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)

– see Chronology of Attacks and Important Events Below –

— WARNING!   GRAPHIC DETAILS FOLLOW —

-SUMMARY EXPLANATION OF WHAT IS COMBAT-

The United States Pentagon determines when a service member is ‘officially’ exposed to combat (Hostile Fire or Imminently Danger) conditions through statutes, rules, regulations, and proof of this appears on orders, as HFP/IDP or documented on Leave and Earnings Statement’s (LES); all based on Unit Commanders recommendations. The President has the ultimate and final responsibility in determining when and if troops are deployed into these situations.  A service member’s (SM) orders or copies of an LES and DD 214 help determine eligibility for membership acceptance to various organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Combat recognition = Campaign or Expedition awards, Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger pay and/or the issuance of Valor Awards and Purple Hearts, for example, to service members deployed into the theater of operation and their combat support elements.

Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) is defined by the U.S. Army and DoD as, when certified by appropriate commander, a service member is:

1) Subjected to hostile fire or explosion of a hostile mine; or
2) On duty in an area in close proximity to a hostile fire incident and the member is in danger of being exposed to the same dangers actually experienced by other Service Members subjected to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines; or
3) Killed, injured, or wounded by hostile fire, explosion of a hostile mine, or any other hostile action.

During the beginning of the Vietnam war (1963 & 1965), DoD changed its rules governing HFP, loosening the restriction allowing for all SM in a designated area (Vietnam) to receive combat honors (HFP) if other SM’s were fired upon resulting in HFP status for the entire group or country.   In 1965, DoD solidified this change to combat pay allowing for zonal qualification (Uniform Services Pay Act of 1963, DoD Instruction 1340.6 November 21, 1963 & [Commander in Chief for the Pacific request deleting many restriction May 1965 in Gould & Horowitz History of Combat Pay Institute for Defense Analysis, August 2011 p. 33]).  The Zonal qualification extended to SM’s deployed to combat support units based in other countries such as Cambodia, Thailand and Laos.  For example, a SM assigned to a radar station in Thailand received combat pay, recognition and entitlements and never was subjected to hostile fire or imminent danger.  If a SM was assigned to a specific area (Vietnam) they would automatically receive combat pay (HFP) weather or not they were in Imminent Danger or subjected to Hostile Fire.  This zonal qualification lead to a new form of combat pay in 1983 called Imminent Danger pay (IDP) after the Beirut Marine Barracks Bombing and attacks began in Central America-the beginning of global terrorism.

In 1983, DoD added Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) as a qualifying combat status, defining IDP as when a SM is “subject to the threat of physical harm or imminent danger on the basis of civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism, or wartime conditions.”  A Service Member can be assigned to an IDP area and not be subjected to hostile fire or explosive devise and still receive combat honors and recognition based on the threat alone.  This occurs on a regular basis today (before May 31, 2014) in some 54 designated combat zones around the world.

Below is the Specific Factors Questionnaire routinely utilized by DoD and its subordinates to determine if a foreign area should be designated an Imminent Danger Pay area.  Keep these factors in mind as you read the below listed events.  All Honduran deployments were unaccompanied.

In Honduras, unit commanders could not certify subjection to hostile fire or explosive device since many of the combat missions in or from Honduras were not authorized.  The Executive Branch and the Pentagon did not have Congressional approval to put military members in harms way and therefore could not publicly admit they were in harms way, hence no awards or recognition and no entitlements or benefits for the veterans and families.  No Gold Stars!

Congress specifically outlawed this from happening, for example in the Boland Amendments (1982 & 1984).  The Executive Branch and Pentagon could not have designated Honduras an IDP area because Congress would have objected to funding it since they were attempting to restrict activities in Honduras and Nicaragua.  Under no circumstances would Congress have authorized payments of zonal or group HFP/IDP to troops who were not supposed to be equipped for combat or in a country under siege (Honduras) and martial law during a period when these missions were prohibited by that same Congress.  Limited HFP was authorized after certain events in Honduras.  The War Powers Resolution requires the President to “…notify, consult, and participate with the Congress in decisions of whether the United States should go to war or should deploy its forces in a manner that war is likely.” Section 4 of the resolution directs the President to “submit a report to Congress within 48 hours after U.S. forces have been introduced—into a foreign nation’s territory, airspace, or waters, while equipped for combat (50 U.S.C. 1542-3).”  This requirement was not fulfilled by the Executive Branch when U.S. military forces were deployed to Honduras while equipped for combat as some member’s orders clearly state.

Today (especially before May 31, 2014), many SM’s deployed to Greece, Philippines, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other locations receive IDP and not a single gun shot or explosion has occurred in years in these countries, yet they still receive combat pay, lifelong recognition and lifelong entitlements.  In fact, in some of these countries, SM’s receive combat pay while living with their spouses and children in a ‘combat zone.’  Moreover, in some ‘combat zones’ DoD has constructed schools for the American children while they live in a so-called combat zone while receiving combat recognition & pay, Combat Zone Tax Relief and honors.  Being deployed to a combat zone today can mean additional income, tax savings and other financial benefits of up to $6,000 to $8,000 a month depending on location and rank of the SM.  Current policy indicates, the Pentagon in many circumstances, appears to be utilizing modern combat pay as a ‘recruitment and retention’ tool; not using it for its original intended purpose of recognizing the ‘hazards and hardships’ of actual combat.

Some questions to keep in mind: 1) was Honduras an Imminent Danger Area, 2) were some U.S. troops subjected to Hostile Fire in Honduras, 3) was Honduras a Low-Intensity Conflict, 4) could U.S. forces in El Salvador effectively performed their mission without troops from Honduras, 5) could Honduran forces repelled the numerous Nicaraguan incursions without U.S. forces present, and 6) could Honduras have eliminated its growing internal insurgency without the presence of U.S. forces, for example during Operations Patuca River and Golden Pheasant?  In summary, could the U.S. stop Soviet Communist expansionism in Central America and therefore northward without U.S. forces in Honduras?

Most Americans, including many Service Members deployed to Honduras, did not know in the 1980’s that Nicaraguan military soldiers and El Salvadoran leftist guerrillas  were conducting military attacks throughout Honduras.  The Honduran military aided by U.S. forces faced attacks from El Salvador, Nicaragua and from within all while training, equipping, coordinating and protecting the Contras.

The following is a partial list of known incidents of hostile activity showing the Imminent Danger present in Honduras during the Central America War; important military, terrorist and other events that occurred in and around Honduras during the war.  During the war, at least 70 U.S. troops were killed and many dozens more were wounded by hostile actions in Honduras.  Helicopter pilot Jeff Schwab was KIA and at least 43 Purple Hearts (about 30 other SM’s should have been awarded the PH) were awarded by DoD.  Numerous SM’s received Hostile Fire Pay.  Two Prisoner of War Medals were awarded to members stationed in Honduras.  More than 300 U.S. military members were killed during the Central America War.  In comparison, the Kosovo Campaign Medal and related AFEM OPS, were issued to thousands of U.S. military members over a ten year period had one hostile death.  The University of Maryland, Global Terrorism Database (UMD GTD) establishes that more than 300 terrorist and other attacks occurred in Honduras during the conflict.  The University of New Mexico, UNM Digital Repository, Latin America Digital Beat (LADB) adds dozens more attacks, while the United Nations Nicaraguan v US case adds still countless more.

If at least one KIA, two Prisoner of War Medals, dozens of Purple Hearts are awarded and Hostile Fire pay is issued during an foreign ten year operation involving 300,000 troops during a National Emergency declared by the President; a campaign or expeditionary medal should be authorized!  Unlike El Salvador, which had a significant internal civil war, Honduras with its internal insurgency, was being attacked by a foreign government – Nicaragua.

Why so much attention on Contra attacks inside Nicaragua?  The Contra attacks were being launched from U.S. built camps in Honduras, a country being protected by U.S. forces stationed in Honduras or brought in during heightened emergency situations.  The vast majority of the attacks into Nicaragua were coming from Contras stationed and trained in Honduras.  There are numerous reports of direct involvement of Honduran forces during these Contra attacks.  U.S. military forces were stationed throughout Honduras and provided direct military combat support to Honduran forces engaged in combat.

Notice that Nicaragua deployed Soviet PT-76 tanks along the Honduran border (this photo was taken in 1984) as early as 1981.  Nicaragua, Cuba and USSR didn’t consider this training and games.  Soviet tanks were not deployed along the Costa Rican border and U.S. forces in El Salvador faced no such threat.

!WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT FOLLOWS!

-CHRONOLOGY OF ‘KNOWN’ ATTACKS & IMPORTANT EVENTS-

President Jimmy Carter is in office until January 20, 1981

May 29, 1979 Six members of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) in an unarmed melee attacked the Mexican Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  The FSLN would go on to become the Nicaraguan governing body (START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism). (2022). Global Terrorism Database 1970 – 2020 [data file]. https://www.start.umd.edu/gtd [hereafter referenced as ‘UMD GTD’]).

July 17, 1979 Nicaraguan President Somoza resigns from his office and fled to Miami until he was forced to leave by President Carter.

July 20, 1979  Shortly after the fall of Nicaraguan President Somoza’s dictatorship, the FSLN assumed control on July 19, 1979, it is then feared that Soviet communism will soon be at the U.S. southern border (Kokomo Tribune OP/ED Communism on doorstep July 20, 1979).

July 22, 1979 Two carloads of armed ex-Somoza guardsmen attack a meeting of the newly formed Sandinista Junta cabinet members in Managua at Hotel Camino Real.  15 minute gun battle (LA Times Gunmen attack Nicaragua hotel of Junta, Sandinistas July 23, 1979).  The defense of the Nicaraguan revolution immediately began!  The ex-Somoza guardsmen would later become the Contras.

July 30, 1979 Tachito Somoza, former Nicaraguan President Anastasio Somoza’s son, is reported to be “in neighboring Honduras attempting to organize an army there (Des Moines Register Ex-Nicaragua guard head reportedly plans invasion, July 30, 1979).”

July 30, 1979 Nicaraguan Sandinista Interior Minister Tomas Borge requests military aid from the U.S. Carter administration to help defend its newly formed post-Somoza governing Junta (Akron Beacon Nicaragua seeks U.S. military assistance July 30, 1979 p. A3).  The Carter Administration decided to secretly support the Ex-Somoza members.

August 7, 1979  1,500 ex-Somoza guardsmen are reportedly regrouping and organizing in Honduras for an alleged counteroffensive (LA Times, Remnants in Honduras: Nicaraguan Guardsmen, Bedraggled, Broke, Bitter, August 8, 1979).

September 10, 1979  Honduran military officials report that Nicaraguan Sandinista troops fired on a Honduran customs post wounding 2 truck drivers.  Nicaragua denied the attack.  The article reports that relations between left and right governments in C.A. have been tense ( Democrat and Chronicle [Rochester, NY] Honduras rushes troops to Nicaraguan border September 12, 1979).  Honduras military rushes an estimated 600 troops to the border of Nicaragua in response (Santa Cruz Sentinel Border clash September 12, 1979).

September 12, 1979  The U.S. State Department informed a House subcommittee that the “U.S. would be encouraging a takeover of Nicaragua by Marxist, pro-Cuban forces if it refuses aid to the troubled Central America nation” (Detroit Free Press Aid to Nicaragua defended September 12, 1979).

September 15, 1979 Unknown assailants bombed a Honduran businessman’s office in Choluteca, Honduras injuring two.  Also, unknown assailants bombed the Honduran Club-Bar, Football Players hangout Casa Rosada also in Choluteca injuring nine (UMD GTD).

October 1, 1979 DoD backdates its HFP for U.S. troops serving in El Salvador to the beginning of the month when the first U.S. troops were wounded in El Salvador.

October 10, 1979 In Tegucigalpa, Honduras, unknown assailants using a handgun, tortured, then assassinated Honduran Pablo Emilio Salazar (Comandante Bravo), a former Nicaraguan National Guard Colonel (UMD GTD; GTD ID #197910100010; Nicaraguan Sandinista forces ‘likely’ conducted this attack, also see August, 6, 1980).

October 15, 1979  Shootings were reported in Army barracks in Chalatenango & Sonsonate, El Salvador (ES).  One ES Army Captain was killed.  Army barracks in four major capitols were seized after protests against Army shootings of civilians.  El Salvadoran President Carlos Humberto Romero was ousted in a military coup by Army leftists rebels in San Salvador who then installed a three man Junta lead by Col. Adolfo Arnoldo Najano (Courier Journal [KY] Army coup is reported in El Salvador October 16, 1979).

October 17, 1979  Two U.S. Marine guards were shot and wounded at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador.  First U.S. troops wounded in El Salvador.

November 1979 Several Nicaraguan Sandinista army units from Nicaragua crossed into Honduras in pursuit of former members of the defeated Somoza National Guard (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).

November 7, 1979  Nicaraguan Interior Minister Tomas Borge reported that 60 ex-Somoza guardsmen invaded Nicaragua from Honduras the “majority was annihilated by Sandinista troops.”  Borge also stated that the Honduran attache in Managua was involved (Indianapolis Star Somoza Backers ‘Annihilated‘ November 8, 1979).  “Relations between the leftist Sandinista government and Honduras’ rightest military regime have been strained for weeks after Nicaraguan charges that Honduran warplanes violated its airspace (St. Louis Post Dispatch Reports Nicaraguan Raid By Supporters Of Somoza November 8, 1979).”

November 5 -10, 1979  Nicaragua installs anti-aircraft weapons along its border with Honduras, reinforces troops and warns the Honduran military regime “to halt alleged airspace violations by Honduran planes.”  Third warning in five days by Borge. Honduras denied the allegations and countered that Nicaraguan Sandinista troops had often trespassed into Honduras (Arizona Republic Honduras warned by Nicaragua November 12, 1979).

1980 to 1988 Intelligence Support Activity (ISA): World, UNITS: F.O.G. became ISA, Seaspray, Delta Force, SF, Task Force 160, PURPOSE: ISA classified Special OPS.

February 12, 1980  Nicaraguan Sandinista (FSLN) members kidnapped American businessman Martin Guardien in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, his family paid a ransom (UMD GTD).

March 1980  Carter administration officials reported the U.S. is rushing military aid and advisers to Honduras to quell the spread of violence from its C.A. neighbors.  “State and Defense department officials, in congressional testimony last week, also asked for military aid-but not advisers-to help El Salvador’s army fight left-and right-wing terrorism.”  Mobile Training Teams were dispatched to Honduras.  John Bushnell, deputy assistant Secretary of State, made clear the two military aid programs to Honduras and El Salvador “are related” ( Arizona Republic U.S. rushing military aid to Honduras March 31, 1980 & The Washington Star U.S. is rushing Arms to Honduras March 31, 1980 p. A12).

April 4, 1980 U.S. citizen and Texaco Executive, Arnold “Arnie” Quiroz is kidnapped by unknown assailants in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.  Also, unknown assailants kidnapped Honduran Bonifacio Rochac, a coffee grower demanding $12,500 for his release (UMD GTD).  The long-time Honduran communist leader, Jose Antonio Reyes Mata, led a communist insurgent group that kidnapped American Arnie Quiroz, who was VP of Texaco.  “The effort failed when Reyes and his men lost their way enroute to a safehouse and were captured by Honduran authorities.  Reyes was later released as part of an amnesty decree by newly elected Honduran President, Roberto Suazo Cordova.  Reyes proceeded to Nicaragua and then to Cuba (BACKGROUND PAPER: NICARAGUA’S MILITARY BUILD-UP AND SUPPORT FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN SUBVERSION, Department of State, July 18, 1984, Washington D.C., CIA-RDP88B00831R000100210054-1, page 26, approved For Release 2008/11/07)”  In 1983, Reyes Mata would again enter Honduras with a large insurgent group when he would meet his fate.

April 15, 1980 A caravan of the National Party of Honduras (PNH) members are attacked with handguns and knives by communist agitators in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (UMD GTD).

May 14, 1980  A mass killing of civilians fleeing El Salvador across a border river with Honduras kills 350 to 500 civilians is reported in El Tiempo Tegucigalpa, Honduras (Florida Today Salvadoran deaths reported June 7, 1980 p. 12A).  Some reports claim as many as 700 El Salvadoran civilians were killed.  The El Salvadoran Military Detachment #1, National Guard units and ORDEN were the main attackers.  The Honduran 12th BTN, who arrived in Santa Lucia, HO was involved from the Honduran side of the river either by preventing the crossing or also firing upon the civilians.  The attack occurred at Las Aradas, ES.  Known as the Sumpul River massacre.  This website claims more than 600 were killed and holds an annual memorial vigil and walk to the site of the massacre.  For additional information on the memorial site please visit here.

August 6, 1980 Members of the Ex-Somoza National Guard (who later would become the Contras) assassinated Nicaraguan Enrique Gonzalez a ‘former’ member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) in El Paraiso, El Paraiso Department, Honduras (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198008060005).  This is the first known Contra / Nicaraguan killing (see also 10 OCT 79 assassination).

August 15, 1980  Eight members of the People’s Revolutionary Union, a leftists rebel group, took twelve hostages at the Organization of American States (OAS)  in Tegucigalpa in protest of the genocide by the Honduran Army against Salvadoran civilians fleeing El Salvador on May 14th.  600 Salvadoran civilians were reportedly killed crossing the Sumpul River near Guarita (at Santa Lucia), into Honduras.  The OAS is responsible for supervising the demilitarized zone of 1.8 miles on both sides of the border which began in 1970 after the 1969 ‘soccer war’ (Pittsburg Press Terrorists Holding 12 At OAS In Honduras, August 16, 1980).

September 17, 1980 Anastasio “Tachito” Somoza Debayle who was the President of Nicaragua from 1 May 1967 to 1 May 1972 and from 1 December 1974 to 17 July 1979 is assassinated in Paraguay.  He was ambushed by a seven member Nicaraguan Sandinista commando team (four men and three women). The action was known as Operation Reptile.

October 1980 “Sandinista forces three times attacked Costa Rican vessels engaged in medical missions on the San Juan River (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

October 30, 1980 El Salvador and Honduras sign a General Peace Treaty in Lima, Peru under intense pressure from the U.S..  Unknown assailants attacked the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, with firearms (UMD GTD).

October 31 & November 3, 1980 Members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZRF) Commandos bombed the Chilean Embassy in Tegucigalpa injuring eight people (UMD GTD).

November 1980 “The Sandinista Army attacked with machinegun fire a Costa Rican vessel sailing up the San Juan River (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

December 4, 1980 Unknown perpetrators assassinated with a knife Public Security Force (FUSEP) members Pedro Castillo Galeas and Mario Aguilar Garcia, members of a regional office, in Cane, La Paz Department, Honduras (UMD GTD).

December 6, 1980 Two terrorists using a handgun assassinated Honduran businessman Rene Perdomo Paredes in Chimisales, Santa Barbara Department, Honduras (UMD GTD).

December 7, 1980 U.S. citizen and Goodyear executive Clifford Bevens was kidnaped and eventually executed near Guatemala City, Guatemala.

December 17, 1980 U.S. citizen and businessman Thomas Bracken was murder by terrorists in the streets of San Salvador, El Salvador.

December 18, 1980 Five members of an unknown terrorist group (Cinchoneros) using automatic weapons kidnapped American Paul Vinelli, President of Atlantic bank (owned by Chase Manhattan) killing his bodyguard and seriously wounding his driver in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD & UPI March 4, 1981 Kidnapped American-born banker freed in Honduras).  Members of the Cinchoneros group, aided by Salvadorans insurgents conducted the kidnapping.  Some members of the Cinchoneros had close ties to the Sandinistas as early as mid-1980.  Vinelli was released in March 1981 after his family paid over $1 million (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).

December 29, 1980 Unknown assailants kidnapped four El Salvadorans workers at an auto weighing station in Amatillo, Valle Department, Honduras (UMD GTD).

January 1, 1981 to February 1, 1992 El Salvador AFEM occurs.  22 U.S. military were killed.  The law was signed by President Clinton on February 10, 1996 as part of the 1996 NDAA, more than four years after the conflict ended.

January 20, 1981 President Reagan takes office.

January 26, 1981 An unknown number of Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement members exploded bombs at the Libertad Park (In front of Labor and Social Welfare Ministry), a second near San Isidro Market and a third at Metropolitan Cathedral all in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

February 2, 1981 Guerrillas firebombed the ESSO Standard Oil Compound, a subsidiary of EXXON Corporation, near San Salvador, El Salvador killing two people.

February 3, 1981 a Military Intelligence MTT group arrived in Honduras for advisory purposes (Covert Action Information Bulletin, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

February 6, 1981 ABN MTT from 82nd Air Transport Div., Ft. Bragg arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

February 20, 1981 An unknown number of assailants with the Martyrs of La Talanguera bombed the offices of Polymer Plastics Company and unsuccessfully attempted to bomb the Honduran Bananna Corporation (Cohbara) both in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

February 23, 1981 a Supplies & Maintenance unit from Ft. Lee arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

February 26, 1981 MTT from Ft. Worden arrived in Honduras to provide Command & General Staff technical support (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

1981 to 1984 Ordway Grove, Task Force 138, based at San Pedro Sula, UNITS: 138th AVN from Orlando, PURPOSE: SIGINT along El Salvador and Nicaraguan borders, SOURCE: FB posts, military certificates, Ordway Grove planes ordered to leave prior to Reagan’s visit.  Operation Royal Duke was a related operation.

March 1981 to December 8, 1983 Operation Grid Circuit occurs in Central America.  UNITS: 160th SO AVN BTN, Business Security International aka Yellow Fruit, Seaspray.  PURPOSE: Special OPS clandestine, related to Queens Hunter [and Quebec, a safehouse in La Cieba] in Honduras, and ISA; (SOURCE: Secret Warriors p. 91;  NYT Magazine, Who’s in Charge Here by Seymour M. Hersh, November 22, 1987; Marsh memo to Weinburger, May 9, 1983).

March 4, 1981 The UPI claims that “Police have not ruled out the possibil[it]y common criminals kidnapped Vinelli, since political abductions practiced by leftist guerrillas in nearby El Salvador and Guatemala are almost unheard of in relatively tranquil Honduras (UPI March 4, 1981 Kidnapped American-born banker freed in Honduras)” [see above 25 or so incidents dating back to 1979].

March 9, 1981 President Reagan signs a Presidential Finding authorizing covert activities against Nicaragua and the Sandinistas (See December 1, 1981 below for more details).

 

March 25, 1981 a helicopter motor maintenance unit from SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

March 27, 1981 Four members of the Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement armed with automatic weapons, pistols and explosive devices hijacked Honduran airlines Boeing 737 (SAHSA) in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).  The plane was flown to Nicaragua by the Cinchoneros and Salvadoran guerrillas (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).  The terrorist group threatened to blow up the plane full of passengers and crew “unless the Honduran Government released 15 prisoners, including 13 Salvadoran FMLN members who had been captured in Honduras while smuggling arms for guerrilla operations in El Salvador (BACKGROUND PAPER: NICARAGUA’S MILITARY BUILD-UP AND SUPPORT FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN SUBVERSION, Department of State, July 18, 1984, Washington D.C., CIA-RDP88B00831R000100210054-1, page 26, approved For Release 2008/11/07).”  The two Hondurans and 13 Salvadorans were released and flown to Cuba.  Also, unknown assailants with explosive devices bombed the Honduran National Assembly building in Tegucigalpa injuring one person (UMD GTD).

April 15, 1981 Insurgent guerrillas using an Uzi and handguns attacked a Honduran police patrol vehicle in Tegucigalpa killing three and injuring nine (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198104150008).

April 19, 1981 Nicaraguan border patrols capture two Honduran soldiers inside Nicaragua who were there to collect intelligence (Nicaragua v. U.S., International Court of Justice April 9, 1984 CASE CONCERNING MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY ACTIVITIES IN AND AGAINST NICARAGUA).

April 25, 1981 a MTT from 3/7 SFG arrived in Honduras and carried out various counter-insurgency OPS; and a communication unit from Ft. Bragg arrived (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

May 13, 1981 a medical services unit from SOUTHCOMM arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

May 17, 1981 another MTT from 3/7 SFG arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

May 26, 1981 a light arms maintenance group from 193rd INF Panama SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras to train the Honduran SF (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

June 25, 1981 a communications group from 1978th unit from SOUTHCOM & a MI MTT group arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

July 14, 1981 a U.S. military group specialized in constructing large shooting ranges arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

July 19- 23, 1981 Members of the FMLN seized the border village of Los Filos (near Valladolid), Honduras until Honduran and El Salvadoran soldiers arrived to force them out.  Heavy mortar, artillery and automatic weapons fire occurred for several days (Salvador Troops Fly To Honduras, New York Times, July 22, 1981, section A, page 8).

July 23, 1981 a Border Patrol and Customs investigations group from SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

Operation Charly – Argentine Method in Central America!

August 3, 1981 a helicopter motor maintenance unit from SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

August 16, 1981 small naval patrol group from Rodman Naval Base Panama arrived at Puerto Cortes Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

August 20, 1981 a MTT from SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras to provide Command & General Staff technical support (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

September 12, 1981 a radar unit from SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras and stayed at the Hotel Maya in Tegucigalpa (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29 & 30).

September 14, 1981 a communications unit from Ft. Gordon arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

September 16, 1981 Mennonite Missionary John David Troyer of Michigan was shot and killed by unknown assailants in Palama, Guatemala.  February 13, 1982 American Catholic missionary Brother James Alfred Miller, 37, is murdered in Guatemala.

September 22, 1981 a helicopter motor maintenance unit from 210th Air BTN of SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

September 23, 1981 Three members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZRF), Popular Revolutionary Front using automatic weapons attacked a U.S. Embassy vehicle carrying five U.S. military advisors in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198109230008).  Two were either wounded or killed.  A declassified CIA report claims they were killed (Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/04 : CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2, page 3).  First U.S. military casualties in Honduras (New York Times 2 U.S. Military Advisers are shot in Honduras in a terrorist attack, September 24, 1981).  This event should have triggered DoD in designating Honduras an IDP area and back-dating it to September 1, 1981 as it did in El Salvador in 1979 under the Carter Administration.  Presumably, these military members received HFP.  The same group also bombed the Honduran National Congress Building in Tegucigalpa causing over $75,000 in damage.

October 1981 the joint naval-air military deployment named Halcons Vista (Falcons View) commenced in the Caribbean coast off Nicaragua.  The US had 757 military members, one US Navy troop carrier LSD-30, two U-2A spy planes, one C-130 transport carrier, one CH-47 Chinook, one PCF naval patrol boat, two 65 foot Navy patrol boats and one ATF ocean tugboat.  Honduras had paratroopers from the Army General Staff, two C-47 airplanes, two A-37 planes, three UH-1H helicopters and three 105 foot patrol boats (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

October 7, 1981 Operation Falcon’s View begins, joint naval exercise with U.S. and Honduras. First ‘official’ report of U.S. troops in Honduras (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

October 22, 1981 a MTT from 3/7 SFG carried out various counter-insurgency OPS in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

October 30, 1981 a U.S. Air Transport OPS unit arrived at the military installations of Honduran 2nd INF BTN (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

November 1981 “A leader of the Cinchonero group revealed that members of his organization were being trained in Cuba and that its leaders met regularly with Sandinista officials in Nicaragua (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

November 1981  The US delivered five F-100 SABRE fighter planes to Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

November 11, 1981  An ABN MTT from SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29).

November 19, 1981 Members of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) Peoples Liberation Forces (FPL) from El Salvador using automatic weapons attacked a Honduran military unit in La Virtud, Lempira Department, Honduras killing two soldiers (UMD GTD).  The ‘soccer war’ occurred in 1969 and both countries signed a peace treaty on December 10, 1980.  The EL Salvadoran FMLN rebels continued attacking Honduran military forces in Honduras until at least 1991.

November 25, 1981 The Office of the Director CIA published this Top Secret (now declassified) document providing current assessments of Central American security concerns.  Specifically on Honduras the analyst reported to the Director that “the number of armed guerrillas in-country has increased from about 100 in 1980 to about 800, with reports of about 90 more training in Cuba and unconfirmed estimates of several hundred Honduran guerrillas positioned in Nicaragua for deployment in January 1982 (The Director of Central Intelligence, Washington D.C., MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence, November 25, 1981 paragraph 4. HONDURAS, by Constantine C. Menges).”

