Op era ti on U rg ent Fu r y wa s a 19 8 3 Un it ed S ta tes-le d in v a sion of G re nada, a Caribbean island nation with a population of about 91,000 located 160 kilometres (99 mi) north of Venezuela, that resulted in a U.S. victory within a matter of weeks. Triggered by the house arrest and murder of the leader of the coup which had brought a revolutionary government to power for the preceding four years, the invasion resulted in a restoration of the pre-revolutionary regime. Grenada gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1974 but retained the British monarch as head of state. The leftist New Jewel Movement, which was seen favorably by much of the Grenadan population, seized power in a coup in 1979, suspending the constitution. After a 1983 internal power struggle ended with the deposition and murder of revolutionary prime minister Maurice Bishop, the invasion began early on 25 October 1983, just two days after the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut (early 23 October Beirut time). The U.S. Armys Rapid Deployment Force (1st, 2nd Ranger Battalions and 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers), U.S. Marines, U.S. Army Delta Force, and U.S. Navy SEALs and other combined forces constituted the 7,600 troops from the United States, Jamaica, and members of the Regional Security System (RSS)[4] defeated Grenadian resistance after a low-altitude airborne assault by the 75th Rangers on Point Salines Airport on the southern end of the island, and a Marine helicopter and amphibious landing occurred on the northern end at Pearls Airfield shortly afterward. The military government of Hudson Austin was deposed and replaced by a government appointed by Governor-General Paul Scoon until elections were held in 1984. While the invasion enjoyed broad public support in the United States,[5] and received support from some sectors in Grenada from local groups who viewed the postcoup regime as illegitimate,[6] it was criticized by the United Kingdom and Canada. An attempted United Nations General Assembly resolution, which would have condemned it as a flagrant violation of international law was vetoed by the United States in the Security Council.[7] The U.S. awarded more than 5,000 medals for merit and valor.[8][9] The date of the invasion is now a national holiday in Grenada, called Thanksgiving Day, and the Point Salines International Airport was renamed in honor of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop.[10][11] The invasion highlighted issues with communication and coordination between the branches of the United States military, contributing to investigations and sweeping changes, in the form of the Goldwater-Nichols Act and other reorganizations.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 11:21:47 +0000
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