Manuel Noriega
 

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Speaking of which, I was there for 3 yrs, including the invasion, whatever happen to him, I know he is or was in jail and is or will be released soon.

I was in Panama in Oct 1989........ sightseeing.:D

TS

Back in the day when the Black Beret meant something
 

Dec 1989, Manuel Noriega has finally pissed off the US and actions are taken to remove him. The ammunition pallets are right by our tents, and my Fire Team Leader hands me my “shopping list” of what I must have, anything else is up to me. Talk about a kid in a candy store. We load up the airplanes at Ft. Benning, GA in a freezing rain for the long flight to Panama. They bring out the baggage carts to load us up and take us to the planes as we are literally carrying about 200 lbs of equipment each. We are packed like sardines in the aircraft. About an hour prior to drop time, word is passed back that “they know we’re coming”. Oh that’s not good at all; we like to be the surpriser, not the surprisee. Someone starts shouting the Ranger Creed, and every joins in. The planes slow down to 130 knots about 3 min from the Drop Zone and the doors open. Our Jumpmaster conducts his safety inspection of the door and the outside. It’s extremely quiet in the aircraft while we wait, until the Jumpmaster comes back inside the aircraft and announces “DZ is hot!!”, seeing the red and green tracer rounds crossing behind his head puts a serious exclamation point on that statement. About that time there is a repeated pinging sound, like the tapping of a ballpeen hammer on metal. We realize that we are under fire and it’s the rounds hitting the aircraft. The loadmasters look on in shock as the green jump light illuminates and we jump into combat carrying the fight to the enemy. All they want to do is get the hell out of there, and we’re jumping from the frying pan straight into the fire. We seize Rio Hato in a manner of hours with the help of 3-75 RGR (-). Sadly we lose 2 Rangers from 2-75 in the assault. 18 years later, I’m still alive and kicking and it all seems like it happened yesterday.

And the bitch of it all... We missed Pineapple Head by 15 frigging minutes. He drove away as we were jumping in.

Every year at 0100hrs 20 Dec, I raise a cold one in honor of two fallen Warriors.

The only body armor we had was Starched BDU's and a K-pot :D

I was on 'loan' down there from 1/7th when Trujillo bought it a couple of years before the pineapple-faced porcine one came to power. Once we 'confirmed' Omar was no longer a card carrying member of the surface world, we 'borrowed' a uniform from a La Guardia trooper, pinned every ribbon and badge we could come up with on it, procured a coffin, and draped a Panamian flag across the end. FS painted his face white, dressed in the uniform and sat in the coffin up in the HHC dayroom...giving long, rambling speeches in crappy Spanish on the glory of Panama and his (Trujillo's) obvious place forever in history as we toasted him with 'Him's...' all night long and had a hell of a good time. I wish I had a recording of it...but that was before cell phone cameras and video recording capability and MySpace and YouTube. Good memories, though. :cool:

I was in grad school at IU when JUST CAUSE took place.

Richard's $.02 :munchin

So was I. July even. LOL;)

Fascinating stories. Thank you.

Coming right up, brother.

Right around the corner.

s.
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Guys, I don't know if you'll believe this or not,but Manuel Noriega has been "born again". He was visited by a very well known Evangelical by the name of Ravi Zacharias who met with him in jail. Ravi said Mr. Noriega had a worn out Bible and had professed his past and accepted Jesus Christ as his Load and Savior. Ravi believed his conversion was sincere. Noriega can never get out of jail. He is convicted for life in prison with "No" chance of parole or pardon...........

GB TFS :munchin

Shall we all sing a Hymn for Pineapple Face then?
 

Hymn, Hymn, F**K Him !!!!!

Rasta headgear
 

You forgot the Rastafarian Ragtop that we all had to wear so the 7th ID wouldn't take us for the enemy and shoot us. It didn't help, my first two big firefights were with the Panamanians, the 3rd one was the Dirt Bag 7th ID in a "Secure perimeter" inside the 2-75 perimeter, who were shooting first (no questions required) at any movement or sound outside the 7th's perimeter.

Let's see, they all received their CIBs for combat. But if I recall correctly you can't receive any decorations for Friendly Fire engagements. They were in firefights with the Rangers, 82nd, 5th ID, "someone else", and possibly shot down a little bird. Guess they were too busy to engage the PDF.

To this day, I still can't find one of those 7th ID "veterans" who will admit to being at Rio Hato. 19 yrs later, I still want to kick their sorry asses.