November 27, 1981 Unknown terrorists attacked a Honduran police unit with automatic weapons killing two and wounding two in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).   Following is text from a Government report called Cuban and Nicaraguan Support for the Salvadoran Insurgency: “The link between training and the regional infrastructure behind guerrilla activity is evident in information obtained following a raid late last year by the Honduran police on a safe house for the Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (F.M.L.H.). This organization was described in an October 1981 interview in the pro-Government Nicaraguan newspaper El Nuevo Diario, by ‘Octavio,’ one of its founders, as a political-military organizatio[n] formed as part of the ‘increasing regionalization of the Central American conflict.’ The raid took place on Nov. 27, 1981, in Tegucigalpa, and while the Honduran police were attempting to search the house, a firefight broke out. The police ultimately captured several members of this group. This cell of the F.M.L.H. included a Honduran, an Uruguayan, and several Nicaraguans. The captured terrorists told Honduran authorities that the Nicaraguan Government had provided them with funds for travel expenses, as well as explosives (reprinted in NYT March 21, 1982 titled TEXT OF A U.S. REPORT ON CUBAN AND NICARAGUAN ROLE IN SALVADORAN REBELLION, page 23).”

December 1981 “The Costa Rican Communist Party, which sent cadres to fight with the Sandinistas in 1978-79, formed its own paramilitary unit sometime in late 1981.  The Sandinistas provide extensive training and logistical support to this brigade, which since its formation has been participating in counterinsurgency operations in southern Nicaragua against anti-Sandinista rebels (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

December 1981 Operation Red Christmas occurs during the holiday season to scare / recruit Miskito Indians into joining the fight against Nicaragua.

December 1, 1981 President Reagan signs (see below) a Presidential Finding authorizing CIA to “Support and conduct (military and) paramilitary operations against…Nicaragua (Presidential Finding, White House, December 1, 1981; partially declassified)(Nicaragua v. U.S., ICJ 1984).”  President Reagan ordered it in 1981 and Congress outlawed it in 1984 within the second Boland Amendment.  These activities still continued as was disclosed during the Iran-Contra hearings.  The 1984 law had a gaping loophole; any agency not designated as ‘involved in intelligence’ could continue operations in and against Nicaragua.  Or an agency was simply re-designated non-intelligence.

December 1, 1981 A U.S. Marine Security Guard was fired upon while in his vehicle in San Salvador, El Salvador, The Popular Liberation Forces claimed responsibilities.

December 14, 1981 CIA-trained mercenaries (Contras) attacked the Nicaraguan town of San Carlos in Zelaya Norte province, kidnapped 12 persons, took them back to a (contra) base camp in Honduras and killed them [(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 12].  The Mocoron (Durzuna) airfield did not exist at the time of this attack.  It was built in the summer of 1982 and was the first U.S. airfield established in Honduras during the CA War (see July 1982 below).

December 15-30, 1981 CIA backed mercenary forces (Contras) attacked additional targets inside Nicaragua always returning to base camps in Honduras (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

December 20-25, 1981 CIA trained Miskito Indian commandos raided several villages inside Nicaragua. Operation Red Christmas was meant to force other Miskito Indians to leave Nicaragua for Honduras to join other Nicaraguan defectors (Contras)(Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

1981 visits by high ranking US military officials to Honduras: a total of 50 visits were noted with a total of 56 military personnel; 44 from SOUTHCOM and 6 from the CONUS.  Noteworthy were two visits by CINC SOUTHCOM Lt. Gen Wallace Nutting on February 11 to Honduran 2nd INF BTN Counter-Insurgency school in Marcola, the second on October 5 prior to the commencement of Halcon Vista maneuvers.  The Chief of OPS for SOUTHCOM visited on February 1, May 7 and August 15 in preparation for Halcon Vista.  Chief of Logistics of SOUTHCOM on January 29. Chief of General Staff of 193rd INF BGE. US SOUTHCOM Head of Planning Div. of MI and staff on March 11 and June 5 in Gulf of Fonseca. Deputy CINC of US SOUTHCOM and the Commander of Howard AFB visited Honduras on April 13 to meet with Honduran Army and AF CINC’s.  President of Inter-American Defense Board (JID) Lt. Gen John Meenery visited Honduras on September 24.  Gen. Vernon Walters, special emissary of the US Sec. of State, met with the Honduran Foreign Minister, then Col. Gustavo Alvarez and Honduran politicians on May 13 (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

Early 1982, the Honduran Army’s 7th and 12th INF BTN’s held joint maneuvers with the El Salvadoran Army called OPERATION SANDWICH along the border regions of San Juan de Guartia, the Sompul River, Valladolid, Mapulaca, Santa Lucia and Colomoacagua in Honduran territory (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

First nine months of 1982, “military exercises accelerated tremendously, as did air and naval espionage missions in Nicaraguan territory (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).”

1982 – 1988? Operation Quail Hunter (Shooter) occurs in (La Venta) Honduras involving US & Honduran SF was an antiterrorist training program (Wash Post March 24, 1985 U.S. Trains antiterrorists; Own Backyard p. 298).

January 2, 1982  Approximately 60 contras attacked the town of Raiti, Zelaya Norte in Nicaragua coming from Honduras, killing three civilians. In a separate attack, 45 contras armed with shotguns, rifles and pistols invaded Limbaica Zelaya Norte, Nicaragua stealing two vehicles, two boats, and various items of equipment. Later the same group burned a bridge at Alamikamba (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 154; Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

January 4, 1982 President Reagan signs National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) #17 authorizing “increase military assistance to El Salvador and Honduras…provide military training for indigenous units and leaders in and out of country…enhance U.S. and host country intelligence capabilities and sharing…encourage cooperative efforts to defeat externally-supported insurgency” and to “support democratic forces in Nicaragua.”

January 5, 1982. Contras invaded the community of Tuskrutara, Zelaya Norte, Nicaragua kidnapping a reservist and his wife (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 154).

January 9, 1982 A Marine Security Guard duty vehicle in San Salvador, El Salvador, was fired upon as it was enroute to the Marine House. The vehicle sustained one hit from a 7.62 millimeter weapon; there were no injuries (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1982/).

January 22, 1982 Contras killed three Nicaraguan civilians near La Pavona, Jinotega, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 154).

January 24, 1982  “A leftist movement is growing in Honduras…” and “Salvadoran troops often cross the border in pursuit of Salvadoran guerrillas.  In addition, former Somoza National guard soldiers who fled to Honduras after the Nicaraguan dictator’s fall are said to be preparing a counter-revolution and have been issuing war communique’s on their actions against Nicaragua.”  This article implies the 1979 Nicaraguan revolution never ended and is being energized from Honduran based Nicaraguan exiles (Akron Beacon Journal PARADE MAGAZINE Can Central America Be A Vietnam by Tad Szulc January 24, 1982 p. 12 & 13).

January 29, 1982 President Reagan signs NSDD #21 authorizing base improvements and construction in Honduras.

February 1982 “The principal suspect in an assassination attempt against anti-Sandinista leader ‘Negro’ Chamorro was the Nicaraguan consul in Liberia, Costa Rica; he returned to Nicaragua, and the case was never completed (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

February 5, 1982 Forty mercenaries (Contras) based in Honduras attacked the Nicaraguan border post at Las Brisas in Nueva Segovia province killing three Nicaraguan guards. Later in February similar attacks occurred at border posts in El Espino and El Zacaton (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

February 23, 1982 Photo of a detention camp of Miskito Indians located at Sumubila, Nicaragua.

February 27, 1982 the USS Navy Destroyer USS Carson was discovered in the territorial waters off Nicaragua (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

March 1982 Honduran businessman kidnapped in Tegucigalpa by local Communists aided by Salvadoran insurgents, reportedly at Cuba’s urging; and “[t]wo Nicaraguans were among nine arrested when Costa Rican security forces uncovered a terrorist cell in San Jose with $500,000 in arms, the largest and most sophisticated cache discovered to date in Costa Rica (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

March 3, 1982 Approximately 25 mercenaries (FDN contras) assassinated a judge in Paiwas, Matagalpa, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 19834, page 136; Contra Terror, Chronology p. 154).

March 14, 1982 A CIA-trained and equipped demolition team crossed into Nicaragua from Honduras and blew up two vital bridges at Rio Negro in Chinandega and Ocotal in Nueva Segovia (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, page 136; Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

March 17, 1982 An attempt was made by dissident military forces of Guatemala to take over the government in that country. U.S. Marines were placed on alert inside the American Embassy, but were later ordered to stand down. There were no casualties (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1982/).

March 31, 1982 A group of unidentified individuals fired a Chinese-made rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and 20 rounds of small arms ammunition at the American Embassy in Guatemala. The RPG caused a 4-inch hole in the second floor. No injuries were reported. The local police arrived in a timely manner and conducted an investigation (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1982/).

April thru July 1982  Two US espionage flights by U-2 planes routinely flew over the Puerto Cabezas Nicaragua area (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

April 1, 1982 Thursday – Then Colonel Gustavo Alvarez Martinez said in a national radio address that his country is “tremendously worried” about the arms buildup in Nicaraguan and that “Honduras now is confronting an armed aggression from the Soviet Union by way of Cuba.  Because of that, if no other possibility exists to preserve peace, Honduras is in agreement that the United States, as a friendly country, intervene militarily in Central America (Indianapolis Star, April 2, 1982 Colonel OK’s US role in Honduras).”

April 4, 1982 Three squadrons of the Honduran army from the border area of El Guasaule, in full army uniform, crossed into Nicaragua near Somitillo, kidnapped 21 peasants and took them back to Choluteca, Honduras (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

April 5, 1982 Armed assailants with automatic weapons attacked the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (UMD GTD; www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1982, 5 April entry/.

April 6, 1982 a US Coast Guard training group arrived in Honduras to conduct specialized training with the Honduran Navy on Night-time small vessel patrol OPS (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

April 11, 1982 the US SOUTHCOM sent a training group led by Capt. Gonzalez to Honduras to conduct Airport Resave and Surveillance training (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

April 12, 1982 the US SOUTHCOM sent military communications specialists to Honduras to train Honduran military members in the use of AN/TR S-1 radio equipment (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

April 15, 1982 the destroyer DDG-40 USS Coontz was detected in Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast territorial waters.  The frigate FFG-23 USS Lewis B. Puller was seen off Nicaragua’s Pacific coastal waters (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

April 18, 1982 a MTT group (1 of 5 groups sent) from the US SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras to conclude the second instruction course in Command and General Staff schooling of Honduran infantry officers.  By August of 1982, 10 high ranking officers had graduated (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 29 -30).

April 23, 1982 At 9:30 a.m. a car driven by a National University law student named Yolanda Batres had a flat tire in Tegucigalpa when police arrested her.  Batres is the daughter of one of the country’s most prominent figures, Cesar A. Batres, who formerly served as foreign minister, secretary of the presidency and president of the National Industrial Association.  Her mother’s uncle is Oscar Mejia Arellano, minister for government and justice, who is considered the second most powerful official on the civilian side of the government and theoretically should have clout with the police. The Department of National Investigation (DIN), the Honduran secret police, charged that Batres had driven the getaway car for members of an urban guerrilla band, the Revolutionary Popular Forces — Lorenzo Zelaya, which had set off explosive charges that shattered the peace and scattered propaganda leaflets shortly before the arrest.  Honduran police said they had no information on her arrest (How Long Can Honduras Stay ‘Different?’ Washington Post, May 2, 1982 OPINION).

April 26, 1982 A mercenary force (Contras) of 100 men armed with grenades, mortars and machine guns attacked the Nicaraguan border post at Los Planes in Nueva Segovia province killing four persons and wounding many others. The same day another mercenary force killed four farm workers, a woman and a child in El Recreo, Jinotega province (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

April 27, 1982 Six armed mercenaries (contras) assassinated 2 volunteer policeman and 2 civilian members of the militia in the town of La Fonseca, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, page 137).

May 1982 “San Jose protested border raids by Nicaraguan soldiers during late May in the provinces of Upala, Los Chiles, and San Carlos (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

May 1982 a US merchant ship arrived in Puerto Cortes with a shipment of weapons (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

June 1982 “A Sandinista patrol intercepted a Costa Rican tourist boat on the San Juan River and held tourists for several hours.  Both sides agreed to form a mixed commission to deal with possible border violations.  The Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry affirmed the continuation of Nicaraguan police and customs control of the San Juan River, presumably as part of a strategy to pursue anti-Sandinistas (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

June 8, 1982 US SOUTHCOM sent two flight training groups to Honduras to train officers in direct air support missions and on June 29th to train 40 Honduran Armed Forces regulars (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

June 27, 1983 The U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador, was sprayed with gunfire by unknown assailants in two passing vehicles. Seconds later, a rocket fired at the building hit a nearby tree and exploded. There were no reports of injuries in the attack and only minor damage was inflicted upon the embassy building. The attack caused some alarm since the embassy is located in a residential sector of the city (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1983/).

July 1982 “Three Nicaraguan diplomats implicated in the bombing of a Honduran airline office in San Jose were expelled; a Colombian responsible for the bombing claimed that he had been recruited, trained, and directed by the Nicaraguan Embassy in San Jose (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

July 1982 a total of 83 flights landed in Honduras transporting weapons and military supplies carried by 77 C-130 and 6 C-141’s (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

July 1982 “Two major electric power substations in Tegucigalpa bombed by Lorenzo Zelaya group and Salvadoran insurgent; damage estimated at $20 million; economic counselor at the Nicaraguan Embassy subsequently implicated by two captured terrorists; Nicaraguan national, later identified as Sandinista Comandante Modesto, killed by Honduran security forces during raid of terrorists’ hideout (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

July 3, 1982 Ten members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZRF) Froylan Turcios Group using  explosives and automatic weapons attacked two electric power plants killing sixteen Hondurans and causing over $10 million in damages.  20 bombs were exploded (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198207030002; BACKGROUND PAPER: NICARAGUA’S MILITARY BUILD-UP AND SUPPORT FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN SUBVERSION, Department of State, July 18, 1984, Washington D.C., CIA-RDP88B00831R000100210054-1, page 28, approved For Release 2008/11/07).

July 4, 1982 Two hundred mercenaries (Contras), armed with U.S.-made M-16’s and M-79 Grenade launchers attacked the Nicaraguan village of Seven Benk (about 40 miles inside Nica) killing 15 Nicaraguans Army soldiers.   The fight lasted three days (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, page 137).  ALSO, THE CENTRAL POWER STATION WAS BOMBED BY MEMBERS OF THE FROYLAN TURCIOS COMMAND, A HONDURAN-BASE CELL OF THE FMLN [El Salvadoran insurgency]. SEEN AS AN ACT OF RETALIATION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT OF HONDURAS FOR ITS INVOLVEMENT IN ANTI-GUERRILLA OPERATIONS (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 29; Waghelstein).

July 7, 1982 At Wina, Jinotega, Nicaragua approximately 60 mercenaries (contras) ambushed and killed 10 soldiers of the Nicaraguan Army (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, page 137).

July 8, 1982 Members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZRF) Froylan Turcios Group using automatic weapons took hostages and attacked a Honduran police unit in Tegucigalpa killing five officers (UMD GTD). 

July 16, 1982 An 80-man mercenary force (Contras) raided the village of San Fernando in Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua  killing one villager and kidnapping three peasants before withdrawing to Honduras (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

July 17, 1982 Some 40 mercenaries (contras) attacked Limbaica, Zelaya Norte, Nicaragua killing 11 Nicaraguan Army soldiers (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, page 137).

July 24, 1982 A 100 man mercenary force (Contras) equipped with modern U.S. weapons crossed into Nicaragua from Honduras and attacked the village of San Francisco del Norte, Chinandega province killing 14 militia members, wounding four and kidnapping 8 others taking them back to Honduras. Three more Nicaraguans were killed pursuing the mercenaries (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984; Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

July 25, 1982 – August 5, 1982 A “Combined Deployment” of U.S. and Honduran troops began. U.S. aircraft, military vehicles, communication equipment and troops were flown into Honduras from U.S. military bases in Panama. A permanent military base was established at Durzuna, near the Nicaraguan border where most of the U.S. military equipment remained for use by the mercenaries (Contras) attacking Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  This joint “military maneuver took place in a region in Honduras where there is a large concentration of Nicaraguan counter-revolutionary forces (Contras).  This exercise consisted in an airlift of the Honduran 5th Battalion from the Department of Comayagua to the Department of Cabo Gracias a Dios and the recently constructed Fort Mocoron.  Thirty U.S. pilots, 1,500 soldiers, USAF C-130 transport planes, two heavy transport USAF helicopters, CH-47 planes from the Honduran Air Force, and two UH-1H helicopters participated in the ‘exercise.’  Moreover, during this same month the entire Honduran Army was placed on full alert on two separate occasions.  On July 29 and again on August 5, 1982; orders were given to concentrate troops and be ready to move to any point in the country within 48 hours (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31-32).”

August 1982 from February to August the number of US SFG MTT’s instructors at the RMTC went from 40 to more than 100 (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

August 1982 the CINC of Honduran Armed Forces requested 8 C-130’s be included in the next US military assistance plan (this likely didn’t happen) and US ships from Guantanamo Bay arrived in Honduran ports of Tela and Cortez with a crew of 150 men (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

August 1982 a U.S. military operation named ACCION CIVICA (Civic Action) US and Honduran air units from Combined Deployment flew over zones inhabited by ex-National Guard and Miskito communities en route from San Pedro de Sula to Puerto Lempira.  22 US planes participated.  At this same time these units carried out rescue and security maneuvers at San Pedro Sula airport (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

August 1982 the USS Portland with 600 Marines arrived at Puerto Cortez and remained for two days.  It then participated in the UNITAS naval maneuvers in the Atlantic Ocean.  During this same period, two USAF U-2 planes flew espionage missions over Nicaraguan territory (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

August 4, 1982 Four different bombings occurred in Tegucigalpa, at least three were performed by the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZRF) against U.S. owned Air Florida, El Salvadoran Air terminals, a U.S. owned IBM/Pan AM building ($1 million plus in damages) and a Honduran city bus injuring a total of at least ten people (UMD GTD). Aided by Salvadoran guerrilla groups demanding end to US involvement in Nicaragua and Salvadoran affairs (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2; BACKGROUND PAPER: NICARAGUA’S MILITARY BUILD-UP AND SUPPORT FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN SUBVERSION, Department of State, July 18, 1984, Washington D.C., CIA-RDP88B00831R000100210054-1, page 28, approved For Release 2008/11/07).

August 15, 1982 the majority of the 3/7 SFG of Panama were “transported in four C-130 aircraft to the Mesa airbase in San Pedro Sula.” (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

August 17, 1982 the destroyer DD-963 USS Spruance was detected in Nicaraguan territorial waters off the Pacific coast (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

August 22, 1982 Proof of an active insurgency in Honduras emerges in the arrest of FMLN leader Alejandro Montenegro in Honduras.

August 24, 1982 a MTT arrived in San Pedro Sula to train the Honduran 3rd INF BTN in Night Flight Missions with specific focus on ambush, incursions and air mobility OPS (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

August 28, 1982 Contra units destroyed $2 million worth of road construction equipment in the village of Lyas, 12 km NW of Wasala in Nicaragua (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

September 1982 a US Naval unit arrived from the US at Puerto Lempira carrying weapons for the Honduran 5th INF BTN (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 31).

September 1982 the second phase of Combined Deployment maneuvers took place relocated the remainder of the 5th INF BTN to Mocoron (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

September 2, 1982 Two different unknown assailant groups kidnapped two Honduran military soldiers in Comayaguela, a suburb of Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

September 17, 1982 – San Pedro Sula – CINCHONEROS SEIZED CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND HELD 80 (to 108) HOSTAGES FOR EIGHT DAYS. DEMANDED THE RELEASE OF HONDURAN, SALVADORAN [Alejandro Montenegro: FMLN] AND OTHER LATIN AMERICAN LEFTIST ACTIVISTS, THE EXPULSION OF U.S. ADVISORS AND WITHDRAWL OF HONDURAS FROM THE NEWLY-FORMED CENTRAL AMERICAN DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITY(Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 30; Waghelstein). Seized 105 Honduran businessman, demanding the release of some 60 Honduran and Salvadoran leftist extremists.  Operation reportedly planned by Cuba, captives released after safe passage allowed by Honduran Government (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).

October 1982 the Honduran military received shipment of 10 UH-1H helicopters (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

November 4, 1982 Members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZFR) bombed and targeted four Honduran Government buildings in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

November 5, 1982 The New York Times publishes the article titled Not-So-Secret War in Honduras.

November 6, 1982 Members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZFR) bombed and targeted the Polymer Corporation and the United Fruit Company based in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, both U.S. owned and operated firms.

November 13, 1982 Unknown assailants bombed and targeted U.S. citizens at the offices of Air Florida in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

November 15, 1982 Journalists were ordered out of the border area near Guarita, Honduras also near San Marcos where at least seven Honduran soldiers of the 7th INF DIV were killed.  Other wounded soldiers were taken to a hospital in Santa Rosa de Copan. Heavy artillery was heard in the area along with military fighting to prevent El Salvadoran leftist from entering Honduras (UPI November 15, 1982, Honduran soldiers killed on border with El Salvador).”

The below telegram shows how DoD wanted to keep certain elements out of sight during President Reagans visit to Honduras.

December 1982 “Nicaragua began training groups of 20-30 Honduran guerrillas; training included combat experience against anti-Sandinista insurgents inside Nicaragua; members of several Honduran extreme leftist groups fought in Nicaragua for periods of 4-6 months, at least until the summer of 1984 (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

December 9, 1982 – 75 Miskitu children were killed when their rescue helicopter was apparently shot down near Rio Coco, Nicaragua.  The area “which had been subject to the most intensive contra invasion” from a basecamp in Honduras (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 10).

December 13, 1982 In Nicaragua, in the district of Las Penitas, Jinotega, a band of 90 mercenaries (contras) burned the building used by the local militia and assassinated a civilian and a member of the Army. Also in El Naipe and Nasawas, 5 armed contras kidnapped and later assassinated 2 members of the military reserve (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 139).

December 21, 1982 The Boland Amendment #1 is passed in Congress restricting funds being used for the purpose of overthrowing the Government of Nicaragua or for provoking a war between Honduras and Nicaragua.  Thousands of U.S. military members have been present in Honduras since 1981; some remain there today.

December 30, 1982 Five columns of mercenaries (Contras), each consisting of 125 Miskito Indians, crossed into Nicaragua from Honduras heading towards Puerto Cabezas, a strategic seaport on the Nicaraguan Atlantic Coast, to capture and hold the port (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

1982 – a total of 16 visits to Honduras by 30 high ranking US military officials, 11 from SOUTHCOM and 4 from CONUS: various visits by LTC Rousell, Commander of 3/7th SFG from Panama on February 15, March 17 to review the SF MTT’s progress of training the Honduran Army.  LTC Pat Murray US AF historian visited counterparts on March 20.  Col. Mark R. Richard Chief of PR from SOUTHCOM visited Honduras on March 20.  On April 26, Col. Derrel Sponberg and Joseph Tyron of the Security Assistance Agency from SOUTHCOM conducted a seminar for the Honduran General Staff about the US Military Foreign Assistance Program.  Col. Robert Red and LTC Burton Commander and XO of the 24th ALAS of SOUTHCOM arrived in Honduras and stayed with the Honduran General staff arrived on April 27.  Lt. Thomas Stevens of SOUTHCOM’s Latin American Military Affairs Div. visited Honduras on May 19 and August 30 to meet with the Honduran Armed Forces and Military planning for Halcon Vista 1982.  In August, ADM Harry R. Train, Atlantic Fleet Commander, first visited Tegucigalpa to meet with Chief of Honduran General Staff and also received a briefing at Honduran Naval HQ then visited Puerto Cortez Navy base and naval units in Puerto Tela, Puerto Castillo and Puerto Lempira.  On August 15, 1982 the majority of the 3/7 SFG of Panama were “transported in four C-130 aircraft to the Mesa airbase in San Pedro Sula.” (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 30).

1982 This declassified USSOUTHCOM Historical report for 1982 reveals 40 terrorist attacks in Honduras, mostly by neighboring country’s terrorist groups and by Nicaraguan forces.  Honduras is roughly the size of Tennessee.  There was also an assassination in San Pedro Sula on January 26 of a Pepsi franchise worker named Jacoba Larsch.  Several of these 1982 attacks were directed at U.S. interests.  The budding internal insurgent movement was in the process of organizing future attacks.

1982 Contra basecamps located in Honduras during this period are located at: San Judas base with a Battalion size near San Pedro de Portrero Grande; Cerro Baldoquin base 700 men near San Pedro de Potrero Grande; San Marcos de Colon 400-600 men; Cacamuya base called BL-5 600 ex-guardsmen led by Alcides Espinoza; Trojes base 400-600 ex-guardsmen led by ‘Richard’ near Teoticaciente with OPS near Jalapa; the Nicaraguan Military training base at La Lodosa 130-150 ex-guardsmen led by Jose Benito “Mack” Bravo; Monte de Aquila base near Jalapa 250 guardsmen; Hacienda La Estrella base 250 ex-guardsmen near Jalapa; Cerro Los Nubarrones base near Jalapa; Auka base near Leymus 400 ex-guardsmen; Rus-Rus base near Leymus 400 ex-guardsmen and Mocoron Camp near Leymus 400 ex-guardsmen (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).  The U.S. built and funded Jamastran airbase was located 17 miles from the Nicaraguan border surrounded by Contra basecamps.

1982 seven bands or groups of ex-guardsmen, with 100 to 200 members each were armed and trained in Honduras then later infiltrated into Nicaragua (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 32).

1980 – mid 1982 Military activity on the Nicaraguan northern border: 88 infiltrations causing 374 deaths; 61 troop movements; 96 attacks on border posts; 78 attacks and ambushes on Nicaraguan patrols (Covert Action, Number 18 [Winter 1983] page 33).

January 1, 1983 Contras kidnapped 7 people, in Chaquital sector inside Nicaragua near the Honduran border.  In separate attacks in Nicaragua, a band of 30 to 40 mercenaries (contras) armed with rifles invaded the town of San Rafael, kidnapping 67 people (10 families), and at La Sabana, near Somoto, mercenaries blew up an electrical station (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 139).

January 16, 1983 Mercenaries (Contras) firing 60mm mortars attacked a truck filled with coffee pickers in Namasli, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua killing two children and wounding eight adults (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

January 21 – February 10 1983 Operation Ahuas Tara I commences in Honduras involving 1,600 U.S. troops and some 4,000 Honduran troops.

-also on January 21, 1983 In El Amparo valley, near Yali, Nicaragua a group of contras armed with rifles and grenade launchers ambushed a truck killing 4 civilians, two soldiers and wounding six others (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 140).

February 1 – 6, 1983 Ahuas Tara I, the publicly announced dates, occurs involving 1,600 U.S. and 4,000 Honduran military.  Army, Navy and Air Force American units involved.  A big airlift of Honduran troops to the Gracias a Dios Department, upgrading an airstrip at Puerto Lempira all to repel a mock invasion.  In reality, the missions were dynamically important to the overall safety of Honduras and the region.  The airstrips were utilized in real world combat support and combat operations.  The troop movements were relocated to conduct combat operations.

February 3, 1983 SSG Jay T. Stanley, 25, of Towson, MD, an adviser, suffered a leg wound from ground fire while flying in a helicopter in El Salvador.  SSG Stanley became the first U.S. military member injured in El Salvador.  The entire copter crew was relieved of duty by the USMILGRP because U.S. military personnel were prohibited from being involved in hostilities (U.S. Relieves 3 Of El Salvador Duty, The Pittsburg Press, February 6, 1983 p. A-21).

March 26, 1983 Nicaraguan Sandinista government troops attacked a Honduran Military patrol in Nacaome, Honduras with automatic and other military weapons killing several Honduran troops.  Also, 200 contras attacked the district of Rancho Grande, Nicaragua with mortar fire, killing 2 militia members, 2 Nicaraguan civilians and a French doctor.  17 people were wounded and the contras burned a house (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 141).

March 28, 1983 Leftist guerrillas of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) of El Salvador attack a Honduran Military unit in Nacaome, Honduras.

March 30, 1983 Contra forces attacked Nicaraguan troops who were guarding the town of Santa Clara killing 12 soldiers and wounding 11.  Also, contras attacked the Quinta del Carmen State farm near San Juan de Rio Coco, killing 3 militia members and wounding one (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 142).

