Remembering Just Cause
Yup, it’s been 27 years since we started operations to remove Manuel Noriega from Panama. Panama is still trying to account for the dead in that brief war. Manuel Noriega, is currently being held in a Panamanian prison awaiting trial for his crimes against the Panamanian people.
The folks we lost;
ARMY
Staff Sgt. Larry Barnard 3/75th Rangers Hallstead, Pa.
Pfc. Roy D. Brown Jr. 3/75th Rangers Buena Park, Calif.
Pvt. Vance T. Coats 82nd Airborne Division Great Falls, Mont.
Spec. Jerry S. Daves 82nd Airborne. Division Hope Mills,N.C.
Sgt. Michael A. Deblois 82nd Airborne Division Dubach, La.
Pfc. Martin D. Denson 82nd Airborne Division Abilene,Texas
Pfc. William D. Gibbs 7th Infantry Division. Marina, Calif.
Spec. Phillip S. Lear 2/75th Rangers Westminster, S.C.
Spec. Alejandro Manriquelozano* 82nd Airborne Division Lauderhill, Fla.
Pfc. James W. Markwell 1/75th Rangers Cincinnati, Ohio
Cpl. Ivan M. Perez 5th Infantry Division Pawtucket, R.I.
Pfc. John M. Price 2/75th Rangers Conover, Wis.
Pfc. Scott L. Roth 89th Military Police Brigade Killeen, Texas
Pvt. Kenneth D. Scott 5th Infantry Division Princeton, W.Va.
1st Lt. John R. Hunter 160th Aviation Victor, Montana
CWO2 Wilson B. Owens 160th Aviation Myrtle Beach,S.C.
CWO2 Andrew P. Porter 7th Infantry Division Saint Clair, Mich.
Pvt. James A. Taber Jr. 82nd Airborne Division Montrose, Colo.
NAVY
Lt. jg John Connors Special Warfare Group Arlington, Maine
BM1 Chris Tilghman Special Warfare Group Kailua, Hawaii ENC
Donald McFaul Special Warfare Group Deschutes,Ore.
TM2 Issac G. Rodriguez III Special Warfare Group Missouri City,Texas
MARINE CORPS
Cpl. Garreth C. Isaak 2nd Marine Division home town unknown.
Category: Historical
Rest in peace, warriors.
27 years awaiting trial in a Panamanian prison? Dang – glad our justice system, while slow, moves faster than that!
Oh, yeah – it’s that pesky out-of-date Constitution thing again, isn’t it?
No, it’s simple – his trial commences after Bergdahl’s.
The trial has not taken that long. He has already had a trial in the US and has served that sentence, forgot how long. When he was released, recently, he was immediately handed over to the Panamanian government and they are now prosecuting him on other charges.
Thanks, USAF Ret. I thought I remembered a trial in the US, but had forgotten the details. That makes a lot more sense now.
Although, from what I understand he is wishing he was back in US prison and all the creature comforts provided there. Central American prisons are somewhat less well run, per hearsay.
Actually Noriega is at Renecer prison (old Canal zone prison in Gamboa)Under Panamanian law they usually let people over 72 stay at home under house arrest before and after their legal case is settled. They actually built a special facility for him (I haven’t seen it). When he need medical attention they send him by escort to Santo Tomas hospital (public hospital) So he gets the same level of care as the common people. They actually have a John Hopkins in Panama city, but he doesn’t get treated there.
Panama wants to make a lampshade out of his hide!
“Cpl. Garreth C. Isaak 2nd Marine Division home town unknown.”
When he Fell from small arms fire, Garreth Isaak was 22, with a birthday pending on 28 December that he never lived to celebrate. The 2d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2d Marine Division has an Isaak Award, named for this Silver Star recipient and presented to the unit’s best performing scout. He was from Greenville, South Carolina. He is buried there, in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Thanks for the reminder, Jonn. The sacrifices of these men is no less than that of those who Fell at Pearl Harbor, Normandy, Iwo Jima, or any other well known land, sea, or air battle.
Thank you for adding that.
Rest easy, brothers.
A shadowbox with PFC Markwell’s medals were found and returned to his family a couple years ago:
http://www.wcvb.com/article/dead-ohio-army-ranger-s-medals-letter-found-in-florida-home/8201296
Damn, SSG E. That was some story. Between that and the Rojo story regarding his fiance, my old heart may fail me.
2/9 Infantry, 7th ID.
I was a green E-1 only about 60 days after arriving at Fort Ord when we deployed.
C Co, 3/27 IN, 7ID (L) here.
Welcome home.
511th MP Company. Deployed in October 1989 From Ft. Drum.
Welcome home.
Rest well, men.
You will always be remembered.
My platoon air assaulted into Renacer prison at 0100 hrs. on 20 December 1989. Pucker factor was high! Noriega is being held there now.
Welcome home.
Why is there an asterisk after Specialist Alejandro Manriquelozano’s name?
Why do we not see any stolen valor pukes from this war? Not enough press for that one? I would think it would be easier for these fuckers to get away on this one? Rest in Peace for all the fallen and their families. May God Bless all of You!
Oh they are out there! Some within the ranks of the shamed here on this blog. They like to claim that combat jump into the darkness.
Shane Ladner comes to mind.
He invaded Panama while still in high school and he’s still looking for his Purple Heart citation in a desk down in the Canal Zone.
Time is getting short for Ladner. He has a court appearance next month.
Ohhh, Goody Goody.
Pins and needles until then.
And don’t forget that Bruce Pendlay got a Operation Just Cause medal.
I was a young E-4 and remember something was going down when I looked at the days airborne reconnaissance schedule the previous night.
I was working the reporting downlink that day and the slow baud rate couldn’t keep up with the number of reports. I ended up taking verbal reports from the various platforms and sending them along to NSOC.
Even for chairborne types like me, it was eerie hearing SouthCom come up on air to announce the start of hostilities.
Thank you for your humble service!
Is the any documentation available discussing the Air Force communication trouble with the Specter gun ship during the fire fight at the Plaza Piatilla airport?
Spec. Alejandro Manriquelozano* 82nd Airborne Division Lauderhill, Fla.
What’s with the asterisk?
I think in other documentation of the KIA lists it refers to him having just received his American citizenship which he was thrilled about.
Hey Airborne I was the sapper who opened the prison doors.
Hey Airborne,I was the Sapper who opened the doors of the prison.I was on the lead AC with LT Oswalts plt.
I dont see Spec. Douglas Duff listed here but he died from friendly fire while at the Panama Canal Commission during the operation. Aco 1/9 Inf Regiment 7th ID (L).
I looked at the Light Fighter account and he is among the four soldiers lost. Curiously, the US Gov’t acct of casualties for wars and conflicts list no non-hostile deaths for Op Just Cause. Specialist Duff lost his life in US military service in Panama during Operation Just Cause and deserves to be among the Fallen listed. You took care of that. Thanks.
Every bit of this was Jimmy Carter’s fault. There was no thought to the consequences of the US losing ownership of the Canal, including the Navy base on the Atlantic side, and now, it’s all under the control of China. And I don’t think their intentions were merely commercial.
R.I.P. for all those whose lives were cut short by this.