Operation Just Cause

1. The Pentagon's decision to call the 1989 invasion of Panama "Operation Just Cause" initiated a trend of selecting operation names with themes that would help generate public support for the conflicts.

2. Commanders President George W. Bush Manuel Noriega aka: Pineapple Face Gen. Maxwell R. Thurman “The goals of the United States have been to safeguard the lives of Americans, to defend democracy in Panama, to combat drug trafficking, and to protect the integrity of the Panama Canal treaty,” adding that he has directed the Armed Forces “to bring General Noriega to justice in the United States .” GWB

3. Panamanian Defense Forces Equipped w/ V-300 Armored Cars .50 C al Machine gun Patrol Crafts, Cutters & Launches Unarmed helicopters Transport & Training planes Communist made: AK-47 , AK-74, RPG-5, RPG-7 ., M16 2 I nfantry Battalions 5 light Infantry Battalions 1 Calvary Troop 2 Public Order Companies Air Force of 500 troops Navy 400 troops

4. STRATEGIC SETTINGS

5. Rio Hato

6. AC-130 M-113 F-117A Dragonflies Apaches, Cobras, Blackhawks SEALS: fired rockets, 81mm, 60mm, 25mm, MK-19, Twin 50's, M-60E3's, M-4's MP5's, Sig 226, Beretta 9mm, Mossberg 870, Claymores, Flash Bangs   7th Inf Division used M16A2, M60s, M249 (SAW), Beretta 9mm, M203, AT-4, Laws. ADA units had the ground/towed version of the Vulcan, AH-1 cobra, 105mm towed artillery.  The 193d was using M16a2, M203, Saws, M60, 90mm recoilless rifles, Beretta 92 pistols.  The 5th ID guys had M16a1, M1911a1 pistols, M203, and M2HBs U.S. WEAPONS

7. U.S. Forces Navy Naval Surface Warfare Unit 8 Special Boat Unit 26 Task Force WHITE Naval Security Group (Galeta Island) NAVSCIATTS Mine Division 127 Air Force 830th Air Division 1st Special Operations Wing (AC-130) 24th Composite Air Wing 61st Military Airlift Group (COMALF) 430th Reconnaissance Technical Group (FURTIVE BEAR) 4400th Air Postal Squadron Marines 6th Marine Expeditionary Battalion Marine Security Element (Galeta Island) [USMC] 1st Platoon, Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team [USMC] 534th Military Police Company [Panama] 536th Engineer Battalion [Panama] Battery D, 320th Field Artillery [Panama] 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry (-) [D+] [Ft. Ord , CA] ARMY TASK FORCE BAYONET (193d Infantry Brigade) [Panama] HHC, 193d Infantry Brigade 5th Battalion, 87th Infantry 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry [Ft. Polk, LA] Platoon, Company , 3d Battalion, 73d Armor [Ft. Bragg, NC] Platoon, Company D, 2d Light Armored Infantry Battalion [USMC] 59th Engineer Company 519th Military Police Battalion TASK FORCE ATLANTIC (3d Brigade, 7th Infantry Division) HHC, 3d Brigade, 7th Infantry Division [Ft. Ord , CA] 4th Battalion, 17th Infantry [Ft. Ord , CA ] 3d Battalion, 504th Infantry [Ft. Bragg, NC] Jungle Operations Training Center [Panama] 7th Military Police Company Battery B, 7th Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Battery B, 2d Battalion, 62d Air Defense Artillery Company C, 13th Engineer Battalion Company C, 7th Medical Battalion Company C, 707th Maintenance Battalion Company C, 7th Supply and Transportation Battalion 3d Platoon, Company B, 127th Signal Battalion TASK FORCE AVIATION (Aviation Brigade, 7th Infantry Division) 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation [Panama] Task Force HAWK (3d Battalion, 123d Aviation) [Ft. Ord , CA] Task Force WOLF (1st Battalion, 82d Aviation) [Ft. Bragg, NC] 82D AIRBORNE DIVISION (-) [Ft. Bragg, NC] HHC , 82d Airborne Division (-) 1st Brigade, 82d Airborne Division (+) Company B, 82d Signal Battalion (-) 82d Military Police Company (-) 401st Military Police Company [Ft. Hood, TX] 511th Military Police Company [Ft. Drum, NY] 1st Brigade, 7th Infantry Division [D+] [Ft. Ord , CA] 7TH INFANTRY DIVISION (-) [Ft. Ord , CA] HHC, 7th Infantry Division 5th Public Affairs Detachment [Ft. Polk, LA] 7th Military Police Company (-) 2d Squadron, 9th Cavalry (-) 2d Brigade, 7th Infantry Division (-) JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS TASK FORCE Task Force RED (75th Ranger Regiment) HHC, 75th Ranger Regiment (-) [Ft. Benning, GA] 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment [Hunter Army Air Field, GA] 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment [Ft. Lewis, WA] 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment [Ft. Benning, GA] Task Force BLACK (3d Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group) 112th Signal Battalion (-) 528th Support Battalion (-) 160th Aviation Group (-) [Ft. Campbell, KY] 617th Aviation Detachment [Panama] {D+ remainder of 7th Special Forces Group deploys from Ft. Bragg, NC} ELEMENTS REMAINING DIRECTLY UNDER JOINT TASK FORCE SOUTH CONTROL HHC, XVIII Airborne Corps (-) 1st Battlefield Control Detachment (-) [Ft. Bragg, NC] 49th Public Affairs Detachment [Ft. Bragg, NC] [D+] HHC, United States Army South 16th Military Police Brigade [Ft. Bragg, NC] [D+] 503d Military Police Battalion [Ft. Bragg, NC] [D+] 92d Military Police Battalion [Panama ] 470th Military Intelligence Brigade [Panama] 29th Military Intelligence Battalion 746th Military Intelligence Battalion 747th Military Intelligence Battalion 525th Military Intelligence Brigade (-) [Ft. Bragg, NC] Company A, 319th Military Intelligence Battalion 519th Military Intelligence Battalion (-) 35th Signal Brigade (-) [Ft. Bragg, NC] 1st Support Command (-) [Ft. Bragg, NC] 4th Psychological Operations Group (-) [Ft. Bragg, NC] 96th Civil Affairs Battalion [Ft. Bragg, NC] 1109th Signal Brigade [Panama ]

