Revenge in Beirut, 1983

Revenge in Beirut, 1983 Al “Beirutdude” Sandrik The Time Is: 16 November 1983, 04:00 Zulu/6:00 Beirut Time Eastern Mediterranean Sea Playable as USN/French 10 ½ Hours Duration Background: At 06:23 Beirut time on 23 October 1983 a terrorist suicide bomber drove a truck loaded with explosives into the USMC Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/8 headquarters building at Beirut International Airport (OLBA). The attack killed 220 Marines, 18 Sailors, 3 attached U. S Army personnel and on older Lebanese gentleman (we called him “Shuffles”) who ran a “Hey Joe” store in the building. Almost simultaneously, the French 9th Para Chasseurs Headquarters was bombed near the port killing 58 trooper there. Historically, France and the United States took separate retaliatory actions with mixed results. This Scenario assumes that both nations agreed on a joint reaction just before the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU) turn over on 17-19 November to both show resolve and create a safer environment for the relieving 22nd MAU. This attack will have three full (combined) carrier task forces in a battle group (1980s terminology, not today's Carrier Strike Group) with the French carrier Foch also participating. Historically, the carriers were there on or about 16 November what was lacking was resolve… 1. This is a low complexity air strike and Naval Gun Fire Support (NGFS) mission. There are a lot of targets but little time to get them. 2. Syria has reconstituted ADA/SAM/Radar units along the Beirut-Damascus Road and in the Bekaa Valley (as was done historically). 3. Only the actual carriers are present for CTF 60. 1 as I did not want the support/escort units detached to become additional NGFS units. In the real world they would not have detached with a Soviet presence in the Mediterranean. 4. Only aircraft that might have participated in the strikes are present, no ASW/COD aircraft. Some of the F-14s have Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) loadouts. I also gave others CAP and esc