Grenada Documents: An Overview and Selection

[Nkomo]

I am an avid collector of items related to Operation Urgent Fury. Basically, the United States and a few other nations invaded the small island of Grenada in October of 1983 to restore order, rescue the captive US medical students, and to shut down a huge airport runway being built by the Cubans and Soviets. Supposedly, this runway was being built for tourism, but the US interpreted it as a long range bomber refueling base for Soviet and Cuban aircraft. We also invaded to show the Cubans and Nicaraguans what was in store if they didn't stop there "revolutions" in our backyard!

Whatever the case, this is a document that was published in 1984 by the US Department of State and Department of Defense. This book contains hundreds of documents that were captured by the US during the invasion. It shows copies of agreements with North Korea, Soviet Union, and other countries. It shows secret communiques between the Marxist leadership of Grenada and the government of the Soviet Union. It also includes the amount of military aid given to the Grenada government from various Socialist nations, even down to the number of uniforms, canteens, and ammunition! For us Urgent Fury collectors, it is a gold mine of information. Just thought I'd share it with you!

Arch

p.s. This came from the estate of one of Reagan's top advisors during the early/mid 1980's.

[Nkomo]

This is a copy of the agreement Pres. Maurice Bishop signed with the envoy from North Korea. There were two copies in the book. One was written in English and the other, shown here, in Korean. According to the document, the North Koreans sent 6000 uniforms amongst other military items to Grenada.

If you'd like to see more pictures from this book, let me know. There close to 1000 pages in this book.

If there is anybody out there who is getting rid of Urgent Fury or Just Cause (Panama) items, pm me please.

[BOB K. RKSS]

Interesting. I have Vice Admiral METCALF's 3 Star FLAG from his Command ship: Aircraft Carrier Independance. I've been thinking of placing on Eaby auction.

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

I brought back a Russian Helmet, and some AK accessories. I loved the Jungle Fatigues they gave us on Grenada and then allowed us to buy at clothing sales. I have a bunch sitting around. Along with Vietnam Era ERDL's and post Vietnam straight pocket ERDL's.

 

If I never see a Carribean Island or anything in Central/South America I will consider that a good thing.

 

Rock

[MattD]

I am an avid collector of items related to Operation Urgent Fury. Basically, the United States and a few other nations invaded the small island of Grenada in October of 1983 to restore order, rescue the captive US medical students, and to shut down a huge airport runway being built by the Cubans and Soviets. Supposedly, this runway was being built for tourism, but the US interpreted it as a long range bomber refueling base for Soviet and Cuban aircraft. We also invaded to show the Cubans and Nicaraguans what was in store if they didn't stop there "revolutions" in our backyard!

Whatever the case, this is a document that was published in 1984 by the US Department of State and Department of Defense. This book contains hundreds of documents that were captured by the US during the invasion. It shows copies of agreements with North Korea, Soviet Union, and other countries. It shows secret communiques between the Marxist leadership of Grenada and the government of the Soviet Union. It also includes the amount of military aid given to the Grenada government from various Socialist nations, even down to the number of uniforms, canteens, and ammunition! For us Urgent Fury collectors, it is a gold mine of information. Just thought I'd share it with you!

Arch

p.s. This came from the estate of one of Reagan's top advisors during the early/mid 1980's.

 

 

Arch

 

Interesting source document. I just found one on Amazon.

[Linedoggie]

Wasnt there some documents showing a US Congressman was helping the regime? Ron Dellums IIRC

[ADAM2001]

"If I never see a Carribean Island or anything in Central/South America I will consider that a good thing."

 

Rock

 

Hey ROCK,

 

I'm WITH YOU BO, and AGREE 100% . We have talked before, as I was there at the same time. (B 2/325). We lost Mike during a RECON probe around 0445 on the 26th, and Gary that same afternoon around 1430, while trying to clear a 75mm. I got off that rock via DUSTOFF to Barbados and then to Ft. Sam. I had been back to REARDET only 3 days when Division came home on 08 Nov.

 

Adam

 

I went back to Ft. Bragg in October 2011 with my stepson, but STILL after 29 years, I CAN'T bring myself to go to the new gym.

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

I reenlisted and went to ETO, Berlin Brigade. Lots of guys from Division and the Batt's were assigned there. I can't remember the name of one of the guys in Berlin, but he was shot up on Grenada. It mighta been him that was shot couple times including the helmet shot in the Kevlar that's in the Museum.

 

No offense to him but he seemed very affected by the whole ordeal, understandably.

 

We lost a guy to friendly fire. We were cleaning weapons on the Island and an AG didn't clear his 1911A1 properly- shot his Gunner (and best friend) in the back. Dumb accident resulting in the death of his best friend.

 

Nowadays nobody but the learned even remember Grenada or Central America.

 

Rock

[VirtualMariner]

Some of us remember Grenada. I was in my early teens at the time, but I actually lived in Jamaica when it took place and it was a very big deal in the Caribbean. The Prime Ministers of Jamaica and Dominica were actually two of the major influences on Caricom support and participation. One of my friend's uncles was a Captain in the Jamaica Defense Forces and served in Grenada. Prior to the 1980 elections in Jamaica, there was a near civil war in the country between the pro-American capitalist leaning party and the Cuban backed socialist leaning party. The socialists lost the election and things calmed down, but many in the English speaking Caribbean were keen to keep socialism/communism from spreading beyond their remaining Latin strongholds. Reagan actually visited Jamaica as his first state visit after taking office, so at the time this region and the fight against communism in the region were considered critical issues. Maurice Bishop was really the first non-Latin leader in the region to make a deal with the devil, so to speak, so there were more than just the Americans who supported making an example. True enough, most people don't seem to remember, but those that do tend to paint a picture of an unnecessary and inbalanced response to a sort of "non-problem". Easy to write it off now, I guess, but at the time it was part of a much bigger picture (rightly viewed that way, in my opinion). This was five years before joined the military and I was still a kid, but I remember. To those of you that were there...thank you for your service.

[rr01]

We lost a guy to friendly fire. We were cleaning weapons on the Island and an AG didn't clear his 1911A1 properly- shot his Gunner (and best friend) in the back. Dumb accident resulting in the death of his best friend.

 

Nowadays nobody but the learned even remember Grenada or Central America.

 

Rock

I remember the report on that incident and, without elaborating wondered how on earth such a thing could happen. Unfortunately, it continues.

Grenada was the one gig that finally cut loose the money to get better com gear so you didn't need to make a collect phone call to get an airstrike. Now you can't even handle morning ablutions w/o someone in a stateside com van watching.

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

And as many people don't know or remember, there was a media blackout for most of the operation. We on the ground enjoyed the absence of those pesky cameras. When the press was finally allowed onto the island, they were hopping mad. We told them all was well without them being there.

 

Rock