Killed U.S. Troops & Civilian Totals

In the words of the VFW – “Americans have lost their lives in some 85 wars and assorted military actions in the past 234 years. Most of the casualties occurred in a dozen or so major wars. But that does not lessen the sacrifice of those killed in the numerous and mostly forgotten minor expeditions in the far-flung corners of the globe. Whenever any American in uniform is killed by hostile enemy action it is meaningful, and that loss must be remembered and forever recognized (VFW Magazine, June 2009 p.21).”

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PLEASE VIEW THIS PAGE WITH RESPECT & HONOR FOR THE C.A. WAR FALLEN AND THEIR FAMILIES.  THIS IS WHY USContraWar is published:

-New section below on estimated local civilian casualties-

The Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS), part of the National Archives, is the official U.S. record of active duty military deaths.  DCAS reports that 46 American military members died in Honduras between January 1, 1981 and February 1, 1992 (the dates of the overall Central America War).  There likely are additional National Guard, Reserve and Marine service members killed in Honduras not listed here.  Research by USContraWar establishes that at least 72 U.S. military members were killed during the Central America War in Honduras or who were stationed in Honduras and killed in El Salvador on quick combat support missions.  Eight are missing from the DCAS database from the January 22, 1985 plane crash in Honduras.  Others were discovered by USContraWar and added to the list below.

Here is an example of why proper classification of military deployments and the resulting casualties is important.  On October 23, 1983, two days before official hostilities commenced on Grenada (fighting occurred from October 25 to October 29), four Navy SEALS drowned off the coast of Grenada.  Their deaths were not caused by a hostile act of an enemy, however, their deaths are properly classified as Killed In Action (DCAS).  If Honduras was properly recognized as a Contingency Operation and those members who deployed were issued an AFEM or similar, these deaths statuses would change and the wounded would be awarded Purple Hearts, the killed listed below would be honored as Killed In Action.  The families would be ‘remembered and forever recognized’ as Gold Star Families and receive related VA and government benefits.  Please help us change this!

Twenty-two American military members are listed in DCAS as being killed in El Salvador during the war.  Of these twenty-two, as many as twelve were actually stationed in Honduras operating under combat or combat support missions into El Salvador on day trips.  In 1996, President Clinton designated El Salvador (1981-1992) a combat area issuing some 5,000 combat medals to those troops and their families.  Honduras is currently not recognized as a combat or combat support operation or even an official military foreign operation.  The Pentagon and U.S. Army maintain that Honduras was safe for ‘training and war games’ and was a noncombat area.  U.S. military members who were deployed to Honduras during the war period do not have these deployments listed in their official military records.

– SPECIAL FORCES KILLED IN HONDURAS –

3/7th SFG PANAMA – FEBRUARY 2, 1984 – CAPT. GILLIAM NELSON, MSGT JOHN SANTORA & SGT RAYMOND DICKEY KILLED (PFC Bob Larsen 101st ABN killed)(SGT Charles Evans & SGT Bernard Sparrow of 3/7th SFG wounded; SGT Norman Taitano of 2/7th SFG wounded) 4 KILLED 6 WOUNDED TOTAL – HELO CRASH

SEAL TEAM 4 – DECEMBER 12, 1984 – SEAMAN ARTHUR FUSCO AND PO2 MICHAEL UYEDA KILLED – RIVER EXPLOSIVES ON RIO AMATINGNI IN NORTHEASTERN COAST OF HONDURAS

2/75th RANGERS – DECEMBER 16, 1984 – CAPT. W. DREW HARRINGTON (mortar fire incident)

2/75th RANGERS – JUNE 17, 1986 – CPL PAUL SEXTON – DIED IN HIS SLEEP

2/7th SFG – JUNE 18, 1986 – SSG TIM HUDGENS – KILLED BY HONDURAN ESCAPED PRISONER (ruled justified homicide with a knife, SGT Chris Bresko 2/7th SFG was wounded in leg)

2/7th SFG  – MARCH 29, 1987 – CAPT. JAMES SCHLOEMER – KILLED DURING AIRBORNE JUMP

A newly discovered and declassified document states the two SF Advisors we have listed as wounded, were actually killed in Tegucigalpa on September 23, 1981 (NICARAGUAN AGGRESSION AGAINST COSTA RICA AND HONDURAS, 26 JUNE 1985, page 3, CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2). These two Advisors are now included in our newly updated lists of fatalities here.

