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Guymullins · 07-21-2012, 10:42

Of course I wouldnt dream of promoting my book on this site, so I will put a link up where you can read a bit about this raid. In short, the South Africans executed an airborne assault on a heavily fortified SWAPO base camp 250km behind enemy lines. 367 paratroopers assaulted the camp of about 3500 enemy. The South Africans sustained 3 KIA and 1 MIA, the enemy in excess of 1000 KIA and many WIA.
A Cuban tank and APC column of more than 20 vehicles arrived when the battle was almost over to reinforce their SWAPO comrades. The lightly armed SA paratroopers, ( at this time at half strength due to half the force having already been extracted) with a little help from some jets, wiped out the armor with small arms and RPGs. The raid neutralized SWAPO at a crucial time in the war and forced them to compete in democratic elections instead of allowing them to sieze Namibia through the barrel of the gun as their leader had sworn to do. Namibia has remained a democratic capitalist country to this day, instead of the Communist Dictatorship it would have become.
http://www.namibweb.com/chap13.htm
If you really feel the need to know all about the operation, you will find my book on Amazon as The Battle for Cassinga by Mike McWilliams published by the UK Military publishing house Helion.
This raid was called "One of the most successful, daring airborne operations of all time." By Lt.Col Robert Brown of Soldier of Fortune.
Now, I am not saying it was the best, but it bears consideration.

07-21-2012, 10:42	#41
Guymullins Guerrilla Chief Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: South Africa Posts: 911	The Battle for Cassinga, Angola 1978 Of course I wouldnt dream of promoting my book on this site, so I will put a link up where you can read a bit about this raid. In short, the South Africans executed an airborne assault on a heavily fortified SWAPO base camp 250km behind enemy lines. 367 paratroopers assaulted the camp of about 3500 enemy. The South Africans sustained 3 KIA and 1 MIA, the enemy in excess of 1000 KIA and many WIA. A Cuban tank and APC column of more than 20 vehicles arrived when the battle was almost over to reinforce their SWAPO comrades. The lightly armed SA paratroopers, ( at this time at half strength due to half the force having already been extracted) with a little help from some jets, wiped out the armor with small arms and RPGs. The raid neutralized SWAPO at a crucial time in the war and forced them to compete in democratic elections instead of allowing them to sieze Namibia through the barrel of the gun as their leader had sworn to do. Namibia has remained a democratic capitalist country to this day, instead of the Communist Dictatorship it would have become. http://www.namibweb.com/chap13.htm If you really feel the need to know all about the operation, you will find my book on Amazon as The Battle for Cassinga by Mike McWilliams published by the UK Military publishing house Helion. This raid was called "One of the most successful, daring airborne operations of all time." By Lt.Col Robert Brown of Soldier of Fortune. Now, I am not saying it was the best, but it bears consideration.
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