US Marine Corps Museum

Ref: US Marine Corps Museum (2026). Quantico, VA.

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Chronology

  • 25 Oct, 1983: Operation Urgent Fury begins as a US ked multi-national military response to Soviet-Cuban backed political instability and violence on the small Caribbean island of Grenada. The pro-communist People’s Revolutionary Army on the island had imposed martial law, killed the PM, and arrested the governor. Of most concern, for POTUS Reagan, was the safety of ~1000 US students at St. George’s Medical School. By 28 Oct, US forced, joined by Caribbean allies, had secured the island, rescued the governor, and evacuated the students. The US lost 19 service members (US Marine Corps Museum).

  • 1975: Lebanon Civil War; war breaks out in Lebanon among Western and Israeli-backed government forces, insurgent groups, Christian and Muslim militias, and the PLO (US Marine Corps Museum).

    • ~0600, 23 Oct, 1983: Marine Barracks Bombing; a Mercedes-Benz truck, loaded with explosives, breaches the Marine security post and drives into the lobby of the BLT HQ. The driver detonated a gas-enhanced bomb that yielded the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of TNT. The resulting explosion raised the building which then crumbled upon itself, killing 220 marines, 18 sailors, and 3 soldiers. Almost simultaneously, another suicide VBIED drove into the French HQ and detonates, killing 58 troops. The US Marines begin a rapid evacuation of Beirut and on 26 Feb, 1984, release control of the area to the LAF. A 2003 US court case later reveals that Islamic terrorists (from the precursor to Hezbollah) carried out the attack under orders from Iran (US Marine Corps Museum).

    • 18 Apr, 1983: A van loaded with 2000 lbs of explosives drives into the front lobby of the US Embassy in Beirut and detonates, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans (US Marine Corps Museum).

    • 29 Sep, 1982: The US Marines return to Beirut as fighting increases between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and milita groups. Their mission was to maintain a peaceful presence and provide stability for the Lebanese government (US Marine Corps Museum).

    • Aug, 1982: The US, France, Italy, and UK deploy a MNF to Lebanon to oversee the evacuation of >6000 PLO members as political unrest plagued Lebanon. The US Marine continent of the MNF complete the mission by 10 Sep, 1982 and departs Beirut (US Marine Corps Museum).

    • Jun, 1982: Israeli Defense forces invade Lebanon and trap the PLO in Beirut (US Marine Corps Museum).

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