JULY 19, 1983 – DAVID ARTURO BAEZ SF OPERATOR ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY HONDURAN MILITARY (Baez’ status is questionable: current or former SF member, traitor, maybe CIA)

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National Guard Update magazine 1984 – 1987 investigation results:

The below snapshot of the CA War – Honduras

New finding from ON GUARD magazine, Vol. II, Issue 2, No. 6, 1987.  Tells the story of a mother wanting answers regarding her sons mysterious death in Honduras.  Ms. Eva Lee demanded answers regarding her son SPC Craig Lee’s apparent drowning accident on August 7, 1987 in Honduras.  The article details other deaths of U.S. military in and around Honduras before mid 1987. Alleged operations into Nicaragua, page 10.

ON GUARD magazine June 1987 cover 1

ON GUARD magazine June 1987 page 10
DCAS database list follows:

Hondo killed 1a

AFEM's compared
Compare related Campaign & Expeditionary OPS

USContraWar research establishes the January 22, 1985 plane crash killed all 21 U.S. troops on board. Only 13 are reported in the Defense Casualty Analysis System’s website.  Some reports have claimed that 26 Service Members were on this aircraft.  These figures should be changed to reflect the actual numbers in honor of the families and the killed.  Six of these Americans remain Missing In Action.

Here are the names of all 21:

Jan. 22, 1985 crash victims names
Includes names of 8 not listed in DCAS

Below is the complete list of known U.S. military members killed in or from Honduras compiled by USContraWar (updated August 2024):

OTHER RELATED DEATHS

NOTE – THE ABOVE LIST INCLUDES 8 U.S. MARINES REPORTEDLY KILLED IN HONDURAS.

LTC David Pickett, CWO4 Daniel Scott and SPC Earnest Dawson who were killed by communists guerrillas near Lolotique, El Salvador on the return leg of a round-trip flight from Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras to San Salvador, El Salvador when they were shot down.  Scott was killed while piloting the helicopter.  LTC Pickett and then PFC Dawson survived the crash, were captured by the enemy and later executed as wounded Prisoners of War.  LTC Pickett and SPC Dawson were posthumously awarded the POW Medal in 1999 and 2024 respectively.  Dawson was actually awarded the medal in 1999, however, his family was not notified until 2024.

CWO JEFFRY SCHWAB was killed on January 11, 1984 by Nicaraguan government troops after his helicopter was shot down, followed by additional small arms fire when he was fatally struck in the head by a round.  The Nicaraguan government claimed that they shot his helicopter down over Nicaraguan air space.  The U.S. Government claimed they were flying over Honduran air space when they were shot down.  Two other U.S. troops escaped, apparently without injuries.  This is the only listed Honduran based American military casualty the U.S. government has publicly acknowledged AS RELATED TO THE CONFLICT and the incident is listed as a terrorist act during peace time.  Nicaraguan troops were not terrorists.  Jeff Schwab’s Purple Heart reads “FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION IN HONDURAS ON 11 JANUARY 1984 WHICH RESULTED IN DEATH.”  Jeff saved the lives of his two passengers and has not been posthumously awarded a combat award for valor.

1987 6 13 Screen Shot 2015-01-20 at 11.27.32 PM

On June 13, 1987 Military Policeman SSG Randall Harris was shot and killed while patrolling the perimeter fence at Palmerola Air Base (Soto Cano).  The U.S. Government asserts he was killed by a Honduran soldier and is listed as a homicide.  Terrorists and guerrilla insurgent activity was rampant throughout Honduras during the war.  SSG Randall Harris was never given any combat honors.  Two other U.S. troops (Roberts & Hudgens both in 1986) were killed in Honduras and are listed as homicide.  Two U.S. troops are listed as killed by homicide in El Salvador during the Central America War, but we now know they are LTC Pickett and SPC Dawson who were both wounded POW’s later executed.  Several others died in Honduras under mysterious circumstances including W. Drew Harrington, Craig Lee, Arthur Fusco and Michael Uyeda to mention a few.

