Builders vs. Special Forces, or Grenada Disgrace
I did not plan to tell about the American invasion of the island of Grenada. But the readers of our publication expressed such a desire in the comments to another article ("A country with a tragic fate. The war in Angola"). I didn’t plan it because this operation, except for shame for the American special forces, did not bring anything substantial. Yes, and the power of the American army against the state with a population of 90 thousands of people to compare is somehow silly. The army of Grenada, with 1000 numbers, is manned against invading forces, 5 times larger. This is the official data. According to other data, also American, but already from the court, 30 is more times.
Most of the readers without a search engine and will not find this island in the Caribbean. A huge ... 344 square kilometer area. To understand what it is, you can compare the area of any of our city with a population of 500-800 thousands of people. Rostov, for example, 10 square kilometers more. So Americans chose the enemy themselves worthy.
On the other hand, what was the Americans doing? The country is deep in thought after Vietnam. Hollywood stamps heroic films about the exploits of US special forces. The advertised landing of American marines in Lebanon ended with the death of an American 241 at the same time (with the total number of marines in 1000 people) after a Hezbollah suicide bomber attack on a mined car in October 1983.
President Reagan, an actor himself, is well aware that a real victory is needed. Any, but a victory. Where? Cuba? Quite possible. Only such a victory for the United States will cost more than one thousand coffins. Americans know too well the power and strength of mind of Cubans. And it was precisely the "cine" victory that was needed. With a minimum of dead American soldiers. With a demonstration to the world of American military power. Using the best-trained and highly publicized units.
In general, the end of 70-x - the beginning of 80-x for Central America - a time of revolutionary turmoil. Sandinistas in Nicaragua, leftist partisans in El Salvador, the overthrow of the government of Eric Gayry and the coming to power of Maurice Bishop in Grenada.
And everywhere Cubans, and therefore the USSR. Since March 1979, Bishop began to actively cooperate with Cuba and the USSR. Rearming the army. So much so that the new army of Grenada became the most efficient in the eastern part of the Caribbean ... Only with the Soviet Union Bishop concluded three military agreements totaling $ 58 million. Even the DPRK was supposed to supply Grenada military equipment with 12 million dollars.
The first “swallows” of a possible US invasion are marked in March 1983. The United States has declared a boycott of Grenada. They forbade their tourists to visit the island and conducted exercises near the Grenadian territorial waters. Understanding the proximity of the war was all. 26 March The government of Grenada brought the army on alert and mobilized some police officers (from 1,5 to 3 thousand).
Numerous anti-government organizations began to operate in the country. The Americans began to plot. But Reagan was most worried about the construction of a new civil airport in Point Salinas. The fact is that such an airport should have had a three-kilometer strip for receiving all types of aircraft. So, it could well be used for military landings. Including strategic bombers. The US President has repeatedly stated that under the guise of a civilian airport, Cuba and the USSR are building a new military base.
Officially, the airport was built by an English company. But the builders were hired in Cuba. This explains the presence of Cubans on the island. According to some reports, Cubans in Grenada were 784 people. Of these, 636 builders, 44 physician and teacher, 43 military personnel (construction guards). The weapons of the Cuban guard were only small arms. But in the army guard of the airport there were large-caliber machine guns and Soviet 23-mm automatic cannons.
What did the operation look like on paper?
Operation Outbreak of Rage provided for the simultaneous landing of a naval and airborne assault force in order to capture administrative and military facilities. The north of the island was convenient for amphibious assault. South - for air.
The main forces of both landings were rangers and US Marines. And the paratroopers from the 82 airborne division were to develop the success of the landing.
Exploration of the terrain and objects of the upcoming attacks was carried out by local supporters of the USA and aviation. At the final stage, reconnaissance and sabotage groups (up to 50 people), which were planned to be transferred by helicopters, were connected to this business.
The forces that the United States sent to Grenada are very interesting. Just to list a few. From the 2nd fleet The United States Navy, Ground Forces and Air Force formed two groups. Carrier and amphibious, consisting of 12 warships of the US Navy.
