salines operations bogged down because resistance was much greater than expected. In attempting to rescue the Governor General, American forces were stymied by larger Cuban and Grenadian forces than anticipated. By listening to Cuban radio broadcasts, it seemed that the resistance was being directed from a place called Fort Frederick. As it turned out, but not previously known, Fort Frederick was the nerve center for the Cuban and Grenadian forces and once it was destroyed resistance simply melted away.
The invasion force lacked precise data on the location of the American medical students they were to rescue. One account noted that attack planners did not realize that the American medical students were spread out over three locations.
The final challenge to invading forces was the lack of a fully integrated, interoperable communications system. Unlike the fighting elements which were organized to conduct operations independent of one another, communications systems were not allowed such freedom. Communications was to have been the glue that would tie together the operation of the four independent United States military service elements. Unfortunately, communications support failed in meeting certain aspects of that mission. It cannot be said that communications capability itself was abundant. Several participants cite shortages of communications.
Shortages were not the only communications problems found during the invasion of Grenada; interoperability was another. For example, uncoordinated use of radio frequencies prevented radio communications between Marines in the north and Army Rangers in the south. As such, interservice communication was prevented, except through offshore relay stations, and kept Marine commanders unaware for too long that Rangers were pinned down without adequate armor. In a second incident, it was reported that one member of the invasion force placed a long distance, commercial telephone call to Fort Bragg, N.C. to obtain C-130 gunship support for his unit which was under fire. His message was relayed via satellite and the gunship responded.
Several factors have been cited as the cause of the communications problems which were confronted in Grenada. Among them were insufficient planning for the operation, lack of training, inadequate procedures, maldeployment of communications security keying material for the different radio networks, and lack of preparation through exercise realism.
One of the more noted intelligence shortcomings of the operation was the lack of up to date topographical information (maps) on Grenada. When adequate maps were found, they apparently had to be flown to the Grenada task force rather than being sent by electrical transmission.
An advisory council, named by the governor general, administered the country until general elections were held in December 1984. The New National Party (NNP), led by Herbert Blaize, won 14 out of 15 seats in free and fair elections and formed a democratic government. Grenada's constitution had been suspended in 1979 by the PRG, but it was restored after the 1984 elections.
VII.Pictures |
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Memorial in Grenada for the fallen soldiers
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Memorial II Signatures of the 19 Dead Soldiers
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Memorial III
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