Ref TTS ... they were approved for addition to the M551A1 in NOV or DEC 88 by the DA, DCSOPS. Because of my combat developments background at Ft Knox, the BN CDR directed me to "get us thermal sights and laser rangefinders". At least we got the TTS. Our additional request for the laser RF was denied. Initial platoon (5) was retrofitted from war stocks, then swapped for a PLT in the BN. This continued through deployment for Desert Storm. The last platoon was swapped out the week before the ground campaign began.

Four were prepositioned and used to fire from Ancon Hill into the Commandancia bldg. at the opening of hostilities. Great war story behind that event.

An additional 8 were LVAD inserted. (We had earlier developed a plan to only drop 4 per platoon, with the 5th held in reserve for follow-up replacement of combat damaged tanks. The fifth A/C was thus freed up to drop in the additional ammo/fuel removed to make LVAD weight.) Of these 8, one is still buried next to the run way. That C141 crew dropped it at less than 400'. LVAD requires a drop from about 1300' to allow time for the 8 each 100'diameter chutes to slowly open. A second M551A1 was also dropped too low, resulting in the #1 & #2 road wheels on the right side being torn off. It was repaired about the time hostilities ended.

While on that subject, I'd like to clear up the undeserved bad rumors about air dropping the Sheridan. We had decided to discontinue LAPES insertion due to high risk and the fact that the drop zone required too much approach and departure clearance for the A/C. LVAD was much better than the rumor mill has it. We had ZERO malfunctions during my 18 months, and none through unit deactivation in the late 1990s except for the two low drops in JUST CAUSE.

CPT F. S. was my S1 and then C Company CO shortly before I was reassigned. When he returned, he "debriefed" me. Very interesting. EVERY infantry unit (including Delta Force) employed the Sheridan. Several BN commanders came on FS's company net to say they couldn't complete mission without at least one Sheridan. Said he wished he'd had a tape recorder. During my time in the BN, we had discussed the likelihood of employing pairs of Sheridans in support of the paratroopers of the 82nd. In JUST CAUSE, FS ended up sending out single tanks because the demand was so great. About six months passed after their return before I heard the first infantryman comment that they "really didn't need those tanks". How soon people forget reality!

Hope that helps clear up some of the fog of war. LTC P

Great information Paul on the deployment of the Sheridans in Panama. Very interesting to hear about the mission tactics.

Just to completely remove the fog...did the Sheridans deployed to Panama have the TTS installed?

Great topic!

Were the Panama Sheridans fitted with the belly armour kit?

Cheers!

While my platoon was still on the drop zone I witnessed the efforts to try to pull one of the M551s out of the swamp. The tank was lightened as much as possible and then a CH47 tried to pull it loose from the muck. The sling load harness had to be hastily cut free after an expended parachute canopy started being sucked up into the rotors ! So I assume this was the tank left to sink into the ageless morass beside the runway. IIRC correctly,all the heavy drops from our Regt landed in the weeds off to the side of the runway and were not easy to get off the pallets.
Very "interesting" day.Shivering in the freezing rain doing pre-jump at Bragg,then short C141 trip,then sweating profusely at Omar Torrijos AF,
J

Thanks for te stories,

For me "Just Cause" was the first televised war I was old enough to understand.
It made a big impression back then.

This is also an interesting picture because the last vehicle in the frame is an LAV-25