50cal

The Lore of the Corps



Hundreds of leathernecks helped drive Noriega out
By Fred L. Borch and Robert F. Dorr - Special to the Times
Posted : August 04, 2008

About 650 Marines participated in Operation Just Cause, the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. They were part of a joint task force of 26,000 and helped oust Panama’s ruler, Gen. Manuel Noriega.
In late 1989, the situation for Americans living and working in Panama had become increasingly perilous as Noriega stepped up his anti-American rhetoric after being indicted for drug trafficking in a U.S. court in 1988.
“Americans viewed him as unsavory and unacceptable,” said James Doyle, an American diplomat who worked on Panamanian affairs. “We wanted him to resign.”
Instead, Noriega nullified the results of a May 1989 election where more votes were almost certainly cast for his competitor, Guillermo Endara.
On Dec. 15, 1989, Noriega had the Panamanian National Assembly declare him to be “maximum leader” of the country. At Noriega’s urging, the assembly then declared that “owing to U.S. aggression,” a state of war existed between Panama and the U.S.
The next day, Panama Defense Force troops at a checkpoint fired on a car carrying four Marines, killing 1st Lt. Robert Paz, the son of U.S. missionaries with decades of ties to Panama.
Paz’ death helped trigger President George H.W. Bush’s decision to order U.S. forces to apprehend Noriega, neutralize the PDF, and install Endara as the lawfully elected president.
On Dec. 20, the U.S. launched the attack, with 3,000 soldiers parachuting into Panama in the largest combat airdrop since World War II.
Over the next few weeks, some 650 Marines participated in Operation Just Cause, including leathernecks from 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines; 2nd Light Armored Infantry Battalion; and 2nd Marine Logistics Group. Marine Fleet Antiterrorism Security Teams also took part.
According to one thesis, the reinforcement of Marines from 6th Marine Expeditionary Brigade with a light armored infantry company using the eight-wheeled LAV-25 in mid-1989 also played a key role.
Marines seized key Panama Defense Force stations on the Pan-American Highway, and also took key terrain around Howard Air Force Base. Marines cleared enemy installations in the jungle, on water, in urban and rural areas, and over extended land distances. Eventually, they secured more than 400 square kilometers.
After Noriega surrendered on Jan. 3, 1990, the situation stabilized. The Marine deployment ended in spring 1990.
Fred L. Borch, an Army veteran, is the regimental historian for the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. His e-mail address is borchfj@aol.com. Robert F. Dorr, an Air Force veteran, lives in Oakton, Va. His e-mail address is robert.f.dorr@cox.net.

__________________


"Sweat dries, blood clots, bones heal. Suck it up. Be a Marine"

Ndnsoldierboy

3/5 was there as well, just before the invasion started and 1/5 and 2/9 pre-Operation:Just Cause...I was with 1/5 then. 2/9 was backing us up then. If I remember correctly, 2/5 was in Honduras...

__________________

Ndnsoldierboy

Panama in '88, and then we were in Korea and Okinawa in '89 with 3/3, then to Saudi in '90....along with 1/7.


Task Force Ripper. 1/5, 1/7, 1st Tank Bn.....SEMPER FI...carry on.

__________________