April 1983 “Costa Rica charged Nicaraguan troops were staging cross- border raids.  An unmarked Nicaraguan patrol boat fired shots and captured three US fishermen, apparently in Costa Rican waters (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

April 4, 1983 Nicaraguan letter to the United Nations Security Counsel complaining of Contra and Honduran Army incursions into Nicaragua.

April 6, 1983 Government of Honduras (GOH) provides proof that FMLN are operating in Honduras and that some of the members likely are remaining in Honduras to establish an insurgency:

April 8 1983 Honduran based leftist guerrillas insurgency groups collaborated and formed the United Revolutionary Coordinating Board “to go ahead with the struggle in Honduras.”  On April 21, the newly formed group announced in the Managua based newspaper Barricada “the democratic paths of the people’s struggle having been exhausted, we declare a people’s revolutionary war on the military-Psuedo liberal dictatorship, its puppet army and North American imperialism.”  Their goal was the overthrow of the democratic government of Honduras (1983 5 13 House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence H.R. 2760 Rept. 98-122 p. 43).  Also, contras attacked the State farm at Los Laureles, Jinotega, Nicaragua killing the manager and burning 2 trucks and a jeep.  In the ensuing battle, 11 Nicaraguans were killed and 19 were wounded.  In separate attacks, 60 to 80 contras armed with rifles robbed the health center at La Movil of all medicines.  Also, a detachment of contras attacked the town of Ciudad Antigua, Nueva Segovia, with rifle fire and rocket launchers.  Three people were wounded and the local health center was partly destroyed.  In another attack, 12 contras broke into a house and assaulted a family (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 139).

April 1983, Honduran based insurgents collectively known as the United Revolutionary Coordinating Board declared war on the U.S..

April 17, 1983 4:00am Two Honduran Coastguard vessels entered Nicaraguan sovereign water territory in the Gulf of Fonseca and attacked Nicaraguan patrol boat P-220 wounding the captain and a crew member two miles from Cape El Papayal (U.N. Security Council letter from Nicaragua S/15719 dated 21 April 1983; note that Nicaragua filed this complaint the day after Honduras filed the below complaint)

April 19, 1983 at 11:00am while navigating in the Honduran territorial waters, a Honduran fishing vessel was “perused and persistently harrassed by a patrol boat of the Sandinista People’s Army (Nicaraguan military).”  Two Honduran military and four Nicaraguan Army boats responded and a skirmish ensued.  The boats retreated (U.N. Security counsel letter from Honduras S/15716 dated 20 April 1983).

April 20, 1983 at 6:30am three Honduran patrol boats attacked two Nicaraguan patrol boats in the Gulf of Fonseca, Farollones sector; at 9:10 and 3:50 additional Honduran patrol boats and planes joined the provocative maneuvers (U.N. Security counsel letter from Nicaragua S/15720 dated dated 21 April 1983).  At 6:55 am, two coastguard vessels of the Honduran Navy attacked the Nicaraguan patrol boat 4 deMayo off Punta San Jose, 13 kilometres north-west of Potosi, in Nicaraguan territorial waters in the Gulf of Fonseca. The confrontation lasted 90 minutes. (Note No. 106 of 20 July 1983; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).

April 23, 1983 Slilmalila, Nicaragua mass kidnapping — A contra task force took away an estimated 1,500 people, mostly Miskito Indians. About 30 minutes after the nightly power outage, residents began to hear gun shots and then mortar fire.  The defenseless community was easily overrun.  Everyone was forced out of their homes, those that refused were threatened with being burned alive in their homes.  They were told to walk towards Yulnata, while the contras burned the houses and surrounding woods.  About 15 to 20 residents seemed to be helping the contras with pre-planning and gathering the townsfolk.  They walked all night long until about 7am they came to Rio Ulan and spent the day hiding from overhead planes in the hills surrounded by contras.  That evening they again walked all night until 6 am the next morning.  From 6 am to 11 am they walked until they reached the Rio Coco dividing Nicaragua and Honduras.  Canoes ferried the people across, then the large group began walking into Honduras to a camp called Kiwastara where they were fed and could rest for three days.  The group was forced again to march for one-and a-half days towards Srumlaya, Honduras.  On the way, “they passed through a provisional contra base where the contras took a census, separating out those men 15-20 years old, 20-25 years old and so on up to 40, telling them that they would be sent on to a central base for military training and return to Nicaragua to fight against the ‘communists.’  There, a helicopter marked ‘USA’ dropped off munitions to the contras, as well as military boots which were then given to the ones who had been selected to fight.”  By now the group was in Auka, Honduras, who met up with the Honduran 5th Infantry Battalion.  Very early that morning, the group proceeded to the abandoned hamlet of Tapamlaya in Honduras where they took refuge in empty houses.  The 120 or so military aged men were then separated from the rest of the group and removed from them by force.  They were told to lie to journalists about how they got there and why.  “After 15 days, the people were moved, in Honduran army trucks, over four nights, to the town of Mocoron.  They were told that the transfer was carried out nocturnally so that the role of the Honduran army would not be discovered by the UNHCR…In Mocoron, Juan Bustillo and Hereberto Siles and their families escaped from the group and managed to find work with a company constructing a military base in Durzuna (Honduras) where contras would come and go (Durzuna runway and camp was constructed and paid for by U.S. military in summer 1982 during Operation ‘Combined Deployment‘).  Once, they saw United States advisors as well.  During their five months there, the contra leaders would often bring in tied-up contras who had tried to escape.  There were many Nicaraguans working at the base (in Honduras), and one day a contra leader came to announce that they would all have to come, weather they liked it or not, to fight with them in their ‘final offensive.’  After 15 days in Mocoron, Honduras on May 29, 1983, the remainder of the hostage group, some 500, marched for a day-and-a-half to Wampu Sirpe (Honduras) where they lived and many remain today.  Many died from illnesses related to the journey and over the next year.  Several other groups of Nicaraguan Miskito Indians were also taken by force to live in the hills surrounding Wampu Sirpe.  On several occasions over the next few years, contras would raid these newly formed communities looking for military aged men to conscript. The men forced to fight for the contras were threatened that if they refused, their families held in Wampu Sirpe, Honduras would be killed, tortured and raped (ICJ, Case Concerning Military and Paramilitary Activities In and Against Nicaragua, (Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits); supplemental documents, Reports Submitted to Nicaragua, Part IV. Kidnappings, B. Mass kidnappings on the Atlantic Coast, 23. Slilmalila, pages 350 – 353).

The entire route from Slilmalilia to Wampusirpi

Auka to Mocoron to Wampusirpi

Durzuna runway (obsolete)

Wampusirpi, Hondo (2024) – compared to Slilmalilia, Nica (deserted)

April 25, 1983 Contra (FDN) units using automatic weapons attacked Nicaraguan Sandinista government forces in the village of Las Canas, El Paraiso Department, Honduras (UMD GTD, GTD ID#198304250004).  There is a village called Las Canas in central Honduras.

April 1983 Daniel Ortega and Tomas Borge attend the funeral of a Salvadoran guerrilla leader in Managua, Nicaragua.  The FPL flag has a hammer and sickle.

April 29, 1983 at 02:00 hours several hundred Farabundo Marti guerrilla (FMLN) forces attacked the Salvadoran side of the Amatillo International Bridge separating El Salvador and Honduras over the Goascoran river.  “The first volleys of rifle and machinegun fire cut down the sentinels guarding the bridge, decimated the Salvadoran customs officials, and wiped out the dozen-man security police detachment sleeping in their wooden billets.  The commander of the police detachment was captured, tortured, and shot (Armor Sept – Oct 1984 p. 10).”  Nine vehicles waiting to cross the bridge the next morning were looted and burned killing all civilian occupants.  Eight nearby houses were bombed with grenades and burned with Molotov cocktails.  The Hondurans on the other side of the bridge reported the attack to Honduran officials.  Guerrillas attempted to blow up the bridge and a small Honduran force fought them off.  One small charge blew up a six meter span of the bridge.  More fighting took place.  Honduran calvary units responded and fought many hours to defend the bridge until late that night.  Ninety-six  FMLN guerrillas were killed, a dozen Salvadoran police officials and about ten civilians were killed.  Many were wounded.  Also, for more information see the following document where the Senators may be referring to this attack (UNITED STATES ECONOMIC AND SECURITY ASSISTANCE IN CENTRAL AMERICA, Report on a Field Survey in EL Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua, Submitted by Senator J. Bennett Johnston and Senator Lawton Chiles, May 1984, page 5 [Approved For Release 2009/02/09 : CIA-RDP86M00886R001200340003-2]).

April 30, 1983 A large contingent of Contra fighters entered Nicaragua 11 km northwest of Jalapa,  Nicaragua who claim that 1,200 Contras and members of the Honduran Army entered Nicaragua while 1,000 additional Contras and 1,000 Honduran Army soldiers are providing fire support from the Honduran side with 81mm mortars and long range heavy artillery (U.N. Security Counsel letter from Nicaragua S/15742 date 2 May 1983).

May 1983 “A captured leader of the Lorenzo Zelaya group revealed that the Sandinistas had provided his organization with weapons, funds, false documentation, safehaven, and propaganda materials (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

May 12, 1983 Five border post in the Chinandega Department of Nicaragua were assaulted with automatic weapons fire coming from Honduras and in the Nueva Segovia Department twenty Contras coming from Honduras abducted Felipe Ayestas, a local farmer and took him to Honduras (U.N. Security Counsel letter from Nicaragua S/15771 dated 13 May 1983).

May 17, 1983 Unknown assailants assassinated General German Luis Sanchez Paredes of the Honduran 105th Infantry Brigade in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

May 21 – 23, 1983 Nicaraguan troops battled a force of 1,000 to 1,200 contras (coming from Honduras) in the vicinity of Jalapa, Nicaragua in combat lasting until May 23.  Twenty-three Nicaraguans were killed and 51 wounded (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984; Annexes to the Memorial, page 144).

May 25, 1983 Navy Seal, Lt. Commander Albert Schaufelberger, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Military Advisory Group, was shot and killed in his car in San Salvador, El Salvador. The Popular Liberation Forces is believed to be responsible. First U.S. troop killed in El Salvador. Story makes the cover of Newsweek magazine. Also, along the Honduran border, in the Las Tricias sector, on the Rio San Juan, a boat carrying 3 West German journalists was attacked by contras.  All 3 journalists were kidnapped (one wounded) and 2 members of their military escort were killed.  Four soldiers were wounded (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 144).

May 27, 1983 destroyed village of Raya Pura, Nicaragua.

June 1983  “One Nicaraguan terrorist was killed and another severely injured when a bomb intended for anti-Sandinista leaders exploded prematurely in a San Jose parking lot (CIA -RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

June 5, 1983 A force of 600 Contras crossed from the region of El Porvenir, Honduras to near Jalapa, Nicaragua, using the Honduran Army for protective fire with mortars, killing 20 Nicaraguans soldiers during the invasion (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  Nicaragua claimed that Contras and members of the Honduran Army were involved in the invasion (UN Security Counsel letter 7 June 1983). Nicaragua claimed they killed nearly 150 (or 183 as noted below on June 21) Contras during the month long battle.

June 8, 1983 Between 7 am and 4:20 pm, Nicaraguan troops battled contras in the sectors of El Porvenir, El Suice, Murupuchi, and Teotecacinte in Nicaragua.  Five Nicaraguans were killed and 14 wounded.  A local sawmill was also burned at Santa Clara, near Teotecacinte (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 144).

June 21, 1983 Two U.S. journalists with the Los Angeles Times and U.S. News and World Report Dial Torgerson and Richard Cross were killed in Honduras by Sandinista troops from Nicaragua who planted a mine under a bridge near Los Trojes (RPG and automatic weapons followed) (State Department LETHAL 1975-1985).

July 4, 1983 At Kiwa, Zelaya Central, a group of 60 contras armed with rifles and hand grenades ambushed 15 people who were traveling on two boats on the Rio Grande, killing 5 people.  Three soldiers were kidnapped and 7 were wounded.  The contras took away the boats and bodies of the dead.  In a separate attack, a group of 70 contras kidnapped 18 civilians from Oyote, department of Madriz, and took them to Honduras  (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 145).

July 5, 1983 A group of 40 to 60 contras assassinated 2 civilian members of the militia and a member of the border patrol at Macuelizo, near Ocotal, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 145).

July 6, 1983 Contras attacked the port of Santa Isabel, Zelaya, Nicaragua, damaging the electric plant and an aircraft of the Nicarguan air force (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 145).

July 10, 1983 Contras ambushed a boat at Boca Tapada, Zelaya Sur, killing 4 people including the boat’s captain.  One woman was injured (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 145).

July 16, 1983 In Nicaragua, a group of contras blew up 3 electric transmission towers between San Juan de Limay and Pueblo Nuevo, Esteli, leaving Condega, Pueblo Nuevo, Somoto, Limay, Ocotal and Jalapa without electric power (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 145).

July 19, 1983 – Olancho Department – 91 HONDURAN INSURGENTS WITH LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FROM NICARAGUA HAD THE OBJECTIVE OF RALLYING UP TO 3,000 COMBATANTS. BY SEP 83, ALMOST ALL HAD EITHER BEEN KILLED, CAPTURED OR SURRENDER (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 30-1; Waghelstein).  Jose Reyes Mata was the leftist guerrilla leader and American Priest Father James Carney allegedly accompanied the group.  Both were ‘apparently’ (see below from Greg Walker) killed in a battle in September.  “Sandinistas infiltrated 96 Cuban- and Nicaraguan-trained Honduran insurgents into Olancho Department in south-central Honduras; group’s objective reportedly was to establish a base of operations and an insurgent organization in the Honduran interior; most had undergone military training for up to two years in Nicaragua and at a guerrilla training facility in Pinar del Rio, Cuba; Honduran military captured or killed several insurgents, and others surrendered or starved to death in the jungle (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

July 20, 1983 A group of 30 contras raked an INE vehicle with automatic-weapons fire, killing the driver, an electric-company employee. In a separate attack, at El Carmen, Nicaragua, near San Juan de Rio Coco, contras kidnapped the mother of the head of the local militia and burned a farmhouse. In another attack, contras kidnapped 152 people in Mozonte, Nueva Segovia, including 77 children aged a few days to 12 years, and a pregnant woman who gave birth on the road to Honduras. Almost all were later returned to Nicaragua after spending 7 to 10 months in refugee camps in Honduras (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

July 21, 1983 A group of about 20 contras burned the State farm at Daraili, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

July 23, 1983 A group of contras invaded Pena del Jicote, Nicaragua, Chinandega Department, kidnapping 9 persons and taking them towards Honduran territory (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 146; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

July (late) – October 1983 Operation Patuca River (Operation Olancho) was conducted near the Patuca River, Olancho Department, Honduras.  It was reported that 96 insurgents entered Honduras to establish a military base for the FDN to operate from within Honduras.  Led by Jose Reyes Mata, who was accompanied by ex-SF member David Baez and another American Father James Carney.  3/7 SFG members and Honduran SF tracked them down and by September most were killed, captured or died from starvation.  “American military help extended to transporting Honduran troops by helicopter to the Rio Patuca region in the north in early September, a CBS News television crew reported. The Hondurans are conducting a counterinsurgency operation there against Honduran leftist guerrillas who, the Government says, have entered the country from Nicaragua (U.S. Will Continue Role in Honduras, Pentagon Aide Says, NYT October 5, 1983, p. 1; Honduran Army Defeats Cuban-Trained Rebel Unit, Washington Post, November 22, 1983, pp. A-1, A-14).”

If you have any doubt left that a Phase II insurgency was blossoming in Honduras, read the following page from this CIA declassified document (BACKGROUND PAPER: NICARAGUA’S MILITARY BUILD-UP AND SUPPORT FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN SUBVERSION, Department of State, July 18, 1984, Washington D.C., CIA-RDP88B00831R000100210054-1, page 28, approved For Release 2008/11/07)):

July 24, 1983 A group of contras intercepted a truck and a jeep near Las Manos, Nicaragua, Nueva Segovia, kidnapping three civilians and taking them toward Honduras (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

July 25, 1983 This NYT article details upcoming Ahuas Tara II activities.

July 28, 1983 President Reagan signs NSDD #100 enhancing “U.S. Military Activity and Assistance for the Central American Region” and authorizing Ahuas Tara II to begin in early August within Honduras. Also, contras kidnapped four farm workers in the sector of El Aguacate, Nicaragua, near Ococona (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

July 30, 1983 Contras kidnapped 8 farm workers families from the district of La Escalera, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

July 31, 1983 A group of contras burned the school and hermitage of Aguas Calientes, Nicaragua near San Jose de Bocay (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

Almost daily attacks occurred in the Nicaraguan border region along Honduras resulting in killings and kidnappings throughout the summer and early fall months.  Some of the more significant events are listed.

August 2, 1983 Thirty contras ambushed an INRA jeep between Telpaneca and Los Ranchos, Nicaragua, Nueva Segovia, killing an INRA technician and wounding four people, including a woman and a child (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

August 3, 1983 Ahuas Tara II (Big Pine) begins involving 12,000 U.S. military and ends February 8, 1984.

August 8, 1983 San Carlos, Rio San Juan. ARDE contras murdered Never Antonio Oporta Gomez, member of the departmental directorate of the National Farmworkers Association (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

August 9, 1983 Contras ambushed a MICONS tractor near Morrillo, Nicaragua, assassinating a worker and kidnapping 25 people (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

August 10, 1983 A group of contras ambushed a truck used for public transportation at Valle Los Cedros, Nicaragua –  15 people were assassinated (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 146).

August 14, 1983 Approximately 60-80 contras ambushed Nicaraguan troops at Sairinlaya, Zelaya Central, Nicaragua killing 18 soldiers, wounding 12 and beating 7 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 146).

August 15, 1983 San Rafael del Norte, Jinotega, Nicaragua.  One hundred contras attacked this town, the first major attack on a semi-urban center in Nicaragua, and killed more than a dozen people (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 166).

August 16 & 18, 1983 In Nicaragua, groups of contras kidnapped 2 farm workers at El Lecher and 11 farm workers from Los Caracoles (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

August 22, 1983 Contras destroyed the bridge at Wilikon, on the highway connecting Siuna with Rio Blanco (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 146).

August 23, 1983 Members of LZRF assassinate a bodyguard and chauffeur of Honduran President Suazo Cordova in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

August 24, 1983 El Jicaro (Ciudad Sandino), Nicaragua, Nueva Segovia. Two hundred contras assaulted and attempted to occupy this town, but were repelled by civilian and military defense units. Two people died in the attack (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

August 25, 1983 Members of the Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement bombed and targeted America citizens at Standard Fruit Company in La Cieba, Honduras (UMD GTD).

August 26, 1983 Rio Blanco, Matagalpa, Nicaragua.  Contras murdered 5 members of an agricultural cooperative (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

August 28, 1983 Members of the Nicaraguan Democratic Force (FDN) Contras using automatic weapons attacked a Nicaraguan military unit in La Zompapera, Fransisco Morazan Department, near Tegucigalpa, Honduras killing sixteen soldiers (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198308280004).

August 28, 1983 at 8 a.m., a counterrevolutionary group traveling from Honduras in a white vessel arrived at the village of Catalina, 12 kilometres south of Potosi, abducted three Nicaraguan citizens who were members of the reserve, and took them to the Las Casitas contra camp in Honduran territory, where two of the abducted Nicaraguans were killed in an atrocious manner, while the third managed to escape (Note of 20 August 1983; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).

Below are excerpts from A Defector in Place: The Strange and Terrible Saga of a Green Beret Sandinista by Greg Walker, Special Forces Association Chapter 78

August 28 1983. Near Nueva Palestina, Honduras “On September 5th, Major Leonel Luque established a second task force launch site at Rio Tinto to support the hunt for Serapio Romero’s guerrilla band. U.S. Black Hawk helicopters began moving elements of the Honduran 5th Infantry to blocking points, as well as at least 50 HSF troopers to be inserted on the band’s trail as it traveled along the Patuca River’s bank. Contra patrols, tracking the guerrillas as well, were in radio communications with Nueva Palestinia and now Rio Tinto, and were likewise eager to locate the band. Overhead, the Black Hawks, having unloaded their troops, began flying aerial reconnaissance in support of the ground operation and acting as communication relay platforms given the dense jungle and mountainous terrain. On August 28th, with the help of (U.S.) signal intercepts, overflights of specially equipped U.S. Air Force C-130 surveillance aircraft flying out of Howard Air Force Base in Panama, and the provision of five U.S. Black Hawk helicopters from the 101st ABN Division (from Palmerola AB) to move Honduran forces swiftly, Reyes Mata’s group was discovered, then pinpointed. Honduran Special Forces were inserted (by U.S. military personnel) and in short order contacted the guerrillas.”

“On September 4th, it was reported the HSF had surrounded and captured the three men (of the 96, these three included Baez and Carney) in the vicinity of Arenas Blancas and Cerro Azul”

“On September 17th, the last confirmed firefight between the FAP and the Honduran Army took place near the Capapan Mountain. All captured guerrillas beginning on August 28th were now held at the clandestine U.S. / Contra air base known as El Aguacate located midway between the town of Catacamas and Rio Tinto just off the main highway.”

“Chief Warrant Officer (ret) Don Kelly, in El Salvador at the time, spoke with a fellow Green Beret who was in the area in Honduras when Baez was executed. Kelly recalls being told that Baez and seven others, ‘all very skinny,’ were captured and later killed.'”

“The consistent presence of Special Forces operators from 3/7th in Honduras before, during, and after Operation Patuca River is not surprising. Charlie Company, 3/7th, had for some time been identified and trained as the battalion’s CIF, or commander’s in-extremis force for Latin America.”

“John recalled Lt Alvarez describing the mass execution being finished with pistols. All the bodies were then loaded on Blackhawk helos (I don’t believe Honduras had Blackhawks in their inventory) and flown over the nearby Honduran/Nicaraguan border. They were then thrown out over the triple canopy jungle.”

“The long-preferred Condor method of making bodies “disappear” was to use aircraft to fly the corpses out over the ocean, the jungle, or mountains and dump them from altitude. This same approach was used by right-wing death squads in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala in the 1980s thanks to Condor instructors from Argentina and Chile (Excerpts from A Defector in Place: The Strange and Terrible Saga of a Green Beret Sandinista by Greg Walker, Special Forces Association Chapter 78).”

August 31, 1983 Three contras came to the house of a citizen of Negrowas, Nicaragua kidnapped 2 children.  In a separate attack, a group of 80-120 contras attacked the State Farm at Abisinia, killing 2 people.  Also, contras kidnapped 10 campesinos at Ohriwas and later killed 4 of them (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 147).

August 30, 1983 Contras attacked the town of San Pedro de Potrero Grande, Nicaragua with mortars, rifles and heavy machine guns. Two people were killed and three were wounded. In a separate attack, a group of 60 to 80 contras burned 11 houses at the Santa Fe farm near San Carlos and kidnapped 11 campesinos who worked there (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

August 31, 1983 Three contras came to the house of a citizen of Negro, Nicaragua, who kidnapped two of his children, aged 7 and 15 years. In a separate attack, a group of 80-120 contras attacked the State Farm at Abisinia, killing two people. Also, contras kidnapped ten campesinos at Ohriwas and later killed four of them (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

August 31 to September 3, 1983 Contras attacked four villages in the Paiwas region, Nicaragua. In El Anito, six farm workers were assassinated. In El Guyabo, nine were killed and a woman and a girl raped. In Las Minitas, two local leaders were killed. In Ocaguas, three farm workers were mutilated and killed. Houses were burned in all the villages (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

September 1983  “The Costa Rican Security Council condemned Nicaraguan Army shelling of public buildings in Costa Rican territory (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

September 1, 1983 Contras supported by (likely from the Honduran Army) 60mm mortars and 75mm cannons fought Nicaraguan troops at Barra Rio Maiz, Nicaragua killing 9 soldiers and wounding several others (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 147).

September 3, 1983 Mercenaries (Contras) from Honduras attacked El Guayo, Matagalpa province in Nicaragua, kidnapped then killed 18 peasants and burned 22 homes. All 18 were found with their throats cut (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, Carrion Affidavit; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).  Members of the Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (FMLH) (aka FPM) using automatic weapons attacked a Honduran military unit killing ten soldiers in Piedras Azules, Olancho Department, Honduras (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198309030002).

The Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (FPM) was founded in 1979.  Later, in the early 1980’s its primary goal was the ouster of U.S. military from Honduras by conducting numerous attacks directly against U.S. military personnel in Honduras.  One example, is the July 13, 1989 attack that injured seven U.S. military policeman in La Cieba.

September 8, 1983 Two Cessna aircraft bombed the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in Managua, Nicaragua destroying the passenger facilities. One of the planes was shot down and contained documents proving it belonged to a U.S. based CIA contract firm. On the same day CIA trained saboteurs (Contras) blew up oil storage and pipeline facilities at Puerto Sandino on Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, NYT 11/8/83, Wash Post 2/24/85; (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 147).

September 1983 “Cinchoneros, claiming retaliation for the bombing of Managua’s international airport by anti-Sandinist insurgents, dynamited Honduran airlines office in San Pedro Sula (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

September 9, 1983 Two T-28 aircraft fired 2 rockets at Shell tanks containing flammable chemicals.  Two tanks, one containing acetone and another hexane, were ruptured by shrapnel (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 147).

September 11, 1983 Leftist guerrillas of the (FMLN) from El Salvador attacked Honduran forces in Enterios Mountains, Honduras.  Also, the Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (FMLH) using automatic weapons attacked a Honduran military unit in the Olancho Department in western Honduras killing eleven soldiers (UMD GTD; GTD ID#198309110002.

Also, A group of 20 contras attacked the cooperative at Chalmeca, Zelaya, Nicaragua killing a civilian defender (militia) and kidnapping 3 others wounding one (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

September 13, 1983 Mercenaries sabotaged the oil pipeline at Puerto Sandino; they also used explosives to damage part of the oil terminal used for tanker coupling (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 147).

September 17, 1983 Contras assassinated 2 farm workers at Aguas Rojas (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

September 18, 1983 Leftist guerrillas of the (FMLN) from El Salvador again attacked Honduran forces in Enterios Mountains and also Catacamas, Honduras.  Also, members of the Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (FMLH) using automatic weapons attacked a Honduran military unit in Olancho Department, Honduras killing ten soldiers (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198309180006).

September 21, 1983 In the district of El Tabaco, contras assassinated 4 civilians who were members of the local militia.  On the same day, 2 civilians were kidnapped in the Paiwata sector.  In a separate attack, 150 contras killed 6 people and wounded 6 others at Ouipo cooperative in Siuna (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 147; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

September 23, 1983 Contras attacked the Yakalwas co-operative in the jurisdiction of Quilali, Nicaragua killing 4 people and wounding 7 others.  In a separate attack, 60 contras ambushed Nicaraguan troops at El Chamorro, killing 10 soldiers.  24 others were reported missing (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 147).

September 25, 1983 In Las Hatillas, Nicaragua, a bus carrying a group of merchants from Managua was ambushed.  Some passengers were beaten, and two immigration workers were reported missing (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167).

September 1983 Father James Carney of St. Louis, an American, mysteriously dies in the jungles of Olancho Province, Honduras two months after crossing the border from Nicaragua with a group of leftist guerrillas led by Reyes Mata. In May 1987, a former Honduran counterintelligence agent claims Father Carney was captured, interrogated and probably executed by members of a Honduran intelligence squad (B 316).  The Honduran Army denied the claims (May 6, 1987 St. Louis Post Dispatch page 1, article by Robert Koenig).

The following is an excerpt from IN SEARCH OF HIDDEN TRUTHS by Dr. Leo Valladares Lanza and Susan C. Peacock:

“On August 1, 1983, two PRTC guerrillas deserted near the town of Catacamas and turned themselves in to the Honduran army. According to a declassified State Department telegram: “WHEN GOH [Government of Honduras] FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THE GROUP’S PRESENCE IN HONDURAS, BY THE ARRIVAL OF TWO DESERTERS AT CATACAMAS ON AUGUST 1, THEY SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH U.S. DEFENSE ATTACHE OFFICE. THE U.S. DEFENSE ATTACHE OFFICE DID NOT HAVE INFORMATION PRIOR TO THIS DATE REGARDING THIS GROUP’S PRESENCE IN HONDURAS.” Immediately after the deserter’s appearance, the Honduran military mounted the “Patuca Operation” in order to locate, capture and eliminate the PRTC guerrillas.

