GRENADA & PANAMA 1983-89

In the 1980s the Navy SEALs were called upon to take part in two operations that would test their unique skills to the limit

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On 25 October 1983, the US launched Operation Urgent Fury with the objective of overthrowing the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) of the Caribbean island of Grenada. Earlier that month, Prime Minister Maurice Bishop had been killed by members of the People’s Revolutionary Army (PRA) in a coup instigated by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard. The PRG had been in power since 1979 and had military support from Cuba, the Soviet Union, East Germany, North Korea and Syria.

The Navy SEALs were mobilised to provide reconnaissance ahead of the invasion and take part in raids on the island itself in conjunction with conventional land forces. However, the SEALs experience on the island would be fraught with problems. SEAL Team 6 attempted to get ashore on the southern tip of the island at Port Salines on the night of the 23rd. After a parachute jump directly into the sea from an MC-130 Combat Talon aircraft, the heavily laden SEALs soon got into trouble upon hitting the water and four men were lost. Other SEALs made it into their assault boats and linked up with USS Clifton Sprague; they tried again to go ashore the following night but were spotted by Grenadian patrols and abandoned their mission. The airborne troops they had meant to assist in capturing the airfield at the port did so with no prior reconnaissance being made.