Operation Acid Gambit: Difference between revisions
→The operation: in the book six minutes to freedom it clearly describes the operator repelling harness and abseiling - not climbing down the side of the building (facts matter) |
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{{Short description|Military operation during the United States invasion of Panama}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}} |
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{{Infobox Military Conflict |
{{Infobox Military Conflict |
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| conflict = Operation Acid Gambit |
| conflict = Operation Acid Gambit |
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| partof = the [[United States invasion of Panama]] |
| partof = the [[United States invasion of Panama]] |
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| image = {{Location map many | Panama |
| image = {{Location map many | Panama |
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| width = 300 |
| width = 300 |
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| float = centre |
| float = centre |
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| lon_deg = -79.516670 |
| lon_deg = -79.516670 |
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}} |
}} |
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| caption = |
| caption = |
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| date = 20 December 1989 |
| date = 20 December 1989 |
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| place = [[Panama City]], [[Panama]] |
| place = [[Panama City]], [[Panama]] |
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| coordinates = |
| coordinates = |
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| result = American victory |
| result = American victory |
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* Prisoner extracted successfully |
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* Mission accomplished. |
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| combatant1 = {{flagicon|United States}} [[United States]] |
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|United States}} [[United States]] |
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| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Panama}} [[Panama]] |
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Panama}} [[Panama]] |
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| commander1 = {{flagicon|United States}} Col. [[Peter J. Schoomaker]]<br>{{flagicon|United States}} [[Eldon Bargewell]]<br>{{flagicon|United States}} [[Gary L. Harrell]] |
| commander1 = {{flagicon|United States}} Col. [[Peter J. Schoomaker]]<br>{{flagicon|United States}} [[Eldon Bargewell]]<br>{{flagicon|United States}} [[Gary L. Harrell]] |
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| commander2 = {{flagicon|Panama}} [[Manuel Noriega]]<br>{{flagicon|Panama}} Unknown |
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Panama}} [[Manuel Noriega]]<br>{{flagicon|Panama}} Unknown |
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| units1 = [[File:U.S. Army Special Operations Command SSI (1989-2015).svg|15px]] [[Delta Force|1st SFOD-D]]<br> [[File:160th SOAR emblem.svg|15px]] [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)|Night Stalkers]] |
| units1 = [[File:U.S. Army Special Operations Command SSI (1989-2015).svg|15px]] [[Delta Force|1st SFOD-D]]<br> [[File:160th SOAR emblem.svg|15px]] [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)|Night Stalkers]] |
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| units2 ={{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Panama.svg}}[[ |
| units2 = {{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Panama.svg}}[[Panama Defense Forces]] |
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| strength1 = 23 Delta Operators<br>4 helicopters |
| strength1 = 23 Delta Operators<br>4 [[MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird|MH-6]] helicopters |
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| strength2 = unknown |
| strength2 = unknown |
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| casualties1 = 4 wounded<br>1 helicopter crashed |
| casualties1 = 4 wounded<br>1 helicopter crashed |
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| casualties2 = 5 killed<br>1 captured |
| casualties2 = 5 killed<br>1 captured |
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| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Operation Just Cause}} |
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Operation Just Cause}} |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Operation Acid Gambit''' was a [[Delta Force]] operation that retrieved Kurt Muse, an [[United States|American]] [[ |
'''Operation Acid Gambit''' took place as an opening action of the [[United States invasion of Panama]], on 20 December 1989. It was a U.S. [[Delta Force]] operation that retrieved Kurt Muse, an [[United States|American]] [[expatriate]] living in [[Panama]] who had been arrested for leading a plot with other Panamanian to overthrow of the government of Panama, from the Cárcel Modelo, a notorious prison in [[Panama City]]. |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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Muse had been arrested in 1989 for setting up covert anti-[[Manuel Noriega|Noriega]] radio transmissions in Panama.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/06/world/with-a-bang-panama-is-erasing-house-of-horrors.html | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=December 6, 1996 | title=With a Bang, Panama Is Erasing House of Horrors | first=Larry | last=Rohter | author-link=Larry Rohter}}</ref> The [[Raid (military)|raid]], conducted by 23 [[Delta Force]] operators and supported by the [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)|Night Stalkers]], was delayed until the [[United States]] invaded Panama to arrest Noriega, in [[Operation Just Cause]] on 20 December 1989. Muse was later reported to be a [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] operative by ''[[The Washington Post]]'' |
