115-464: The Maran River is a river of Grenada . 12°10′N 61°43′W / 12.167°N 61.717°W / 12.167; -61.717 This article related to a river in Grenada is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Grenada Grenada ( / ɡ r ə ˈ n eɪ d ə / grə- NAY -də ; Grenadian Creole French : Gwenad , [ɡweˈnad] )
230-442: A DShK machine gun which a Marine AH-1 Cobra destroyed. UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters delivered SEAL Team 6 operators in the early morning of 25 October to Radio Free Grenada with the purpose of using the radio station for psychological operations . They captured the station unopposed and destroyed the radio transmitter. However, they were attacked by Grenadian forces in cars and an armored personnel carrier (APC), which forced
345-523: A People's Revolutionary Government (PRG), headed by Maurice Bishop , who declared himself prime minister. His Marxist–Leninist government established close ties with Cuba , Nicaragua , and other communist bloc countries. All political parties except for the New Jewel Movement were banned and no elections were held during the four years of PRG rule. Some years later, a dispute developed between Bishop and certain high-ranking members of
460-534: A coalition of six Caribbean countries invaded the small island nation of Grenada , 100 miles (160 km) north of Venezuela , at dawn on 25 October 1983. Codenamed Operation Urgent Fury by the U.S. military, it resulted in military occupation within a few days. It was triggered by strife within the People's Revolutionary Government , which led to the house arrest and execution of the previous leader and second Prime Minister of Grenada , Maurice Bishop , and to
575-519: A 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.22/10, ranking it 131st globally out of 172 countries. The climate is tropical: hot and humid in the dry season and cooled by the moderate rainfall in the rainy season . Temperatures range from 22–32 °C (72–90 °F) and are rarely below 18 °C (64 °F). Grenada lies at the southern edge of the Main Development Region for tropical cyclone activity, though
690-593: A 48 hour period. Like much of the Caribbean, Grenada is depauperate of large animals . However, native opossums , armadillos , and introduced mona monkeys and mongooses are common. As of June 2024, the avifauna of Grenada included a total of 199 species according to Bird Checklists of the World . Of these, one is endemic ( Grenada dove ), one has been introduced by humans ( Rock Pigeon ), and 130 are rare or accidental . Approximately 2 million years ago, in
805-516: A U.S.-led military intervention following a formal appeal for help from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , which had received a covert request for help from Paul Scoon (though he put off signing the official letter of invitation until 26 October). Among the key invasion planners were Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and his senior military assistant Colin Powell . Regarding
920-534: A brief period until the June 1995 election which was won by the New National Party under Keith Mitchell , who went on to win the 1999 and 2003 elections , serving for a record 13 years until 2008. Mitchell re-established relations with Cuba and also reformed the country's banking system, which had come under criticism over potential money laundering concerns. In 2000–02, much of the controversy of
1035-742: A crisis. On the evening of 13 October 1983, the Coard faction of the Central Committee, in conjunction with the People’s Revolutionary Army, placed Prime Minister Bishop and several of his allies under house arrest. On 19 October, after Bishop's secret detention became widely known, he was freed by a large crowd of supporters, estimated between 15,000 and 30,000. He led the crowd to a relatively unguarded Fort Rupert which they soon occupied. At nearby Fort Frederick, Coard had gathered nine Central Committee members and sizable factions of
1150-429: A four-day total curfew, during which anyone leaving their home without approval would be shot on sight. US President Ronald Reagan stated that particularly worrying was the presence of Cuban construction workers and military personnel building a 10,000-foot (3,000 m) airstrip on Grenada. Bishop had stated the purpose of the airstrip was to allow commercial jets to land, but some US military analysts argued that
1265-553: A joint force. This triggered post-action investigations resulting in sweeping operational changes in the form of the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act . In 1974, Sir Eric Gairy led Grenada to independence from the United Kingdom , but his term in office was marred by civil unrest. Although his Grenada United Labour Party claimed victory in the general election of 1976 ,
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#17327660029101380-514: A landslide and the NNP returned to power, winning again by another landslide in 2018 . In March 2020, Grenada confirmed its first case of COVID-19 and, as of 17 March 2022 , 13,921 cases and 217 deaths had been recorded. On 23 June 2022, the NDC won the general election under Dickon Mitchell , who became prime minister the following day. The island of Grenada is the southernmost island in
1495-501: A multi-party system, with the largest parties being the centre-right New National Party (NNP) and the centre-left National Democratic Congress (NDC). In February 2013, the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) lost the election . The opposition New National Party (NNP) won all 15 seats in the general election. Keith Mitchell , leader of NNP, who had served three terms as prime minister between 1995 and 2008, returned to power. Mitchell subsequently led NNP to win all 15 seats in
1610-464: A nearby mental hospital, killing 18 civilians. Two Marine AH-1T Cobras and a UH-60 Blackhawk were shot down in a raid against Fort Frederick, resulting in five casualties. General Trobaugh of the 82nd Airborne Division had two goals on the second day: securing the perimeter around Point Salines Airport, and rescuing American students held in Grand Anse. The Army lacked undamaged helicopters after
1725-572: A new and participative constitutional dispensation for the Grenadian people. Due to Marryshow's lobbying, the Wood Commission of 1921–22 concluded that Grenada was ready for constitutional reform in the form of a modified Crown colony government. This modification granted Grenadians the right to elect five of the 15 Legislative Council members on a restricted property franchise, enabling the wealthiest 4% of adult Grenadians to vote. Marryshow
