"We have two companies of Marines running rampant all over the northern half of this island..."

We have two companies of Marines running rampant all over the northern half of this island, and three Army regiments pinned down in the southwestern corner, doing nothing.  What the hell is going on?  [Gen. John W. Vessey Jr., USA, Chairman of the the Joint Chiefs of Staff; during the assault on Grenada, 1983]

On 25Oct83 the invasion of Grenada began.  A couple of points...

1.  Regan told Thatcher that the invasion wasn't going to happen.  During a phone call she insisted that it not take place and Reagan is quoted as saying "I didn't have the heart to tell her that it had already begun!"
2.  The above quote is quick summation of Army soul searching after the operation.  The 82nd's 325th Infantry had its airport seizure mission ripped from them and Rangers did the job.  Additionally planning had an extremely limited USMC role.  That role expanded when Army units became bogged down by Grenadian and Cuban forces.
3.  The 22nd MEU (SOC) would sail onto history and be involved in several other "historic" operations.  During this time period if you weren't at Lejeune you just weren't cool...that was the land of the real Marine Corps.
4.  The Air Wing took a tremendous beating during this op and a couple of helicopters were lost.  I consider this another example of history being forgotten and current leadership forgetting the vulnerability of aircraft when your battlespace is compact.
5.  Read the official Marine Corps history below or if you want a quick and dirty then check out the Wikipedia entry here.

  U.S. Marines in Grenada 1983 PCN 19000309700