1981–1982 · Regional conflict and U.S.–Honduran alignment
The proposed opening period remains under research. The earlier site refers to a 1982 temporary-presence arrangement; its underlying record is still needed.
Honduras Veterans Service Recognition
History
THE HONDURAS RECORD
A developing operational history
Documentary support in this public collection is strongest from 1983 onward. Proposed boundaries and unresolved claims remain labeled.
1981–1982 · Attacks on advisers, infrastructure and a hostage siege
A later Senate hearing records an attack on U.S. advisers in 1981 and a 1982 Tegucigalpa power-plant bombing. Presidential remarks in July 1982 describe attacks on Honduran power stations. A San Pedro Sula hostage siege in September demanded removal of U.S. military advisers. Dates and casualty claims for the 1981 attack need reconciliation; the 1982 siege does not establish American hostages.
August 1983–1984 · Ahuas Tara / Big Pine and joint task force presence
A joint task force was established at Palmerola in August 1983. GAO also documents Ahuas Tara II construction.
1985–1987 · Continued joint/combined operations
GAO documents continued presence, exercises and construction through this period. Broader operation-by-operation reconstruction remains open.
13 June 1987 · SSG Randall J. Harris killed at Palmerola
Joint Task Force-Bravo records that U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Randall J. Harris was shot and killed while performing security duty at the front gate of Palmerola Air Base. JTF-Bravo later identified Harris as deployed from the 978th Military Police Company, Fort Bliss, Texas, in support of JTF-Bravo, and commemorates him as having died in the line of duty.
March 1988 · Operation Golden Pheasant
Official Army history describes the March 1988 Golden Pheasant deployment following a Nicaraguan incursion.
1989 · Fuertes Caminos and documented attacks
The State Department’s 1989 annual volume includes at least eight distinct Honduras entries, covering attacks, attempted attacks and nonmilitary targets. See the dated incident cards and source limits.
31 March 1990 · U.S. Air Force bus attack
On March 31, 1990, a bus carrying U.S. Air Force engineering personnel was attacked north of Tegucigalpa. State Department accounts report six and seven wounded. Eight Hall of Honor profiles associate Purple Heart awards with this date. HVSR has not reconciled the final injury roster or reviewed the underlying award orders.
13 May 1991 · Cerro la Mole MEDEVAC loss
A published retrospective account describes a fatal MEDEVAC crash at Cerro la Mole on May 13, 1991. An Air Medal certificate reproduction for crew member William L. Jarrell II has been located. The complete accident report, casualty records and award orders remain sought; cause and individual recognition details remain under review.
1 February 1992 · Proposed closing point
Proposed comparator endpoint only. The cited El Salvador provision does not designate an end date for Honduras.
THE HONDURAS RECORD
Places connected to the record
Place names do not establish an individual’s presence. Coordinates remain omitted pending source-controlled location review.
Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Trujillo and Honduras aviation routes
Dated records place civilian/diplomatic attacks in Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula; a 1985 Air Force aircraft was lost off Trujillo. Other crash and border locations remain approximate. A place entry does not identify service members present.
Soto Cano Air Base / Palmerola
GAO documents the joint-task-force hub and support functions from 1983.
Camp Castle / Puente Grande
Camp Castle / Puente Grande is a location research lead. Exact site, coordinates and 1989 unit relationships remain unresolved.
Yoro Department
Location of the February and April 1989 convoy incidents.
La Ceiba / northern coast
La Ceiba is named in the July 1989 incident entry.
Puerto Cortés
Port and logistics association reported in service recollections. An approved account and unit records are needed before a specific mission is established.
Puerto Castilla
Important Caribbean military/logistics location; detailed period-specific unit associations remain to be entered.
San Pedro Sula
Appears in hostile-incident and movement research; event-by-event source reconciliation is required.
Jocón / Olanchito
GAO names Jocón and Olanchito in earlier Cabanas road-project discussion. A connection to particular 1989 routes remains unresolved.
THE HONDURAS RECORD
Units and organizations
Presence, participation, attachment, assignment and command relationships are different questions.
Joint Task Force-Bravo
GAO documents JTF-Bravo’s support roles at Palmerola / Soto Cano.
Task Force 16 / TF-16
Task-force designation retained as a research lead; 1989 command, attachment and route records are still needed.
16th Engineer Brigade
Ohio Army National Guard engineer organization identified in the prior research record. The specific 1989 tasking and attachment remain to be documented.
612th Engineer Battalion
Engineer battalion identified in the prior service research. An approved, source-linked public unit history remains to be developed.
Aviation elements
Aviation, airlift, MEDEVAC and contingency missions will be profiled by unit and operation as official records are reconciled.
Security / Military Police
Force protection, convoy security and hostile-incident records are a dedicated unit-history and evidence track.
Medical / Veterinary
Medical and veterinary support associated with exercises and civic-support missions will be indexed by operation, location and unit.
Logistics / Port support
Soto Cano and Caribbean port/logistics activity will be reconstructed from movement, port and support records.
ENGINEERING & FUERTES CAMINOS
Building the operational record
Engineering in the official record
GAO describes airfield, road and base construction. The 1989 incident report identifies Fuertes Caminos as a road-building exercise.
The 1989 project picture
Road, bridge, airfield, base, logistics, medical and veterinary activity is being reconstructed by year, unit, project and location. Public documentation is still needed to establish TF-16, 16th Engineer Brigade and 612th Engineer Battalion relationships to Camp Castle and the Yoro area.
Records that can help