Muse had been arrested in 1989 for setting up covert anti-[[Manuel Noriega|Noriega]] radio transmissions in Panama.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/06/world/with-a-bang-panama-is-erasing-house-of-horrors.html | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=December 6, 1996 | title=With a Bang, Panama Is Erasing House of Horrors | first=Larry | last=Rohter | author-link=Larry Rohter}}</ref> The [[Raid (military)|raid]], conducted by 23 [[Delta Force]] operators and supported by the [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)|Night Stalkers]], was delayed until the [[United States]] invaded Panama to arrest Noriega, in [[Operation Just Cause]] on 20 December 1989. Muse was later reported to be a [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] operative by ''[[The Washington Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/05/02/us-sought-premise-for-using-military-in-panama/0a5e5a53-3e18-460a-a74d-8656d26ef118/ | newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=May 2, 1991 | title=US Sought Premise for Using Military in Panama; Months Before 1989 Invasion, Bush Was Waiting for Noriega to 'Overstep' | first=Molly | last=Moore}}</ref> |
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The last contact Muse had with an American official before the raid was |
The last contact Muse had with an American official before the raid was with an unidentified American colonel. It took place in the prison's public visiting areas. During the visit an American helicopter buzzed at a low altitude and high speed above the prison. When the sound subsided, the colonel addressed Muse loud enough for the entire room to hear. He stated that there was an order to kill Muse if the United States were to become involved in a conflict with [[Panama]], which essentially meant Muse was not a prisoner but a hostage. The colonel threatened that if anyone harmed him, everyone in the prison would be killed.<ref name="SOC">{{cite web | title=Operation Acid Gambit: The Rescue of Kurt Muse | first=Thomas B. | last=Hunter | website=SpecialOperations.Com | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129100843/http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/Just_Cause/Acid_Gambit/default2.html | archive-date=29 November 2013 | url=http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/Just_Cause/Acid_Gambit/default2.html}}</ref> |
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==The operation== |
==The operation== |
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Leading the operation |
Leading the operation were [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Eldon Bargewell]] and [[Major (United States)|Major]] [[Gary L. Harrell]]. Delta operator David "Diamond Dave" Agtsteribbe was voluntarily taken prisoner and endured 15 days of torture, in order to make contact with Muse and prepare for the pending operation. The Delta operators were inserted onto the roof of the prison by [[MH-6 Little Bird]] helicopters. One operator was tasked to abseil down to the side of the building, hang outside Muse's cell window, and eliminate the guard charged with killing Muse if a rescue was mounted. However, the guard was not there. |
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After breaching the rooftop door |
After breaching the rooftop door, the Delta operators descended the two flights of stairs towards Muse's cell. A Delta operator killed the guard who was responsible for killing Muse in case of a rescue. Muse's lock on his cell door was shot twice; however, the lock did not break, and a small explosive was used to gain access to his cell.<ref name="SOC" /><ref>{{Citation |url-status=|url=https://www.shadowspear.com/tag/acid-gambit/ |title=Acid Gambit Archives |website=ShadowSpear Special Operations |language=en-US |access-date=2019-08-27}}{{deadlink|date=September 2023}}</ref> |
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Delta operators gave Muse body |
Delta operators gave Muse body armor, a ballistic helmet, and goggles and moved him to the roof, where they would be exfiltrated by MH-6 Little Birds back to the US base. |
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During extraction from the prison, the Hughes [[MH-6 Little Bird]] helicopter transporting Muse crashed.<ref name="SOC" /> Delta Force operators Pat Savidge, Tom Caldwell, James Sudderth, and Kelly Venden were wounded in the crash. Everyone aboard the helicopter took cover in a nearby building. The Delta operators managed to signal one of the gunships flying over the area with an [[infrared]] [[strobe light]]. Shortly afterwards, an [[M113 armored personnel carrier|M113]] armored personnel carrier from the [[5th Infantry Division (United States)|5th Infantry Division]] extracted Muse and the retrieval team. During the raid, Agtsteribbe was wounded and received a [[Purple Heart]]. |
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== Legacy == |
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Several years after the rescue, Muse collaborated on a book about the incident |
Several years after the rescue, Muse collaborated with author [[John Gilstrap]] on a book about the incident, ''Six Minutes to Freedom''.<ref>[[John Gilstrap|Gilstrap, John]], "Six Minutes to Freedom", Citadel Press, 2012</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations/operation-acid-gambit.html ShadowSpear: Operation Acid Gambit] |
* [http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations/operation-acid-gambit.html ShadowSpear: Operation Acid Gambit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118154737/http://www.shadowspear.com/special-operations/operation-acid-gambit.html |date=18 November 2009 }} |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131129100843/http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/Just_Cause/Acid_Gambit/default2.html Operation Acid Gambit - The Rescue of Kurt Muse] |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20131129100843/http://www.specialoperations.com/Operations/Just_Cause/Acid_Gambit/default2.html Operation Acid Gambit - The Rescue of Kurt Muse] |
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{{coord missing|Panama}} |
{{coord missing|Panama}} |
Latest revision as of 05:30, 6 June 2024
Operation Acid Gambit | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the United States invasion of Panama | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
United States | Panama | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Col. Peter J. Schoomaker Eldon Bargewell Gary L. Harrell |
Manuel Noriega Unknown | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
1st SFOD-D Night Stalkers | Panama Defense Forces | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
23 Delta Operators 4 MH-6 helicopters | unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
4 wounded 1 helicopter crashed |
5 killed 1 captured |
Operation Acid Gambit took place as an opening action of the United States invasion of Panama, on 20 December 1989. It was a U.S. Delta Force operation that retrieved Kurt Muse, an American expatriate living in Panama who had been arrested for leading a plot with other Panamanian to overthrow of the government of Panama, from the Cárcel Modelo, a notorious prison in Panama City.