1840-453: A patrol boat, causing the mission to be aborted. Another SEAL mission on 24 October was also unsuccessful, due to harsh weather, resulting in little intelligence being gathered in advance of the impending intervention. Alpha and Bravo companies of the 1st Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment embarked on C-130s at Hunter Army Airfield at midnight on 25 October to perform an air assault landing on Point Salines Airport, intending to land at
1955-551: A reconnaissance plane. On 25 October, Delta Force and C Company of the 75th Ranger Regiment embarked in UH-60 and MH-6 Little Bird helicopters of Task Force 160 to capture Fort Rupert (now known as Fort George ), where they believed the Revolutionary Council leaders lived, and Richmond Hill Prison , where political prisoners were being held. The raid on Richmond Hill Prison lacked vital intelligence, leaving
2070-412: A research project into the era and specifically into the fact that Maurice Bishop's body was never discovered. On 7 September 2004, after being hurricane-free for 49 years, the island was directly hit by Hurricane Ivan . Ivan struck as a Category 3 hurricane , resulting in 39 deaths and damage or destruction to 90% of the island's homes. On 14 July 2005, Hurricane Emily , a Category 1 hurricane at
2185-534: A similar resolution, which was supported by 11 countries. However, the United States vetoed the motion. After the invasion, the pre-revolutionary Grenadian constitution came into operation once again. Eighteen members of the PRG/PRA were arrested on charges related to the murder of Maurice Bishop and seven others. The 18 included the top political leadership of Grenada at the time of the execution, along with
2300-417: A single BTR-60 during the night, dispatching it with a M72 LAW . The 325th Infantry Regiment advanced toward the capital of Saint George, capturing Grand Anse and discovering 200 American students whom they had missed the first day. They continued to the town of Ruth Howard and Saint George, meeting only scattered resistance. An air-naval gunfire liaison team called in an A-7 airstrike and accidentally hit
2415-555: A small group Air Force TACPs from the 21st TASS Shaw AFB ancillary forces, totaling 7,600 troops, together with Jamaican forces and troops of the Regional Security System (RSS). The invaders quickly defeated Grenadian resistance after a low-altitude assault by the Rangers and 82nd Airborne at Point Salines Airport on the island's south end, and a Marine helicopter and amphibious landing at Pearls Airport on
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#17327660029102530-607: A wall in Fort Rupert's courtyard and faced a firing squad. The army under Hudson Austin then stepped in and formed a military council to rule the country, and placed Sir Paul Scoon under house arrest in Government House . The army instituted a strict four-day curfew during which anyone seen on the streets would be shot on sight. Within only a few days of these events in Grenada, the Reagan administration mounted
2645-510: Is Mount St. Catherine , rising to 840 m (2,760 ft) above sea level. Other major mountains include Mount Granby and South East Mountain . Several small rivers with waterfalls flow into the sea from these mountains. The coastline contains several bays, most notably on the southern coast, split into numerous thin peninsulas. Grenada is home to four ecoregions: Windward Islands moist forests, Leeward Islands dry forests, Windward Islands dry forests, and Windward Islands xeric scrub. It had
2760-665: Is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea . The southernmost of the Windward Islands , Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about 100 miles (160 km) north of Trinidad and the South American mainland. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique , and several small islands which lie to
2875-788: Is reported to have renamed the island "Mayo", although this is the only map where the name appears. The indigenous Arawak who once lived on the island before the arrival of the Europeans gave the name Camajuya . Grenada is thought to have been first populated by peoples from South America during the Caribbean Archaic Age , although definitive evidence is lacking. The earliest potential human presence comes from proxy evidence of lake cores, beginning c. 3600 BC . Less ephemeral, permanent villages began c. 100–200 . The population peaked between 750 and 1250, with major changes in population afterward, potentially
2990-616: The 2022 election to the National Democratic Congress, with the NDC winning 9 seats to the NNP’s 6. Dickon Mitchell , a political newcomer who had only taken over as leader of the National Democratic Congress less than a year before the election and never held elected office, was subsequently appointed prime minister. Grenada is a full and participating member of both the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and
3105-519: The An-12 , An-22 , and An-124 . Such a facility, according to the U.S., would enhance the Soviet and Cuban transportation of weapons to Central American insurgents and expand Soviet regional influence. Bishop's government claimed that the airport was built to handle commercial aircraft carrying tourists, pointing out that such jets could not land at Pearls Airport with its 5,200-foot (1,600 m) runway on
3220-459: The Antilles archipelago, bordering the eastern Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean, and roughly 140 km (90 mi) north of both Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago. Its sister islands make up the southern section of the Grenadines, which include Carriacou , Petite Martinique , Ronde Island , Caille Island , Diamond Island , Large Island , Saline Island , and Frigate Island ;
3335-652: The New National Party under Herbert Blaize, who served as prime minister until his death in December 1989. Ben Jones briefly succeeded Blaize as prime minister and served until the March 1990 election . This election was won by the National Democratic Congress under Nicholas Brathwaite, who served as prime minister until he resigned in February 1995. He was succeeded by George Brizan for
3450-731: The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Grenada, along with much of the Caribbean region, is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations . The organisation primarily consists of former British colonies and focuses on fostering international relations between its members. United States invasion of Grenada American–CPF victory [REDACTED] United States [REDACTED] Grenadian Opposition [REDACTED] United States : CPF : [REDACTED] Grenada : [REDACTED] United States : [REDACTED] Grenada : [REDACTED] Cuba : [REDACTED] Soviet Union : The United States and
