Tourist Airport or Communist Runway?
Reagan heavily criticized the construction of the over 9,000-foot runway being built at Point Salines International Airport during the early 1980s as well. It was said to be for the official purposes of tourism, economic development and civil affairs by Grenadian officials and Maurice Bishop himself. Still, Reagan argued as to the need for such an extensive runway, noting that commercial aircraft expected to fly to and from Grenada for these purposes did not require such a long distance to land and take-off, but this would instead be perfect for large, Soviet aircraft. More than five hundred Cuban engineers, architects, advisers, and military personnel were on the island when American forces and its allies invaded Grenada. Advisers from the USSR, East Germany, North Korea, Libya, and other communist/socialist nations during the time period were also present.
An American cargo plane landing at Point Salines
International Airport during the U.S. invasion, showing its ability to support large aircraft, 1983. Courtesy and © Copyright Fabian Cevallos/Sygma/Corbis |
View of airfield at Point Salines International
Airport during Operation Urgent Fury, prior to its final completion, October 25, 1983. Courtesy and © Copyright Corbis |
Jesse P. Sheon, colonel (ret.) U.S. Army
Photograph: Courtesy Jesse P. Sheon
Audio clips: Jesse P. Sheon, interview, Dececmber 8, 2011 |
"... [I was surprised by] the length of the runway and the revetments that were being dug for the bombers and then that communications station. And, you know, they called the building where the 82nd and the Rangers set their headquarters originally the terminal -- it wasn't much of a terminal. It was more like a headquarters for a military airport."
"... And we took off, I can't tell you how many plane loads of AK47s and their anti-tank weapons and stuff. Like I told you, there were two armored vehicles but there were thousands of rifles and machine guns and anti-tank rounds and bullets to go with them that left, and all that stuff went out of there before the soldiers did."
"... We came across documents at the hotel where they put us up, that -- they were talking about spreading communism throughout Latin American, and Grenada sits just off the coast of South America, and they were talking about spreading the word of communism into those nations. It could have ended up like a little, tiny Cuba, because Grenada is kind of a small island, but I think, had we not, it would have been bad for all concerned for a couple of years because that runway and the parking areas for those big bombers weren't far from being fruition."
|