Background[edit]
Muse had been arrested in 1989 for setting up covert anti-Noriega radio transmissions in Panama.[1] The raid, conducted by 23 Delta Force operators and supported by the Night Stalkers, was delayed until the United States invaded Panama to arrest Noriega, in Operation Just Cause on 20 December 1989. Muse was later reported to be a CIA operative by The Washington Post.[2]
The last contact Muse had with an American official before the raid was with an unidentified American colonel. It took place in the prison's public visiting areas. During the visit an American helicopter buzzed at a low altitude and high speed above the prison. When the sound subsided, the colonel addressed Muse loud enough for the entire room to hear. He stated that there was an order to kill Muse if the United States were to become involved in a conflict with Panama, which essentially meant Muse was not a prisoner but a hostage. The colonel threatened that if anyone harmed him, everyone in the prison would be killed.[3]
The operation[edit]
Leading the operation were Lieutenant Colonel Eldon Bargewell and Major Gary L. Harrell. Delta operator David "Diamond Dave" Agtsteribbe was voluntarily taken prisoner and endured 15 days of torture, in order to make contact with Muse and prepare for the pending operation. The Delta operators were inserted onto the roof of the prison by MH-6 Little Bird helicopters. One operator was tasked to abseil down to the side of the building, hang outside Muse's cell window, and eliminate the guard charged with killing Muse if a rescue was mounted. However, the guard was not there.
After breaching the rooftop door, the Delta operators descended the two flights of stairs towards Muse's cell. A Delta operator killed the guard who was responsible for killing Muse in case of a rescue. Muse's lock on his cell door was shot twice; however, the lock did not break, and a small explosive was used to gain access to his cell.[3][4] Delta operators gave Muse body armor, a ballistic helmet, and goggles and moved him to the roof, where they would be exfiltrated by MH-6 Little Birds back to the US base.
During extraction from the prison, the Hughes MH-6 Little Bird helicopter transporting Muse crashed.[3] Delta Force operators Pat Savidge, Tom Caldwell, James Sudderth, and Kelly Venden were wounded in the crash. Everyone aboard the helicopter took cover in a nearby building. The Delta operators managed to signal one of the gunships flying over the area with an infrared strobe light. Shortly afterwards, an M113 armored personnel carrier from the 5th Infantry Division extracted Muse and the retrieval team. During the raid, Agtsteribbe was wounded and received a Purple Heart.
Legacy[edit]
Several years after the rescue, Muse collaborated with author John Gilstrap on a book about the incident, Six Minutes to Freedom.[5]
See also[edit]
- List of special forces units
- List of operations conducted by Delta Force
- List of Delta Force members
- Raid at Renacer Prison
References[edit]
- ^ Rohter, Larry (6 December 1996). "With a Bang, Panama Is Erasing House of Horrors". The New York Times.
- ^ Moore, Molly (2 May 1991). "US Sought Premise for Using Military in Panama; Months Before 1989 Invasion, Bush Was Waiting for Noriega to 'Overstep'". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b c Hunter, Thomas B. "Operation Acid Gambit: The Rescue of Kurt Muse". SpecialOperations.Com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Acid Gambit Archives", ShadowSpear Special Operations, retrieved 27 August 2019[dead link]
- ^ Gilstrap, John, "Six Minutes to Freedom", Citadel Press, 2012
External links[edit]
- ShadowSpear: Operation Acid Gambit Archived 18 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- Operation Acid Gambit - The Rescue of Kurt Muse