3565-460: The Pliocene era, the area of what is nowadays Grenada emerged from a shallow sea as a submarine volcano. In recent times, volcanic activity has been non-existent, except for some of its hot spring and underwater volcano Kick 'em Jenny . Most of Grenada's terrain is made up of volcanic activity that took place 1–2 million years ago. There would have been many unknown volcanoes responsible for
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3680-669: The Vietnam War . Vice Admiral Joseph Metcalf III , Commander of the Second Fleet, was the overall commander of American forces, designated Joint Task Force 120, which included elements of each military service and multiple special operations units. Fighting continued for several days and the total number of American troops reached some 7,000 along with 300 troops from the Organization of American States , commanded by Brigadier Rudyard Lewis of Barbados. The main objectives on
3795-587: The Virgin Mary . It is said that he may have actually named it "Assumpción", but it is uncertain, as he is said to have sighted what are now Grenada and Tobago from a distance and named them both at the same time. However, it became accepted that he named Tobago "Assumpción" and Grenada "La Concepción". The year after, Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci travelled through the region with the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda and mapmaker Juan de la Cosa . Vespucci
3910-455: The arrival of Europeans in the Americas , Grenada was inhabited by the indigenous peoples from South America. Christopher Columbus sighted Grenada in 1498 during his third voyage to the Americas. Following several unsuccessful attempts by Europeans to colonise the island due to resistance from resident Island Caribs , French settlement and colonisation began in 1649 and continued for
4025-706: The 25 October invasion. Navy SEALs from SEAL Team 6 and Air Force combat controllers were air-dropped at sea to perform a reconnaissance mission on Point Salines. The helicopter drop went wrong; four SEALs were lost at sea and their bodies never recovered, causing most people to suspect they had drowned. The four SEALs were Machinist Mate 1st Class Kenneth J. Butcher, Quartermaster 1st Class Kevin E. Lundberg, Hull Technician 1st Class Stephen L. Morris, and Senior Chief Engineman Robert R. Schamberger. In an interview conducted by Bill Salisbury and published on 4 October 1990, Kenneth Butcher's widow claimed that she had gone to Grenada hoping that her husband had survived. She said, "There
4140-452: The 600 U.S. medical students on the island" and fears of a repeat of the Iran hostage crisis , which ended less than three years earlier. Future U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger , who was then serving as Reagan's Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs , later admitted that the prime motivation for the intervention was to "get rid" of the coup leader Hudson Austin, and that
4255-561: The American troops used tourist maps with military grids superimposed on them. The invading forces encountered about 1,500 Grenadian soldiers of the People's Revolutionary Army (PRA) manning defensive positions. The PRA troops were for the most part equipped with light weapons, mostly Kalashnikov-pattern automatic rifles of Soviet bloc origin, and smaller numbers of obsolete SKS carbines and PPSh-41 submachine guns. They had few heavy weapons and no modern air defense systems. The PRA
4370-518: The GULP won the 1976 Grenadian general election , albeit with a reduced majority; however, the opposition deemed the results invalid due to fraud and the violent intimidation performed by the so-called ' Mongoose Gang ', a private militia loyal to Gairy. On 13 March 1979, whilst Gairy was out of the country, the NJM launched a bloodless coup which removed Gairy, suspended the constitution, and established
4485-500: The Grenadian Army, led a coup against the government of Maurice Bishop and placed Bishop under house arrest . These actions led to street demonstrations in various parts of the island because Bishop had widespread support from the population. Because Bishop was a widely popular leader, he was freed by impassioned supporters who marched en masse to his guarded residence from a rally in the capital's central square. Bishop then led
4600-517: The House of Representatives again in 2018 , marking three separate occasions on which he had achieved this feat. In November 2021, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell said that the upcoming general elections which were constitutionally due no later than June 2023, was to be the last one for him. Mitchell advised the governor-general on 16 May 2022 to dissolve Parliament a year earlier than the constitutional requirement. The New National Party subsequently lost
4715-487: The NJM. Though Bishop cooperated with Cuba and the USSR on various trade and foreign policy issues, he sought to maintain a non-aligned status . Hardline Marxist party members, including communist Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard , deemed Bishop insufficiently revolutionary and demanded that he either step down or enter into a power-sharing arrangement. On 16 October 1983, Bernard Coard and his wife, Phyllis, backed by
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4830-578: The Navy SEALs the following morning, allowing Governor Scoon, his wife, and nine aides to be safely evacuated at 10:00 that day. The Marine tank crews continued advancing in the face of sporadic resistance, knocking out a BRDM-2 armored car. G Company subsequently defeated and overwhelmed the Grenadian defenders at Fort Frederick. Navy A-7 Corsairs and Marine AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters made airstrikes against Fort Rupert and Fort Frederick. An A-7 raid on Fort Frederick targeting anti-aircraft guns hit
4945-615: The St. George's Anglican Church and the St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (Scots Kirk) were restored in 2021). On July 1, 2024, Hurricane Beryl slammed into Grenada, causing damage throughout the country but especially in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, where the eye of the storm passed. Beryl gained international attention, in part, because of its rapid intensification from a tropical storm to Category 4 hurricane within just