The carrier group included the carrier Independence and 6 escort ships. From the Air Force, 8 F-15 fighters, EC-130 electronic warfare aircraft, 3 long-range radar detection aircraft, almost 60 military transport aircraft were attached. The number of troops was a 5000 man from two battalions of the 75 th regiment of raiders and two brigades of the 82 th WDD.
In the amphibious group there were 5 US Navy ships. More than three dozen helicopters were used for disembarkation. More 20 boats. The composition of the landing was more uniform. These are the most prepared 22 assault detachments of the US Marine Corps. With heavy equipment and weapons.
The start of the operation is scheduled for 5: 00 25 October 1983. The reason for the start of the landing operation should be the statement of American students about the attack and the threat to their lives.
It makes no sense to describe the operation itself. What Americans always succeed in is in describing their exploits. These descriptions are quite in the spirit of the foregoing plan. I, as well as readers, are more interested in shoals, which Washington strategists prefer to remain silent. And these shoals revealed a lot. And if it were not for the enormous superiority of forces, victory would be a big question.
So, journalists were allowed only numbers 28 to Grenada, when the military "cleaned up" behind them. However, if you do not hide mistakes, experts see them immediately. Here are the mistakes and talk.
The most important goal of the first wave of the invasion was the airfield. It was there and was thrown the famous "Delta". 35 fighters "Delta" made a long jump and managed to secretly landed on the airfield. However, the experts miscalculated. Cubans fighters experienced, were able to see part of the paratroopers. And so it began ...
6 special forces were killed even in the air. 22 injured. The rest were pressed to the airstrip with fire and they did not even let them lift their heads. The Soviet AK was head and shoulders above spetsnaz pistols and silent machine guns. Deltowers were saved only because they called aviation. It was the strike of attack aircraft and helicopters that allowed the remaining fighters to leave the runway.
The vaunted American rangers zhudili in the same way. The Russian military has an old one, since tsarist times, a saying. In a crap soldier, there is always diarrhea before the attack. In modern interpretation, the technique breaks down. weapon and equipment.
On the lead assault aircraft just such a "diarrhea" happened. Broken navigation system. And the whole group flew in circles over the island, looking for a landing place. Well, it reached the Soviet DShK. Weapons tested and amphibiously fitted for amphibious vehicles. The panic began on the air. "We have come under heavy anti-aircraft fire and are changing course ..."
In short, part of the assault force was thrown out in some remote corner of the island. Where exactly, there is no information. But the fact that they “fought” there until the end of the operation is a fact. With whom - it is not clear. Yes, and this case became known only because after the operation, the command of the landing force sued (!) The Air Force. True, the case was hushed up.
There were also "freaks" from the elite division of US combat swimmers. "Navy Seals" really quite prepared fighters. Just like RDG sea-based. And the command decided to use them as an assault force landing.
From the transport aircraft "Hercules" two boats with teams of swimmers were to be dropped. As it happens, the majority still represent the film "The Case in the Square ..." in the Soviet film. The first discharge ended tragically. The boat together with the crew, instead of sailing, "dove". There is no exact information about the fate of the crew. But it is clear that to survive in such a situation is quite problematic.
The second reset was successful. The boat has surfaced. Even the engine started and moved to the shore. And ... Having seen some ship, the "seals" (the American name of combat swimmers) decide to hide (an interesting solution for the day and excellent visibility) to stop the engine and wait. Perezhdali. But so sought to comply with the disguise that the engine was muffled forever. So the boat with the elite naval special forces dangled for two days on the high seas. The blessing was near the ship of the US Navy.
But there were real fights of "seals". So in the north of the island, the special forces nevertheless got ashore and ran into the watchful gendarmes. For more than a day, the gendarmes gave the combat swimmers to "light up" without letting them leave the beach.
