Combat· Panama Invasion (Op JUST CAUSE)
Op JUST CAUSE 1988-1990
This record covers the Marine Corps' role in Panama across the years bracketing Operation Just Cause, from the tense buildup as relations with the Noriega regime deteriorated through the December 1989 invasion that toppled him.
Though Marines made up only a small share of the forces committed, they served on the front lines for more than two years, guarding the approaches to American installations along the canal and patrolling the volatile boundary with Panamanian forces. When the invasion came, Marine Forces Panama secured objectives on the western side of the canal, taking prisoners and seizing positions out of proportion to their numbers. The experience tested the Marines in low-intensity conflict and yielded lessons in mobility and patrolling that an earlier generation who had served in Central America would have recognized. The Panama commitment was a small but intense chapter, demanding vigilance and professionalism through a long standoff that culminated in a swift and decisive operation.
Engagements in this conflict (3)
Record no. 799