5060-594: The United States for assistance. For safety reasons, Paul Scoon had requested the invasion through secret diplomatic channels, using the reserve powers vested in the Crown . On 22 October 1983, the Deputy High Commissioner in Bridgetown , Barbados, visited Grenada and reported that Scoon was well and "did not request military intervention, either directly or indirectly". However, on the day after
5175-456: The United States for assistance. On 25 October 1983, combined forces from the United States and the Regional Security System (RSS) based in Barbados invaded Grenada in an operation codenamed Operation Urgent Fury . The US stated this was done at the behest of Barbados, Dominica and Governor-General Paul Scoon . Scoon had requested the invasion through secret diplomatic channels, but it
5290-431: The afternoon of 26 October, Rangers of the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment mounted Marine CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters to launch an air assault on the Grand Anse campus. The campus police offered light resistance before fleeing, wounding one Ranger, and one of the helicopters crashed on approach after its blade hit a palm tree. The Rangers evacuated the 233 American students by CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters, but
5405-409: The airport and then disembark. The Rangers had to switch abruptly to a parachute landing when they learned mid-flight that the runway was obstructed. The air drop began at 05:30 on 25 October in the face of moderate resistance from ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns and several BTR-60 armored personnel carriers (APCs), which were knocked out by M67 recoilless rifle fire. AC-130 gunships provided support for
5520-489: The airport in 1954 when Grenada was still a British colony. Canadians designed it, the British government underwrote it, and a London firm built it. The U.S. government accused Grenada of constructing facilities to aid a Soviet -Cuban military buildup in the Caribbean. The accusation was based on the fact that the new airport's 9,000-foot (2,700 m) runway would be able to accommodate the largest Soviet aircraft, such as
5635-419: The airport would become a Cuban-Soviet forward military airbase. Meanwhile, an internal power struggle was brewing in Grenada over Bishop's leadership performance. In September 1983 at a Central Committee party meeting, he was pressured into sharing power with Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard . Bishop initially agreed to the joint leadership proposal, but later balked at the idea, which brought matters to
5750-501: The attackers unaware of the presence of several anti-aircraft guns and steep hilly terrain that left no room for helicopter landings. Anti-aircraft fire wounded passengers and crew and forced one UH-60 helicopter to crash land , causing another helicopter to land next to it to protect the survivors. One pilot was killed, and the Delta Force operators had to be relieved by a Navy Sea King helicopter. The raid on Fort Rupert, however,
5865-580: The command post of the 2nd Brigade, wounding 17 troops, one of whom died. The Army had reports that PRA forces were amassing at the Calivigny Barracks, only five kilometers from the Point Salines airfield. They organized an air assault by the 2nd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment preceded by a preparatory bombardment by field howitzers (which mostly missed, their shells falling into the ocean), A-7s, AC-130s , and USS Caron . However,
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#17327660029105980-399: The crowd to the island's military headquarters to reassert his power. Grenadian soldiers were dispatched in armoured vehicles by the Coard faction to retake the fort. A confrontation between soldiers and civilians at the fort ended in gunfire and panic. Three soldiers and at least eight civilians died in the tumult that also injured 100 others, a school-sponsored study later found in 2000. When
6095-482: The danger to the United States and Caribbean nations if the Soviet-Cuban militarization of that region was allowed to proceed. He pointed to the excessively long airport runway being built, and referenced intelligence reports showing increased Soviet interest in the island. He said the runway, along with the airport's numerous fuel storage tanks, were unnecessary for commercial flights and that the evidence suggested
6210-725: The eight seats contested. From 1958 to 1962, Grenada was part of the Federation of the West Indies . After the federation's collapse, Grenada was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State on 3 March 1967. Herbert Blaize of the Grenada National Party (GNP) was the first Premier of the Associated State of Grenada from March to August 1967. Eric Gairy served as Premier from August 1967 until February 1974. Independence
6325-609: The entire military chain of command directly responsible for the operation that led to the executions. Fourteen were sentenced to death , one was found not guilty, and three were sentenced to 45 years in prison. The death sentences were eventually commuted to terms of imprisonment. Those in prison have become known as the " Grenada 17 ". When US troops withdrew from Grenada in December 1983, Governor-General Scoon appointed an interim advisory council chaired by Nicholas Brathwaite to organise new elections. The first democratic elections since 1976 were held in December 1984 , and were won by
6440-541: The establishment of the Revolutionary Military Council, with Hudson Austin as chairman. Following the invasion there was an interim government appointed, and then general elections held in December 1984 . The invading force consisted of the 1st and 2nd battalions of the U.S. Army 's 75th Ranger Regiment , the 82nd Airborne Division , and elements of the former Rapid Deployment Force , U.S. Marines , U.S. Army Delta Force , Navy SEALs , and
6555-694: The first Marxist-Leninist nation in the British Commonwealth. To lend itself an appearance of constitutional legitimacy, the new administration continued to recognize Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Grenada and Sir Paul Scoon as her viceregal representative. The Bishop government began constructing the Point Salines International Airport with the help of the United Kingdom, Cuba , Libya , Algeria , and other nations. The British government proposed