On August 4, 1983, the Honduran Army’s Patuca Task Force arrived in Nueva Palestina, Olancho, to set up its headquarters and to launch the counter-insurgency mission. The very next day, U.S. Army Rangers from Fort Lewis, Washington, were parachuted into Olancho. They remained there until August 16, participating in what the Pentagon called a “simulated counterinsurgency operation” with Honduran forces.  This was all part larger U.S.-Honduran military exercises which were described as follows in a declassified trip report of the Investigations Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives:

Big Pine II (Ahuas Tara II) lasted from August 1983 to February 1984. This exercise, in which approximately 6,000 U.S. Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force personnel participated, included an amphibious landing by a marine amphibious unit on the north coast, a combined field training exercise of Honduran units and U.S. Army Special Forces in a counterinsurgency exercise in a remote area of Honduras, and a combined artillery exercise of the division artillery from the 101st Airborne Division and the Honduran army.

Thus, a significant numbers of U.S. forces were present in Honduras for the duration of the Patuca Operation.”

September 26, 1983 Unknown assailants (likely Nicaraguan soldiers) using automatic weapons attacked a Honduran military unit killing sixteen soldiers in Las Perlas de Cuyamel, Olancho Department, in eastern Honduras (UMD GTD).

September 27, 1983 Approximately 100 contras invaded the town of Ciudad Antigua, Nueva Segovia, cutting the telephone line, burning government offices, and painting FDN slogans. The town was defended by 16 civilians, one of whom was killed and one wounded in the attack (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 167-8).

Late September 1983 United States military and intelligence personnel, dispatched from a special CIA ‘mother ship’ off Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast, blew up oil storage and pipeline facilities at Puerto Sandino (Carrion Affidavit, NYT 4/18/84).

Fall 1983 to mid 1984; President Reagan authorized CIA to mine the harbors in the Gulf of Fonseca between, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador (Los Angeles Times 5 Mar 1985).

Fall 1983, the Council on Foreign Relations published a Foreign Affairs document titled At War with Nicaragua “The Reagan Administration is at War with Nicaragua.” By Richard H. Ullman

October 1, 1983 Nicaraguan Democratic Forces (FDN) Contras using automatic weapons attacked a Nicaraguan military unit  in La Zompapera, Fransisco Morazan Department, near Tegucigalpa, Honduras wounding four Nicaraguan soldiers (UMD GTD).

October 2, 1983 U.S. directed mercenaries (contras and possibly U.S. frogmen) attacked oil storage facilities at Benjamin Zeledon on Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast causing the loss of 324,000 gallons of fuel (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  Also, approximately 200 to 250 contras ambushed a caravan of five trucks carrying MICONS workers at Cerro Los Chiles, Nicaragua, kidnapping 29 people, including a Delagate for the FSLN in that zone (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 168).

October 3, 1983 The Nicaraguan Army shot down a military airplane that was transporting military supplies to the Contras in Los Cedros north of Rio Blanco inside Nicaragua 90 miles north of Managua. The aircraft was a Douglas DC-3C that took off from El Aguacate, Honduras. Three were captured and confessed to be ex-army officers of the Somoza National Guard (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

Also, contras ambushed an INRA pick-up truck at Cerro Blanco, near San Juan de Rio Coco, Nicaragua, killing INRA technical workers. In a separate attack, contras kidnapped a group of farm workers at Terreno Grande, near Palacaguina (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 168).

October 9, 1983 Nine Nicaraguan soldiers were killed and 4 were wounded in combat with contras at Santa Pita, near Quilali, Nicaragua.  Also, 8 contras ambushed a truck carrying 12 persons in the Yolai sector killing one and wounding two (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 148; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 168).

October 10, 1983 A combined air and sea attack by (contras) United States military and intelligence personnel demolished five oil storage tanks in the Port of Corinto, Nicaragua destroying 3.2 million gallons of fuel, injuring 112 persons and forcing the evacuation of more than 20,000 townspeople due to raging fires and explosions.  A Korean tanker anchored at the port was also fired on in the attack.  A Korean seaman and a woman in the port area were injured (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, Carrion Affidavit; NYT 10/13/83; NYT 4/18/84; WP 4/18/84; WSJ 5/6/85; Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 148).  The speedboat was armed with M-50 machine guns and a 20mm cannon.  In a separate attack, contras kidnapped a civilian woman at El Tablazon, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 168).

October 14, 1983 CIA trained mercenary frogmen (Contras) or more likely United States naval frogmen set under-water explosive devices destroying storage facilities again at Puerto Sandino, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984; WSJ 3/6/86).

October 18, 1983  Beginning at 5:00 am some 400 mercenaries (Contras) attacked Pantasma, Jinotega inside Nicaragua killing 47 persons including farm workers, engineers and architects. They also robbed a bank and destroyed ten tractors and trucks, a sawmill, agricultural warehouses and government offices (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984; Carrion Affidavit; Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 148).  Material losses came to 34 million Cordobas.  A few days later, FDN leader Adolfo Calero was quoted in the Miami Herald saying, “There will be more Pantasmas.”  In a separate incident, a group of up to 40 contras kidnapped 4 workers from La Flor farm near Penas Blancas, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 168).

October 18, 1983 Unknown assailants attacked the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (UMD GTD).

October (19), 1983. Contras forced some 200 young people from the Miskito village of Sukatpin, Nicaragua to accompany them to training camps in Honduras (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 168).

October 20, 1983 at 7.05 p.m., two Nicaraguan coastguard vessels that were engaged in surveillance duties in Nicaraguan territorial waters in the Gulf of Fonseca were attacked by four coastguard vessels flying the Honduran flag off Punta San Jose, 10 kilometres from Potosi. (Note dated 28 October 1983; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984). Also, fifty contras attacked the “Heroes and Martyrs” Cooperative of San Jose de Bocay killing two, including a civilian defender, and wounding four. In separate attacks, a speedboat armed with cannon fired on the docks at Puerto Cabezas, hitting a ship at anchor, killing one and wounding 11 civilians, among them three children. Also, contras burned the Galilea farm at Guapinol and, near the town of Somotillo, using C-4 explosives destroyed a tractor belonging to INRA (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 168).

October 25 – 29, 1983 Operation Urgent Fury Grenade rescue occurs.  18 U.S. Service members killed.  Documents discovered on the island are used by the Reagan administration to further justify its Central America policies.

October 29 & 30, 1983 Three hundred contras invaded the community of Siawas, Zelaya Sur, Nicaragua, kidnapping two popular education coordinators; and about 100 to 150 contras burned the State farm at Las Delicias, wounding a militia member (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

November 1983 Wali, Nueva Segovia, Catelino Vanegas, a religious student, was beaten to death and shot.  His brothers also were beaten, but escaped (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

November 1, 1983 two patrol boats of the Honduran Navy, escorting two hiqhspeed launches, attacked two Nicaraguan coastguard vessels that were carrying out routine surveillance duties in territorial waters in the Gulf of Fonseca. The attack occurred in the El Papaya sector, 5 kilometres north of Punta Cosiqiiina. Two members of the crew of one of the coastguard vessels were wounded in this attack, which began at 11.45 a.m. and ended at 12.15 p.m. (Note No. 218 of 1 November 1983; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).

November 2, 1983 at 4:30 pm, two coastguard vessels of the Honduran Navy, supported by a Honduran helicopter, penetrated territorial waters in the Gulf of Fonseca and attacked three Nicaraguan coastguard vessels which were engaged in surveillance duties.  The attack was aimed at protecting three high-speed launches manned by contras which were seeking to penetrate Nicaraguan territorial waters.  (Note dated 2 November 1983: Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).  Also, contras kidnapped nine farmers from the locale of Macuelizo.  In another incident, three heavily armed contras detained U.S.-born Father Francisco Solano while on a pastoral visit to El Coco, south Zelaya. Solano, Nicaraguan who had received frequent death threats, was interrogated and asked to join the contras. Before releasing him, the contras told him—three times— to “be very careful” (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

November 3, 1983 U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Thomas P. Petrucci is wounded by hostile fire during an insurgent probe on Tiger Island, Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca between El Salvador and Nicaragua according to Pentagon papers and a Marine Corps investigation. Nine months later, on August 13, 1984 the report surfaces in newspapers. The report states that DoD reported to Congress in April (five months after the incident) that a Marine was shot by accident in Honduras last November “even though a Marine Corps investigation concluded that the victim was hit by hostile fire, according to Pentagon documents (The New York Times, 14 Aug 1984).”  No Purple Heart was awarded.  Below, a combat equipped member of his unit stands guard atop of Tiger Island observing naval battles and other activities in the Gulf of Fonseca.

November 1983 – San Pedro Sula – HONDURAN INTELLIGENCE UNCOVERED A PLOT BY THE PRTC-H TO ASSASSINATE GENERAL ALVAREZ MARTINEZ, COMMANDER OF THE HONDURAN ARMED FORCES. PRTC-H MEMBERS WERE RECEIVING TRAINING IN SAN PEDRO SULA WITH SPECIFIC EMPHASIS ON HOW TO NEUTRALIZE VIP BODYGUARDS AND THE USE OF EXPLOSIVES (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 31; Waghelstein).

November 6, 1983 Nicaraguan Sandinista Government forces attacked the village of Las Champas, El Paraiso Department, Honduras using grenades killing two Hondurans (UMD GTD).

November 13, 1983  SPC Darnell Frost, MOS 76W (Petroleum Supply Specialist), from Memphis, TN dies in Honduras (DCAS).

November 14, 1983 In the district of El Ojoche, Nicaragua, 150 contras attacked a civilian defense post, kidnapping several civilians (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

November 18, 1983 About 300 ARDE contras attacked Cardenas, three miles from the Costa Rican border, with cannons, mortars and rockets. Three civilians were wounded and two soldiers killed. Several houses and the new health center were destroyed (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).  Also, approximately 1,000 Marines of the 28th Marine Amphibious Unit joined over 500 Honduran infantrymen in a joint amphibious landing exercise, “Ahuas Tara” (Big Pine II), on the Honduran coast. The joint maneuver was a major event in a series of exercises at sea around Central America and in Honduras which began during the summer. “Big Pine II” was designed to exercise and evaluate objectives in defending Honduras, which borders Nicaragua (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1983/).

November 26, 1983 Twenty members of the Nicaraguan Sandinista Peoples Army (EPS) claimed responsibility for kidnapping three Honduran Union workers and killing one.  The kidnapped were Diaz Padilla, Andres Salgado, German Salgado all brick layers in Minas de Cacanuya, Honduras (UMD GTD).

November 29, 1983 at 6 a.m., three high-speed launches of the “Pirania” type belonging to the Honduran Navy illegally entered Nicaraguan territorial waters and attacked the fishing vessel Gonzalo Brenes, which was flying the Nicaraguan flag, off Punta San Jose, 12 kilometres north-west of Potosi. The attack lasted for 55 minutes, after which the launches withdrew to Honduran territorial waters.  (Note No. 238 of 23 November 1983; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).

November 30, 1983 Contras ambushed a vehicle carrying Father Augustin Sambola from Rosita to Tasba Pri, but the priest escaped unhurt.  He had often been threatened on the Contras’ radio broadcasts (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

December 2, 1983 In Cano Dipina, Matagalpa, Nicaragua, about 300 contras attacked the local Nicaraguan Army post, killing 17 soldiers.  An undetermined number were missing as a result of the attack (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 148).

December 5, 1983 Four ‘Piranha’ speedboats, supported by 3 aircraft, possibly Super Mysteres, attacked 3 units of the Nicaraguan MGS in Nicaraguan waters 5 miles north of Punta Consiguina, killing one and wounding four (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149).

December 9, 1983 The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) issues an official warning to U.S. military forces operating in Honduras stating “TERRORIST CAPABILITIES AND INTENTIONS AGAINST US FORCES LOCATED IN HONDURAS AS SUFFICIENTLY SERIOUS TO WARRANT HEIGHTENED COMMAND ATTENTION AND SECURITY PRECAUTIONS.”  This further established that Honduras should have been designated an Imminent Danger Pay area which, by its title and issuance, is a warning in-itself to the deployed troops.  U.S. Army helicopter pilot Jeff Schwab was Killed in Action 33 days later on January 11, 1984 by Nicaraguan Army soldiers near Cifuentes, Honduras.

The commands notified in the above communique tell and interesting story:

(It was from) FM: DIA WASHINGTON DC  TO: USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PN, COMJTF-11 COMAYAGUA HO.

(Copied to) INFO: USCINCRED MACDILL AFB, CDR 46TH ENG BN SAN LORENZO, CDR 27TH SF SAN LORENZO, RMTC PUERTO CASTILLO HO, CDR 1STSOCOM FT BRAGG, CDR 101ST ABN DIV ASSLT FT CAMPBELL (Jeff Schwab’s unit), COMUSFORCARIB KEY WEST FL, COMNAVFORCARIB ROOSEVELT ROADS PR, 43 SPT GP COMAYAGUA HO, CIA WASHINGTON DC, SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC, DIRNSA FT GEORGE G MEADE, COMJSOC FT BRAGG, WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC, CSA WASHINGTON DC, CSAF WASHINGTON DC, DIRNAVINSERV WASHINGTON DC.

December 11, 1983 A group of 100-150 contras attacked the facilities at Playwood, in Cano de Agua, Nicaragua burning equipment and completely destroying the plant.  Separately, contras ambushed a boat near Barra Punta Grande, Zelaya Sur, killing 3 people and wounding 5 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

December 13, 1983  A SECRET document (now declassified) states in part that “The number of US personnel in Honduras has increased sharply with the current military exercises, and this means additional opportunities for communist terrorists.  We have reports that Nicaraguan commandos are preparing some unspecified attacks against US personnel…Therefore, I request that you task your organizations to
take precautionary measures and to collect and summarize relevant
data to be provided to the Director of Central Intelligence who is requested t o provide a threat assessment due the week of
December 19, 1983 (MEMORANDUM FOR THE HONORABLE GEORGE P. SHULTZ (also to Caspar Weinberger & William J. Casey) SUBJECT: Central America–Portents of Potential Increased Terrorist Violence, Including Against US Targets, FOR THE PRESIDENT: by Robert C. McFarlane, Approved For Release 2009/04/23 : CIA-RDP85M00363R001202690004-2).”

December 14, 1983 SPC Michael McFadden, MOS 51M (firefighter) from Washington Courthouse dies in Honduras (DCAS).

December 16, 1983 A group of contras attacked the collective at El Valle Los Cedros, Nicaragua killing 8 people, burning 8 trucks, and kidnapping a woman nurse and 4 civilians (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

December 17, 1983 A group of contras invaded the encampment of INRA near the Punta Gorda frontier post, kidnapping all of the personnel there (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

December. 18, 1983 Approximately 300 contras attacked the settlement of Rio (El) Coco, Nicaragua, killing 16 civilian members of the militia and totally destroying the settlement (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169). Separately, 200 (or 400) contras attacked the town of Wamblan, Jinotega, Nicaragua killing 5 people including two women and two children (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169 [this may have occurred on December 19]).

December 19, 1983 In the sector of Los Perdenales, Nicaragua 21 people were killed in combat with members of a contra task force.  Separately, contras burned the Santa Ana farm near the Colon frontier post and kidnapped the entire family (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149).  Separately, Contras entered the Miskito village of Francia  Sirpe and forced the entire population to accompany them to Honduras.  In another separate attack, Contras burned the Santa Ana farm near Colon, Nica frontier post kidnapping the entire family (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

December 20, 1983 Nine separate mercenary forces (Contras) – each consisting of approximately 400 men – invaded northern Nicaragua from Honduras. Battles ensued, 151 Nicaraguan’s were killed and 140 wounded (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149).  Also, about 500 Contras attacked the district of El Cua, killing nine people and wounding 16 (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

December 22, 1983 Contras and Honduran soldiers attacked the cooperative at Los Cedros [about 15 miles inside Nicaragua], Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua killing 15 campesinos (farmers), and burned the ENABAS and MICONS warehouses (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169).

-Below Soviet built tanks in Nicaragua –

December 23, 1983 About 30 Contras ambushed a civilian pick-up truck in Las Playitas, kidnapping two workers for ENCAFE (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 169-170).

December 24 1983 Contras killed two people and wounded one in an attack on Calderon, Paiwas, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

December 25, 1983 Eighty contras kidnapped 20 civilians in the El Rosario sector, Nicaragua, and took them to Honduras (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

December 31, 1983 Nicaragua claims that military and paramilitary activities conducted by the U.S. have resulted in the deaths of 2,638 Nicaraguan nationals.  In 1984 alone 1,265 were killed according to Nicaragua.  The financial cost was estimated at over $378 million ( International Court of Justice, Case Concerning Military and Paramilitary Activities in and Against Nicaragua, Nicaragua v. U.S., Memorial of Nicaragua, Vol. IV, Chapter I, Section III, paragraph 151, pages 37-38; entered April 9, 1984 as #70, Judgment on November 26, 1984 and June 27, 1986, discontinued and removed September 26, 1991).  USCONTRAWAR.Com is still conducting research on Honduran military and civilian casualty totals.

December 1983 (late)  “In November 1983, new legislation was enacted appropriating ‘not more than’ $24,000,000 to finance the ‘covert activities’ in fiscal year 1984. This legislation, which was enacted into United States domestic law on 8 December 1983, explicitly stated that the $24,000,000 was to be used for the purpose of ‘supporting, directly or indirectly, military or paramilitary operations in Nicaragua.’ (Department of Defense Appropriation Act for 1984, Section 775, and Intelligence Authorization Act for 1984, Section 108, Ann. D, Attachments 3,4. In late December 1983, within weeks after the enactment of the new (U.S.) legislation a large mercenary force invaded Nicaragua from Honduras.  The invaders were repelled, but at a cost of many Nicaraguan dead and wounded.  WSJ 3/4/85.)”  [(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 23].

1984 Soviet tanks less than 1 mile from the Honduran border beginning in 1981.  This photo was taken in 1984.

January – February 1984 More than 155 mercenary (Contra) attacks against Nicaragua troops resulted in 254 Nicaraguan deaths (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  Nicaragua was also attacking Contra & Honduran forces in the same region.

January 1, 1984 Two launches (military boats) attacked a fishing vessel near Puerto Sandino, killing Noel Briceria (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 3, 1984 Contra forces ambushed 12 people who were going by boat on the Torsuany River south-west of Bluefields, Nicaragua.  Two Nicaraguans were killed, 2 wounded and 3 missing (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149). Also, at 12.30 a.m., two high-speed launches coming from Honduran waters in the Gulf of Fonseca entered Nicaraguan territorial waters and launched 10-minute mortar attack on the port of Potosi, in Chinandega Department. At the same time, an aircraft of undetermined type harassed the same port, fired rockets that landed 400 metres from the installations there, and subsequently withdrew towards Honduran territory, from which it had come.  And at 10:50 p.m., another aircraft of undetermined type, coming from Honduras, flew over the port of Potosi, Chinandega Department, firing rockets that landed on the installations of the ferry that operates in that locality, destroying the house of a peasant family.  The aircraft subsequently withdrew towards Honduran territory, there having been no loss of human life. (Note dated 5 January 1984; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).  In another attack, Contras attacked the town of Ciudad Antigua, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua killing one civilian militia and wounding two unarmed civilians before being driven away; and also Contras burned all the houses of Fila Las Marias, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 5, 1984 At 12:20 and 12:40 am, ‘piranha’ boats and two aircraft of undetermined type coming from Honduran territory fired four rockets on Puerto Potosi, causing considerable damage to the customs building and health center killing a civilian member of the militia and wounding 4 others (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Note No. 003 of 6 January 1984; Brockman to UN May 13, 1984; (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 6, 1984 Mr. Adolfo Perez Esquivel, winner of the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize, reported that 200 Nicaraguan Miskito Indians were murdered at a frontier post between Honduras and Nicaragua by a Honduran military patrol as the Indians were attempting to return to Nicaragua.  Honduras vigorously denied the accusation in this response (Honduras letter to UN SC S/16302, 27 January 1984; January 26, 1984, UPI, Foreign Minister denies Honduran involvement in Indian Massacre).

January 6, 1984 at 6.45 p.m., two high-speed launches of the “Pirana” type attacked the Port of Potosi, in Chinandeqa Department, for 5 minutes, firing four shells, and withdrew in the direction of the Port of San Lorenzo in Honduran territory. On the same day, at 8 p.m., two aircraft of undetermined type launched a 20-minute attack on the Port of Potosi and fired nine rockets, later withdrawing towards the Port of San Lorenzo in Honduran territory. Later, at 9:10 p.m., two fast aircraft of undetermined type launched a 15-minute attack on sectors adjoining the Port of Potosi, firing nine rockets and setting fire to a sesame plantation.  Two peasants were wounded in this criminal attack.  The aircraft later withdrew to Honduran territory.  (Note No. 004 of 7 January 1984; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).

January 7, 1984 The Chilean Embassy was bombed in Tegucigalpa, Honduras by unknown assailants. On this same day, 21 year old U.S. Army soldier SPC David Seitz, MOS 51C (Structural Specialist), from Robesonia, PA is killed in Honduras by an apparent accident (DCAS).

January 8, 1984 MISURA Contras killed Miskitos Nolasco and Francela Valisco, who had returned from Honduras to Lapan, Zelaya Norte, Nicaragua, and had been granted amnesty by the Nicaraguan Sandinista government in December (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 9, 1984  About 20 contras mined the highway between Mozonte and San Fernando, Nicaragua.  One mine destroyed a civilian truck, killing the driver (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149).  Separately, a mine on the highway between Mozonte and San Fernando, Nicaragua destroyed a truck, killing the driver (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 11, 1984. U.S. Army OH-58 helicopter pilot CW2 Jeffry Schwab, MOS 100B (Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot), from Joliet, IL was shot down and subsequently killed by Nicaraguan Sandinista government troops near the border town of Cifuentes, HO.  The U.S. maintains he was flying over Honduran territory, while Nicaragua claims he was flying over Nicaraguan airspace.  Two other U.S. service members in the helicopter escaped, with the help of the Honduran Army, while under enemy automatic weapons fire.  Schwab saved his passengers lives by auto-rotating the helo safely down.  Schwab was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and is the only U.S. service member listed by the US Archives, Defense Causality Analysis System as killed in Honduras as a result of a “terrorist” attack.  Schwab’s Purple Heart reads “FOR WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION IN HONDURAS ON 11 JANUARY 1984 WHICH RESULTED IN DEATH.”  (Copy of Jeff Schwab’s Purple Heart provided by his widow; The Hutchison News, 12 Jan 1984 p. 1; Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  HFP was issued to Schwab and likely the two other U.S. military members.  “In an effort to capitalize on these air and naval attacks, the CIA launched its mercenary forces on intensified ground assaults inside Nicaragua. In addition, on 11 January 1984 a United States Army UH-1H helicopter, providing logistical support to a mercenary attack force, penetrated Nicaraguan air space and was shot down by ground fire. The United States Army helicopter pilot, Jeffrey Schwab, was killed. The United States, after initially denying the violation of Nicaraguan air space, subsequently admitted that the aircraft was over Nicaraguan territory when it was brought down (DCAS; WP 1/29/84).  [(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 25].”  Schwab’s widow was paid $23.83 in Hostile Fire Pay!  Schwab’s official status should be changed to KIA and his family should be awarded a medal for Valor (author’s opinion).

Also January 11, 1984 Armondo Cerrato, Bureau Chief, ACAN News, Tegucigalpa, reported in 1988 to the St. Louis based Pledge of Resistance organization that eight additional U.S. Service Members were killed between the Departments of Olancho and Paraiso in a separate helicopter crash on January 11, 1984 (Pledge of Resistance, National Guard Update 68=4? THE NEW BODY COUNT, U.S. Military Who Have Died In Central America, Feb/Mar 1988, page 1 & 3, by Jerry Genesio).  Possibly a U.S. Marine helicopter.  These eight are not included in the lists of casualties.

January 12, 1984 About 30 contras kidnapped 12 civilians from the locale of Tito Izaguirre, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 15, 1984 About 60 contras kidnapped 2 Nicaraguans north-west of Dipilto, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149).

January 16, 1984 Contras kidnapped 30 campesinos from El Tablazo, near Dipilito in Nueva Segovia department, Nicaragua, and took them to the “Las Difficultades” camp in Honduras (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 19, 1984 “The US Embassy in Tegucigalpa indicated that in early January Sandinista forces killed some eight Miskito Indian refugees in Honduras and tried to blame the incident on the Hondurans.  Tegucigalpa officially protested the incident, and the US Embassy found the evidence persuasive (Atrocities in the Nicaraguan Civil War, March 25, 1985, Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/19 :CIA-RDP85TO1058R0101701-75, page 18)”

January 20, 1984 MSCP and Stanley-Vidmar design firms dispute over cabinet contracts with USG for “…two Navy vessels scheduled for imminent deployment to combat-ready duty stations (63 Comptroller General p 448).

January 21, 1984 Loma Quemada, Rio San Juan. ARDE contras entered Nicaragua 14 km northeast of San Carlos, kidnapping six topographers and three campesinos, and taking them to Costa Rica (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 24, 1984 – “We are at war with the communists who have invaded our organizations,” General Gustavo Alvarez Martinez Honduran CINC said (source UPI, Honduran Army Chief Says U.S. Presence Protects Nation).  Also, ARRDE contras kidnapped 30 campesinos between the ages of 13 and 20 from El Zapote, Rio San Juan [river between Nicaragua and Costa Rica];  separately, in Wiwili, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua, FDN contras attacked the “El Zapote” coffee farm owned by Felix Pedro Medina, and kidnapped six young men (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 25, 1984 In the Wilike sector, Nicaragua, about 20 contras ambushed a truck from Ministry of Construction, killing 2 civilians and wounding 8 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 30, 1984 About 60 contras invaded the town of Pueblo Nuevo, jurisdiction of Atlanta, Zelaya Sur, Nicaragua, kidnapping 5 militia members (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 149; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

January 31, 1984 “inhabitants of Esteli believed that nine anti-Sandinista insurgents (contras) said to have been killed in a mine explosion were in fact prisoners who had been unloaded from a military truck.  The locals, who buried the dead, alleged that the (Nicaraguan) Sandinista military rigged the explosion as a coverup for their execution.  One individual had a slit throat, and none of the dead had uniforms or weapons (Atrocities in the Nicaraguan Civil War, March 25, 1985, Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/19 :CIA-RDP85TO1058R0101701-75, page 18).”

February 1984  “Sandinistas attacked Costa Rican border guards at Conventillos, Costa Rica “CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

February 2, 1984 SGT Raymond Dickey from Ivanhoe, CA., PFC Robert Larsen from Omaha, NE., CPT Gilliam Nelson from Washington, MSGT John Santora, MOS 11B, from Bath die in a helicopter crash in Honduras. Four U.S. Army soldiers were killed and six others injured when their helicopter crashed in the mountains of Honduras (DCAS; New York Times 4 Feb 1984).

February 3, 1984 Six A-37 and Push and Pull airplanes penetrated Nicaraguan air space and fired rockets in the vicinity of the Casita volcano.  One of the rockets detonated some barrels of fuel, killing 3 soldiers and wounding others (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150).  In another attack, four aircraft of the push and pull type approached from Honduras (likely from Amapala at Tiger Island) and attacked a military unit of the Nicaraguan Army in the coastal town of Manzanillo, Department of Chinandega, Nicaragua. The airplanes withdrew back to Honduras after the attack (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

February 1984 The ports of Corinto, Puerto Sandino and El Bluff were mined. Five foreign commercial vessels were damaged (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).

February 5, 1984 Contras invaded the community of Waspado, Siuna, Nicaragua, kidnapping seven persons (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

February 7, 1984  About 50 Contras ambushed a civilian truck near La Azucena, Nicaragua, injuring nine civilians, including two pregnant women (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 170).

February 8, 1984 Big Pine II (Ahuas Tara II) officially ends.  The Air Force Special Operations Command officially lists Big Pine as a CONTINGENCY OPERATION.  Do any of the listed events appear to be ‘training and war games?’

So, what is a CONTINGENCY OPERATION?

This DoD Joint Publication states that an ‘Operation’ can become a CONTINGENCY OPERATION as a matter of law.

February 8, 1984 Recent heavy fighting was reported in the North and South of Nicaragua claiming 63 Contra fatalities by Nicaraguan soldiers.  Fighting was continuous.  Near Wiwii, in the province of Jinotega, 165 km north of Managua, fighting began last Friday and today continued to intensify (Nuevo Herald [Miami] February 8, 1984 63 Rebels Died, Said Managua, page 4).

