Planning for the Panama contingency began in February 1988, including a series of orders that addressed the defense of the Old Canal Zone, noncombatant evacuation, neutralization of the Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF), and Civil Military Operations (CMO). The operation plan (PLAN) for offensive operations became PLAN BLUE SPOON. In Sep 89, JTFSO revised PLAN BLUE SPOON. It was changed from BLUE SPOON to PLAN 90-2. The October coup attempt caused PLAN 90-2 to be updated as the PDF displayed the capability to quickly reinforce units in Panama City.
On 15 December 1989, the National Assembly of Panama declared that a state of war existed with the U.S. and adopted measures to confront foreign aggression. In the days that followed, service members and dependents were harassed, and a Marine lieutenant was killed.
On 17 December 1989 the national command authority (NCA) directed the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to execute PLAN 90-2. JTFSO received the JCS execute order on 18 Dec with a D-Day and H-Hour of 20 Dec 0100 local. The operation was conducted as a campaign with limited military objectives. JTFSO objectives in PLAN 90-2 were to:
A. Protect U.S. lives and key sites and facilities. Contents:
I.Backround
II.Panamanian Forces
III.American Forces
IV.Panamanian Losses
V.American Losses
VI.Conclusion
VII.Pictures
I.Backround
B. Capture and deliver Noriega to competent authority.
C. Neutralize PDF forces.
D. Neutralize PDF command and control.
E. Support establishment of a U.S.-recognized government in Panama.
F. Restructure the PDF.
II.Panamanian Forces
| Country | Troops | Armored Vehicles | Panama | 14,000 | 33 |
|---|
Gen. Manuel Noriega was in charge of 14,000 Panamanian Defense Forces. These were made up of trained combat troops numbering some 4,000, while the rest were police or militia units. The United States would intentionally set out to attack and eliminate these 4,000 combat troops because they were the best Panama had. Panama also had some 30 light aircraft and 12 patrol boats.
III.American Forces |
| Country | Troops | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 26,000* | 244 |
For the transport of troops an air armada of some 200 transport aircraft was set up. To prevent Noriega from escaping, 16 F-15's and 4 F-16's were patrolling Panama, they had orders to shot the aircraft down had the pilot refused to land in the US. Some 20 aircraft were used to attack targets on the ground, including 2 F-117's. The AC-130 Gunships played a huge role in attacking some of the early targets. Overall around 400 bombs were dropped on Panama City alone.
IV.Panamanian Losses
| Country | Killed | Wounded | Taken Prisoner | Panamanian Defence Forces | 314 | 123 | 468 |
|---|
As expected most of the Panamanian defenders were awaiting to surrender to American troops as they were in no mood to put up a fight against such a superior force. The 4,000 combat troops put up stiff resistance, and hours of battles finally eliminated small pockets of resistance. In addition US troops confiscated some 77,553 weapons. A study done after the conflict was over also found that some 200 Panamanian civilians also lost their lives in the fighting.
V.American Losses |
| Country | Killed | Wounded | United States | 23 | 322 |
|---|
United States casualties were low, 19 of the dead were killed in fighting against the 4,000 combat troops who offered the most resistance. Navy Seals took over Noriega's airport destroying his aircraft that he planned to escape with. Noriega went into hiding. He was discovered in the Vatican embassy, some 15,000 protesters gathered and were ready be the judge and executioners. At that point he agreed to come out and surrender to US troops.
VI.Conclusion |
On December 20, 1989, the 82d Airborne Division conducted their first combat jump since World War II onto Torrijos International Airport, Panama. The 1st Brigade task force made up of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, parachuted into combat for the first time since World War II. In Panama, the paratroopers were joined on the ground by 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment which was already in Panama. After the night combat jump and seizure of the airport, the 82nd conducted follow-on combat air assault missions in Panama City and the surrounding areas.
They were followed later by the 2d and 1st Bdes, 7th Inf Div (L), while the in-place forces comprised of the 3d Bde (-), 7th Inf Div (L); 193d Infantry Brigade (L) and 4-6 Inf, 5th Inf Div (M), assaulted objectives in both Panama City and on the Atlantic side of the Canal. By the first day, all D-Day objectives were secured. As initial forces moved to new objectives, follow-on forces from 7th Inf Div (L) moved into the western areas of Panama and into Panama City.
Urban terrain provides high potential for fratricide because of the likelihood of close quarters (high weapons density), recognition problems, and unfamiliar secondary effects of weapons. During Operation JUST CAUSE soldiers employed several ineffective and dangerous techniques to breach various fences, walls, and barred doors with grenades, rifle fire, and even anti-tank weapons. Direct fire support, even from just a block away, is very difficult to control. During JUST CAUSE mechanized forces providing fire support were told by brigade a light force had cleared a tall hotel building only to the second floor. In actual fact, it had cleared to the tenth floor and was fighting in a counter-sniper engagement. Seeing this fire and apparently some weapons protruding, the mechanized forces began to suppress. This drew return fire from the friendly light force for some seconds before coming under control.
The US troops involved in Operation Just Cause achieved their primary objectives quickly, and troop withdrawal began on December 27. Noreiga eventually surrendered to US authorities voluntarily. He is now serving a 40-year sentence in Florida for drug trafficking.
Operation JUST CAUSE was unique in the history of U.S. warfare for many reasons. As the largest single contingency operation since World War II, it focused on a combination of rapid deployment of critical combat power and precise utilization of forward deployed and in-country forces. The F-117 Nighthawk made its debut in Panama but this was only released years after. It performed just as expected, dropped a few bombs without anyone even finding out about the aircraft.
VII.Pictures |
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American troops in Panama
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APC moving through Panama
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Panamanian prisoners held by US troops
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Gen. Noriega in US custody
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Panamanians celebrating the US invasion
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