6670-675: The first day were for the 75th Ranger Regiment to capture Point Salines International Airport in order for the 82nd Airborne Division to land reinforcements on the island; the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment to capture Pearls Airport ; and other forces to rescue the American students at the True Blue Campus of St. George's University . In addition, a number of special operations missions were undertaken by Army Delta Force operatives and Navy SEALs to obtain intelligence and secure key individuals and equipment. Many of these missions were plagued by inadequate intelligence and planning;
6785-414: The formation of Grenada including Grenada's capital St. George's with its horseshoe-shaped harbour, the carenage. Two extinct volcanoes, which are now crater lakes, Grand Etang Lake and Lake Antoine , would have also contributed to the formation of Grenada. Grenada is a constitutional monarchy with Charles III as head of state , represented locally by a governor-general . Executive power lies with
6900-516: The head of government, the prime minister . The governor-general role is mainly ceremonial, while the prime minister is usually the leader of the largest party in Parliament . The Parliament of Grenada consists of a Senate (13 members) and a House of Representatives (15 members). The government and the opposition recommend appoints of senators to the governor-general, while the population elect representatives for five-year terms. Grenada operates
7015-538: The indigenous peoples there. The first known settlement attempt was a failed venture by the English in 1609, but they were massacred and driven away by the native "Carib" peoples. In 1649, a French expedition of 203 men from Martinique , led by Jacques Dyel du Parquet , founded a permanent settlement on Grenada. They signed a peace treaty with the Carib chief Kairouane , but within months conflict broke out between
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#17327660029107130-447: The initial shooting ended with Bishop's surrender, he and a group of seven of his closest supporters were taken prisoner and executed by firing squad. Besides Bishop, the group included three of his cabinet ministers, a trade union leader, and three service-industry workers. After the execution of Bishop, the People's Revolutionary Army (PRA) formed a military Marxist government with General Hudson Austin as chairman. The army declared
7245-583: The invasion, Prime Minister of Dominica Eugenia Charles stated the request had come from Scoon, through the OECS, and, in his 2003 autobiography, Survival for Service , Scoon maintains he asked the visiting British diplomat to pass along "an oral request" for outside military intervention at this meeting. On 25 October, the combined forces of the United States and the Regional Security System (RSS) based in Barbados invaded Grenada in an operation codenamed Operation Urgent Fury . The United States insisted this
7360-478: The invasion, which may have further blurred the line between their status as civilians and combatants. They were also expressly forbidden to surrender to U.S. military forces if approached. The regular Cuban military personnel on the island were serving as advisers to the PRA at the time. Cuban advisers and instructors deployed with overseas military missions were not confined to non-combat and technical support roles; if
7475-411: The island has suffered only four landfalling hurricanes in the last several decades. Hurricane Janet passed over Grenada on 23 September 1955, with winds of 185 km/h (115 mph), causing severe damage. The most recent storm to hit Grenada was Hurricane Beryl on 1 July 2024, a strong category 4 hurricane which set the record for the earliest forming Category 5 Hurricane in recorded history and
7590-403: The island of Carriacou, causing widespread damage across all of Grenada and Carriacou. On Carriacou, there was no electricity and limited communication. Throughout the rest of the country, 95% of customers had no power and telecommunications were also damaged. Mitchell was defeated in the 2008 election by the NDC under Tillman Thomas ; however, he won the 2013 Grenadian general election by
7705-399: The island's north end, and that Pearls could not be expanded because its runway abutted a mountain on one side and the ocean on the other. In 1983, Representative Ron Dellums ( D - CA ) traveled to Grenada on a fact-finding mission, having been invited by Prime Minister Bishop. Dellums described his findings before Congress : Based on my personal observations, discussion, and analysis of
7820-476: The island. About 630 of the Cuban nationals listed their occupations as construction workers, another 64 as military personnel, and 18 as dependents. The remainder were medical staff or teachers. Colonel Pedro Tortoló Comas was the highest-ranking Cuban military officer in Grenada in 1983, and he later stated that he issued small arms and ammunition to the construction workers for the purpose of self-defense during
7935-500: The landing. Cuban construction vehicles were commandeered to help clear the airfield, and one even used to provide mobile cover for the Rangers as they moved to seize the heights surrounding the airfield. The Rangers cleared the airstrip of obstructions by 10:00, and transport planes were able to land and unload additional reinforcements, including M151 Jeeps and members of the Caribbean Peace Force assigned to guard
8050-504: The late 1970s and early 1980s was once again brought into the public consciousness with the opening of the truth and reconciliation commission . The commission was chaired by a Roman Catholic priest , Father Mark Haynes, and was tasked with uncovering injustices arising from the PRA, Bishop's regime, and before. It held a number of hearings around the country. Brother Robert Fanovich, head of Presentation Brothers' College (PBC) in St. George's, tasked some of his senior students with conducting
8165-493: The lightly-armed SEALs to cut open a fence and retreat into the ocean while receiving fire from the APC. The SEALs then reportedly swam to USS Caron . More credible reports say that rather than swimming to Caron , a highly unlikely event, they destroyed the station and fought their way to the water, where they hid from patrolling enemy forces. They swam toward the open sea, and were picked up several hours later after being spotted by
8280-501: The losses on the first day and consequently had to delay the student rescue until they made contact with Marine forces. Early on the morning of 26 October, Cuban forces ambushed a patrol from the 2nd Battalion of the 325th Infantry Regiment near the village of Calliste . The American patrol suffered six wounded and two killed, including the commander of Company B, CPT Michael F. Ritz and squad leader SSG Gary L. Epps. Navy airstrikes and an artillery bombardment by 105mm howitzers targeting