February 12, 1984 at 6:20 a.m., two high-speed launches of the “‘Pirana” type, coming from Honduras, penetrated Nicaraguan territorial waters in the Punta San Jose sector, 8 kilometres north-west of the port of Potosi, in Chinandega Department, and then withdrew to their point of origin. Furthermore, at 3:20 p.m. on 12 February an olive-drab helicopter of undetermined type, coming from Honduras, overflew Punta San Jose, 8 kilometres north-west of the Port of Potosi, in Chinandeqa Department, and thereafter withdrew to its point of origin. (Note No. 034, dated 9 February 1984).

February 15, 1984 A platoon of combat Military Policeman (MP) from Panama “equipped for combat” arrive at Palmerola Air Base, Honduras.  Combat equipped MP units from Panama are deployed to Honduras on a rotational basis from 1983 to 1990 for non-training purposes.  Most were sent to protect U.S. assets, bases and military personnel, runways, radar stations, conduct occasional rescue missions, conduct convoy escorts and protect VIP’s.  These combat support missions required the MP’s to carry 45 caliber pistols or later 9mm, M16 and M60 machine guns with ammunition depending on mission.  Most of these U.S. assets are utilized to conduct the wars against Nicaragua and El Salvadoran leftist guerrillas from within Honduras.  Some examples include; planes take off from Palmerola and El Aguacate Honduras to conduct raids, surveillance, supply drops into Nicaragua and El Salvador.  Helicopters take off from these bases to inspect road building projects along the Nicaraguan border, prisoners captured in Nicaragua are brought back to El Aguacate and interrogated, radar stations provide intelligence data to Contra Forces and the El Salvadoran government, contra forces and El Salvadoran soldiers are trained in Honduras to better conduct the war.  In essence, the U.S. government orchestrated two civil wars from Honduras to help end communist expansion in Central America.  A Phase I Insurgency was officially acknowledged inside Honduras in 1986 by USCINCSO General Galvin.

February 16, 1984 A fishing boat (El Pescasa No. 22) exploded 2 mines set opposite the Pescasa dock.  Three crewmen were wounded and 2 missing.   Separately, about 35 contras kidnapped 10 workers north-east of Atlanta, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

February 20, 1984 About 30 Contras kidnapped five campesinos at Playa Hermosa and El Cedro, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

February 21, 1984 Contras kidnapped 30 campesinos at Cano La Cruz, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

February 24-25, 1984 “El Bluff ‘Q’ boats under the command of 3rd country nationals and manned by personnel from Central America conducted the operation.  Mother craft remained in international waters.  Four mines were placed in shipping channel.  Four Nicaraguan patrol craft were hit; two were sunk and two were damaged.  All four were converted fishing boats.  Two KIA [killed in action] and four WIA [wounded] [(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 25].”

March 1984 More than 6,000 Contras invade Nicaragua. Boats from San Lorenzo, Honduras attacked Nicaraguan ports on ten different occasions (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984). In March alone, more than 300 Nicaraguans were killed or wounded [(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 25].

March 2, 1984 Contras assassinated 2 workers in the Ruben Dario district, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 3, 1984 at 6 a.m., a helicopter coming from Honduran territory launched a rocket attack on the Potosi ferry installations in the Gulf of Fonseca, without causing any damage. The attack having been repelled, it withdrew in the direction of Honduras.  Later, another helicopter fired two rockets at a Nicaraguan patrol boat that was carrying out routine surveillance duties in the Punta San Jose sector in that Gulf.  The helicopter withdrew in the direction of (Tiger) Amapala Island. (Note of 4 March; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).

March 4, 1984 About 50 Contras kidnapped five campesinos in San Pedro, near San Jose de Bocay (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 5, 1984 at 2 am, two high-speed launches of the “Pirana” type, accompanied by a gunboat and aircraft of undetermined number and type, attacked three Nicaraguan coastguard vessels in the Punta San Jose sector in the Gulf of Fonseca.  Second Lt. Javier Mayorga, commander of coastguard vessel 308, and crew members Fransisco Mena Baltodano, radio operator, and Jorge Castellon Pena, first engineer, were killed in this criminal attack.  Crew members Ivan Cerna, Warrant Officer, Humberto Calero, chief engineer, and Henry Arias Amaya, radio operator, were wounded (Note No. 042 of 5 March 19984; Brockman to UNSC May 13, 1984).  Also, Contras assassinated a member of the Nicaraguan FSLN south of Nueva Guinea, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 6, 1984 Contras and Honduran soldiers attacked Santo Tomas del Norte, Chinandega, Nicaragua, killing one year old Carina Cardenas Rivas (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 7, 1984 Mercenaries (Contras) blew up a government owned fuel truck carrying 8,000 gallons of propane gas as it entered Nicaragua at Playas Somotos (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  Also, Contras launched a rocket attack from sea on San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 8, 1984 The Panamanian ship Los Caribes hit a mine in the Port of Corinto, Nicaragua, injuring 3 persons and seriously damaging the ship (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 9, 1984 In Cano Mollejones, Nicaragua, a group of contras assassinated 5 campesinos (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150).  Also, contras kidnapped 25 civilians who were traveling in a MICONS boat in the Siwas canal near La Cruz de Rio Grande, Nicaragua.  Separately, Contras kidnapped three militia members in La Pedrera (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 10, 1984 Honduran military units helping Contra forces attack Nicaraguan forces inside Nicaragua.

March 11, 1984 About 100 contras burned houses in Copapar and killed 3 civilians in Pedro Mocho, Nicaragua.  Separately, about 60 contras assassinated 5 campesinos in Fila Los Mojones, Nicaragua  (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 12, 16 & 18, 1984 several contra kidnapping incidents occurred involving over 30 Nicaraguans in numerous villages (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150).

March 14, 1984 – NBC News Tom Brokaw “Honduras Fighting” source Reagan Library archives.  Also, Contras attacked San Jose, Rio San Juan, Nicaragua / Costa Rica border, killing an eight year old boy and wounding four other children.  In yet another attack, Contras killed three campesinos and burned the entire village of El Copalon, Rio San Juan (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 16, 1984 San Ramon, Jalaguina, Matagalpa, Nicaragua, Contras kidnapped, mutilated, and beheaded eight farm workers, including Fransisco Gonzalez, Guevarra, a teacher, Artuto Calero, local school director, and Jose Casco, head of the local Sandinista association (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 18, 1984 Contras kidnapped several campesinos from San Jose, near San Juan de Limay, Nicaragua, and retreated to Santa Martha, where they kidnapped 11 more campesinos (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 171).

March 19, 1984 In the Chaguiton sector of Nicaragua, a group of contras ambushed and killed 15 Nicaraguan military reservists.  Separately, about 150 contras ambushed Nicaraguan troops at El Plantel, near San Sebastian de Yali, Nicaragua killing 16 soldiers (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150).  Also, five campesinos were killed in an ambush in San Jose de Cusmapa, Madriz, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

March 20, 1984 The Soviet tanker Lugansk was damaged by an explosion caused by a mine set near the buoys at Puerto Sandino, Nicaragua.  Five people were injured.  Separately, contras kidnapped 2 civilians at La Patriota, Matagalpa, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 150; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

March 23, 1984 Contras killed twp people and burned two houses and a truck in La Rica, Jinotega, Nicaragua.  The same day, contras killed 13 and wounded 15 in San Rafael del Norte, Jinotega, Nicaragua, they also stole medicine from the health center and destroyed the gas station, children’s library, and many homes (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

March 24, 1984 Fifty contras invaded Quebrada El Agua, kidnapping as adult education worker (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

March 25, 1984 El Salvadoran Presidential Elections Round 1; Round 2 was held on May 6th.  These were highly anticipated elections, the U.S. fearing additional violence held several military ‘exercises’ and Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercises (EDRE’s) in Honduras including Operation Kilo Punch, Grenadero I and Ocean Venture totaling some 35,000 troops.  Many U.S. Navy ships participated (Washington’s War on Nicaragua book; US Civic Action in Honduras, 1982 -1985 Maj. Bernard E. Harvey Oct. 1988, State Dept. Bulletin 1984 p. 91).  About 100 contras killed 5 people and kidnapped 13 others at the Las Brisas co-operative, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151).  Also, Contras ambushed a MICONS truck in Cuesta Las Brisas, Nicaragua, kidnapping all of its occupants (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

March 26, 1984 A coordinated attack and bombings at five different Honduran government complexes in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa took place. The Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement and others claimed responsibility.  FIVE SEPARATE BUT COORDINATED TARGETS STRUCK BY THE CINCHONEROS INCLUDED THE HONDURAN SUPREME COURT BUILDING AND A MILITARY SCHOOL IN TEGUCIGALPA, TWO POLICE STATIONS AND THE SALVADORAN CONSULATE IN SAN PEDRO SULA (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 32; Waghelstein); a police station in Barandillas, the police station in Medina neighborhoods and the Salvadoran Consulate, in Rio de Piedra district all in San Pedro Sula; the Army offices training center and killing one at the Honduran Supreme Court building in Tegucigalpa; injuries were also reported (UMD GTD).  Also, 100 Contras attacked the State farm at El Arco, near San Sebastian de Yali, Nicaragua killing 23 militia (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

March 26, 1984 in Nicaragua: 100 contras attacked the State farm at El Arco, near San Sebastian de Yali, killing 23 militia members.  Separately, 60 contras ambushed 3 trucks carrying Nicaragua soldiers killing 21 and burned the trucks (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151).

March 28, 1984 The British merchant ship Inderchaser, which was carrying a cargo of molasses from the Port of Corinto, was damaged by a mine.  Later, the ship Aracely Perez, which was sweeping for mines at that port, hit another mine and was damaged (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151).

March 29, 1984 About 300 contras attacked the border post at Sandy Bay, kidnapping 80 residents of the town, killing 4 people and wounding 8 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

March 30, 1984 The fishing boat Alma Sultana exploded an object of undetermined type as it was carrying out minesweeping duties between buoys 1 and 2 of the Corinto channel in Nicaragua.  It later sank.  An explosion damaged the Japanese merchant ship Terushio as it was entering the Port of Corinto escorted by two vessels sweeping for mines (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151).

April 1984  “Nicaraguan naval vessels captured two Costa Rican fishing boats in Costa Rican waters (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

Spring 1984  “A Costa Rican security official claimed a Nicaraguan mortar round fell near the Pan American Highway at Pena Blancas; six border guards investigating the mortar attack came under Sandinista machine gun fire (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2.)”

April 1984 the Foreign Minister of Honduras told the UN Security Council that Honduras “is the object of aggression made manifest through a number of incidents by Nicaragua against our territorial integrity and civilian population.”

April 1, 1984 Exercise Grenadero I commences involving 3,500 U.S. troops.  In Nicaragua, about 35 contras attacked the Serrano district, killing the local police chief and kidnapping the head of the local CDS.  Also, in a separate attack, 60 contras attacked Colonia Fonseca, near Nueva Guinea, killing 2 Nicaraguans and wounding 11 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151).

April 2, 1984 Contras burned two houses and killed a child at Santa Cruz, near Quilali, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172).

April 3, 1984 About 1,000 contras simultaneously attacked the town of Waslala, central Zelaya, Nicaragua and surrounding areas, killing 37 and kidnapping 210 people.  The killings during this attack were particularly gruesome (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 172). Another report claims 300 Contras killed at least 16 Nicaraguans and wounded 14.  15 people were missing.  Two nearby bridges were also attacked (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151).

April 4, 1984 About 150 contras armed with rifles and machine guns attacked and burned the State farm at La Colonia, near San Rafael del Yali, Nicaragua, killing 6 Nicaraguans (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151; (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 5, 1984 An unknown number of contras ambushed 3 State trucks near Kusuli, Nicaragua, kidnapping the civilian occupants and burning the trucks and the local school.  Separately, contras assassinated one militia member and kidnapped 30 civilians from Laguna Verde, then retreated toward El Morado hill, where they assassinated a school teacher (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 6 – 13, 1984 Several contra attacks occurred involving kidnappings and destroying or damaging electrical towers, phone and health buildings (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151).

April 8, 1984 Contras invaded the community of Maniwalta, Nicaragua killing five and kidnapping 15 people (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 9, 1984 Nicaragua files its case against the U.S. with the International Court of Justice (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984, Case Concerning Military and Paramilitary activities against Nicaragua).

Also on April 9, 1984 Contras kidnapped 12 campesinos at La Pita, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 10, 1984 Unknown assailants bombed the El Salvadoran Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  Also, in Nicaragua, Contras kidnapped 15 campesinos near Valle El Cua.  Separately, Contras attacked the ENABAS post in the Kurinwas sector, near Nueva Guinea, assassinating four members of a cooperative, kidnapping one person and taking 500,000 Cordobas (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 12, 1984 A USG Official claimed that American advisors based in El Salvador “had occasionally engaged in combat missions and targeted or bombed guerrilla positions.” (New York Times 12 April 1984).

April 12, 1984 – The USS Gallery, a Perry-class fast frigate is named in Nicaraguan mining mission (The Evening Bulletin, p. A-6).

April 15, 1984 In Las Chichiguas, La Concordia, Jinotega, Nicaragua, Contras kidnapped 12 year old Pedro Martin Herrara Duarte along with four neighbors.  Herrera escaped 22 days later (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 16, 1984 About 150 contras kidnapped 25 civilians at Teocintal, Nicaraguan.  Separately, 40 contras burned a State farm located at San Gabriel Hermitage, near San Sebastian de Yali.  Also, 30 contras ambushed a MICONS truck 4 km south of Munukuku (or Mulukuku), killing 2 civilians and wounding one.  In addition, 70 Contras attacked the settlement of Los Chiles, killing three civilian defenders and wounding two others (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 151; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 17, 1984 About 400 contras kidnapped 7 people at San Jose de Kilambe, Nicaragua.  In a separate attack, 300 contras attacked the settlement of Sumubilia, Nicaragua, with mortar and rifle fire killing two policeman and kidnapping 27 (or 37) civilians.  The contras also destroyed the Sandinista police HQ, the health center, the machinery of the cacao project and the INRA warehouses.  Also, about 400 Contras kidnapped seven campesinos at San Jose de Kilambe (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 152; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 18, 1984 – Two U.S. Army helicopters, one with Senators Lawton Chiles (D-FL) and J. Bennett Johnston (D-LA) were struck by hostile fire and forced down near Marcala, in Honduran airspace 12 miles from the El Salvadoran border.  The other copter was carrying Dianna Negroponte, wife of U.S. Ambassador to Honduras, was shot at but missed.  Both copters made forced landings inside Honduras.  U.S. military rescue forces from Palmerola AB were mobilized and dispatched to the scene to protect the downed copters and personnel but later ordered to stand down (authors personal accounts; Washington Post, April 19, 1984 U.S. Army Copter is Forced Down).  Some reports claim both copters were struck by ground fire.  Why didn’t the Democrat Senators demand President Reagan report this incident under the WPR or AECA?  The Senators delegation visited Panama, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua and encountered enemy hostile fire only in Honduras.   For additional information on this attack, see the following report by the two Senators involved where they report “[t]he itinerary was to include tours of the refugee camp at Colomoncagua, under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and tours of military facilities in Comayagua and Cucuyagua; however, the delegation’s itinerary was necessarily cut short after the helicopters carrying the delegation came under gue[r]rilla fire near the Honduran-Salvadoran border (UNITED STATES ECONOMIC AND SECURITY ASSISTANCE IN CENTRAL AMERICA, Report on a Field Survey in EL Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua, Submitted by Senator J. Bennett Johnston and Senator Lawton Chiles, May 1984, HONDURAS page 9 [Approved For Release 2009/02/09 : CIA-RDP86M00886R001200340003-2])”.

April 18, 1984 A group of contras kidnapped 21 families at Wamblancito, Nicaragua and took them toward Honduran territory (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 152; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 19, 1984 50 Contras destroyed the State farm at La Paz, near San Sebastian de Yali, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 23-24, 1984 Three contra task forces fought Nicaraguan troops in the La Rica District, Nicaragua, killing 15 soldiers, 3 campesinos, and destroying the local media station, the militia HQ and 2 houses (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 152; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 24, 1984 Twenty Contras burned State farms at San Luis and Buena Vista, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 25, 1984 About 20 Contras ambushed an ENABAS truck south of Nueva Guinea, killing the driver and an assistant (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 173).

April 26, 1984, eight days after the Senator’s helicopter is shot down in Honduras,  House Joint Resolution 557 – 98th Congress (1983-1984) is introduced by Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez (D-TX-20).  The following excerpts help clarify the situation:

“Honduras, for example, has been transformed by our occupation, for indeed, we are occupying Honduras and have so for quite some time.  We have transformed the poorest nation in Central America into a strategic bastion through the guise of continual military maneuvers.  We are involved in a clandestine war against Nicaragua.  The number of Americans in El Salvador is much greater than has been officially represented, and I have been reporting this for more than 2 1/2 years thanks to imaginative ways of counting advisers.

Furthermore, Americans have been involved in combat support operations in El Salvador (from Honduras & Panama). Through the provisions of aerial reconnaissance (from Honduras & Panama), we have been using the same tactics where we have complete control of the air as we did in Vietnam.

We have been involved in combat support operations in El Salvador and elsewhere, through the provisions, as I said, of these particular maneuvers (in Honduras).  The involvement is so intense that American advisers in EI Salvador alone have been the target of assassination, have come under fire repeatedly because of the close involvement with active military units.

We know that the CIA oversaw the sabotage of Nicaraguan oil tankers, that U.S. reconnaissance flights have aided the Salvadoran military in tracking down guerrilla units, so-called guerrilla units, that the United States is establishing a semipermanent military presence in Honduras. Apparently the Reagan administration is operating under the philosophy of what the Congress does not know or will not know will not hurt them.

At this moment, and now for about a year, we have surrounded Nicaragua alone with 30,000 of our military, in the air on the land, on the sea.  Military aid has been pumped into the civil war in El Salvador.  Arms are flowing to the so-called rebels or Contras in Nicaragua (and Honduras).  United States-Honduran military exercises easily take place off both coasts of Central America.

The nation of El Salvador and the Nicaraguan-Honduran and Honduran-El Salvador borders are areas of hostility as defined by the War Powers Resolution.  U.S. Journalists, Congressmen, military personnel enter the area at greater risk to their lives than ever before.

Given that, U.S. military personnel have been deployed in Honduras, have been participating in the Salvadoran civil war, and directing Salvadoran troops with U.S. reconnaissance planes and also using them to bomb with, A- 37’s.

I have introduced a resolution that would invoke the War Powers Resolution, directing the President to remove U.S. troops within 60 days, unless the Congress declares war.

First, there can be no question that the United States is involved in hostilities, just as in the case of Beirut, where the President answered in December 1982 that the marines were there in nonhostile, even though they were fully equipped for combat, and that they were there as peacekeepers.  The same thing here.  Even though the War Powers Resolution did not contemplate clandestine or secret wars, it is clear that a number of U.S. military personnel must, in one way or another, be involved in the support of the CIA operation against Nicaragua alone.

If we need further evidence of the hostile nature of the area in which our forces are operating, consider only that the U.S. helicopters, supposedly operating inside the friendly airspace of Honduras, have been repeatedly attacked, most recently when a helicopter bearing two U.S. Senators was forced down by hostile gunfire.  Or consider that American advisers in El Salvador have been in the midst of firefights.  Or consider that U.S. personnel fly military observation and bombing mission flights (from Honduras & Panama) that are in the nature of direct combat support of the Salvadoran Government’s forces.

In the curious way that our troops are counted, however, the Americans who train Salvadorans in camps located in Honduras are not counted among the Salvadoran advisers.  It depends on when the count is taken.  If the count is to be taken on a certain day, they move our troops from Salvadoran soil back to Honduras and count, and bring them back the next day.  Neither are the American fliers who provide combat reconnaissance missions counted as advisers because of the handy technicality that their bases are in Honduras, not in Salvador, nor are American medical personnel counted as advisers.

These and other subterfuges are used to obscure the fact that American armed forces for combat have been introduced into Central America in ever growing numbers, and for purposes other than training.  These are facts that exactly fit the case of the War Powers Resolution.  These are armed forces being built up in foreign areas for purposes well beyond any training mission.  Their deployment is, therefore, subject to the War Powers Resolution.

Likewise, these forces are operating in a hostile area and the environment there is growing more violent as each day passes.  It is absolutely inevitable that American personnel who are so intimately engaged in the conflicts of Central America will come under increasing fire and fall victims to that fire.

The only question right now is when?  The fact of the danger cannot be denied.  The American Embassy in El Salvador suffers from occasional attacks.  A key adviser has been murdered there. Military personnel assigned to units in the countryside have come under fire a number of times in the past few months, many times wholly unreported.

Nor are these the only such incidents.  The fact of the hostile environment cannot be ignored, and it is also a case that fits the definition of the War Powers Resolution.   Untold numbers of Americans have died and are continuing to die, shot down in the planes in which they are contracted out for by the CIA, not only over Salvador but over Honduras and Nicaraguan areas. Those poor Americans, of course, are what used to be defined as mercenaries and nobody counts them when they are killed.”

April 29, 1984 Seventy Contras burned the cooperative and a house located in Valle Santo Domingo, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

April 30, 1984 Army or CIA member Hector Louis Torres-Jove, from Arecibo, Puerto Rico is the first American killed in combat in Nicaragua by Nicaraguan Sandinista soldiers (Washington Post, September, 5, 1984, Pair Died in Nicaraguan Clash).

May 2, 1984 The Nicaraguan state owned fishing vessel Pedro Arauz Palacios was destroyed by a mine in the Puerto Corinto access channel.  Separately, an attack involving four contras dressed in uniforms of the Nicaraguan militia invaded the community of Cano Azul, kidnapping 9 people (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 152; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 3, 1984 In Limbaica, Zelaya Norte, Nicaragua, a service truck of the Corporation Forestal del Pueblo, carrying several Miskito Indians, was ambushed by about 70 Contras.  Nuno Cornelio, Napoleon Dixon and Tomas Campbell were tortured and killed, while Luisa Solorzano and German Aragon were seriously injured.  The truck was burned by the Contras (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 4, 1984 About 50 contras kidnapped 9 people at Colonia La Providencia, near Nueva Guinea, Nicaragua.  Separately, 60 contras ambushed and burned a truck at the Sapoa bridge on the Limbaica highway, killing 3 Miskitos Indians and wounding 2 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 152; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 5, 1984 a group of contras burned the State farm at Castillo Norte, Nicaragua, killing 8 people.  Also, 8 contras kidnapped 14 persons in the sector of Jocomico, Nicaragua, and took them toward Honduran territory (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 152; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 7, 1984 One hundred contras armed with rifles, machine guns, and mortars, attacked the border post and settlement of Palo de Arco, Nicaragua, kidnapping 40 civilians.  Also, 6 civilians were killed and 3 wounded when the contras threw a grenade into a shelter.  Separately, contras attacked positions of the Nicaraguan Army at Palo de Arguito, killing 4 civilians (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 152; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 8, 1984 Nicaragua shoots down a U.S. made helicopter killing five Honduran Air Force crewmen and three Honduran civilians.  The helo departed Amapala on Tiger Island, Honduras and was shot down near Potosi, Nicaragua in the Gulf of Fonseca.  A second helo escaped without damage.  “U.S. Army Commander” was printed on the tail of the downed chopper.

May 9, 1984 The U.S. Congress addresses growing concerns over American troop involvement in CA reconfirming the Constitutional obligations of the U.S. President when considering involving American troops in combat or imminent danger.  Reports to Congress were never submitted by President Reagan leading to the covert actions and secret deployments of U.S. combat equipped uniformed service members to Honduras ( U.S. Military Involvement in Hostilities in Central America: Markup Before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-eight Congress, Second Session, on H. Res. 484, May 9, 1984).

Also on May 9, 1984 Six Contras kidnapped two militia in the Quebrada Las Pilas sector, later assassinating one of them (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 11, 1984 Ricardo Benandes, a health worker was ambushed and killed by Contras on the road from Telpaneca.  The Contras also burned his truck (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 13, 1984 Sixty contras attacked the Jorgito district, Nicaragua, killing 15 militia members (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 153).  This source claims that five women, nine children and many men were killed.  And separately, 400 Contras burned the La Ventana Cooperative in El Jilguero, Nicaragua killing one person and ten were missing (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 14, 1984 Unknown terrorists using a firearm assassinated Alejandro Puerto Calix, Regional Chief of INA (National Agrarian Institute) in the town of Tocoa [near Sinaloa], Colon Department, Honduras (UMD GTD).

May 15, 1984 El Salvador sent a battalion of 1,200 combat troops to Honduras to join U.S. during training exercises in Honduras near the El Salvadoran border. Leftist guerrillas claim the U.S. exercises are a “cover for stepped-up U.S. involvement in the Salvadoran conflict.” (Wisconsin State Journal 15 May 1984 p. 4 s. 4).  In Nicaragua, 500 Contras attacked the state farm at Castillio Norte, Jinotega killing more than 20 and destroying the farm (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 16, 1984 Contras attacked and destroyed the communities of Los Planes, Las Montanitas, El Robledal, Buena Vista, and San Jeronimo, Esteli Nicaragua, causing ten million cordobas in damage while causing hundreds to flee (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 19, 1984 Contras attacked San Juan del Rio Coco, Jinotega, Nicaragua, destroying farm equipment, installations, fuel and food.  They also stole cattle, horses, fowl and cash, and burned several houses.  They killed Lydia Perez, coordinator of the AMNLAE, and Carmelo Martinez was reported missing (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 23, 1984 Contras attacked the El Garrobo cooperative near Waslala, Nicaragua, burning ten houses.  Separately, 60 Contras attacked and kidnapped 11 families in Tumarin sector, Zelaya Central (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 24, 1984 During a debate on the funding request, Representative Edward Boland, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said we must “demonstrate to the other body [the Senate] our unstinting commitment to end this deadly war (130 Cong. Rec. H 4796, May 24, 1984).”

May 26, 1984 Contras kidnapped four campesinos in the Colonia Providencia, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 174).

May 28, 1984 Approximately 250 contras burned the Moises Herrera cooperative near San Jose de Bocay, later killing one civilian and kidnapping seven others in the Bocaycito district. In a separate attack, ICQ contras invaded Alamikamba, kidnapping six members of the militia and 40 other civilians and assassinating one member of the militia. They also attacked the local ENABAS post, from which they took 15,000 cordobas, and fired on two IREN A pick-up trucks. Also, three hundred contras invaded Valle La Union, kidnapping three campesinos (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

May 30, 1984 Four journalists, including American Linda Frasier with Tico Times, were killed and ARDE Contra leader Eden Pastora was seriously injured in La Penca, Costa Rica when an explosive devise was detonated during a press conference by unknown terrorists (likely Sandinistas).  There were a total of four attempts on Pastora’s life (Atrocities in the Nicaraguan Civil War, March 25, 1985, Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/19 :CIA-RDP85TO1058R0101701-75, page 16).

Summer 1984 U.S. military buildup in Honduras so far.

Summer 1984 – 1986 Project Gray Wolf, San Lorenzo air field; remotely piloted vehicles (RPV), better known as drones, the R4E-40 Sky Eye, was the first drone flown in actual combat support missions.  All members were attached to the 138th AVN EW Co., an arm of Task Force 138, wearing civilian clothes and living at a nearby Motel, conducted reconnaissance and surveillance missions looking down on El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras relaying almost realtime data to field commanders.

June 1, 1984 Contras attacked the town of Ocotol, Nicaragua, killing 16 Nicaraguans and wounding 27.  Also, the contras burned the State lumber yard, the electric company building, the silos of ENABAS, the radio station and other buildings.  Also, at Limbaica, Contras burned State facilities and kidnapped several civilians (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 153; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 2, 1984 Three separate contra attacks occurred in the areas of El Pajaro and Las Brisas, Nicaragua resulting in the deaths of numerous people, multiple kidnappings and damage to structures (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 153; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 5, 1984 Contras kidnapped 63 people near Alamikamba, Sumugila, La Agricola and Lapan, Nicaragua.  Also, near Brujil, contras kidnapped four civilians (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 153; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 10, 1984 Contra forces attacked a Nicaraguan Sandinista Army unit at El Jocote, Honduras.  Also, contras attacked a co-operative near Waswalita, Nicaragua killing 2 and wounding 3 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 153; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

The Contra and Nicaraguan Sandinista government attacks and counterattacks continued in Honduras and Nicaragua for many years. The intensity came and went based on political and socio-economic conditions.