8. Losses Panamanian Troops 15,000 total troops 314-516 KIA 124 WIA 5,300 Detained by US forces U.S. Troops 26,000 total troops 23 KIA(4 SEALS) 322 WIA Civilians Killed: Many Panamanian civilians were killed and the amount varies depending on who you ask from 200-5000. 1 American Civilian. 1 Spanish Civilian Photo journalist.

9. Lessons Learned The tactical plan was well prepared, coordinated, and rehearsed, enabling the successful completion of their missions.  I mportant insights into the role of force in the post Cold War period and the successful conduct of a peacetime contingency operation . Old Lessons Confirmed, but no “new lessons” learned and was relatively ‘error free’ –General Stiner Many Future conflicts will be characterized by urban combat, civilian presence, and humanitarian demands. The Tactics and Techniques that are most effective in conventional battlefield warfare do not necessarily apply to post-Cold War operations other than war, or even lesser regional contingencies. Training, doctrine and equipment will have to be adjusted to accommodate these requirements.

10. Sources http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/Just%20Cause/JustCause.htm#StratSet http://www.enotes.com/topic/United_States_invasion_of_Panama http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/just_cause.htm http://www.psywarrior.com/panama.html http://www.suasponte.com/m_panama.htm http://www.military.com/Resources/HistorySubmittedFileView?file=history_panama.htm http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/Just_Cause/default.html http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/doctrine/history/justcaus.pdf http://www.chagres.com/ https://82ndairbornedivisionmuseum.com/cube/Patches/Operation-Just-Cause-Patch/prod_216.html http://www.operationjustcause.us/index.html http:// caseyfuller.com/Task_Force_Hawk.htm http:// www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/2007/MR569.pdf http:// www.history.army.mil/documents/panama/taskorg.htm http:// www.af.mil/information/heritage/aircraft_print.asp?storyID=123006550 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/23/AR2005082301191.html Facebook Group: Panama Vets: Ray Wilks Facebook Group: Operation Just Cause: Ed Geer, Dan Powers, Matthew Danker, Gregory Richards, Robert, Cheeseman , Larry Richards, Roy Scribner, Samuel Valdivieso , Larry Stuart, and so many more. Mario Cristner – Husband/USN