8395-535: The main Cuban encampment eventually led to their surrender at 08:30. American forces pushed on to the village of Frequente, where they discovered a Cuban weapons cache reportedly sufficient to equip six battalions. Cuban forces ambushed a reconnaissance platoon mounted on gun-jeeps, but the jeeps returned fire, and a nearby infantry unit added mortar fire; the Cubans suffered four casualties with no American losses. Cuban resistance largely ended after these engagements. On
8510-653: The main island of Grenada, mainly on the windward and northern portions of the island. Grenada was also impacted by Hurricane Ivan on 7 September 2004, which caused severe damage and thirty-nine deaths, and Hurricane Emily on 14 July 2005, which peaked as a category 5 hurricane on July 16 over the greater Caribbean region. Hurricane Emily caused serious damage in Carriacou and in the north of Grenada, which had been relatively lightly affected by Hurricane Ivan; Grenada has had to be put on Tropical Storm Watch several times since. It took over five years to officially recover from Ivan, although recovery continued for decades after (e.g.,
8625-571: The mansion without opposition, but BTR-60 armored personnel carriers counter-attacked and trapped the SEALs and governor inside. AC-130 gunships, A-7 Corsair strike planes, and AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters were called in to support the besieged SEALs, but they remained trapped for the next 24 hours. At 19:00 on 25 October, 250 marines from G Company of the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment landed at Grand Mal Bay equipped with amphibious assault vehicles and four M60 Patton tanks; they relieved
8740-420: The military. As one journalist writes, "What happened next, and on whose orders, is still a controversy." But a mass of troops in armored personnel carriers, under the supervision of Lt. Colonel Ewart Layne, departed Fort Frederick for Fort Rupert to, as Layne described it, "recapture the fort and restore order." After surrendering to the superior force, Bishop and seven leaders loyal to him were lined up against
8855-437: The mission, in part because she was not consulted in advance and was given very short notice of the military operation, but she supported it in public. The United Nations General Assembly condemned it as "a flagrant violation of international law" on 2 November 1983, by a vote of 108 to 9. The invasion exposed communication and coordination problems between the different branches of the U.S. military when operating together as
8970-559: The name "Grenada" is obscure, but it is likely that Spanish sailors named the island for the Andalusian city of Granada . The name "Granada" was recorded by Spanish maps in the 1520s and referred to the islands to the north as Los Granadillos ("Little Granadas"); although those named islands were deemed the property of the King of Spain , there are no records to suggest the Spanish ever attempted to settle Grenada. The French maintained
9085-551: The name (as "La Grenade" in French) after settlement and colonisation in 1649. On 10 February 1763, the island of La Grenade was ceded to the British under the Treaty of Paris . The British renamed it "Grenada", one of many place-name anglicisations they made there. The island was given its first European name by Christopher Columbus who sighted it on his third voyage to the region in 1498 and named it "La Concepción" in honour of
9200-472: The new international airport under construction in Grenada, it is my conclusion that this project is specifically now and has always been for the purpose of economic development and is not for military use.... It is my thought that it is absurd, patronizing, and totally unwarranted for the United States government to charge that this airport poses a military threat to the United States' national security. In March 1983, President Reagan began issuing warnings about
9315-516: The next century. On 10 February 1763, Grenada was ceded to the British under the Treaty of Paris . British rule continued until 1974 (except for a brief French takeover between 1779 and 1783). However, on 3 March 1967, it was granted full autonomy over its internal affairs as an Associated State , and from 1958 to 1962, Grenada was part of the Federation of the West Indies , a short-lived federation of British West Indian colonies . Independence
9430-399: The north end. Austin's military government was deposed. An advisory council designated Sir Paul Scoon as Governor-General of Grenada until the 1984 elections. The invasion date of 25 October is now a national holiday in Grenada, called Thanksgiving Day , commemorating the freeing of several political prisoners who were subsequently elected to office. A truth and reconciliation commission
9545-416: The north of the main island and are a part of the Grenadines. Its size is 348.5 square kilometres (134.6 sq mi), with an estimated population of 114,621 in 2024. Its capital is St. George's . Grenada is also known as the "Island of Spice" due to its production of nutmeg and mace crops. 12°07′N 61°40′W / 12.117°N 61.667°W / 12.117; -61.667 Before
9660-704: The only reason for constructing such a long and reinforced runway was so that it could be used by heavy military transport planes. The contractors, American and European companies, and the EEC , which provided partial funding, all claimed the airstrip did not have military capabilities. Reagan asserted that Cuba, under the direction of the Soviet Union, would use Grenada as a refuelling stop for Cuban and Soviet airplanes loaded with weapons destined for Central American communist insurgents. The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Barbados , and Jamaica all appealed to
9775-481: The opposition did not accept the result as legitimate. During his tenure, many Grenadians believed Gairy was personally responsible for the economic decline of the island and accused him of corruption. The civil unrest took the form of street violence between Gairy's private militia, the Mongoose Gang , and a militia organized by the communist New Jewel Movement (NJM) party. On 13 March 1979, while Gairy
9890-567: The perimeter and detainees. Starting at 14:00, units began landing at Point Salines from the 82nd Airborne Division under Edward Trobaugh , including battalions of the 325th Infantry Regiment . At 15:30, three BTR-60s of the Grenadian Army Motorized Company counter-attacked, but the Americans repelled them with recoilless rifles and an AC-130. The Rangers fanned out and secured the surrounding area, negotiating
