Capture of Torrijos Airport
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict =
| partof = the United States invasion of Panama
| image = {{Location map many | Panama
| width = 300
| float = centre
| label = Torrijos Airport
| pos = right
| marksize = 8
| lat_deg = 9.069499722
| lon_deg = -79.383498466
}}
| caption =
| date = 20 December 1989
| place = Torrijos Airport, Panama
| coordinates =
| result = American victory
- Capture of Panamanian Air Force
| combatant1 = {{flag|United States}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|Panama}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|United States}} Robert W. Wagner
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Panama}} Unknown
| units1 = 75th Ranger Regiment
- 1st Ranger Battalion
- 3rd Ranger Battalion
- Company C
| units2 = {{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Panama.svg}} Panama Defense Forces
- 2nd PDF Company
| strength1 = Unknown
4 C-130
1 AC-130 gunship
AH-6 helicopters
| strength2 = 200
1 ZPU-4
| casualties1 = 1 killed{{cite book |last1=Neville |title=US Army Rangers 1989–2015, location 267 |date=19 May 2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |url=https://www.amazon.com/US-Army-Rangers-1989-2015-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B0BLLYBCMB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= |language=English}}
5 wounded{{cite book |last1=Neville |first1=Leigh |title=US Army Rangers 1989–2015, location 267 |date=19 May 2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |url=https://www.amazon.com/US-Army-Rangers-1989-2015-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B0BLLYBCMB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= |language=English}}
| casualties2 = 5 killed
50 captured
398 civilians detained
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Operation Just Cause}}
}}
The Capture of Torrijos Airport took place as an opening action of the United States invasion of Panama, and was fought between the U.S. military and the Panama Defense Forces (PDF) on 20 December 1989. The goal of this operation was to capture the Panamanian Air Force, headquartered at the airport, and to close the airport to traffic coming into Panama.{{Cite web|title = Modern Rangers {{!}} Panama|url = http://www.suasponte.com/m_panama.htm|website = www.suasponte.com|accessdate = 2015-12-31|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160117195956/http://www.suasponte.com/m_panama.htm|archive-date = 17 January 2016|url-status = dead|df = dmy-all}}
The capture of Torrijos Airport was executed by the U.S. Army Rangers of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Background
The US had developed a three-stage plan to capture Torrijos Airport to the mission: to isolate Objective Bear (the main terminal), to eliminate enemy resistance, and to prevent the Panama Defense Forces (PDF) from interfering with Operation Just Cause.
The Company C could rely on fire support consisted of an AC-130 "Spectre" gunship and AH-6 attack helicopters. The American plan called for the AC-130 was to clear three .50-caliber machine gun positions and a ZPU-4 anti-aircraft position at the airport, while the AH-6s neutralised the PDF guard tower.
File:Final Approach Runway 03R (8417806125).jpg
Initially, U.S. intelligence indicated that there were very few people in the main terminal at H-Hour. However, two international flights had just landed at the airport, which was still fully operational. As a result of this, there were actually 398 civilians in the airport rather than the few dozen that the Americans had expected to find. In addition, to this intelligence failure the PDF's 2nd Company was on alert and was patrolling in and around the airport terminal buildings.
The operation
The Rangers began their operations after another group had launched preliminary airstrikes against the Panamanian Defense Forces defending the airfield.{{cite book |last1=Neville |first1=Leigh |title=US Army Rangers 1989–2015, location 263 |date=19 May 2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |url=https://www.amazon.com/US-Army-Rangers-1989-2015-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B0BLLYBCMB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= |language=English}} After this they airdropped towards the airfield from a height of 500 feet, which was 300 feet less than their training drops in the US. Unfortunately, some Rangers forgot to release their rucksacks and ended up injuring their ankles upon landing.{{cite book |last1=Cole |first1=Ronald H. |title=Operation Just Cause: The Planning and Execution of Joint Operations in Panama, February 1988-January 1990 |date=November 1996 |publisher=DIANE Publishing |isbn=978-0-7881-3557-6 |page=39 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JEom1HKcmNsC&pg=PA27 |language=en}} Despite this setback, they managed to secure the airfield with relatively little resistance, though there was some gunfire in the main terminal building.{{cite book |last1=Neville |first1=Leigh |title=US Army Rangers 1989–2015, location 267 |date=19 May 2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |url=https://www.amazon.com/US-Army-Rangers-1989-2015-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B0BLLYBCMB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= |language=English}} While the mission was successful, some accounts of the event suggest that one Ranger lost their life during the battle.{{cite book |last1=Neville |first1=Leigh |title=US Army Rangers 1989–2015, location 267 |date=19 May 2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |url=https://www.amazon.com/US-Army-Rangers-1989-2015-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B0BLLYBCMB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= |language=English}}
Aftermath
On the morning of 20 December 1989, at approximately 7am, the Ranger company was able to linked up with units from the 82nd Airborne Division. The prisoners, detainees, and confiscated documents and weapons were turned over to the military police company commander of the 82nd Airborne Division.
During the course of the operation to capture the airport, only 1 ranger was killed and 5 were wounded.{{cite book |last1=Neville |first1=Leigh |title=US Army Rangers 1989–2015, location 267 |date=19 May 2016 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |url=https://www.amazon.com/US-Army-Rangers-1989-2015-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B0BLLYBCMB/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= |language=English}} Whereas 5 PDF soldiers were killed and 21 were captured.{{Cite web|title = Full text of "Soldiers in Panama: stories of Operation Just Cause"|url = https://archive.org/stream/soldma00unit/soldma00unit_djvu.txt|website = archive.org|accessdate = 2015-12-31}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torrijos Airport}}
Category:20th-century military history of the United States
Category:Military history of Panama
Category:Military operations involving the United States
Category:United States Army Rangers
Category:December 1989 in North America
Category:United States invasion of Panama
Category:Battles involving airports