Usaf (Ret.)

Grenada Grinder Usaf (Ret.)

On October 25, 1983, on orders from President Reagan, American troops made an airborne assault on the Caribbean island of Grenada to rescue U. S. medical students whose safety had become a primary concern. Flying in support of the mission, three AC-130H Spectre gunships from Hurlburt Field, Florida deployed non-stop to assist in the airborne assault at the Point Salines Airport and the protection of ground forces during the pursuit of enemy troops and other military objectives. When the Rangers parachuted onto the airport and were pinned down, and the landing of additional airborne troops was in danger, the withering surgical firepower from the 20mm, 40mm, and 105mm guns of the AC-130H gunships succeeded in silencing the small arms fire and defeating the Cuban and Grenadian anti-aircraft weapons. For the next seven days, continuous support for U. S. forces from these and other gunships provided eye in the sky armed reconnaissance with instant firepower available on request around the clock. The Spectre gunship's amazing performance at Grenada was an invaluable piece of Air Force history. This book is not only a riveting account of the gunships as they saved the day, it focuses on the gunships' weapon systems to tell everything you ever wanted to know about how it works to get such awesome results. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down!