10005-477: The remaining islands to the north belong to St Vincent and the Grenadines. Most of the population lives in Grenada, and major towns there include the capital, St. George's, Grenville and Gouyave . The largest settlement on the sister islands is Hillsborough on Carriacou. Grenada is of volcanic origin, as evident in its soil, mountainous interior, and several explosion craters, including Lake Antoine, Grand Etang Lake , and Levera Pond . Grenada's highest point
10120-552: The result of either the "Carib Invasion" (although highly contested), regional droughts, or both. In 1498, Christopher Columbus was the first European to report sighting Grenada during his third voyage, naming it 'La Concepción', but Amerigo Vespucci may have renamed it 'Mayo' in 1499. Although it was deemed the property of the King of Spain, there are no records to suggest the Spanish attempted to settle. However, various Europeans are known to have passed and both fought and traded with
10235-729: The speed with which the invasion commenced, it was said the U.S. had been conducting mock invasions of Grenada since 1981: "These exercises, part of Ocean Venture '81 and known as Operation Amber and the Amberdines, involved air and amphibious assaults on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques . According to the plans for these maneuvers, 'Amber' was considered a hypothetical island in the Eastern Caribbean which had engaged in anti-democratic revolutionary activities." Reagan stated that he felt compelled to act due to "concerns over
10350-723: The strongest hurricane to develop within the Main Development Region (MDR) of the Atlantic before the month of July. While all three inhabited Grenadian islands were impacted, it passed directly over the island of Carriacou causing total devastation and the damage and destruction of many vessels (both in water and ashore) in Tyrrel Bay and the Carriacou Mangroves. Petit Martinique also suffered considerable damage with much more limited damage occurring on
10465-499: The students informed them that there was a third campus with Americans at Prickly Bay. A squad of 11 Rangers was accidentally left behind; they departed on a rubber raft which was picked up by USS Caron at 23:00. By 27 October, organized resistance was rapidly diminishing, but the American forces did not yet realize this. The 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines continued advancing along the coast and capturing additional towns, meeting little resistance, although one patrol did encounter
10580-421: The students were a pretext. Although the invasion occurred after the execution of Prime Minister Bishop, the remaining Grenadian ruling party members were still committed to Bishop's Marxist ideology. Reagan said he viewed these factors, alongside the party's growing connection to Fidel Castro, as a threat to democracy. The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Barbados , and Jamaica all appealed to
10695-528: The supposed Cuban civilian technicians on Grenada were in fact military personnel, including special forces and combat engineers. A summary of the Cuban presence in The Engineer , the official periodical of the U.S. Army Engineer School , noted that "resistance from these well-armed military and paramilitary forces belied claims that they were simply construction crews." U.S. Special Operations Forces were deployed to Grenada beginning on 23 October, before
10810-457: The surrender of over 100 Cubans in an aviation hangar. However, a Jeep-mounted Ranger patrol became lost searching for True Blue Campus and was ambushed, with four killed. The Rangers eventually secured True Blue campus and its students, where they found only 140 students and were told that more were at another campus in Grand Anse, northeast of True Blue. In all, the Rangers lost five men on the first day, but succeeded in securing Point Salines and
10925-562: The surrounding area. A platoon of Navy SEALs from SEAL Team 4 under Lieutenant Mike Walsh approached the beach near Pearls Airport around midnight on 25 October after evading patrol boats and overcoming stormy weather. They found that the beach was lightly defended but unsuitable for an amphibious landing. The 2nd Battalion of the 8th Marine Regiment then landed south of Pearls Airport using CH-46 Sea Knight and CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters at 05:30 on 25 October; they captured Pearls Airport, encountering only light resistance, including
11040-464: The time, struck the northern part of the island with 80-knot (150 km/h; 92 mph) winds, killing one person and causing an estimated US$ 110 million (EC$ 297 million) worth of damage. Agriculture, and in particular the nutmeg industry, suffered serious losses, but that event caused changes in crop management and it is hoped that as new nutmeg trees mature, the industry will gradually rebuild. On July 1, 2024, Hurricane Beryl (2024) struck
11155-505: The two communities. This lasted until 1654 when the island was completely subjugated by the French. Warfare continued during the 1600s between the French on Grenada and the Caribs of present-day Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines . Chocolate was brought to Grenada in 1714 with the introduction of cocoa beans . The French named their new colony La Grenade, and the economy
11270-461: The units to which they were attached participated in an engagement, they were expected to fight alongside their foreign counterparts. Bob Woodward wrote in Veil that captured "military advisors" from socialist countries, including Cuba, were actually accredited diplomats and their dependents. He claimed that none of them took any actual part in the fighting. The U.S. government asserted that most of
11385-542: Was being done at the request of Barbados' Prime Minister Tom Adams and Dominica's Prime Minister Eugenia Charles. The invasion was sharply criticized by the governments in Canada, Trinidad and Tobago , and the United Kingdom. By a vote of 108 to 9, with 27 abstentions, the United Nations General Assembly condemned it as "a flagrant violation of international law." H-hour for the invasion
11500-618: Was formally ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The French re-captured the island during the American Revolutionary War , after Comte d'Estaing won the bloody land and naval Battle of Grenada in July 1779. However, the island was restored to Britain with the Treaty of Versailles in 1783. A decade later, dissatisfaction with British rule led to a pro-French revolt in 1795–96 led by Julien Fédon , which