U.S. troops murdered in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq or at Ft. Hood by ‘friendly’ forces or terrorists receive proper combat honors and recognition.

If Honduras and the overall Central America Campaign was properly designated an Imminent Danger Area and these incidents were properly designated as hostile acts, these troops and their families would receive proper combat honors and recognition.  Gold Stars would be honored upon the families.

Additional information on Americans Tom Lake (pilot), White and Brown (passengers); see below!

-Civilian Casualty Estimates-

(Developing section)

Guatemala 1979 to 1990: A March 1985 study by the Juvenile Division of the Supreme Court estimated that over 200,000 children had lost at least one parent in the war, and that between 45,000 and 60,000 adult Guatemalans were killed between 1980 and 1985 (Civil Patrols in Guatemala: An Americas Watch Report, America’s Watch: Page 6. August 1986; Guatemalan Genocide).  Some reports have the total killed estimated at 200,000 (Lloyd, Siobhán (2013). “Guatemala”. Socialist Lawyer. No. 64. pp. 38–40).

Panama Operation Just Cause (Dec. 1989 to Jan. 1990): U.S. military est. 202, Americas Watch est. 300 and U.N. est. 500 civilians killed (Panama and U.S. Strive To Settle on Death Toll, The New York Times, April 1, 1990, Rohter, Larry). The Central American Human Rights Commission estimated 2,000 to 3,000 civilian deaths (Deterring Democracy by Noam Chomsky, 1991, Boston, MA: South End Press. p. 164).

GrenadaOperation Urgent Fury (Oct – Nov. 1983): Grenada; 24 killed (Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Encyclopedia of Casualty and Other Figures, 1492-2015 [4th ed.]. McFarland. p. 645).

El Salvador civil war (1981 to 1992): 75,000 to 90,000 were killed (Betancur, Belisario; Figueredo Planchart, Reinaldo; Buergenthal, Thomas (1993). From Madness to Hope: The 12-Year War in El Salvador: Report of the Commission on the Truth for El Salvador. United Nations Security Council. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017).

Nicaragua – 1979 – 1990: 30,000 – 43,000 deaths (Lacina, Bethany. “The PRIO Battle Deaths Dataset, 1946–2008, Version 3.0: Documentation of Coding Decisions.” International Peace Research Institute, Oslo).

In a letter to Lopez Contreras (Honduras), Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Miguel D’Escoto demanded the pilot’s extradition.  “This is a criminal action carried out for publicity purposes — a CIA maneuver with the intention of presenting my country as an agressor,’ D’Escoto wrote. ‘My country is the victim of an eight-year war of foreign agression, a war that has cost at least 50,000 lives’ (Tweedale, Douglas UPI, An air force captain defected to Honduras Wednesday, December 7, 1988 [the Contra war ended in 1990]).”

Honduras – 1980 to 1992:  This should be the topic of a Doctorate’s degree, and in summation, is the core subject matter of this project.  Due to the classified, covert and clandestine nature of what occurred on Honduran soil, waters and airspace, much of this data is elusive.  An attempt by USContraWar is underway, at present, to collect, compile and source this data as accurately as possible.  Much of the data relating to civilian deaths in Honduras during the war can be found within the cited reports on our Chronology of a ‘Phantom War’ page.

Costa Rica – coming soon!

How can you help?

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Support VFW Resolution 419 – Honduras.  Please help all C.A. War Veterans and their families advocate for recognition as Veterans of this Low-Intensity Conflict by sending a letter to your U.S. Congress or Senate representative in support of our mission by asking Congress to issue an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal to all U.S. troops who served in Honduras from 1981 to 1992.  This will help the families of the killed and wounded and those veterans attempting to receive proper combat honors and recognition for their sacrifices during the decade that ended Soviet communism.

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Central America War (1979 – 1992)