As found at BlackFive
Twenty-Five years ago, we were privileged to liberate the population of a small Caribbean island, including some American medical students, and a potential enemy fighter base at Point Salines, Granada . The operation was not without problems - combat operations never are. But there was a lot of valor, determination, and skill displayed among our Warriors that day, and I hope we can stop to remember those who displayed those traits. I will mention a few of the things that come to mind:
It begins with the daring infiltration attempt made by SEALs and Combat Control Team members that cost the lives of a number of SEALs who parachuted into the sea in the dark of night to try to get "eyes on target". The Rangers of 1st and 2d Ranger Battalions and their valiant parachute assault on Pt. Salines conducted under enemy fire, and later the airmobile assault by 2d Bn to secure and evacuate the American medical students. The repeated attempts by Task Force 160 (now 160th SOAR) to deliver Delta troops to their objective on Richmond Hill - the hottest LZ I've certainly ever seen and one that wounded 18 Delta men and proved the airworthiness of the Black Hawk, some of which took more than forty rounds of 7.62 and 23 mm fire, but kept on flying. One was lost, along with its pilot, Captain Keith Lucas, brought to a skilled crash landing by CWO Paul Price, (I think it was Paul) himself wounded. The successful infiltrations of SEALs at other targets by TF-160's fast rope birds, covered by the skilled pilots of AH-6 "Killer Egg" gunships. And the always-skillful minigun, 40mm, and 105 fire from the AC-130s of 16th SOS. I witnessed from afar a USMC Cobra gunship crash into the sea, and one that crashed on the quay, and shortly after, a CH-46 braving a steady stream of anti-aircraft fire to rescue the surviving crewman from the quay (a Marine whom I later met, now with only one arm, as the other had already been shot nearly off before he landed the crippled bird one-handed).
And then there's that ol' Soldier Dave Grange (the younger) who completed the Iron Man triathlon in Hawaii, hopped on an airplane, flew back to Bragg, and got back just in time to lead his squadron on the assault.
So, to all of those who were there, thus brother-in-arms of each other forever, and of those who have survived them, I offer you a toast.
God bless and keep you all.
Buckshot
Lewis H. Burruss
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired)
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