June 12, 1984 Suspected Salvadoran Guerrillas using M-16’s and grenades attacked a private home taking several hostages and killing three in the interior town of Cololaca, Lempira Department, Honduras (UMD GTD).

June 13, 1984 Contras kidnapped CDS leader Florentino Lopez Estrada near Bluefields.  He escaped after being taken to a contra camp in the jungle. Another teacher, Florentin Lev an, was also kidnapped in the same area but did not return.  Errol Dixon, son of a local CDS leader was later kidnapped with his mother in Brown Bank.  She was released but he was not (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 14, 1984 Contras mutilate and kill Victorino Martinez Urbina in Cuicuinita, Siuna, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 15, 1984 About 30 Contras burned the Oscar Benavidos Cooperative at El Cacao, near Sebaco and burned six vehicles (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 16, 1984 Contras kidnapped 30 campesinos in the Valle San Juan sector, near San Jose de Bocay, Nicaragua  (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 19, 1984 Several battles occurred near San Marcos de Colon, Honduras.  Nicaraguan military forces entered Honduras near Cerro el Variador, Nicaragua and engaged Honduran forces for eight hours.

June 20, 1984 In the district of Aza Central, Zelaya Norte, Nicaragua, twelve Contras kidnapped eight Nicaraguans (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 23, 1984 Contras kidnapped Cirillo Jarquin, Delegate of the Word, in Coperna, Siuna, Nicaragua.  He later escaped (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 25, 1984 C-4 explosives were placed on 2 railroad cars coming from Honduras which were transporting agriculture machinery for cotton.  The explosion occurred when the cars were near the Somoto granary and El Espino Park causing damage and injuring one person (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 175).

June 26, 1984 Contras entered Tasbapauni, Zelaya Sur, Nicaragua, and kidnapped schoolteacher Florent Leyan Lopez at gunpoint (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

June 28, 1984 Contras entered Brown Bank, near Bluefields in Zelaya, Nicaragua looking for the schoolteacher Pedro Sambola Adkinson, 38. When they found his house, they pulled him out into the front yard and began to torture him in front of his wife, their seven children, his step-father, and his wife’s grandfather. The Contras cut off his ears and tongue, and forced him to chew and swallow them. Then the contras cut off his penis; then they killed him (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

June 29, 1984 About 100 contras intercepted an IRNA truck in Ocote Quipo, Nicaragua, kidnapping 10 people (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

June 30, 1984 About 90 ADRE Contras took over the town of El Tortuguero, Nicaragua, killing 8 civilians and 7 Nicaraguan soldiers.  Five soldiers were wounded and one is missing. The local Health Center and offices of the National Development Bank were destroyed.  Separately, contras coming from Chachagua invaded La Bujona, Nicaragua kidnapping 15 people.  In another attack, 250 Contras ambushed a truck in the El Barro sector, near Wiwili, killing three people and wounding five (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 1984 – INFILTRATION INTO EL PARAISO DEPARTMENT OF AT LEAST 19 GUERRILLAS TRAINED IN CUBA; MOST DESERTED OR WERE CAPTURED (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 33; Waghelstein). “Some 20 Honduran guerrillas trained in Cuba and Nicaragua infiltrated into Honduras, supervised and supported by Sandinista Army; group had been issued M-16’s–some of which have been traced to Vietnam–in Nicaragua; instructed to create military organizations, conduct political and military training, organize intelligence collection, and create a logistics base; Honduran military rounded up most by October 1984 (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

American soldiers were training El Salvadoran soldiers in northern Honduras at the RMTC (CREM) while El Salvador was at war with leftist guerrillas.

July 1, 1984 In the sector of San Martin and San Ramon, Nicaragua, about 20 contras ambushed a truck, killing 4 people and wounding one.  Separately, contras kidnapped 3 civilians from the farm of Francisco Herrera, in Cano Tomas, and 30 contras kidnapped 6 people at Cano El Guayabo.  In San Juan Karahola, Nicaragua, a group of contras ambushed a boat associated with INRA.  2 people were killed and 4 wounded.  Also, 10 contras invaded Brown Bank, assassinating Pedro Sambolas, a local school teacher and head of the militia.  Furthermore, in San Juan de Karahola, a group of Contras ambushed a boat which was on a project for INRA.  Two people were killed and four wounded  (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 2, 1984 About 300 contras ambushed a truck in the El Guale sector of Nicaragua, near San Rafael del Norte, killing 13 people and wounding nine (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 3, 1984 About 250 contras ambushed 3 MICONS trucks between Kubali and Puente Zinica, Nicaragua, killing 3 and wounding 3, also 6 were kidnapped.  Separately, contras invaded San Pedro de Asa, kidnapping 19 people, and killed three campesinos in Wasala (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 5, 1984 Thirty contras kidnapped 40 people in Minisola, Nicaragua and another 65 civilians nearby.  Separately, the bodies of four campesinos murdered by Contras were found along a river bank in Rio Escondido, Zelaya, Nicaragua  (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 6, 1984 Four hundred contras kidnapped 9 civilians in Vigia Sur, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 7, 1984 Contras ambushed Nicaraguan troops at Valle Las Condegas, Nicaragua, killing 18 soldiers and wounding six.  Separately, 70 contras ambushed a truck at El Porvenir, Nicaragua killing seven and wounding four.  Two were reported missing (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 8, 1984 A group of contras invaded Las Conchitas, Nicaragua, kidnapping 8 campesinos.  Also, 40 contras ambushed a boat carrying Nicaraguan troops toward Brown Bank, killing 7 soldiers (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176).

July 10, 1984 Contras ambushed an IRENA truck in El Jocote, Nicaragua, kidnapping 1 civilian and wounding another.  In the sector of Los Alpes, the same Contra group kidnapped 4 campesinos.  Also, contras ambushed a truck south-east of Nueva Guinea, assassinating four civilians and wounding four.  Also,  ARDE Contras invaded Rama Cay in Bluefields Bay.  Before retreating with 15 captives, they destroyed several houses, robbed the store, and damaged the school building.  Five hundred of the seven hindred residents of the island have since gone as refugees to Bluefields (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 176-177).

July 11, 1984. In Yali, Matagalpa. FDN contras stopped a truck and kidnapped Oscar Perez, an IRENA worker.  They then attacked the village of El Ocote and kidnapped Nidia Torres and Roberto Carcamo, and went on to attack the nearby Los Alpes cooperative where they kidnapped Ernesto and Juan Jose Garcia, Primitivo Nunez, Laureano Flores and Denis Vilchez.  During this last attack Perez and Torres, who was wounded, managed to escape (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 177).

July 12, 1984 About 100 contras attacked the settlement of Columbus, Nicaragua, killing 2 militia members.  They also kidnapped 6 members of the militia and 32 civilian young people and looted the shops and warehouses of ENABAS of 27,346.25 worth in cordobas.  Also, contras kidnapped 4 civilians in the El Jiguero sector.  Separately, in the El Achiote district, about 30 contras kidnapped 3 civilians (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 154-5).  Another version of these attacks follows: in Columbus, Zelaya. MISURA forces attacked this Miskito resettlement area, forcing 52 young students to walk to Honduras. Sixteen excaped but the others were taken to MIS URA’s military school (CIMM) for training. Those who refused were kept in wooden pens. On August 2, 12 escaped and made ( contact with the U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees. At the ^ airstrip to go to Tegucigalpa, they were retaken by MISURA i which held them and beat them until the UNHCR again inter- | ceded. One returnee says there are still 22 Columbus students being held against their will at the CIMM. In a separate attack, contras kidnapped four civilians in the El Jiguero sector. Also, in the El Achiote district, a group of approximately 30 contras kidnapped three civilians.  In Sontule, Esteli, the contras attacked the Filemon Rivera cooperative killing two and wounding three including West German technical advisor Thomas Hunt, age 24 (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 177).

July 13, 14 & 17, 1984 Contras kidnapped a known 31 plus others in the Nicaraguan towns of San Sebastian de Yali, Tasba Pri, Fila Teocintal and Helado Hill, a person was killed in Miraflor (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155).

July 18, 1984 In Acoyapa, Chontales, Nicaragua, Contras ambushed a bus containing some 15 foreign workers. French volunteer Katherine Vince and Nicaraguan communications worker Maria Ester Strever were among the four wounded (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 177).

July 19, 1984 About 80 contras ambushed a truck in El Guabo, Nicaragua, killing 3 citizens and wounding 14.  Separately, contras ambushed several military and civilian vehicles in the Paiwata sector, killing 4 people and wounding 5.  They also sabotaged the electric and telephone lines (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 177-178).

July 20, 1984 Approximately 120 contras ambushed a civilian truck with passengers and a truck of INRA in the sector of Fila Posolera, near Waslala, killing 4 people and kidnapping another.  In a separate attack,  an FDN Contra task force attacked El Cairo, near El Espino, killing a militia member and wounding six civilians including three small children; and 60 Contras raided the home of a miner in Cinco Pinos, kidnapping three people (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 178).

July 21, 1984  In Matiguas, Matagalpa, Nicaragua, contras assassinated Noel Rivera, a local popular coffee grower, was kidnapped and later neaten and bayoneted to death.  Separately, contras ambushed a civilian jeep in the sector of El Toro, Rio Blanco Copalar highway, killing 4 civilians and wounding 1 while stealing a large number of cattle.  Also, 18 contras attacked the district of Guadalupe, kidnapping 4.  Additionally, contras ambushed a truck at San Pablo de Kubali, killing 4 militia members and kidnapping 3 farmers (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 178).

July 23, 1984 About 200 contras attacked the town of San Martin with mortars and rifle fire, kidnapping 2 militia members and 6 were reported missing.  Contras burned the Martha Quezada co-operative (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 178).

July 24, 1984 Contras killed a campesino in Salto Verde, Sivna, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 178).

July 25, 1984 A group of contras assassinated 6 members of the Lopez family in Rio Yaoska, Nicaragua.  Separately, contras killed one woman and kidnapped another in Salto Grande (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 178).

July 26, 1984 About 60 Contras invaded the town of Tapasle, Matagalpa, Nicaragua killing 8 farmers and 9 came up missing.  “All of the victims were castrated and had their throats slit; some were dismembered and had their body parts scattered.  One had the skin scraped off his face.”  Also, a truck carrying fresh produce struck a land mine placed by Contras at Bismona killing three soldiers and wounding 4 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 178).

July 27 – 28, 1984 In Nicaragua, several attacks on people involved in voting occurred in Wilikon, Santa Cruz and La Vigia, Nicaragua,  Also, 20 Contras kidnapped 5 people in the zone of Las Valles (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 178).

August 2, 1984 About 30 contras invaded the settlement of Monte Creek, Nicaragua, kidnapping 3 civilians.  Also, 30 to 40 contras kidnapped 6 people from the INRA encampment at Parra Punta Gorda.  Additionally, 30 contras kidnapped 5 people at Pijibay.  Among those kidnapped was Santos Jose Vilchez, President of the local voter registration office (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 155-6).

August 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 15, 21, 23, 24 & 25, 1984 In Nicaragua, contras kidnapped approximately 100 people from Layasika, La Frangua, Siriaco Tercero, El Morado, Quebrada El Agua, California Valley, San Jeronimo, El Paraiso, Waspu (Zelaya Norte), Central Waspuk, Santa Elena, Quebrada, El Guava and Laguna Verde (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 156; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 179).

September 1, 1984 In Nicaragua, Groups of contras ambushed a truck of CEPAD and TELCOR, killing 8 and wounding 4.  They also ambushed  two trucks of Nicaraguan Army soldiers who were responding to assist killing two and wounding two.  Separately, 8 contras ambushed 2 unarmed militia members at the ‘Camilo Ortega’ co-operative killing one.  In a third attack, four airplanes and a helicopter attacked a military training school on family visiting day.  Four civilians from nearby Santa Clara, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua, were killed: 12 yo girls, Junana Beltran and Elena Herrera, Alba Luz Hernandez, 13: and Maximo Ponce.  The helicopter was shot down, killing all three men aboard, two of whom were U.S. citizens Parker and Lowell [see below], from the Alabama-based anti-communist group (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 156; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 179-180).

September 1, 1984 Two Americans were killed in a Hughes 500 helicopter crash in Nicaragua. A Nicaraguan Contra pilot apparently flew the helicopter; the two Americans killed were Dana Herbert Parker, Jr. and James Perry Lowell, III (White House Situation Room Report, September 4, 1984), both were ex-Special Forces and allegedly Alabama National Guardsmen.  A Hughes 500 helicopter, with a three-man crew including two private U.S. citizens, attacked the town of Santa Clara in northern Nicaragua, killing four children.  The helicopter was shot down by ground fire from Nicaraguan defense forces.  All three crew members died.  Parker and Lowell were members of CMA, composed of former U.S. military.  Parker was a Special Forces Captain in the Alabama National Guard at the time (NYT 9/6/84; NYT 9/7/84; WP 9/5/84).  It was further disclosed that CMA was funded through the Embassies in EL Salvador and Honduras and that the helo was supplied by the CIA and supported by three fixed-wing aircraft all rocket-equipped [(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 29].

1984 9 1 Reagan Situation Note Honduras helicopter crash 1984 840904

September 4, 1984 About 100 contras kidnapped 5 farmers at El Refugio, Nicaragua.  The next day the same contra group kidnapped 3 farmers at Buena Vista de Ventillas (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 156; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 180).

September 5, 1984 Contras intercepted a boat in transit from Karawala to Laguna de Perlas, Nicaragua, kidnapping Ray Hooker, FSLN candidate for National Assembly, and Patricia Delgado, Zonal Secretary of the FSLN for Laguna de Perlas and Santiago Mayorga, the boat captain.  The three were later released.  Separately, in the El Granadino district, a group of contras kidnapped 7 civilians including 2 militia members and in La Cruz del Rio Grande, 200 Contras killed four people (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 156; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 180).

September 6, 1984 A group of 60 contras stopped a truck in the La Laguneta sector, kidnapping 7 civilians and burning the truck (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 156; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 180).

September 7, 1984 About 20 contras ambushed a boat with 4 militia members onboard at Cano Negro, killing 3 and injuring one.  Also, 20 contras kidnapped 4 civilians from INRA at Monkey Point, south of Bluefields.  Also, 60 Contras invaded the Santa Rosa district, kidnapping 19 campesinoa.  The same day, Contras ambushed and killed Jacinto Vargas Estrada and two members of the cooperative he headed in Canero, South Zelaya, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 180).

September 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15 & 22 1984 In Nicaragua, contras kidnapped about 40 people at Mina San Albino, Guayaculy, El Tule, Valle La Esperanza, San Martin where one FSLN member was killed and 2 were kidnapped; in Villagual, Jinotega, Contras assassinated two campesinos; in Palo Arguito 3 were kidnapped; 3 civilians workers for the State farm in Palo de Arquito were kidnapped by Contras along the border as they repaired wires (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157).

September 23, 1984 In San Esteban sector, Nicaragua, contras ambushed a truck with a family of Patriotic Military Service (SMP) killing 8 and wounding 19 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 180).

September 26, 1984 About 120 contras kidnapped 3 farmers from the Canta Galoo co-operative in Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 4, 5, 6 & 7, 1984 Contras conducted several attacks on the towns of Venecia, Sanat Gertrudis, Las Llaves, Mata de Guineo, Valle El Cua killing several and kidnapping others (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157).

October 9, 1984 Contras slit the throat of five campesinos near Yali, Jinotega, Nicaragua, and kidnapped seven others (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 10, 1984 A group of contras kidnapped 15 families, consisting of 50-60 persons, in the Bambu sector of Nicaragua.  Also, contras attacked the Juan Pablo Umanzor co-operative near San Rafael del Norte, killing 5 members and wounding 2 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 11, 1984 Seven Nicaraguans were killed and two wounded in combat with contras at Guapino, near Wiwili, Nicaragua.  Also, 300 contras attacked the town of Suscayan, killing 3 militia members and wounding one. The same day, they attacked nearby La Jumuyca, kidnapping three civilians, two later escaped (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 12, 1984 80 Contras ambushed an INRA truck in Rio Saiz, Nicaragua, wounding ten civilians, five seriously (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 13, 1984 Contras kidnapped 30 camesinos and attacked Siuna, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 14, 1984 A group of contras kidnapped 40 farmers and burned the State farm at Namaji, Nicaragua.  Also, contras attacked Las Plavitas, killing 8 Nicaraguan soldiers (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 17, 1984 A group of 50 contras belonging to the MISURA organization kidnapped 17 civilians and 9 infantry reservists at Camp Uo, near Siuna, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 157; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 18, 1984 A group of 20 Contras invaded Kurinwacito district, Nicaragua, killing four campesinos (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 19, 1984 Contras looted a co-operative in the Poza Redonda district, Nicaragua, kidnapping 2 civilians.  Also, 8 Nicaraguans (soldiers) were killed and 4 wounded in combat with 300 contras near Esteli (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181).

October 20, 1984 Four CIA employees were killed in a plane crash in El Salvador when the twin-engine aircraft they were flying went down under mysterious reasons (New York Times, 21 Oct 1984).

October 21, 22, 23 & 24, 1984 Contras kidnapped about 40 and killed about 6 at El Jocote, Las Cruces, La Paila and Siapali (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 181-182).

October 24, 1984 Contras mutilated and killed Luis Cardenas in El Pie de la Cuesta, near El Jicaro, Nicaragua.  Separately, a group of 150 Contras kidnapped 14 campesinos at Siapali, near Quilali, later killing two of them (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

October 27, 1984 A group of about 80 contras ambushed a truck carrying Nicaraguan troops at Coyolar, Nicaragua killing 8 and wounding 15 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158).

October 28, 1984 In several incidents, Contras kidnapped 23 campesinos, including Ernesto Pineda, near La Pavona; took 11 capesinos near El Corozo, Siuna; and captured two election workers in El Dorado, Siuna, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

October 29, 1984 In Nicaragua, contras attacked the Santa Julia cooperative near the town of San Gregorio, 10 km north-east of Jicaro, killing 6 children and wounding 6 others, while two were reported missing.  Also, contras ambushed an INRA vehicle in the El Saraval sector, killing 6 persons (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

October 30, 1984 A group of contras kidnapped 18 farmers in the Casa de Tabla sector of Nicaragua.  Also, a group of 150 contras killed 2 people at Santa Elena (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

October 1984 Contras kidnapped Mileydis Salina, 15, and Ermelina Diaz, 14, raping them for 55 days until they escaped.  Also, a Contra ambush in Frank Tijerino Valley, El Cua, Nicaragua, killed one and injured seven (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

January thru October, 1984 there were a reported 996 violations of Nicaraguan air space by aircrafts including RC-135, U-2, C-130, C-47, Cessna, and AC-37.  The RC-135’s and U-2’s realized reconnaissance missions against Nicaragua, others were observed carrying out aerial resupply of the contra forces (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 159).

November 1984 The U.S. Navy deployed 25 warships, including the battleship USS Iowa off the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua.  Previously the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy carrying 85 combat aircraft patrolled Nicaragua’s coasts (NYT 7/18/84; NYT 11/9/84).

November 1, 1984 Director William Webster “announced that the FBI had thwarted a drug-financed plot to assassinate the President of Honduras and overthrow his administration (U.S. Department of State Bulletin April 1985).”  The American Embassy in Tegucigalpa also noted the “Communique also relates plot to internal destabilization activities…in recent months…to prepare the internal and external conditions for such reprehensible acts (FM AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA TO SECSTATE WASHDC NOV 84; SUBJECT: HONDURAN PRESS. COMMUNIQUE ON ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT SUAZO).”

November 2, 1984 About 250 contras ambushed a Toyota truck in the district of El Cedro garrison, Nicaragua killing a woman teacher, a political officer, a CDS member and two others (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

November 3, 1984 Contras kidnapped young boys from El Rehen Valley, Estili, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

November 4, 1984 Three hundred contras kidnapped 100 civilians at La Vigia, near Wiwili, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).  Elections were held in Nicaragua on this date for President, VP and National Assembly.

November 5, 1984 Contras attacked the Uly co-operative near Siuna, Nicaragua with mortars and heavy machine guns, killing a Nicaraguan soldier and 4 civilians while kidnapping many (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

November 7-9, 1984 One hundred contras kidnapped 5 militia members and a woman from the Las Lajas co-operative near San Jose de Achuapa, Nicaragua.  Contras kidnapped 15 campesinos near Yali, Jinotega.  They also looted the nearby El Lagartillo co-operative (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

November 7 -11, 1984 For four consecutive days, a U.S. SR-71 reconnaissance plane flew low over several Nicaraguan cities, producing loud sonic booms and shattering glass windows, to exert psychological pressure on the Nicaraguan Government and peoples ( NYT 11/12/84; WP 11/12/84).  During the preceding ten months of 1984 alone, 996 overflights of Nicaraguan airspace took place (Carrion Affidavit)[(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 30-31].

November 10, 1984 About 200 contras attacked the Kurinwas district, kidnapping 4 civilians and killing the local ENABAS manager.  Also, contras kidnapped 17 farmers at Las Canas, Rio Coco, Nicaragua.  Separately, in an attack in Yali, Jinotega, Contras ambushed a vehicle carrying seven civilians who were conducting a sports program for children.  Five were wounded (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158 Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182).

November 14, 1984 Contras numbering 400-600 attacked La Sorpresa coffee farm 40 miles north of Matagalpa, killing 17 [or 7] civilians, kidnapping others, injuring four and destroying most of the co-operative’s facilities (Reed Brody Report; Carrion Affidavit). Also, a MICONS truck was ambushed in the district of Planes de Vilan.  The vehicle was machine-gunned after it hit a land mine killing 2 civilians and injuring 3 (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; NYT 11/23/84; [(Nicaragua v. U.S.A.), April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua (Merits), page 31];Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 182-183).

November 15, 1984 The director of the National Development Bank (BND) for Jinotega and one other civilian were killed and 4 civilians were wounded when a contra group ambushed 2 jeeps 20 km north-west of El Tuma, near La Sorpresa, Nicaragua. Also, contras kidnapped 15 civilians at Asadin, near Siuna (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 158; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 16, 1984 About 150 contras burned the Bernardino Diaz Ochoa co-operative killing 6 members (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 159).

November 18, 1984 Contras burned the Bernardino Diaz Ochoa cooperative, Nicaragua, killing six of its members, including three small children (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 19, 1984 Four employees of the State electric company were kidnapped by about 60 members of MISURA near Tasba-Paunie, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 159; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 20, 1984 Contras maimed and killed five members of a campesino family in Coperna Abajo, Siuna, Nicaragua (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 21, 1984 Contras kidnapped 46 farmers from La Pita district, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 159; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 25, 1984 Contras ambushed an agricultural transport truck in Posolera, burning the truck, killing 6 persons and kidnapping 10 others, one person was missing (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 159; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 26, 1984 Contras attacked a cooperative in Floripon, Siuna, Nicaragua, killing one.  An unexploded grenade later killed another and injured 13 (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 28, 1984 A group of 100 contras kidnapped 20 civilians in El Diamante district, Nicaragua (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 159; (Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

November 30, 1984 A group of 17 contras kidnapped 7 civilians at El Sueno, Nicaragua and stole numerous cattle (Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial, page 159; Appendix 3, Chronology of Contra Attacks on Civilians: December 1, 1981 – November 30, 1984, p. 183).

The Nicaragua v. U.S., April 9, 1984, Annexes to the Memorial terminates its publishing of contra attacks after November 1984 to file its report with the ICJ.  Undoubtedly, similar attacks occurred by Nicaraguan military upon contras, Honduran and U.S. military as documented here.  Similar attacks on all sides continued.

December 4, 1984 A force of 150 Contras from Honduras ambushed a truck carrying volunteer coffee-pickers from State communications company (TELCOR) near Telpaneca, Nicaragua killing 21 civilians with machine guns, rockets, grenades and rifle fire.  The attackers then climbed onto the disabled truck, shot and bayoneted the survivors, and set the truck on fire killing the wounded and those who pretended to be dead (Reed Brody report, former Assistant Attorney General of the State of New York, who spent four months in Nicaragua, from September 1984 to January 1985, collecting over 145 sworn affidavits from victims and eyewitnesses.  The New York Times later sent reporters to Nicaraguan war zones to interview four of Brody’s witnesses, selected randomly.  All confirmed their testimony; [Nicaragua v. U.S.A.], April 9, 1984, Vol. IV, Memorial of Nicaragua [Merits], page 31).

December 12, 1984 Two U.S. Navy Special Operations members, SMN Arthur Fusco, MOS QM, from Durham, NC and PO2 Michael Uyeda, MOS EN (Engineman) from West Valley City are killed during an explosion on the Rio Amatagni near a small northeastern Honduran village during an alleged demolition accident (DCAS; The New York Times 14 Dec 1984).

December 16, 1984 CPT W. Drew Harrington, MOS 11B (Ranger) from Moultrie, GA dies in Honduras from an apparent 60mm mortar fire accident (POR).

December 29, 1984 The Contras, mostly from bases in Honduras, have attacked the local Nicaraguan population since 1981 resulting in “over 800 non-combatants have been killed by the contras after capture, and hundreds more have died as a result of contra attacks (Council on Hemispheric Affairs report; see also WP 12/30/84, Reed Brody report).”

1985 DEA SA Enrique Cameareno dies in Honduras.

January 1985 “a Nicaraguan refugee said he found a mass grave containing the mutilated bodies of some 50-60 political prisoners, some of whom he had seen alive in the Sandinista prison at Esteli (Nicaragua) some months previously.  The refugee also claimed to have been tortured while an inmate in the same prison from mid-1983 to mid-1984 (Atrocities in the Nicaraguan Civil War, March 25, 1985, Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/19 :CIA-RDP85TO1058R0101701-75, page 15).

January 1985  “Costa Ricans exchanged fire with a small Nicaraguan Army unit that infiltrated initially by sea and later by land north of Barra del Colorado (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

January 22, 1985 A U.S. Air Force C-130A turboprop transport plane with 21 (or 26) SM’s on board crashed off the northern coast of Honduras killing all.  The Reserve and Active duty members were assigned on a rotational basis to Panama and were on a mission to Honduras when it crashed at about 11 a.m. EST leaving from Howard AFB in Panama heading to a base at Trujillo, Honduras. Only 13 killed are reported in DCAS.  The other eight should be added to the official National Archives, DCAS system in honor of the deceased and their families.  The remains of the deceased were sent to Panama where an investigation and autopsies were performed.  The deceased are:  CPT Homer Bivens, Army NG, from Clinton, TN (source POR); MSG Leslie Burch, III, MOS 81199 Air Force from St. Louis, MO (DCAS); LTC Ambrus Carnes, Army MOS 92A (QM General) from Arkadelphia, AR (DCAS); 2LT Paul Cocks, USAF Res.(POR); LTC Robert Dalton, AF MOS 1425G from Raleigh, NC (DCAS); SSG James Davis, Army MOS 62B (Construction Equipment Repairer) from Lebanon, TN (DCAS); MAJ Michael Durante, Air Force (193rd INF BGE mortuary report); TSGT Frederick Francis, Air Force MOS 81170 from Lake Charles, LA (DCAS); MSGT David Guile, USAF Res. (POR); SPC Debra Jonoske, Army MOS 73C (Finance Specialist) from Oakland, CA (DCAS); CPT Michael Kelly, AF MOS 8111 from Fresno, CA (DCAS); MSGT Harry Keyes, USAF Res. (POR); 2LT Steven Mantia, Army MOZ 21J from Reading, PA (DCAS); TSGT John Oettinger, USAF Res. (POR); SMSGT David Reid, Air Force MOS 99607 from Granite Falls (DCAS); SrA William Rollinson, Air Force MOS 81150 from Attleboro, MA (DCAS); MAJ Gary Schei, USAF Res.; PVT Jon Smith, Army MOS 52D (Power Generation Equip. Repairer) from Indianapolis, IN (DCAS); PFC Roy Snow, Army MOS 64C (Motor Transpo. Operator) from Ft. Edward (DCAS); SSG Ronald Wachter, Air Force (193rd); and SGT Larry Ward, Army MOS 12B (Combat Engineer) from Boone (DCAS).

