As the United States was preparing to launch its invasion of Panama in an operation dubbed “Just Cause,” there was a very real problem that had to be dealt with before any meaningful operation against Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega could take place.
The regime had an American hostage in its notorious Cárcel Modelo prison, and the guards who held this hostage had orders to kill him if the United States attacked.
According to an account posted on SpecialOperations.com, Kurt Muse, a U.S. citizen living in Panama, had been making pirate radio broadcasts until he was arrested in early 1989. He’d even received some technical assistance from the CIA to make those broadcasts, which had the goal of taking Noriega down a peg or two.
Muse would daily hear—or see—Noriega’s thugs torture inmates at the prison.
As tensions increased, Muse was visited by a military officer based at the American embassy, a man later identified as Air Force Col. James A. Ruffer, who would pass reports to Delta Force. With Ruffer’s intel, special operators were able to construct a full-scale mock-up of the prison where Muse was held captive, and the Delta commandos carried out numerous rehearsals.
On Dec. 19, 1989, the hostage would receive his last visit. In the presence of reporters, prison guards, and others, the colonel asked Muse if he was aware that Noriega had issued orders to kill him if the United States carried out any military action against Panama. Muse said he understood.
The colonel then made an audibly loud statement (to no one and everyone within earshot) that if Muse were to be harmed, nobody in the prison would emerge alive.
Muse knew that something was definitely up.
At 12:45 a.m. on the morning of Dec. 20, 15 minutes before the official H-Hour, two AH-6 Little Bird helicopters attacked a nearby military compound using M134 Miniguns and Hydra rockets. One of the helicopters would be damaged and forced to crash-land, with the crew escaping on foot across Panama City.
Two AC-130H Spectres then carried out their own attack on that compound, using a tactic called “Top Hat.” The massive volume of fire from the gunships was supposed to draw the attention of Noriega’s goons. The tactic worked. There’s nothing like a barrage from gunships to wake up the enemy.
As that went on, MH-6 Little Birds landed on the roof of the prison and deposited two teams of Delta commandos. The operators blew the door on the roof, then went through the prison, killing anyone who resisted the rescue. They reached Muse’s cell, forced it open, and bundled their precious cargo into body armor and a helmet. They then began their exfil.
The Little Bird on which Kurt Muse was loaded took some hits from enemy ground fire. In a display of superb airmanship, the pilot would fly the helo down a side street until it was hit again and crashed. The entire crew and its Special Forces passengers would then fan out around the helicopter until help arrived. Ironically, Muse was one of the men defending the perimeter until U.S. Army armored personnel carriers arrived to retrieve them.
This operation within an operation was named “Acid Gambit,” and it ended with the mission accomplished. Kurt Muse and his team of rescuers are still friends to this day.