Approximately the same "seals" won and with the release of the English representative P. Skun. 20 combat swimmers with light weapons came under fire BTR-60 Cubans. Chased them notably. Saved attack aircraft.
But the most interesting battle was for the Richmond Hill prison. The Delta on 6 helicopters was supposed to parachute through the ropes and capture the prison. For helicopters there was only one way. Between the prison and the garrison barracks. The army of Grenada in this battle "played in the war." A helicopter appears in the shot hole. From it, the Special Forces come down the cables. They are shot in the dash. And machine gunners shot down another helicopter.
Generally speaking, the Americans really showed all the power and debilism of their army. Encountering any resistance, even if it was a single person, entire units successfully hid and summoned aircraft. These are not isolated cases, but the widespread practice of the American army. And trying to bomb the headquarters of the Grenadian army, the US soldiers successfully "navigated" a mental hospital nearby. By the way, it is beautiful "otmazatsya" then from this crime. Ostensibly, the Grenadians moved the flag from the headquarters building to a mental hospital.
There was another combat episode. When a few hours, the Rangers and Marines fired at each other. And at the same time, both units in the American tradition requested aviation. Well, they begged. Friendly fire ... And strikes on their own for US aircraft is not an isolated case, but rather a typical one.
Naturally, there are doubts about the losses of the US Army in this operation. Officially, the Americans lost all 18 people. In addition, 116 people are injured. In the same way, the losses of the opposite side cause doubts. Cubans lost 25 people and 600 were captured. The Grenadians are the 45 dead and the 24 civilians.
The only true figure came from ... the Soviet Union. During the operation, the Americans fired at the USSR Embassy twice. Allegedly wrong. One of the employees was seriously injured.
For the attentive reader, even if he cannot find truthful information about an operation, there are always "loopholes." It is there that lie more or less true information. You just have to dig and understand them correctly. So, the scale of the operation "outbreak of rage," one figure would say fine. Over 8 000 US military were awarded for this landing. Small island. The toy army and the Cuban builders have lavished withers on the vaunted American special forces and paratroopers. They made it so that in the memoirs of one fighter of the Delta who participated in disembarking on the airdrome the following words were written in direct text: “They almost“ raped us ”.
And it seems to me that "almost" is clearly superfluous words ... Just raped, that's all.
Most of the readers without a search engine and will not find this island in the Caribbean. A huge ... 344 square kilometer area. To understand what it is, you can compare the area of any of our city with a population of 500-800 thousands of people. Rostov, for example, 10 square kilometers more. So Americans chose the enemy themselves worthy.
On the other hand, what was the Americans doing? The country is deep in thought after Vietnam. Hollywood stamps heroic films about the exploits of US special forces. The advertised landing of American marines in Lebanon ended with the death of an American 241 at the same time (with the total number of marines in 1000 people) after a Hezbollah suicide bomber attack on a mined car in October 1983.
President Reagan, an actor himself, is well aware that a real victory is needed. Any, but a victory. Where? Cuba? Quite possible. Only such a victory for the United States will cost more than one thousand coffins. Americans know too well the power and strength of mind of Cubans. And it was precisely the "cine" victory that was needed. With a minimum of dead American soldiers. With a demonstration to the world of American military power. Using the best-trained and highly publicized units.
In general, the end of 70-x - the beginning of 80-x for Central America - a time of revolutionary turmoil. Sandinistas in Nicaragua, leftist partisans in El Salvador, the overthrow of the government of Eric Gayry and the coming to power of Maurice Bishop in Grenada.
And everywhere Cubans, and therefore the USSR. Since March 1979, Bishop began to actively cooperate with Cuba and the USSR. Rearming the army. So much so that the new army of Grenada became the most efficient in the eastern part of the Caribbean ... Only with the Soviet Union Bishop concluded three military agreements totaling $ 58 million. Even the DPRK was supposed to supply Grenada military equipment with 12 million dollars.
