Central America: Once More onto the Beach

War games in Honduras, war jitters in Nicaragua

As 24 landing craft surged into the shallows off the white sandy beaches, carrying hundreds of U.S. Marines in tropical camouflage gear, Harrier jump jets streaked overhead. A six-ship task force was anchored two miles out to sea, while clattering Cobra helicopter gunships provided cover. After landing, the troops pressed forward through swampy terrain. In about two hours they had seized their first objective, an airport twelve miles inland.

Less than four weeks after the invasion of Grenada, U.S. soldiers once again had launched an...

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