I was sitting in Manny's office in the Commandancia a few days after his arrest and found a stack of embossed invitations, obviously for the Christmas party we crashed....well, I took one and wrote Manny a thank you note for having us in his country over the Christmas holidays and how much we were enjoying ourselves and how I hoped he enjoyed the US equally as much, addressed it Gen Manual A. Noreiga (Ret) c/o DEA, Dade County FLA......mailed it,
but I never heard if he received it or not.......

Manny....you couldn't write back?

We were staging out of Albrook AFB. Just as we were moving to the Helicopters to head out, the entire City erupted like the 4th of July. Guess no one synchronized their Watches. Aw some night and days to follow

I was with the 1/504 back then so no manchu hair on my helmet :p
all i remember after the jump was damn it !!!! I dident bring bug spray.... and why are the rangers shooting all the passanger jets with Law rockets lol

Is it true that his Red drawers are still hanging up in Bragg?

Heard he was a satanist or something of the sort. I say he gets bible smacked. Would never believe one word he says.

I was there from 86-89, with the 1097th Boat company out of Ft Davis, assigned at that time to Rodman Naval Base in Support of Special Boat Unit 22 and Seal team 6 and I think 4, hmm age, remember intercepting a Panamain Gun Boat when the spooks went out to do advance scouting.
I have a nice little scar in my right shoulder, from M16,Gentlemen shooting in the air is not good, for it has to land somewhere , sort of POed me, I was shot by the very weapon we gave them, but then I am happy also, the flak jacket took most of the impact, if it was a AK47, I think I would have been one hurt puppy

"Subject: Vessel Missions For Just Cause 1989


19 Dec 89

With 4 vessels u/w, 4 vehicles and 146 personnel were transported. 4 vessels were attached to Task Force Atlantic, 2 were locked through to Fort Sherman (09, 18), 2 were dedicated to support (08, 12) lake side to run between Sturgis Landing and Gamboa.


At 2100hrs the LCM 8508 loaded 76 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne at Sturgis Landing and proceeded to Gamboa Prison. The LCM 8512 loaded 70 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne at Sturgis Landing and got underway for Gamboa at 2300hrs,


20 Dec 89

With 7 vessels u/w, 2 on patrol duty, 6 vehicles, 233 personnel and 186 EPWs were transported. Vessels made 3 trip to Gamboa, 2 trips to and on standby at Sturgis Landing, 2 on patrol at Sherman and 3 return trips to Dock 45.


The 8509 while patrolling the Atlantic entrance of the Panama Canal, engaged in a firefight with members of the PDF onboard the motor vessel Asian Senator and effectively blocked her from putting to sea from pier #9 Colon. Weapons employed during the fight were M-16A2s, M-203s and .50 caliber machine guns. Only slight damage to the 8509 occurred as a result of the fight and no casualties were reported for either side. At the outcome 14 PDF prisoners were taken along with 22 civilians of whose allegiance was unknown from the Asian Senator and were turned over to the MPs occupying the former PDF Headquarters in Colon.


The 8508 took small arms fire from the Gamboa Prison while making a beach assault with the 82nd Airborne onboard. Fire could not be returned during the beaching operation due to discharging of troops. The 8508 took no damage or casualties during the action.


21 Dec 89

With 7 vessels u/w, 2 on patrol duty, 4 vehicles, 47 personnel and 6 EPWs were transported. Vessels made 3 trips to and 1 on standby at Sturgis Landing and 4 return trips to Dock 45.


The 8509 on p-patrol duty continued to draw sniper fire while on station. Navy SEALS onboard the vessel returned fire and 3 PDF personnel were seen to have fallen. With no damage or casualties to vessel or crew.


22 Dec 89

With 7 vessels u/w, 2 on patrol duty, 5 vehicles, 260 personnel and 56 EPWs were transported. Vessels made 3 trips to and 1 on standby at Gamboa, 3 trips to Sturgis Landing, 1 trip to Mandingo Point and 5 return trips to Dock 45.


LCM 8509 assisted in the protection of the Free Zone businesses in Colon.


23 Dec 89

With 8 vessels u/w, 2 on patrol duty, 6 vehicles, 48 personnel and 194 EPWs were transported. Vessels made 1 trip and 1 on standby at Gamboa, 4 trips to Mandingo Point, 1 trip to Sturgis Landing 3 return trips to Dock 45.


24 Dec 89

With 8 vessels u/w, 2 on patrol duty, 8 vehicles, 39 personnel and 128 EPWs were transported. Vessels made 3 trips to Sturgis Landing, 4 trips to Mandingo Point, 1 on standby at Gamboa and 3 return trips to Dock 45.


