major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) (02/09/90)
From: ssc-vax!shuksan!major@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Mike Schmitt) The February 1990 issue of 'Army' magazine has a pretty good write up of the military operations conducted in Panama and the forces employed. Here are the highlights of the article: On 17 December, the President ordered the Operation. Command echelons were organized, readiness levels were upgraded, intelligence gathering increased, transportation and logistics were coordinated, and OPLANS updated/revised. The Combat Phase began on 20 December. H-hour was set for 0100 Panama time. Two days preceding the initial assault, Noriega's movements were shadowed, ostensibly by members of Delta Force, Special Forces. Other Special Forces teams infiltrated into the jungles and swamps to perform reconnaissance, overwatch strategic targets and monitor PDF units outside Panama City. PDF Battalion 2000, stationed east of the Torrijos Int'nat'l Airport was a primary surveillance target. Bn 2000 was considered one of the best and most loyal of PDF units. Cutting this Bn's avenues of approach into Panama City was essential. Because Rangers at H-hour and the 82d Airborne Division 55 minutes later - made parachute assaults on the airport, it was also essential to cut off Bn 2000 rifle companies located near the airport to prevent them from attacking US units as they landed. Task Force Black (3d Battalion 7th SF Group, Co A, 1st Bn 7th SF Gp), reported on Bn 2000's activities and patrolled the area around the Pacora River Bridge, over which the Bn had to cross to reach the airport or Panama City. After the assault began, Bn 2000 attempted to move toward the airfield. Task Force Black, covered by AC-130 Specter gunships directed fire on the convoy. The first 9 vehicle were destroyed. Bn 2000 returned to its base which was later secured by Rangers. At H-hour, the 1st Ranger Battalion(+) parachuted onto Torrijos Internat'l Airport and Tocument PDF air base. The 2nd Ranger Battalion and the 3d Ranger Bn(-) parachuted onto the Rio Hato airfield, 90 Km southwest of Panama City. Before the Rio Hato jump, F-117 Stealth Fighters dropped concussion bombs to diorient PDF defenders and aid the assault. Two hours later, C-130s landed at the airfield with additional equipment and supplies. The follow-on airborne assault at Torrijos-Tocumen Airport was conducted by the 1st Brigade, 82d Airborne Division - designated the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) - augmented by the 4 Bn 325 Airborne, Co A 3 Bn 505 Abn. Half of the composite brigade executed its phase of the operation on time, however, weather delayed the C-141s carrying the remainder of the force until they were dropped in at 5:15am. The 82nd Airborne deployed elements of the divison's headquarters; 1st and 2nd Bns, 82d Aviation Brigade; 3d Bn, 319th Field Artillery(105mm); elements of 82d Signal Bn, elements of 307th Engineer Bn, elements of 313th Military Intelligence Bn [note: My old unit - AIRBORNE!]; 3rd Bn, 73d Armor (M551 Sheridans); Co B, 307th Medical Bn; Co A, 407th Supply and Transport Bn; Co A, 782d Maintenance Bn; and Battery A, 3d Bn, 4th Air Defense. Other elements that parachuted in included elements of the XVIII Airborne Corps, 1st corps Support Command, 16th Military Police Brigade(Airborne), 525 MI Brigade [note: another former unit of mine], 35th Signal Brigade. The 82d and XVIII units were called Task Force Pacific. Approximately 3,300 soldiers from the 82d/XVIII landed by parachute and more than 1,7000 Rangers and Special Forces were inserted by parachute during the assault phase. Task Force Atlantic consisted of 1st and 2nd Brigades, 7th Light Infantry Division augmented by 3d Bn 504th Airborne. The 7th Div deployed two brigades during the initial phases and deployed a third brigade as folow-on. TF Atlantic's missions were to neutralize PDF units on the Atlantic side of the canal, secure Madden Dam and the Cerrro Tigre main electrical distribution facility, secure Gamboa Prison (they rescued 45-50 political prisoners and one U.S. citizen), and secured the city of Colon. [note: 7th LID, another old unit of mine] Task Force Bayonet consisted of the 193d Light Infantry Brigade (home based in Panama), and 4th Mechanized Bn, 6th Infantry, 5th Mech Div, Ft Polk, La (which had been deployed to Panama since May). The 4-6 Mech Bn together with a Sheridan Light Tank Platoon from the 82d, formed Task Force 4-6 and conducted the attack on PDF headquarters. The assault was carried out initially by M113 mounted soldiers, light tanks, and supported by AH-64A Apache attack helicoptors. TF Bayonet also included SEAL teams that incapacitated the PDF fleet anchored at Panama City and secured a small airport in Panama City at H-hour. The main objectives of TF Bayonet were to capture PDF headquarters and the Presidential Palace. They were to take or bottle up PDF forces stationed at Ft Amador. They also secured US facilities - the US Embassy, US Southern Command Headquarters at Quarry Heights, and US Army South headquarters at Ft Clayton. The initial assault would be an airmobile operation with troops lifted in by UH-60 Black Hawk helicoptors. The fighting at PDF headquarters and Ft Amador was the heaviest of the operation. Military Police elements of TF Bayonet were to secure the Bridge of the Americas, the only apporach to Panama City from the west, and link up with Task Force Semper Fidelis (two Marine companies - one equipped with 8x8 wheeled light amphibious vehicles - and the Marine Corps' First Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team previously deployed to Panama). Together, the two TFs provided security augmentation for Howard Air Force Base. The remainder of TF Semper Fi swept south and southwest to secure that area. Most of the objectives were secured within a few hours of H-hour. The assault on PDF headquarters and Ft Amador continued into the afternoon (20 Dec) - the fort was secured about 17 hours after H-hour. During the following days, the troops fanned out into the cities and countryside, continued to search for Noriega, counter the 'dignity battalion' problem and continue 'securing' operations. On the third day, Co B, 2 Bn, 504th Airborne carried out a rescue mission at the Marriott Hotel. When Noriega fled to the Vatican embassy (25 Dec), elements of the 16th Psychological Operations Battalion bombarded the mission with rock music 24 hours a day. On 3 January, Noriega surrendured. Combat units began the return to the U.S. Civil Affairs units and Military Training Teams arrived. At the end of December, the number of US casualties was put at 23 killed in action and 330 wounded. (Of that, the Army had suffered 18 killed, and 288 wounded) Army, February 1990 Dennis Steele, Staff Writer "We validated the importance of a trained and ready Army. We could not have pulled this off it we did not have trained and ready forces. When the President made the decision to execute the operation, he did not call me and ask if the Army was trained and ready - he just expected it." - General Carl E. Vouno, Army Chief of Staff mike schmitt