The first “swallows” of a possible US invasion are marked in March 1983. The United States has declared a boycott of Grenada. They forbade their tourists to visit the island and conducted exercises near the Grenadian territorial waters. Understanding the proximity of the war was all. 26 March The government of Grenada brought the army on alert and mobilized some police officers (from 1,5 to 3 thousand).
Numerous anti-government organizations began to operate in the country. The Americans began to plot. But Reagan was most worried about the construction of a new civil airport in Point Salinas. The fact is that such an airport should have had a three-kilometer strip for receiving all types of aircraft. So, it could well be used for military landings. Including strategic bombers. The US President has repeatedly stated that under the guise of a civilian airport, Cuba and the USSR are building a new military base.
Officially, the airport was built by an English company. But the builders were hired in Cuba. This explains the presence of Cubans on the island. According to some reports, Cubans in Grenada were 784 people. Of these, 636 builders, 44 physician and teacher, 43 military personnel (construction guards). The weapons of the Cuban guard were only small arms. But in the army guard of the airport there were large-caliber machine guns and Soviet 23-mm automatic cannons.
What did the operation look like on paper?
Operation Outbreak of Rage provided for the simultaneous landing of a naval and airborne assault force in order to capture administrative and military facilities. The north of the island was convenient for amphibious assault. South - for air.
The main forces of both landings were rangers and US Marines. And the paratroopers from the 82 airborne division were to develop the success of the landing.
Exploration of the terrain and objects of the upcoming attacks was carried out by local supporters of the USA and aviation. At the final stage, reconnaissance and sabotage groups (up to 50 people), which were planned to be transferred by helicopters, were connected to this business.
The forces that the United States sent to Grenada are very interesting. Just to list a few. From the 2nd fleet The United States Navy, Ground Forces and Air Force formed two groups. Carrier and amphibious, consisting of 12 warships of the US Navy.
The carrier group included the carrier Independence and 6 escort ships. From the Air Force, 8 F-15 fighters, EC-130 electronic warfare aircraft, 3 long-range radar detection aircraft, almost 60 military transport aircraft were attached. The number of troops was a 5000 man from two battalions of the 75 th regiment of raiders and two brigades of the 82 th WDD.
In the amphibious group there were 5 US Navy ships. More than three dozen helicopters were used for disembarkation. More 20 boats. The composition of the landing was more uniform. These are the most prepared 22 assault detachments of the US Marine Corps. With heavy equipment and weapons.
The start of the operation is scheduled for 5: 00 25 October 1983. The reason for the start of the landing operation should be the statement of American students about the attack and the threat to their lives.
It makes no sense to describe the operation itself. What Americans always succeed in is in describing their exploits. These descriptions are quite in the spirit of the foregoing plan. I, as well as readers, are more interested in shoals, which Washington strategists prefer to remain silent. And these shoals revealed a lot. And if it were not for the enormous superiority of forces, victory would be a big question.
So, journalists were allowed only numbers 28 to Grenada, when the military "cleaned up" behind them. However, if you do not hide mistakes, experts see them immediately. Here are the mistakes and talk.
The most important goal of the first wave of the invasion was the airfield. It was there and was thrown the famous "Delta". 35 fighters "Delta" made a long jump and managed to secretly landed on the airfield. However, the experts miscalculated. Cubans fighters experienced, were able to see part of the paratroopers. And so it began ...
6 special forces were killed even in the air. 22 injured. The rest were pressed to the airstrip with fire and they did not even let them lift their heads. The Soviet AK was head and shoulders above spetsnaz pistols and silent machine guns. Deltowers were saved only because they called aviation. It was the strike of attack aircraft and helicopters that allowed the remaining fighters to leave the runway.
The vaunted American rangers zhudili in the same way. The Russian military has an old one, since tsarist times, a saying. In a crap soldier, there is always diarrhea before the attack. In modern interpretation, the technique breaks down. weapon and equipment.