25 Dec 89

With 8 vessels u/w, 2 on patrol duty, 8 vehicles, 294 personnel and 249 EPWs were transported. Vessels made 2 trips to Mandingo Point, 2 trips to and 1 on standby at Gamboa and 2 return trips to Dock 45. Last day of patrol duty at Fort Sherman.


26 Dec 89

With 7 vessels u/w, 8 vehicles, 24 personnel were transported. Vessels made 2 trips to Mandingo Point, 1 trip to and 1 on standby at Gamboa, 1 trip to Sturgis Landing and 2 return trips to Dock 45.


27 Dec 89

With 6 vessels u/w, 6 vehicles, 12 personnel and 4 EPWs were transported. Vessels made 2 trips to Mandingo Point, 1 trip to Gamboa and 2 return trips to Dock 45.


28 Dec 89

With 6 vessels u/w, 10 vehicles, 41 personnel transported. Vessels made 1 trip to Mandingo Point, 3 trips to Sturgis Landing, and 3 return trips to Dock 45.


29 Dec 89

With 7 vessels u/w, 8 vehicles, 356 personnel were transported. Vessels made 2 trips to Sturgis Landing and 1 trip to Gamboa.


30 Dec 89

With 4 vessels u/w, 7 vehicles, 142 personnel were transported. Vessels made 2 trips to Mandingo Point, 1 trip to Sturgis Landing and 1 trip to Gamboa.


31 Dec 89

With 4 vessels u/w, 5 vehicles, 112 personnel were transported. Vessels made 1 trip to Mandingo Point, 3 trips to Sturgis Landing, 1 trip to Gamboa and 1 return trip to Dock 45.


09 January 1990


Memorandum For: Commander, 193rd Support Battalion, ATTN: S-3 (MAJ Paparone), Fort Clayton, Panama 34004


Subject: After Action Review – Operation Just Cause


Part One – Executive Summary



Purpose:

The purpose of this After Action Review (AAR) is to analyze the 1097th Transportation Company (Medium Boat) role in Operation Just Cause. This analysis will incorporate equipment and personnel utilization, transportation taskings, supplies consumed to sustain the unit during the operation.



Narrative Summary:


This report spans from 20 December 1989 to 7 January 1990. Personnel strength was at 67% of the units assigned strength. Vessel use was 80% of assigned vessels. The unit accomplished 111 transportation missions. Supply consumption consisted of 101 cases of MREs, 10,799 gallons of JP-5, 660 gallons of lube oil, and $2935.57 of class IX parts. There were 200 rounds of 5.56mm and 1,200 rounds of .50 caliber expended.



This unit used organic assets to support missions in Atlantic waters, Pacific waters, and within the Panama Canal waterway. Two vessels were under operational control to Task Force – Atlantic (TF-A) at Fort Sherman, two vessels were under operational control to TF-A at Gamboa, five vessels were operational on Gatun Lake, one vessel was on the Marine Railway at Dock 45, and five vessels were operational at Rodman Naval Station. Severe restrictions placed on the wheeled vehicle main supply route connecting the Pacific and Atlantic communities necessitated heavy use of air and waterway transportation modes. Thus, via the Panama Canal, the 1097th transported soldiers, supplies, equipment and enemy prisoners of war throughout the entire operation. Simultaneously, the 1097th teamed with the Navy Special Boat Unit and Navy SEAL Teams for combat assaults in Limon Bay and Colon Harbor.



General Conclusions and Recommendations:



The 1097th Transportation Company (MB) accomplished all assigned missions in an ever-changing combat environment. Task Force – Atlantic utilized the 1097th vessels as a main source of support and resupply. During all phases of Operation Just Cause, the vessels of the 1097th provided a major logistical link between the Atlantic and the Pacific communities via the Panama Canal waterway. This included insertion and extraction of soldiers and equipment and transportation of class I, II, III, and V resupply for military operations. Excluding isolated cases, 1097th vessels transported all enemy prisoners of war (EPW) and or detainees from the collection points in the Atlantic side to the main collection point on the Pacific side. In addition to military operations support, the 1097th transported supplies for the military family member populous as well.



The 1097th was directly involved in three combat assaults; two beach assaults at Gamboa, and one vessel assault in Limon Bay. In addition, 1097th vessels teamed with the Navy Special Boat Unit and Navy SEAL operations to provide security in Limon Bay and Colon Harbor. The performance of this joint operation between Army and Navy elements was smooth and well executed.



Recommend 193rd Support Battalion Operations Center remain the designated single point tasking authority during contingency operations for vessels that do not fall under the operational control of contingency forces.



Recommend upgrade of the 1097th ALO (Authorized Level of Organization). More specifically, request higher prioritization of personnel fill.


Phillip D. Senechal

CPT, TC