11615-565: Was granted on 7 February 1974 under the leadership of Eric Gairy , who became the first prime minister of Grenada as a sovereign state . The new country became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state. In March 1979, the Marxist–Leninist New Jewel Movement overthrew Gairy's government in a bloodless coup d'état and established the People's Revolutionary Government (PRG), headed by Maurice Bishop as prime minister. Bishop
11730-492: Was granted on 7 February 1974 under the leadership of Eric Gairy, who became the first prime minister of Grenada . Grenada opted to remain within the Commonwealth , retaining Queen Elizabeth as Monarch , represented locally by a governor-general . Civil conflict gradually broke out between Eric Gairy's government and some opposition parties, including the Marxist New Jewel Movement (NJM). Gairy and
11845-473: Was initially based on sugar cane and indigo , worked by African slaves. The French established a capital known as Fort Royal (later St. George's). To shelter from hurricanes, the French navy would often take refuge in the capital's natural harbour, as no nearby French islands had a natural harbour to compare with that of Fort Royal. The British captured Grenada in the Seven Years' War in 1762. Grenada
11960-614: Was introduced to Grenada in 1843 when a merchant ship called in on its way to England from the East Indies. The ship had a small quantity of nutmeg trees on board, which they left in Grenada, and this was the beginning of Grenada's nutmeg industry that now supplies nearly 40% of the world's annual crop. In 1877, Grenada was made a Crown colony . Theophilus A. Marryshow founded the Representative Government Association (RGA) in 1918 to agitate for
12075-556: Was later arrested and executed by members of the People's Revolutionary Army (PRA), which was used to justify a U.S.-led invasion in October 1983. Since then, the island has returned to a parliamentary representative democracy and has remained politically stable . A Governor General represents the Head of State. The country is currently headed by King Charles III , King of Grenada , and 14 other commonwealth realms . The origin of
12190-402: Was launched in 2000 to re-examine some of the controversies of that tumultuous period in the 1980s; in particular, the commission made an unsuccessful attempt to locate the remains of Maurice Bishop's body, which had been disposed of at Austin's order and never found. At the time, the invasion drew criticism from many countries. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher privately disapproved of
12305-402: Was more complex than initially thought. Most of the Cuban civilian expatriates present were also military reservists. Fidel Castro described the Cuban construction crews in Grenada as "workers and soldiers at the same time", claiming the dual nature of their role was consistent with Cuba's "citizen soldier" tradition. At the time of the invasion, there were an estimated 784 Cuban nationals on
12420-701: Was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1943 . In 1950, Eric Gairy founded the Grenada United Labour Party (GULP), initially as a trade union, which led to the 1951 general strike for better working conditions. This sparked great unrest, and so many buildings were set ablaze that the disturbances became known as the "sky red" days. On 10 October 1951, Grenada held its first general elections based on universal adult suffrage, with Gairy's party winning six of
12535-435: Was not made public for his safety. Progress was rapid, and within four days the Americans had removed the military government of Hudson Austin. The invasion was criticised by the governments of Britain, Trinidad and Tobago , and Canada. The United Nations General Assembly condemned it as "a flagrant violation of international law" by a vote of 108 to 9, with 27 abstentions. The United Nations Security Council considered
12650-417: Was not regarded as a serious military threat by the U.S., which was more concerned by the possibility that Cuba would send a large expeditionary force to intervene on behalf of its erstwhile ally. The PRA did possess eight BTR-60PB armored personnel carriers and two BRDM-2 armored cars delivered as military aid from the Soviet Union in February 1981, but no tanks. The Cuban military presence in Grenada
12765-408: Was set for 05:00 on 25 October 1983. U.S. troops deployed for Grenada by helicopter from Grantley Adams International Airport on Barbados before daybreak. Nearly simultaneously, American paratroopers arrived directly by transport aircraft from bases in the eastern United States, and U.S. Marines were airlifted to the island from USS Guam offshore. It was the largest American military action since
12880-514: Was successful in capturing several leaders of the People's Revolutionary Government. The last major special operation was a mission to rescue Governor-General Scoon from his mansion in Saint George, Grenada . The mission departed late at 05:30 on 25 October from Barbados, resulting in the Grenadian forces being already aware of the invasion and they guarded Scoon closely. The SEAL team entered
12995-422: Was successfully defeated by the British. As Grenada's economy grew, more and more African slaves were forcibly transported to the island. Britain eventually outlawed the slave trade within the British Empire in 1807. Slavery was completely outlawed in 1833, leading to the emancipation of all enslaved by 1838. To ease the subsequent labour shortage, migrants from India were brought to Grenada in 1857. Nutmeg
13110-521: Was temporarily out of the country, Maurice Bishop and his NJM seized power in a nearly bloodless coup . He established the People's Revolutionary Government , suspended the constitution, and detained several political prisoners. Bishop was a forceful speaker who introduced Marxist ideology to Grenadians while also appealing to Black Americans during the 1970s heyday of the Black Panther movement. After seizing power, Bishop attempted to implement
13225-488: Was this fisherman who said he saw four guys in wetsuits come out of the water, and then two days later he saw four bodies being thrown into the water. So we would like to think they made it, 'cause there was a boat smashed up on the beach. We would like to think the four of them got in that boat, made it to shore, got someplace, and were captured. And they're, you know, gonna come back." The SEAL and Air Force survivors continued their mission, but their boats flooded while evading
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