28 years since Just Cause
Yup, it’s been 28 years since we started operations to remove Manuel Noriega from Panama. It’s the first celebration of the anniversary without Manuel Noriega who passed to his reward in May.
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
May God bless everyone of them and their families! Thank you Jonn for remembering them as well.
See you in a while, my Brothers.
The USS Forrestal was in-port (Marseilles, France) when this occurred, I remember watching CNN, or maybe it was Navy News This Week (I don’t remember if we had satellite news on that cruise.)
Earlier during the workups we had some visitors come aboard with long hair, Zodiacs, and funny looking boomsticks. I remember that like yesterday.
from Wikipedia: In 1989, during work up cruises to prepare for the upcoming deployment, Forrestal was diverted from an 11 day carrier task force training exercise in the Atlantic. The order came in just after midnight and the Forrestal was directed to leave the task force, and proceed West at flank speed. After 20 hours, she slowed to 2 knots and took up station keeping off the North West coast of Puerto Rico. At around 12:30 the second evening, 2 helicopters arrived, delivering SEAL Team Six to the Forrestal’s deck. The crew and its visitors cruised for 3 days to the South West Caribbean sea off the Panama and Columbian coasts, where Seal Team Six departed. It is unclear if the operation was an attempt to capture Manuel Noriega, or if it was in support of Operation Pokeweed to apprehend Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.[17]
I remember the Army air crews were lost on the O-3 level trying to find the Wardroom or Crew mess to eat.
My 82nd AB youngest brother had left AD just before this, and missed the party.
It’s hard to believe it has been 28 years. Dang, he’s old.
Seriously, may God grant peace and comfort to those lost, their brothers in arms, and their families.
Amen.
Thank you, to all who participated in taking noriega out of power.
I watched that on AFN Germany as a newly minted PVT. And was wandering about the $1500 bonous offerd for volentering to have Panama for a duty station insted of Germany.
Yep. Even ANG folks were involved in that operation. Not all in particularly happy ways.
All Tip of the Spear bad asses.
My Navy brothers took a beatin’ at the airport, Chief McFaul was awarded the Navy Cross and the ship emblazoned with his name has been dropping love Tomahawks on terrorists for awhile.
I know the HM2(SEAL) who was there, sad and inspirational story he tells.
May the road rise to meet those who fell there, and the wind be always at their backs.
And may Pineapple Face rot in Hell eternally.
Yes, he shoulda been Oxy-cuted 😉
And who put what in the conexes going back to Ft. Polk? As my sergeant told the story (before my time), it won’t what it was suppose to be.
I was 10 weeks fresh out of Benning when I stepped into a C-5 Galaxy headed to Panama from Ft. Ord.
2/9 Infantry of 7th Infantry Division.
You don’t see many of those combat patches. In fact, I don’t ever recall seeing one at Ord. A guy I went through ROTC with in ‘98 had one. He was a Manchu. Can’t remember his name for the life of me. Great big tall and LOUD dude.
And as much of a pain in the ass it was, I think the ragtop was the coolest part of the uniform I ever wore. Got mine hanging off my workbench downstairs.
I did love that ragtop. They sure did differ from soldier to soldier. About the only thing you could personalize.
I knew some loud dudes. Lol. Be great to hear his name if you recall later.
I got to planet Ord feb 89 I shipped from reception on a Monday training holiday. I put my ragtop together immediately and by Friday had been to the range three times, packed for DRF and done a 12 mile road march. By December my unit had gone through the Lima prieta earthquake, hurricane Hugo, and Just Cause. Fun times.
Which battalion Messkit?
We did indeed hit the ground running at Ord. Including the Manchu 25 mile road march the 3rd week there!
7/15 FA. I was a 4/17 inf FIST
You folks were already in country when it kicked off if I remember right? Actually the first to fire even 15 minutes or so before the Rangers started jump run.
The first to fire was C 4/17 at Coco Solo, I was with A at Espinar (Ft Gulick)
Also those ragtops prevented a few friendly fire incidents by their silhouette