January 26, 1985 to February 15 1985  An MP from the 534th MP Company at Ft. Clayton, Panama is assigned to provide security to the United States Mortuary, 193D Infantry Brigade, Panama, “in support of the C-130 aircraft that crashed off the coast of Honduras.” (DA Form 638, Recommendation For Award, dated May 15, 1985).

February 19, 1985 McFarland letter regarding how to convince the Honduran government to keep the contras in Honduras.  This a copy of page 1 of a 6 page document.

March 1985 “Nicaragua fired mortars into El Paraiso and Choluteca Departments, Honduras according to press reports (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

March 4, 1985 at 5:30 pm in La Remolina, village of Cacamuya, district of El Espino, Choluteca department, a group of 7 Nicaraguan Army soldiers killed 2 Honduran civilians, Fransisco Majia Vasquez and Santos Mejia Sanchez, aged 38 and 19 respectively.  The Nicaraguan soldiers also kidnapped Andres Rodriguez Ordonez and Pedro Rodriguez, both peasants of Nicaraguan origin (Caceres to UN SC April 8, 1985, Doc. # S/17091).

March 8, 1985  FMLH Targets US Soldiers.  “On 8 March in Tegucigalpa, five persons were injured, including one US serviceman, by a bomb that exploded in a discotheque frequented by US servicemen. The Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (FMLH) claimed credit.  According to its communique, it sought ‘to kill military personnel participating in the Big Pine III military maneuvers.’ The FMLH, founded by a Communist splinter party in 1979, had not been active for several years and was thought to be defunct (CIA Directorate of Intelligence, Terrorism Review, 25 March 1985, page 6 [Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/15 : CIA-RDP85-01095R000100260002-5]).”

April 1985 “Sandinista troops fired mortar rounds into Honduran territory, particularly around suspected anti-Sandinista concentrations; Nicaraguan patrol boats attacked Honduran fishing boats.  Seven Nicaraguan agents captured in Honduras providing training and arms to local terrorists (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

April 2, 1985 In the early hours of the morning, seven trucks filled with 17 soldiers and 1 officer of the Nicaraguan Army were discovered entering Honduras at the El Espino frontier post in Choluteca (Roberto Herrera Caceres to UNSC April 2, 1985, Doc. # S/17077).

April 4, 1985   Reporter – Question: “One more question, if you get this ($14 million in new funding for the Contras) would you agree to bring home all of our troops from all of the countries in South America — in Central America?”  The President: “The only troops that we have down there now are troops that are on various maneuvers and training exercises” Question: “That’s right.  That’s right.  But they are in danger, especially some that have just gone down there to Honduras”  The President: “No”. Question: “with their flack jackets and ammunition.  And they know they’re in danger”  The President: “No they’re”  Question:  “There are men and women down there, Sir, who are in danger.  Will you promise to bring them all home?”  The President:  “If you’ll look back through history, you’ll find out that we traditionally have used among our neighbors for jungle training exercises of this kind.  And they’re not, as some loud voices up on the Hill have said, they’re not down there as a threat to anyone.  They’re down there as we’re training new enlistees in our Army to have well-trained military that can fight any place that might be required.  And this has been done in Honduras repeatedly before.  And that’s all it is.  So we’re not–we don’t have any occupying forces down there.  We’ve got 55 advisors–I think the number still remains–in El Salvador (Remarks of the President on Central American Peace Proposal, The Briefing Room, April 4, 1985).”

April 11, 1985 Oliver North Memo to Robert McFarland on upcoming planned contra military activity.  Page 2 of 3.  The U.S. and contra forces were planning a second attack on the Sandino International airport in Managua.  Other plans included opening a southern front war to distract from the real objective; the northern front from Honduras.

April 18, 1985 Three combat planes of the Honduran air force attacked and sank a Nicaraguan coast guard boat 10 miles southwest of Cape Gracias a Dios in Nicaragua’s sovereign and jurisdictional waters killing one and leaving one missing (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  On this same day U.S. Air Force pilots CPT Donald Benton and CPT Ronald Schatz die in Honduras (193rd INF BGE Mortuary report). Also, Honduran air force and naval bases received a distress call from a Honduran vessel, the Tropik, whose position was in the vicinity Babel Keys (15 degrees 06′ north latitude and 82 degrees 43′ west longitude), in Honduran waters.  The ship was attacked by Nicaraguan coastguard vessel 2-33.  In response two aircraft and a naval patrol were dispatched to the scene.  At 4:40 pm, the Honduran aircraft proceeded to repulse the attack causing substantial damage to the Nicaraguan coastguard vessel who was also aided by another Nicaraguan armed fishing vessel, the Copesnica (Caceres to UNSC April 19, 1985, Doc. # S/17115).

April 23, 1985 Marines from the 26th Marine Amphibious Unit made an amphibious landing on the Caribbean coast of Honduras as part of Exercise Universal Trek ‘85 that began 12 April. One of the largest military exercises held in Central America, with 7,000 U.S. participants, Universal Trek ‘85 was designed to integrate Marine, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Army forces that might be used against enemy forces in the Caribbean region (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1985/).

May 1985 “Sandinista forces launched ground assaults as well as artillery and rocket barrages into areas of suspected anti-Sandinista presence inside Honduras. Sandinistas fired on a Costa Rican civil guard patrol unit near Las Tiricias, Costa Rica, killing two (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

May 1, 1985 – U.S. declares a National Emergency against Nicaragua and terminates it’s Treaty of Friendship and also imposes a trade embargo against Nicaragua.

May 7, 1985 Members of the Nicaraguan Democratic Force (FDN) Contras attacked a Nicaraguan military unit with automatic weapons in the Paraiso Department, Honduras near the Nicaraguan border killing five Nicaraguans soldiers (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198505070023).

May 10, 1985 at 11 am, at Arenales, Honduras, one Honduran soldier was killed and four wounded, who were assigned to a frontier lookout post, by heavy weapons of the Nicaraguan army (Barnica to UNSC May 13, 1985, Doc. # S/17178).  Also, May 10, 1985 The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 562 (1985) against the U.S. in favor of Nicaragua.  The UNSC calls upon the two parties to resume Peace Talks in Mexico and to refrain from “military actions.”

May 15, 1985 Congressional Record Index “Sandinista regime: activities in Honduras, 11946”

May 30, 1985 Disappearances in Honduras during Ambassador John Negroponte’s tenure, October 29, 1981 to May 30, 1985:

June 1985  “Sandinistas fired on a Costa Rican civil guard patrol unit near Las Tiricias a second time (CIA-RDP88B00443R000401950013-2).”

June 12, 1985 Congressional Record Index describing “Photographs of Soviet rockets fired into Honduras from Nicaragua, 15386”

June 19, 1985 Four U.S. Marines Security Guards and two U.S. businessmen were killed in San Salvador, El Salvador by terrorists claiming to be members of the Central American Revolutionary Workers Party. The reported 6-10 terrorists were armed with automatic weapons and dressed in military uniforms. A total of 13 people were killed in the attack. Four off-duty Marines and two American businessmen were among 13 people slain when terrorist gunmen opened fire on an outdoor café in San Salvador, El Salvador. The Marines, who were embassy security guards, were unarmed and dressed in civilian clothes when the attack occurred. They were: Staff Sergeant Thomas T. Handwork of Beavercreek, Ohio; Staff Sergeant Bobby Joe Dickson of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Sergeant Gregory H. Weber of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Sergeant Patrick R. Kwiatkowski of Wausau, Wisconsin (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1985/).

July 4, 1985 Nicaraguan Army units attacked at least three separate villages of El Jicaro, Alauco and Matapalo in Honduras.

July 17, 1985 U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua delivers a letter to Managua stating “We now have indications that preparations are under way to introduce a program of terrorist attacks against United States personnel in Honduras” and that “Nicaragua may be directly involved.”  See below…

July 18, 1985 “U.S. Warns Nicaragua – no more terrorism…The warning also linked Nicaragua to plans for terrorist attacks against U.S. personnel in Honduras.”  U.S. Ambassador Harry Bergold to the Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry in Managua (Chicago Tribune July 19, 1985 U.S. Warns Nicaragua-no more Terrorism).

August 7, 1985 Forty-seven persons were abducted from the river San Juan in Nicaragua and taken into Costa Rica including 29 U.S. citizens of the Organization Witnesses for Peace (Nicaragua v. Costa Rica, International Court of Justice).

The below Public Law 99-83, August 8, 1985 statutorily acknowledges that Nicaragua “has committed and refuses to cease aggression in the form of armed subversion against” Honduras.  Thousands of U.S. military members have been present in Honduras since 1981 and never received Imminent Danger Pay!

August 16, 1985 The Nicaraguan Democratic Force (FDN) or Contras committed an assault with automatic weapons and took one hostage who was later killed also causing $70,000 USD in damage to the town of La Pradera, in Tegucigalpa, Fransisco Morazan Department, Honduras (UMD GTD).

September 6, 1985, a Honduran border patrol attacked in Las Pinas sector, Conception de Matagalpa, Department of Choluteca, Honduras during routine patrol engaged in a firefight with a Honduran Army patrol (UN SC, Official Records, July – September 1985, Annex II, page 108-109, Caceres letter dated 13 Sep 85).

September 7, 1985 at 18:00 hours, members of the Nicaraguan Army fired 22 mortar shells of 120-mm calibre over the sector known as La Lodosa, Paraiso Department, Honduras (UN SC, Official Records, July – September 1985, Annex II, page 109, Caceres letter dated 13 Sep 85).

September 10-11, 1985 at 14:00, a Nicaraguan Army patrol of about 20 soldiers penetrated Honduran territory through the Bocay sector, backed by aircraft of the Nicaraguan Air Force, which bombed the sector, continuing their action the following day (UN SC, Official Records, July – September 1985, Annex II, page 109).

September 12, 1985 the Nicaraguan Army opened LCM BM-21 fire on the Boca de Arenales sector, El Paraiso Department, Honduras.  Two Nicaraguan helicopters shelled the same location.  Also, Nicaraguan Army troops fired approximately 80 LCM BM-22 122-mm rockets on the sector known as El Espanolito, Honduras killing one Honduran soldier, an 8 year old boy and wounding several civilians (UN SC, Official Records, July – September 1985, Annex IV, page 109, press release by Honduran Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs letter dated 14 Sep 85). Nicaraguan Sandinista military unit attacked a Honduran border sector police unit at El Espanolito, El Paraiso Department, Honduras with automatic weapons and mortar fire killing one and injuring eight (UMD GTD).

October 10, 1985 Nicaraguan troops carried out a three hour attack from noon to 3 pm on a Honduran patrol from the 4th INF BTN in the Duyusupo sector, Honduras (Barnica to UN SC October 15, 1985).

December 19, 1985 Elliott Abrams letter EVIDENCE OF NICARAGUAN SUBVERSION IN CENTRAL AMERICA, Page 1 OF 8.

Late December 1985 “Cubans train Nicaraguan pilots on MI-8, MI-17, and MI-24 helicopters, and four Soviet pilots conduct training exercises on AN-2 and AN-26 transport aircraft (Directorate of Intelligence, January 1986, Central American Monthly Report #30, Declassified in Part – Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/22: CIA-RDP86T01017R000707060001-0, page 8).”

January 2, 1986 “Sandinista troops bombed a civilian residence, killing two children and wounding the mother and two other children (Directorate of Intelligence, January 1986, Central American Monthly Report #30, Declassified in Part – Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/22: CIA-RDP86T01017R000707060001-0, page 10).”

Mid January, 1986 “Soviet technicians assemble up to nine MI-8 and MI-25 helicopters at Sandino Airfield.  Current estimates of Sandinista helicopter inventory are 21 MI-8/17’s and 12 MI-25’s (Directorate of Intelligence, January 1986, Central American Monthly Report #30, Declassified in Part – Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/22: CIA-RDP86T01017R000707060001-0, page 8).”

January 15, 1986 “Honduran President-elect Azcona…claims insurgents persistently engage in criminal activities against Hondurans ranging from petty theft and cattle stealing to rape and armed assault (Directorate of Intelligence, January 1986, Central American Monthly Report #30, Declassified in Part – Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/22: CIA-RDP86T01017R000707060001-0, page 10).”

January 16, 1986 “The Honduran military reports that Sandinista troops operating inside Honduras robbed a civilian family (Directorate of Intelligence, January 1986, Central American Monthly Report #30, Declassified in Part – Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/22: CIA-RDP86T01017R000707060001-0, page 11).”

January 20, 1986 “Sandinista troops operating in Honduras killed a civilian and took her two sons back to Nicaragua (Directorate of Intelligence, January 1986, Central American Monthly Report #30, Declassified in Part – Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/22: CIA-RDP86T01017R000707060001-0, page 11).”

January 28, 1986 “According to press reports, four civilians were killed and several others wounded, including an American Indian activist traveling with Miskitos Indian rebels along Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast, when Sandinista troops fired rockets into a village (Directorate of Intelligence, January 1986, Central American Monthly Report #30, Declassified in Part – Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/12/22: CIA-RDP86T01017R000707060001-0, page 12).”  The American Indian presumably was a U.S. citizen, killed in Nicaragua during combat.

March 1986 – Jocon – JESUITS CONTINUE ANTI-U.S. PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN. REPORTS INDICATE CONGREGATIONS ARE BEING TOLD THAT TF 135 IS BUILDING A ROAD TO INVADE NICARAGUA (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 37-8; Waghelstein [source 7th SFG]).

March 7, 1986 – La Cumbre, Honduras – (HONDURAN) FUSEP SGT KILLED BY LEFTISTS AT AN INSURGENT SAFE SITE/TRAINING AREA (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 36; Waghelstein [source 7th SFG]).

March 14, 1986 Three detachments of Contras of approximately 60 men each made an incursion into Nicaragua near La Fraternidad. The Honduran Army gave supportive fire to the attack with mortars and riffles (Nicaragua v. U.S. ICJ 1984).  And, ANTI-U.S. DEMO[N]STRATIONS ORCHESTRATED BY PCH AND SUPPLEMENTED BY SOPHISTICATED PROPAGANDA IN LA PRENSA, TARGETING U.S. MILITARY PRESENCE (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 36; Waghelstein [source 7th SFG]).

March 18, 1986 – New Report – The Armed Forces will present to national and foreign reporters today a bus seized in Colomoncague, Itibuca Department, Honduras, where ammunition and weapons, supposedly for Salvadoran guerrillas, were carried. Preliminary reports indicate that the vehicle was seized over the weekend. After a thorough search, lethal weapons were discovered hidden inside.

July 24, 1986 Nicaraguan Sandinista soldiers bombed a private residence in Tegucigalpa, Honduras (UMD GTD).

July 28, 1986 – News Report – “Terrorism Alert” Today the Pentagon ordered all U.S. diplomatic offices and civilian and military installations in Honduras to establish a maximum security alert due to the fear of terrorist attacks. [These orders prohibit visits to urban areas unless on specific missions. (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 47-8; Waghelstein).JTF-Bravo JMUA Award for the period August 1, 1984 to July 31, 1986].

July 31, 1986 Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) awarded to JTF-Bravo, Headquartered at Palmerola AB, Honduras. Dates of this award – August 1, 1984 to July 31, 1986.  All JTF’s (JTF-11, JTF-Alpha) in Honduras from 1983 to 1992 were awarded the JMUA.

August 9, 1986 – News Report – “Army and FUESP Conduct Anti-Terrorist Operation”  Upon orders from General Humberto Regalado Hernandez, the Armed Forces General Command has proceeded to carry out an operation throughout the nation to control and prevent any act of terrorism which affects the citizenry. This operation is being carried out jointly by members of the Public Security Forces (FUSEP) and soldiers of various Armed Forces Units, who are being deployed to various areas night and day and are asking citizens to show their identification papers. … Military authorities hereby urge the citizens, particularly those who have to travel at night due to their studies or work, to carry their identification papers and thus avoid problems concerning their identity (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 48; Waghelstein).

August 11, 1986 – EDITORIALS IN “LA TRIBUNA” COMPLAINING OF HONDURAN GOVERNMENTS INABILITY TO IMPOSE ORDER AND GUARANTEEING SECURITY OF ITS CITIZENS. SUGGEST ARMED FORCES COULD TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IF GOVERNMENT IS INCAPABLE OF IMPOSING “ORDER” (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 48-9; Waghelstein).

August 15, 1986 – SOURCE: Southern Command J2 – REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SANDINISTA GOVERNMENT HAVE CONTACTED VARIOUS HONDURAN RADICAL LEFTIST GROUPS AND REQUESTED THAT THEY HELP TO DESTABILIZE THE HONDURAN GOVERNMENT AND DISRUPT DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTIONARY FRONT THROUGH THE USE OF VIOLENCE.  The linkage between the Sandinistas and radical groups in Honduras is evident in this intercept (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 49; Waghelstein).

August 19, 1986 FMLN forces from El Salvador attacked at least three separate villages in Cololaca, Valladilid and Tambla in Honduras.

August 29, 1986 – SOURCE PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION PERTAINING TO VARIOUS SUBVERSIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR COMMAND STRUCTURE: PROGRESSIVE STUDENT MOVEMENT (MEP) TWO LEADERS, TWO ADVISORS, TWO COURIERS, ONE FINANCIAL SUPPORTER DAGOBERTA PADILLA STUDENT FRONT (FREDAP) LEADER, VICE- PRESIDENT, LEGAL ADVISOR, FOUR ASSISTANTS OMAR RIVERA, MARIO MENDOZA, AND SAUL “SOCRATES” CUELLO ARDON HAVE BEEN NAMED AS LEADERS OF THE “FIFTH COLUMN” IN EL PROGRESSO, YORO. THIS GROUP IS REPORTEDLY CONTROLLED BY HONDURAN COMMUNISTS (NFI) AND NICARAGUAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES At this point, things began to change. On September 28, 1986, the 7th SF Group Commander and one of the 7th’s recently returned B Detachment Commanders briefed USCINCSO with latest set of IIRs. The briefing highlighted the escalation and cumulative effects of insurgent activities. At the end of the briefing, General Galvin let it be known that he had sufficient information to believe that a Phase One insurgency existed on the north coast. His exact words were, “I now have the smoking gun I need. …” With the CinC on board, it did not take long for a major climate change to be reflected in the message traffic (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 49-50; Waghelstein [source 7th SFG]).

October 5, 1986 A plane carrying U.S. citizen Eugene Hasenfus was shot down in Nicaragua while carrying supplies to the Contras. The Sandinistas captured Hasenfus. This report eventually led to the exposure of the U.S. involved covert operations in Honduras and the Iran-Contra ‘affair.’

October 8, 1986 – FM: DA WASH DC, TO: CDR 1ST SOCOM FT BRAGG NC, SUBJ: SOCOM REPORTING IN USSOUTHCOM AOR – THE COOPERATIVE SPIRIT OF 7TH SFG PERSONNEL IN PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE INFO TO 470TH MIGP* PERSONNEL IS TO BE COMMENDED….THE TRIAL PERIOD OF 60 DAYS HAS EXPIRED, AND HAS RESULTED IN THE PUBLISHING OF 20 BIOGRAPHIC IIR’S AND 7 ORDER OF BATTLE IIR’S. 2. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT ITEMS: A. SFG SOLDIERS HAVE INFO VALUABLE TO SOUTHCOM….[Note: The 470th MI Group was SouthCom’s MI unit based in the Canal Zone (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 51; Waghelstein).

October 11, 1986 Members of the Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement using automatic weapons attacked a Honduran military unit killing four soldiers in the northern village of Yaruca, Honduras, 30 km south of the coastal town of La Cieba (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198610110001).

October 28, 1986 – LTC ROMERO, 4TH BN [La Ceiba], STATES THE INSURGENT SITUATION IN NORTHERN HONDURAS TO BE A “GREAT THREAT TO THE INTERNAL STABILITY OF HONDURAS.” RECENT CLASHES WITH ARMED AND ORGANIZED SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS, DISCOVERY OF WEAPONS AND FOOD CACHES, AND INFORMATION ON INSURGENT CELLS AND SUPPORTERS, HE SAID, WERE ONLY THE BEGINNING OF AN UNRAVELING SUBVERSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE STORY. ROMERO INDICATED A LINK BETWEEN INSURGENTS AND “NARCO-INSURGENTS”. LARGE AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA FIELDS DISCOVERED NEAR TOCOA IN EARLY OCTOBER WORTH 7 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS LINKED TO SUBVERSIVES. THE ONBOARD COMPUTER OF AN AIRPLANE CARRYING 1,000 KILOS OF COCAINE DOWNED IN LA CEIBA 8 OCT 86 CONTAINED COORDINATES FOR A CLANDESTINE AIRFIELD NEAR ARENAL, YORO. ARENAL (northern Honduras) IS A CENTER FOR LEFTIST SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 51-2; Waghelstein [source 7th SFG]).

October 28, 1986 – FM: USDAO TEGUCIGALPA HO, TO: DIA WASHDC, SUBJ: HO MILITARY SHIFT RESOURCES TO COUNTERINSURGENCY OPERATIONS.  COMMENTS: LTC ROMERO IS TAKING THE INSURGENT SITUATION IN NORTHERN HONDURAS QUITE SERIOUSLY. APPARENTLY, THE CINC AND JOINT STAFF ALSO CONSIDER THE PROBLEM THERE TO BE EXTENSIVE AND THREATENING (Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 53; Waghelstein).

October 30, 1986 After President Reagan authorized the use of U.S. military personnel in Honduras to transport Honduran soldiers into combat near Capire, Honduras in March 1986 without reporting the event under the War Powers Resolution, Congress Enacted and President Reagan signed Public Law 99-591 where Section 216 (a) restricted U.S. personnel activity in Honduras and Costa Rica within those land areas of 20 miles from the Nicaraguan border.

November 3, 1986, two Lebanese newspapers broke the story of the Iran arms deal, and quickly thereafter the entire scandal began to unravel in the United States. The first two weeks following the newspaper leak were marked by an increasing crisis of confidence in the government as facts rapidly became public. The month of November was marked by heavy media coverage, and by December 1986 everything from the Contra affair to the diversion scheme found its way into the press.  Nov. 13, 1986: President Ronald Reagan made his Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy and again addressed the nation in a press conference on November 19 (Brown University, Understanding the Iran-Contra Affairs).  This story squashed the battle story between the Nicaraguan Army and Contra forces ongoing throughout much of October to December.

November 4, 1986 – A FUSEP AGENT WAS KILLED ON 2 NOV 86 BY SUSPECTED SUBVERSIVES IN THE NOMBRE DE DIOS MOUNTAINS [northern](Reading the Tea Leaves: Proto-Insurgency in Honduras p. 54; Waghelstein).

November 25, 1986. Attorney General Edwin Meese confirms the Iran Contra scandal where arms were sold to Iran to support the Contras by illegally diverting those funds.

November 1986  “According to a Dec. 1 report by the Agence France Presse (AFP), local observers have noted movements by US troops in Honduras near the Nicaraguan border. The report said 25 motor vehicles carrying US troops had been spotted on a road to Danli. Destination of the convoy was unknown. Quoting newspaper correspondents in the area, AFP also reported that two US Air Force helicopters had flown over the El Paraiso area in the direction of the Nicaraguan-Honduran border.  The Dec. 1 issue of BARRICADA (official newspaper of the Sandinista National Liberation Front) reported US military maneuvers in El Paraiso department, eastern Honduras.  The newspaper emphasized that US troops were being introduced into areas of the department currently occupied by the contras.  According to BARRICADA, destination of the US convoy was Danli.  Danli has been selected by the CIA as a site for attack by the contras.  The Nicaraguan government has previously called attention to ‘attacks’ on Danli by contras in the ‘guise of Sandinista troops.’  Another such attack in the near future may be used by the Reagan administration as a pretext for direct intervention against Nicaragua.  According to a Dec. 2 report by Cuban news agency PRENSA LATINA, US troops are carrying out military maneuvers in Honduran territory close to the Nicaraguan border.  The US Embassy in Tegucigalpa admitted that war games were underway 24 hours after journalists in the area reported the deployment of a US military convoy in El Paraiso department.  This convoy consisted of 25 camouflaged vehicles and helicopters ‘loaded with heavy equipment.’  A Dec. 1 US Embassy statement indicated that a joint military exercise involving 100 US troops and the Honduran National Guard’s 116th Artillery Brigade is presently underway.  As of Dec. 2, this statement had not been confirmed by the Honduran Army press office.  Honduran newspaper LA TRIBUNA (12/02/86) reported that the destination of the US convoy is unknown.  The local population in the eastern region, said the TRIBUNA, is ‘concerned’ over rumors of military confrontations on the Nicaraguan border.  Since February 1983, the US armed forces have carried out over 30 separate war games in Honduran territory (Tyroler, Deborah. “U.S. Troop Movements Observed Near Nicaraguan Border.” (1986). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/noticen/ 219).”

November 1986  “Dec. 1: Nicaraguan state radio station, VOZ DE NICARAGUA, commented that the US troop movements in Honduras ‘demonstrate that US National Guards are preparing for participation

December 25, 1986 – U.S. Army SGT Gail Roberts, Army MOS 26Q from Durham, NC is shot in the head and killed by an intoxicated Honduran.  Ruled a homicide.  She was killed in the ‘north coast’ city of Tela (DCAS).

December 26, 1986 Unknown assailants attacked La Presona installations in Tegucigalpa injuring one person (UMD GTD).

June 13, 1987 U.S. Army MP SSG Randall Harris, MOS 95B (Military Police) was shot and killed while on perimeter patrol at Palmerola Air Base, Honduras (DCAS; State Department).  The below Summer 1987 snapshot provides details on our ‘training’ mission.

June 16, 1987 Nicaragua Democratic Forces (Contras) attacked Nicaraguan military forces in La Zompapera, Fransisco Morazan Department, near Tegucigalpa, Honduras killing ten Nicaraguans soldiers (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198706160009).

As these attacks were occurring in Honduras throughout 1987, the Iran-Contra Affair hearings were underway in Congress.

July 15, 1987 A U.S. helicopter crashed and killed six America SM en route to rescue an accidentally wounded America troop near San Salvador. Among the killed was the deputy commander of the U.S. Military Group attached to the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador.  The helo and crew-members were all based at Palmerola AB, Honduras.  The deceased are: 1LT Greg Paredes, MOS 15A (General Aviation) from Hingham, MA (DCAS); SSG Lynn Keen, Army MOS 18D (Special Operations Medical) from Halifax, PA (DCAS); CW2 John Raybon, MOS 100B (Observation Helicopter Pilot) from Fayetteville, NC (DCAS): SPC Doug Adams, Army MOS 67N (Utility Helicopter Repairer) from Corvalis, OR (DCAS); LTC Joseph Lujan, Army MOS 18A (Special Forces) from Hacienda Heights, CA (DCAS); LTC James Basile, Air Force MOS 211 from Cheshire, CN (DCAS).

July 1987 – U.S. Army MP’s took over security in Spring of 1984 at Tiger Island after the Marines withdrew in protest over DoD mislabeling the November 3, 1983 hostile attack that wounded LCPL Petrucci.  These photos are from July 1987.

August 7, 1987 Army SPC Craig Lee, MOS 11H (Heavy Anti-Armor Weapons Infantryman) from New Haven, IL dies in Honduras from an apparent drowning accident (DCAS).

August 8, 1987 Two assailants bombed the China Palace Restaurant & Discothèque, a popular U. S. Military destination in Comayagua, Honduras wounding six Army soldiers.  Eleven people were wounded total.  No Purple Hearts awarded (UMD GTD).

August 11, 1987 In depth details surface surrounding CIA and Special Forces involvement in El Salvador in an article by Frank Smyth published in The Village Voice. Documents released by The War College based in Carlisle, PA entitled “El Salvador: Observations and Experiences in Counterinsurgency” describe the use of Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol units lead by members of the Third Battalion 7th Special Forces Group based in Panama, assigned to Honduras.

September 24, 1987 Members of the Nicaraguan Resistance (Contras) attacked a Government Collective Farm using automatic weapons and mortar fire in a western suburb of Tegucigalpa killing two (UMD GTD; GTD ID #198709240011).

September 25, 1987 Members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZRF) aka the Popular Revolutionary Front coordinated an attack using automatic weapons on the National Directorate of Investigation police unit killing two officers in San Pedro Sula (UMD GTD).

December 8, 1987 Army SPC Mark Manning, MOS 51B (Carpentry & Masonry Specialist) from Dallas, TX dies in Honduras (DCAS).

