Power Pack, Dominican Republic, 1965-1966, Part 2

“Santo Domingo is a volcano that is going to envelop all Latin America in flames.” These words, spoken by a professed latin communist at a meeting of the Dominican Republic’s Castroite 14th of June Movement, turned world attention to the island known as Hispaniola. At Ft. Bragg, 1171 miles to the north of that Caribbean nation the 82d Airborne Division was conducting normal training including a Blue Chip demonstration. Pope Air Force Base was a beehive of activity, as it always is with a major demonstration, and planes were ready to drop troopers on Sicily Drop Zone for the spectators. Plans were even being made for the Armed Forces Day Parade in New York City, May 16. It would have had a battalion of 82d paratroopers marching to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the WWII victory parade. On April 29th at 7:30 p.m., the lead aircraft of the 82d Airborne Division’s Task Force left Pope Air Force Base for Puerto Rico in answer to a call regarding the revolution in the Dominican Republic, then five days old. The “volcano” had erupted and someone had to put out the fire. There would be no battalion of the 82d Airborne Division in New York City Armed Forces Day 1965; they would all be in the Dominican Republic. The superb performance of duty by the soldiers of the 82d in the execution of their important mission was instrumental in the preservation of liberty and justice in the Dominican Republic.