The G Dog | 20 Jul 2014 5:31 a.m. PST |
On 12 January 1981, in the 1981 Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport attack, 10 A-7Ds of the 198th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Puerto Rico Air National Guard were destroyed or damaged in a terrorist attack by the Boricua Popular Army at Muniz Air National Guard Base in the largest attack ever on American military station since the Vietnam War.[24]</>link While reading the recent thread on the A7 Corsair II, I ran across the above reference. I admit I was a snot-nosed teenager back then, but why do I have no memory of this happening? It appears the 'insurgents' had their act together and went after a lightly defended target. These 11 men destroyed half a squadron of aircraft in less than 10 minutes. I'm thinking that this could be a good scenario for Force or Force or other skirmish games, vary the level of security and the size of the 'assault force' and you've got the core of a game of a little known event. |
BW1959 | 20 Jul 2014 5:48 a.m. PST |
I also do not remember this, Thanks for the info |
Chef Lackey Rich | 20 Jul 2014 5:56 a.m. PST |
If you'd like something beyond wiki: link fas.org/irp/world/para/faln.htm link I only dimly remember the news coverage of the airport attack, but that was an awful long time ago and I was young then. It would certainly make the basis for a good scenario, historical or otherwise. Adapting it to an attack on a starport would make it fit Tomorrow's War well. Managing the same level of success that the saboteurs actually had (ie no casualties on either side, no one spotted, targets destroyed) would be pretty tricky in most rules sets. |
HistoryPhD | 20 Jul 2014 6:04 a.m. PST |
I believe this is the same group that attempted to assassinate Harry Truman in 1950 at Blair House and shot 5 Congressmen on the floor of the House of Representatives in 1954 |
Redroom | 20 Jul 2014 7:16 a.m. PST |
Jimmy Carter was still the president, but Reagan was coming in on the 20th of the same month. The Iran hostage crisis was still seemingly in full swing (until the day Reagan took office). There wasn't any CNN, FOX, MSNBC, or world-wide access to other new stations. The internet wasn't like it is today either. Too many things going on that were more news worthy is my guess. |
Legion 4 | 20 Jul 2014 7:23 a.m. PST |
I don't remember it either … I was on active duty with the 101 at the time. And usually things like that, we were briefed on by the S-2. IIRC, we had already been sent on a previously planned deployment to the CZ in Panama at that time … So we were in the region so to speak … |
Chef Lackey Rich | 20 Jul 2014 7:55 a.m. PST |
I believe this is the same group that attempted to assassinate Harry Truman in 1950 at Blair House and shot 5 Congressmen on the floor of the House of Representatives in 1954 Nope. Terrorism associated with Puerto Rican independence has been an issue since the 50's but the EPB wasn't active till 1978. Some of the membership may have carried over from earlier groups, but the "Macheteros" formed sometime in the late 70's and first announced their existence by murdering a policeman. Good synopsis of their (and FALN's) activities here: link |
vtsaogames | 20 Jul 2014 10:11 a.m. PST |
Hell. I was 20 years old at the time and followed the news. This is the first I've heard of it. |
The Monstrous Jake | 20 Jul 2014 10:12 a.m. PST |
I vaguely remember something that might have been that incident. I was in the US Air Force at the time stationed at RAF Bentwaters near Ipswich, UK. All of a sudden one day they locked the base down and ramped overall security up a couple of notches because of some terrorist attack that happened somewhere else. After a few days everything calmed down and went back to normal, and I never heard anything else about it. |
The G Dog | 20 Jul 2014 12:17 p.m. PST |
Thanks Rich! My rose colored memories of growing up in the 70's-80's depict an America that was relatively free from domestic bombings and assassination attempts. I remember reading of the Capitol attack by the Puerto Rican separatists, but did not realize the level of conflict was as elevated and widespread. You are right – It would make a good Tomorrow's War game. For FoF I'd have to build and paint 20 model planes! |
Dn Jackson | 20 Jul 2014 3:53 p.m. PST |
"My rose colored memories of growing up in the 70's-80's depict an America that was relatively free from domestic bombings and assassination attempts." Same here, I was 12 in 1980. Then I started doing research on domestic terrorism for a class I teach at our local police academy. Wow. Have a look at The Weather Underground, Black Liberation Army, Black Panthers, etc. It was a bad time to be a police officer. |
SouthernPhantom | 20 Jul 2014 7:33 p.m. PST |
I wasn't born for nearly fifteen years after, but I recall stumbling across a mention of the attack a few years back. Obviously third-hand, though. |
Old Slow Trot | 21 Jul 2014 7:06 a.m. PST |
There were also the South Moluccans who seized a DC area building ,took hostages. |