January 14, 1988 Two members of a suspected Honduran Death Squad assassinated Labor Union Leader of the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras Miquel Angel Pavon in San Pedro Sula, Honduras with a handgun.  Two people died (UMD GTD).

January 6, 1988 Members of the Lorenzo Zelaya Revolutionary Front (LZRF) aka the Popular Revolutionary Front used automatic weapons to assassinate Honduran Army Sgt. Jose Isaias Vilorio in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

February 12, 1988 Members of the (LZRF) bombed a check point at Palmerola (Soto Cano) Air Base, a U.S. and Honduran military base.

March 18 – 25, 1988 Operation Golden Pheasant occurs in response to a significant incursion / invasion by Nicaraguan troops into Honduras after entering near Bocay, Nicaragua.  It is reported that Nicaraguan troops, on retreat, were planting landmines in a 20 square mile area of Honduras.

The Air Force Special Operations Command officially lists Golden Pheasant as a CONTINGENCY OPERATION.

So what is a Contingency Operation?

March 20, 1988 (Sunday) A U.S. UH-1 helicopter taking part in Operation Golden Pheasant crashed about six miles south of Juticalpa, Honduras injuring all ten U.S. military personnel onboard.

April 7, 1988 As many as 1,500 protesters and numerous assailants bombed with an incendiary device and attacked with automatic weapons against the U.S. State Department Consulate and U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras killing five citizens with gunshots.  Twenty cars were burned.  The following day the Honduran Government imposed a State of Emergency (UMD GTD).

May 2, 1988 Army SFC David Brown, MOS 31G (Tactical Commo Chief) from Barnsdall, OK dies in Honduras (DCAS).

May 8, 1988 Army CPT Timothy Hawkins, MOS 21A (General Engineer) from Park Rapids, MN dies in Honduras (DCAS).

May 12, 1988 Army SGT Larry Osborne, MOS 62J (Construction Equipment Operator) from Olivet, MI dies in Honduras.

May 25, 1988 Members of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) from El Salvador, attacked a column of Honduran Army soldiers in Sabanetas, Honduras, La Paz Department, in northern Honduras, with automatic weapons killing twenty soldiers (UMD GTD).

July 17, 1988 U.S. troops were attacked, wounding nine, by eight members of the LZRF in San Pedro Sula, Honduras when an explosive devise was thrown under their vehicle and then fired automatic weapons at them.  5 Army & 4 Airmen (State Department).  Purple Hearts awarded.

August 17, 1988 Members of the Nicaraguan Resistance (Contras) attacked the Monterey Government Cooperative with automatic weapons in Monterey, Honduras, Cortez Department,  killing four and wounding seven (UMD GTD).  This attack occurred far from the Nicaraguan border in Northwestern Honduras.

October 15, 1988 The Patriotic Morazanista Front (FPM) assassinated U.S. Businessman Leo Mills in Tegucigalpa, Honduras with a handgun (UMD GTD).

October 20, 1988 The FPM bombed the U.S. State Department Peace Corp office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

December 6 – 8, 1988 More than 30 general and flag officers met at Quantico, Virginia, for the Commandant’s Policy, Strategy, and Tactics Wargame III that dealt with the strategic and operational issues associated with U. S. Southern Command’s area of operations, Central America. A related military history dinner was also held. Focus of the dinner was a discussion of Dr. Walter LaFeber’s book Inevitable Revolutions, a highly critical history of U. S. relations with the five Central American republics (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1988/).

December 7, 1988 Nicaraguan Air Force Captain Edwin Estrada defected to Honduras with a Soviet built MI-25 advanced helicopter.  Soldier of Fortune magazine had previously offered a $1 million reward for such an act. The helicopter landed at Toncontin International airport in Tegucigalpa, HO at about 8am, Wednesday.  This marked the first time such an advanced Soviet helicopter landed in Western hands.  Below are two picture of the bird at Soto Cano air base, Honduras.

December 8, 1988 At about 1 pm, Honduran time, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed killing five U.S. Army soldiers, four of whom were from Ft. Bragg assigned to A COMPANY, 2ND BTN, 159TH AVN RGMT, 18TH ABN CORP including PFC Jimmie Bendon, MOS 67U (Medium Helo Repairer)  from Cedar Rapids, IA; SPC Douglas Kropp, MOS 67U ( Medium Helo Repairer) from Watertown, CN; SSG John McConnell, MOS 67U (Medium Helo Repairer) from Newtown, CT; Army CWO3 Randall Potter, MOS 154C (CH-47D Pilot) from Fayetteville, NC (deployed from Hunter Army Air Field, GA)and Army 1LT Alan Urban, MOS 15A (General Aviation) from Durham, NC were killed in northern Honduras three miles from La Ceiba (DCAS; The New York Times 9 Dec 1988; Fayetteville Observer, December 10, 1988, 4 HONDURAN CRASH VICTIMS FROM FORT BRAGG).  A Phase I Insurgency was declared for Northern Honduran during this period.

January 25, 1989 Members of the Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement assassinated former Honduran Army CINC General Gustavo Alvarez Martinez and one other person using an Uzi in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

February 1, 1989 A seven-vehicle convoy of U.S. and Honduran troops were fired upon by terrorists near Yoro Province, Honduras. No injuries were reported. (State Department). This may have happened at Soto Cano Air Base?

February 18, 1989 An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was detonated against a U.S. troop transport contract bus targeting U.S. troops in Honduras. Three U.S. troops and two Hondurans were injured (State Department).

February 21, 1989 Members of the United Revolutionary Front bombed the Tegucigalpa City Hall causing over $1 million in damages and injuring eight (UMD GTD).

February 23, 1989 At approximately 2am, unknown assailants tossed a grenade at the U.S. owned Standard Fruit company in La Cieba, HO shattering windows causing no injuries (see above copy of State Department Attacks on Americans 1989 bulletin).

February 24, 1989 The American owned and operated Standard Fruit Company was bombed in La Cieba, Honduras.

April 11, 1989 An 11-vehicle convoy of U.S. and Honduran troops was ambushed in the Yoro Province, Honduras near San Pedro Sula. Both U.S. troops and Honduran troops returned fire. No casualties were reported. The FPM claimed responsibility and said they killed one U.S. troop and wounded three or four others (State Department).

April 16, 1989 Two assailants bombed the U.S. State Department Embassy in Tegucigalpa, killing one and injuring another of the attackers (UMD GTD).

May 4, 1989 Former White House aide, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver L. North, USMC (Retired), who was involved in the Iran-contra scandal, was convicted by a federal court jury on three felony counts of obstructing Congress, unlawfully mutilating government documents, and taking an illegal gratuity from one of his confederates. North, who swore that he was only doing the bidding of President
Ronald Reagan and other top officials, was acquitted of nine other charges brought against him after the scandal broke in November 1986. Seven of these involved allegations that he lied to Congress or obstructed other inquiries into his undercover work in aiding the anti-Sandinista Nicaraguan rebels and arranging arms-for-hostages deals with Iran (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1989/).

July 4, 1989 Members of a Honduran Death Squad assassinated Honduran Edgardo Herrera, an Official with the Popular Unity Party using a handgun (UMD GTD).

July 6, 1989 Three Honduran Death Squads members assassinated Honduran Tobacco Workers Union President, Salomon Vallecillo in San Pedro Sula, Honduras using a handgun (UMD GTD).

July 11, 1989 A report published by the USG states that:

“Approximately 1,100 U.S. military personnel have been present at Soto Cano Air Base-formerly Palmerola Air Base-since 1983 (1) to support U.S. training exercises and U.S. intelligence activities in Honduras, (2) to signal U.S. resolve to support its allies against Cuban/Nicaraguan threat, and (3) to assist the Honduran military in providing humanitarian aid and civic action to remote areas. Although opinion polls indicate that this U.S. presence has been well received by most Hondurans, it is also the source of unfavorable press and has attracted occasional terrorist acts.” (GAO/NSIAD-89-170 U.S. Assistance in Central America, Government Accounting Office Ch. 2, p. 24 July 11, 1989).

July 13, 1989 Seven U.S. Military Policemen of the 549th MP Co, from Panama, based in Honduras were injured, four seriously, in a grenade attack in La Cieba, Honduras. The FPM claimed responsibility and claim to have killed one U.S. soldier and injured at least 20 U.S. troops in the past year during five attacks (State Department).  The soldiers names are Lt. Soto, Rob Engberts, Ken McCord, SSG Ford, SSG Nelson, SPC Wallenfang, SPC Barge & PFC Posey.  No Purple Hearts were awarded!

October 21, 1989 Marine SGT Gregory Paglia, MOS 311 (Rifleman) from New Castle, WA dies in Honduras (DCAS).

November 14, 1989 Unknown assailants bombed the Honduran Army Joint High Command in Comayagua, Honduras.

December 20, 1989 to January 31, 1990 Operation Just Cause Panama occurs.  22 U.S. Military killed.  Ouster of President Gen. Manuel Noriega.

January 1990 January – A 400-man task force from I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) deployed to carry out a variety of engineering tasks as part of a four-month series of Ahuas Tara exercises in Honduras, a joint U.S./Honduran counterinsurgency exercise. A major maritime prepositioning force exercise was later conducted that involved Maritime Prepositioning Squadron 1. Other phases of the exercise series involved a test of I MEF air contingency forces and a combined exercise with Honduran military units (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1990/).

March 17, 1990 U.S. ends National Emergency against Nicaragua after democratic elections were held, yet other threats exist in Central America.

March 31, 1990 An Air Force bus carrying 28 U.S. airman was attacked by gunmen near Amarateca, Honduras (50km south of Palmerola AB by road). Seven wounded (State Department).  Purple Hearts awarded.  Members of the Morazanist Front for the Liberation of Honduras (FMLH) conducted the attack (UMD GTD).

May 31, 1990 United Federation of Workers union member Francisco Bonilla, A Honduran, is assassinated by unknown assailants with a handgun (UMD GTD).

June 4, 1990 Central Bank Workers Union member Ramon Antonio Briceno, a Honduran, is assassinated by unknown assailants with a handgun (UMD GTD).

June 22, 1990 Army & Air Force Exchange Service government employee Kevin Zarsk dies in Honduras (193rd INF BGE mortuary records).

June 29, 1990 The official end to the Contra War between U.S. backed Contras and the Soviet/Cuban baked Sandinista Nicaraguan government is detailed in this article which states that 30,000 Nicaraguans were killed during the war (The New York Times 29 Jun 1990).

October 2, 1990 National Transport Council President Oscar Salomon Aguilera, a Honduran, is kidnapped and held hostage for five days then killed by unknown assailants with a handgun (UMD GTD).

December 23, 1990 The Patriotic Morazanista Front (FPM) bombed five separate businesses in Tegucigalpa (UMN GTD).

January 2, 1991 Near Lolotique, El Salvador an American UH-1H helicopter is shot down by smalls arms fire from FMLN guerrillas.  CW4 Daniel Scott, MOS 153B (Helicopter pilot) from San Diego, CA is killed on impact while piloting the helicopter.  LTC David Pickett, MOS 15N (also a pilot & BTN CDR) from Cavendish, CT and PFC Earnest Dawson (posthumously promoted to SPC), MOS 67N (Crew Chief) from Bolingbrook, IL survived the crash.  Dawson was reportedly rendered unconscious from the impact.  Both were taken prisoner and later executed by members of the FMLN.  The crew was 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.  LTC Pickett was awarded the POW Medal in 1999.  SPC Dawson and his family were ‘officially’ honored with the POW medal in 2024.  All three were posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.  All three were based at Soto Cano AB in Honduras.  Their mission was to transport the new B Company, 228th AVN BTN CDR to Ilopango, ES for a six day orientation.

January 18, 1991 unknown assailants using a fragmentation grenade bombed the French Consulate in San Pedro Sula (UMD GTD).

February 22, 1991. “On Feb. 22, government spokespersons told reporters that a large weapons shipment confiscated in El Paraiso department was destined for members of the Honduran Cinchoneros rebel movement. The shipment included 36 RPG grenades, 41 grenade launchers, detonators, and three radio transmitters. Police arrested Honduran national Rafael Aroca (also known as Felipe Gonzalez), who was carrying the weapons in a small truck. Aroca told reporters that the weapons were turned over to him in La Laguna, Nueva Segovia department (Nicaragua) by Nicaraguan army officer Capt. Francisco Javier Benavides. [Basic data from EFE, AFP, 02/22/91] (Tyroler, Deborah. ‘Honduras: Weapons Shipment Confiscated.’ (1991). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/noticen/5161).”

February 25, 1991 Over Lake Ilopango, ES an American helicopter crashes into the lake killing Army SGT Marvin Simpson, MOS 11B (Infantryman) from Richland, NE; Army CWO Eric Funderburg, MOS 153B (UH-1H helicopter pilot) from Yreka, CA; Army SFC Juan Llopiz-Guerra, MOS 76Y (Unit Supply Specialist) from Guaynabo, PR; Army CW2 Paul Timmer, MOS 153B (UH-1H pilot) from Hamilton, OH; Army SGT David Coleman, MOS 67N (Utility Helicopter repairer) from New Bern, NC.  Coleman is Missing in Action (MIA) since his remains were never recovered from the lake (DCAS; former unit CDR phone interview on June 13, 2024).

March 9, 1991 Suspected elements of the Police Cobra Squadron conducted an armed assault on Copacabana Night Club using M-16’s killing four and wounding nine in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

April 1 – 15, 1991 Reserve Marines from the 4th Marine Division participated in Exercise Ahuas Tara 91 in Honduras. The joint U.S.-Honduran training exercise marked the first time the Marine reserve command was charged with heading such an exercise as active U.S. military components had previously headed similar exercises (www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1991/).

April 18, 1991 The Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement bombed the local HQ of the National Party of Honduras in San Pedro Sula (UMD GTD).

May 3, 1991  At 5:00 am, a group of soldiers and plainclothesmen in the employ of a Honduran Army Colonel massacred five peasants and wounded eight in the village of Agua Caliente, municipality of Arizona, Department of Atlantida, Honduras (www.hrw.org/reports/pdfs/h/honduras/honduras916.pdf page 4; World Organization Against Torture, June 1991).  Notorious graduates of the School of the Americas from Honduras.

May 13, 1991 MedEvac mission on the way to retrieve a soldier with a ruptured hernia crashes into a mountain near the TCAN site killing Army NG 1LT Vicki Boyd (co-pilot), MOS 67J (Uh-1 pilot) from Salinas, CA; Army NG CPT Sashai Dawn(PIC), MOS 67J (UH-1 pilot) from Sacramento, CA and Army NG SSG Linda Simonds, MOS 91B (medical Specialist) also from Sacramento, all California National Guard members, die in Honduras in a helicopter crash (DCAS).  The crew chief, William “Buddy” Jarrell, an Active duty Army soldier deployed to Honduras from Ft. Carson, was then assigned to the 228th AVN, survived the crash with injuries.  This marked the first all-female helicopter crew killed since the Vietnam War.  “Dawn, Simonds, and Boyd were all deployed with the 126th Medical Company, Air Ambulance (now known as C Company, 1-126th Aviation Regiment, General Support Aviation Battalion) in 1991 to Fort Sam Houston in support of Operation Desert Storm. They were filling in for an active duty company that deployed to the middle east. They were reassigned to Soto Cano Air Base, near Comayagua, Honduras in April of that year (Visit this amazing memorial that honors their sacrifice).  Find-A-Grave has additional information.

May 26, 1991 The Cinchoneros Popular Liberation Movement attempted to assassinate and wounded Roger Eludin Gutierrez, a former member, in San Pedro Sula (UMD GTD).

May 31, 1991 A small bomb exploded about 50 yards from the Burger King restaurant in Tegucigalpa, HO.  The early morning blast caused no damages and no injuries.  The Popular Liberation Movement – Cinchoneros (MPL-C) claimed responsibility in flyers dropped near the site and also claimed anti-American references (State Department Attacked on Americans, page 15, 1991).

June 5, 1991 Army PVT Phillip Nixon, MOS 51K (Plumber) from Dobson, NC dies in Honduras (DCAS).

June 23, 1991 The Patriotic Morazanista Front (FPM) bombed a diplomatic government building in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

June 25, 1991 Members of the Patriotic Morazanista Front (FPM) attempted an assassination against a police official in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

June 27, 1991 Unknown terrorists using a handgun assassinated former contra leader from Nicaragua Francisco Ruiz Castellanos member in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

July 16, 1991 Members of an unknown terrorist group using 9mm handgun assassinated Honduran military member Sergeant Santos Efrain Zepeda Lopezin Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

July 22, 1991 Members of an unknown terrorist group using firearms assassinated a government official in San Pedro Sula (UMD GTD).

July 28, 1991 Members of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) from El Salvador conducted an armed assault using firearms on civilians in Mapulaca, Honduras killing 2 and wounding 6 (UMD GTD).  According to witnesses “a combatant pertaining to the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) tossed a grenade into the army cafeteria and fled (Tyroler, Deborah. “More On Incident In Mapulaca, Honduras.” (1991). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/noticen/5852).”

July 30, 1991 Members of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) from El Salvador conducted an armed assault using firearms on a Honduran military unit in Mapulaca, Honduras killing five (UMD GTD).

August 3, 1991 Members of an unknown group conducted an armed assault on a diplomatic government building in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

August 16, 1991 Members of an unknown group kidnapped and held hostages people from a diplomatic government building in Tegucigalpa (UMD GTD).

August 19 – 22, 1991 Soviet Union coup attempt that ultimately lead to the December 26, 1991 end of the Soviet Union.  Known as ‘The Coup that killed the U.S.S.R..’

October 4, 1991 The Patriotic Morazanista Front (FPM) assassinated a government diplomat in San Pedro Sula and a civilian in Tegucigalpa using firearms (UMD GTD) and claimed responsibility for the assassination of Raul Suazo, a leader of the United Democratci Front (FUUD).  According to the communique, Suazo acted as a police informant.  The Agence France-Presse cited local news sources as saying that Suazo worked for the secret police (Direccion National de Investigacion-DNI).  Police arrested a suspect in connection with the killing.

“According to the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras (CODEH) assassinations attributed to the Morazán Patriotic Front (FPM) and the Cinchoneros guerrillas’ apparent victims were: Sergeant José Blas Peña Paz, shot dead in his garage on May 26; cattle rancher Pablo Padilla García; and Raúl Arnulfo Suazo Madrid, a right-wing university activist. Little is known about the violent left-wing opposition groups.  They appear to be deeply divided and, according to credible sources, possibly infiltrated by the military. Often insurgent communiques claiming credit for attacks are followed by others denying it.  For example, the FPM originally claimed responsibility for the slaying on October 4 of Suazo Madrid, but subsequently denied involvement. Similarly, the Cinchoneros claimed credit for the May 25 assassination attempt against Roger Eludin Gutiérrez Rosales, a former Cinchonero leader who had recently returned from exile and renounced the armed struggle, only to deny responsibility a week later and instead blame the armed forces.  According to CODEH, the family of cattleman Padilla García, whose June 20 assassination was claimed by the Cinchoneros, has denied that the guerrillas were responsible.  The murder on July 22 of Marco Tulio Hernández, the son of a human rights leader and an activist himself, also remains unresolved. Although the gunman was quickly apprehended, he has changed his story several times, leaving his motive in doubt.  Another was the murders of peasant activist Moisés Castillo, who while handcuffed, was allegedly pushed in front of a speeding truck by his arresting officers on February 19, 1991.  Indigenous leader Vicente Matute, who was shot dead along with his companion, Francisco Guevara, on September 30.  On December 9, a high-ranking peasant leader, Manuel de Jesús Guerra, was shot dead; according to the National Confederation of Rural Workers, he was involved in solidarity work with the electrical workers union, which is engaged in a bitter labor dispute with the government.  On July 13, the murder of seventeen-year-old student Riccy Mabel Martínez who visited the army’s First Communications Battalion to ask two officers, Colonel Angel Castillo Maradiaga and Captain Ovidio Andino Coello, to release a friend of hers who had been recruited at the base.  Her body was found hours later, reportedly unclothed and with the genitals and other organs cut out.  Five civilian suspects detained by the police in connection with the murder of five individuals in the village of El Bálsamo, Yoro, on August 18. The five men had apparently been on patrol with police agents on the night of the killings. The police later arrested and beat them until they confessed to the slayings. They were released by a judge on September 11. A police spokesman eventually acknowledged that the men had been severely beaten. A DNI agent, Elmer Burgos, was consigned to a military court because of the ill-treatment.  On July 18, police in the village of Támara, in San Pedro Sula, detained Marcelino Martínez, a CODEH representative, for a little over twenty-four hours.  The police threatened him and tried to force him to sign a document saying he had refused to show them his identity card.  It is unclear whether this ill-treatment was related to Martínez’s human rights work.

In late October, 1991 soldiers seeking to oust striking miners who had occupied the El Mochito mine in the department of Santa Bárbara killed one miner and wounded twenty others at the U.S.-owned mine.

November 2, 1991  Another mass slaying this time of four peasants in the eastern province of Olancho was reported by the Honduran press to have occurred, allegedly at the instigation of an Honduran Army Colonel. Denying any official involvement, the police have detained eight suspects, two of whom later told a reporter that they had been severely tortured to extract confessions.

There appears to have been no letup in the use of torture by the police, largely because of the authorities’ consistent failure to punish those responsible. CODEH reported 119 cases of torture between January and September 1991. The police, most often the National Directorate of Investigations (DNI), regularly torture both political and common-crime suspects to obtain confessions. Methods used include severe beatings, suffocation with a rubber hood called the capucha, and application of electric shocks. In response to public complaints about torture, President Callejas promised to restructure the DNI, but has made no visible progress.

See News from Americas Watch, “Honduras” Inter-American Court of Human Rights Wraps Up First Adversarial Case,” September 1990; Juan E. Méndez and José Miguel Vivanco, “Disappearances and the Inter-American Court: Reflections on a Litigation Experience,” Hamline Law Review, Summer 1990; and News from Americas Watch, “Honduras: Torture and Murder,” pp. 10-11.  See Americas Watch, “Honduras: Torture and Murder by Government Forces Persist Despite End of Hostilities,” June 6, 1991, pp. 4-5. The government’s Agrarian Reform Institute (INA) had given the land in dispute to the peasant group known as El Astillero in 1977, but a corrupt agrarian reform official illegally sold it nearly a decade later to the army colonel, Leonel Galindo. Although the peasants had petitioned INA for the return of the land, the agency had taken no action at the time of the massacre.”

The above 1991 data was retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/reports98/publctns.htm on May 12, 2024.

December 1, 1991 unidentified assailants opened fire on the home of former armed forces chief Walter Lopez in Tegucigalpa.  No casualties were reported (Tyroler, Deborah. “Honduras: Assault On Home Of Former Military Chief.” (1991). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/noticen/6796).

December 2, 1991 The Cerveceria Hondurena brewery, owned by the U.S. firm Castle and Cook and founded by the US-based Standard Fruit Company, was attacked in San Pedro Sula by unknown assailants using a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG-7) causing $1 million in damage.  In a taped recording delivered to a radio station, the Frente Patriotico Morazan (FPM) claimed responsibility stating the attack was “against the alliance of the government, army and transnationals (Tyroler, Deborah. ‘Honduras: Brewery In San Pedro Sula Target Of Rpg-7 Rocket Attack.’ (1991). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/ noticen/6834″ & State  Department Attacks on Americans, 1991, page 20).

December 26, 1991 The Soviet Union (USSR/CCCP) collapses ending the worldwide threat to democracy.

February 1, 1992 El Salvador AFEM ends.  22 U.S. Military killed.

March 4, 1992 “Honduran military spokesperson Col. Napoleon Santos told reporters that customs officials stationed in La Fraternidad, Choluteca department, confiscated a weapons shipment from three Nicaraguan nationals. He said the three managed to escape across the border to Nicaragua, but left passports inside their vehicle. According to Santos, the shipment consisted of 60 AK-47 rifles, 25 kg. of dynamite, three land mines, over 300 fuses, 1,043 rockets, and 154 AK-47 rifle cartridges. In a March 6 communique, the Salvadoran armed forces press office (COPREFA) cited Honduran military sources as saying that the weapons shipment was destined for El Salvador. [Basic data from Agencia Centroamericana de Noticias-Spanish news service EFE, 03/04/92, 03/06/92] (Tyroler, Deborah, ‘Honduran Troops Confiscate Weapons Destined For El Salvador From Nicaraguan Nationals’ (1992)”

May 13, 1992 Armondo Montes, Mayor of the Honduran town of Catacamas and his bodyguard, were murdered by unidentified assailants in an ambush (Tyroler, Deborah “Honduras: Mayor Of Catacamas Murdered (1992).

May 19, 1992 The Morazanista Patriotic Front (FPM) claimed responsibility for the May 19 bombing of two electricity towers east of Tegucigalpa. The FPM accused President Rafael Callejas of “acting against the interests of the Honduran people,” and called on the president to resign. [Basic data from Agencia Centroamericana de Noticias-Spanish news service EFE, 05/21/92](Tyroler, Deborah ‘Honduras: Rebels Claim Responsibility For Bombing'(1992).

August 14, 1992 In an Aug. 15 communique, rebel group Morazanista Patriotic Front (Frente Patriotico Morazanista- FPM) claimed responsibility for the assassination of a high-level official from the National Electricity Institute, Ramon Castellon. On Aug. 14, Castellon was ambushed by several armed men and shot to death in Santa Barbara department.  According to the FPM, Castellon was executed for having been “implicated in the killing and disappearance of popular movement leaders.” The FPM statement said Castellon had been affiliated with the 3-16 Battalion, a semi-clandestine intelligence unit linked to the Honduran security forces.  The 3-16 Battalion, which the military affirms was disbanded several years ago, was allegedly responsible for many of the disappearances reported during the 1980’s.  The FPM is the only major Honduran rebel organization which remains active in the country.  All other guerrilla groups have renounced armed struggle and entered the political arena under the auspices of a government amnesty program. [Source: Agence France-Presse, Agencia Centroamericana de Noticias-Spanish news service EFE, 08/15/92] (Tyroler, Deborah ‘Honduras: Rebels Claim Responsibility For Assassination Of Electricity Institute Official’ (1992)).

A known 43 Purple Hearts were awarded to U.S. Service Members operating in Honduras during the conflict.  35 Purple Hearts were awarded to U.S. Service Members operating in EL Salvador.

May 21, 1995 CBS 60 Minutes airs the segment titled The Pentagon Turned its Back on Them convincing Congressman Robert K. Dornan (R-California) to push legislation through Congress until President Clinton signed the 1996 Defense Authorization Act, in part, awarding combat medals to U.S. troops who were killed, wounded and served in El Salvador.

May 6, 1996 U.S. Troops who participated in the El Salvadoran civil war conflict finally receive honors and medals (recognition) in a ceremony held in Washington D.C.  22 SM were killed in El Salvador where 5,000 U.S. troops served from 1981 to 1992. President Clinton signed the 1996 Defense Authorization Act ordering the Pentagon to issue Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals to all troops who served in El Salvador from January 1981 to February 1992. (Washington Post, Public Honors for Secret Combat 5 May 1996 p. 1).  This is the first time, and thus far, the only instance where the U.S. Government has after-the-fact recognized a foreign military operation as now being combat.

Sources:  U.S. State Department Attacks on Americans; University of Maryland Global Terrorism Database (S.T.A.R.T.) program UMD GTD; International Court of Justice (Nicaragua v. United States 1984); Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC); WAGHELSTEIN: READING THE TEA LEAVES: PROTO-INSURGENCY IN HONDURAS 2012;  Covert Action Information Bulletin, Number 18 [Winter 1983]; Contra attacks on civilians in Nicaragua from 1981-1984 resulting in death, injury or kidnapping; sources – Bitter Witness: Nicaraguans and the ”Covert” War, by the Witness for Peace Documentation Project; the submissions of the Nicaraguan government to the International Court of Justice at the Hague; lists prepared by clergy in Nicaragua; America’s Watch reports; Congressional testimony prepared by the Center for Constitutional Rights; the Updates of the Central American Historical Institute; and lawyer Reed Brody’s affidavits & notes); www.usmcu.edu/Legacy-Content/Research/Marine-Corps-History-Division/Research-Tools-Facts-and-Figures/Chronologies-of-the-Marine-Corps/1982-92/.

How can you help?

Please help us 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, those veterans attempting to receive proper combat honors and recognition for their sacrifices during the decade that ended communism.  Support VFW Resolution 419 – Honduras!

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