On the lead assault aircraft just such a "diarrhea" happened. Broken navigation system. And the whole group flew in circles over the island, looking for a landing place. Well, it reached the Soviet DShK. Weapons tested and amphibiously fitted for amphibious vehicles. The panic began on the air. "We have come under heavy anti-aircraft fire and are changing course ..."
In short, part of the assault force was thrown out in some remote corner of the island. Where exactly, there is no information. But the fact that they “fought” there until the end of the operation is a fact. With whom - it is not clear. Yes, and this case became known only because after the operation, the command of the landing force sued (!) The Air Force. True, the case was hushed up.
There were also "freaks" from the elite division of US combat swimmers. "Navy Seals" really quite prepared fighters. Just like RDG sea-based. And the command decided to use them as an assault force landing.
From the transport aircraft "Hercules" two boats with teams of swimmers were to be dropped. As it happens, the majority still represent the film "The Case in the Square ..." in the Soviet film. The first discharge ended tragically. The boat together with the crew, instead of sailing, "dove". There is no exact information about the fate of the crew. But it is clear that to survive in such a situation is quite problematic.
The second reset was successful. The boat has surfaced. Even the engine started and moved to the shore. And ... Having seen some ship, the "seals" (the American name of combat swimmers) decide to hide (an interesting solution for the day and excellent visibility) to stop the engine and wait. Perezhdali. But so sought to comply with the disguise that the engine was muffled forever. So the boat with the elite naval special forces dangled for two days on the high seas. The blessing was near the ship of the US Navy.
But there were real fights of "seals". So in the north of the island, the special forces nevertheless got ashore and ran into the watchful gendarmes. For more than a day, the gendarmes gave the combat swimmers to "light up" without letting them leave the beach.
Approximately the same "seals" won and with the release of the English representative P. Skun. 20 combat swimmers with light weapons came under fire BTR-60 Cubans. Chased them notably. Saved attack aircraft.
But the most interesting battle was for the Richmond Hill prison. The Delta on 6 helicopters was supposed to parachute through the ropes and capture the prison. For helicopters there was only one way. Between the prison and the garrison barracks. The army of Grenada in this battle "played in the war." A helicopter appears in the shot hole. From it, the Special Forces come down the cables. They are shot in the dash. And machine gunners shot down another helicopter.
Generally speaking, the Americans really showed all the power and debilism of their army. Encountering any resistance, even if it was a single person, entire units successfully hid and summoned aircraft. These are not isolated cases, but the widespread practice of the American army. And trying to bomb the headquarters of the Grenadian army, the US soldiers successfully "navigated" a mental hospital nearby. By the way, it is beautiful "otmazatsya" then from this crime. Ostensibly, the Grenadians moved the flag from the headquarters building to a mental hospital.
There was another combat episode. When a few hours, the Rangers and Marines fired at each other. And at the same time, both units in the American tradition requested aviation. Well, they begged. Friendly fire ... And strikes on their own for US aircraft is not an isolated case, but rather a typical one.
Naturally, there are doubts about the losses of the US Army in this operation. Officially, the Americans lost all 18 people. In addition, 116 people are injured. In the same way, the losses of the opposite side cause doubts. Cubans lost 25 people and 600 were captured. The Grenadians are the 45 dead and the 24 civilians.
The only true figure came from ... the Soviet Union. During the operation, the Americans fired at the USSR Embassy twice. Allegedly wrong. One of the employees was seriously injured.
For the attentive reader, even if he cannot find truthful information about an operation, there are always "loopholes." It is there that lie more or less true information. You just have to dig and understand them correctly. So, the scale of the operation "outbreak of rage," one figure would say fine. Over 8 000 US military were awarded for this landing. Small island. The toy army and the Cuban builders have lavished withers on the vaunted American special forces and paratroopers. They made it so that in the memoirs of one fighter of the Delta who participated in disembarking on the airdrome the following words were written in direct text: “They almost“ raped us ”.
And it seems to me that "almost" is clearly superfluous words ... Just raped, that's all.
Information