33 Years ago...

[Long_Hunter]

I was a squad leader in C 1/504 PIR...exited a C141 at just under 500 feet over Omar Torrijos International Airport at around 0400...first time I saw green tracers, first time for a lot of things...doesn't seem like it was that long ago. Later in the morning, the air assault against Tinajitas to take down the PDF 1st INF CO, the "Tigers of Tinajitas", the same unit we had trained with during a JOTC rotation in early 87 over at Ft Sherman...that's how the worm turns.



RIP 20 Dec 89
Jerry Daves
Martin Denson

 

[Chuckman]

I know a SEAL (well, long since out) who was in Panama, called the NSW missions "inappropriate shi* sandwiches". I don't know if that's true for all the missions for all the branches.

I've read "Five Minutes to Freedom" about the Kurt Museum rescue and a few other stories. Amazing ops y'all did.

I saw it unfolding on TV at the airport, flying out of town for Christmas.

 

[Jim C.]

You guys did great.

I spent most of November '89 as an activated reservist in a SCIF on Ft. Clayton doing business as usual stuff while the RA guys were doing something else. I didn't know anything for sure at the time, but it wasn't a big surprise when we went in. I was back in country early in '90 going through tons of paper that had been confiscated.

 

[jimmyjames8]

Hard to believe that was 33 yrs ago. I shot USPSA/IPSC with some guys that were there. Used to see some of those same guys on The Outdoor Channel when they had their own shows.

 

[Chuckman]

I remember hearing that it was the biggest non-secret secret; SOCOM and the Pentagon were having massive pizza deliveries and offices that were normally closed at night were open. The military knew it was going down, and the knowledge trickled to families and into RUMINT. Once the actual event kicked off, it really was not a surprise to anyone.

 

[Long_Hunter]

I remember hearing that it was the biggest non-secret secret; SOCOM and the Pentagon were having massive pizza deliveries and offices that were normally closed at night were open. The military knew it was going down, and the knowledge trickled to families and into RUMINT. Once the actual event kicked off, it really was not a surprise to anyone.

It actually was a bit of a surprise to us, and then we initially thought we were going to the Philippines since the shit had hit the fan there, and we already had a ton of combat power in Panama...it was several hours before we were officially told where we were going and what we would be doing, a whole lot of hurry up and wait on what was supposed to be the first day of the holiday half-day schedule.

When they called the wives, they told them were we being EDRE'd to Avon Park Florida and would be home in a few days, in time for Christmas.

 

[Chuckman]

It actually was a bit of a surprise to us, and then we initially thought we were going to the Philippines since the shit had hit the fan there, and we already had a ton of combat power in Panama...it was several hours before we were officially told where we were going and what we would be doing, a whole lot of hurry up and wait on what was supposed to be the first day of the holiday half-day schedule.

When they called the wives, they told them were we being EDRE'd to Avon Park Florida and would be home in a few days, in time for Christmas.

My friend (the SEAL) was given the op for Paitilla Airfield. He said from the get-go that was a Ranger mission, he was told basically to shup up they were going to do whatever mission they were assigned. Of course, history proved him right. The Panama thing was a surprise to him, too, as ST 4 was gearing up for a different set of missions in a different location at the time.

 

[Dan0311]

R.I.P.

33 years ago this July I was there, but left well before the invasion.
I believe this was at Ft. Sherman.