[Sure did. On the plus side, the more time the US military spends congratulating itself and the less time it spends killing people, the better.]
New York Times March 30, 1984
Medals Outnumber G.I.'S In Grenada Assault
Army officials said today that about 50 of the achievement medals went to personnel who got no closer to the fighting than the Pentagon.
Other awards were given to staff and rear-area support troops at Fort Bragg, N.C., home of the 82d Airborne Division; at Fort Stewart, Ga., and Fort Lewis, Wash., bases for Army Rangers; and the headquarters of the Army's Forces Command in Atlanta.
Asked for an explanation, the Army defended its awards system as a ''valuable and effective leadership tool to build unit morale and esprit.''
The other services, which had fewer men involved in the Grenada invasion, have granted only a handful of medals. 18 Americans Were Killed
Some additional awards may be granted but not as lavishly as by the Army, according to indications from the Marines, Navy and Air Force.
The invasion began Oct. 25 after a coup by a faction of the Grenadian Marxist ruling group, and the fighting ended Nov. 2. Eighteen American servicemen were killed.
The United States quickly began withdrawing its troops, getting down to about 300 by mid-December. Currently, the Pentagon said, 225 American military personnel are performing civic action and similar chores.
In response to questions, the Army said it awarded 275 decorations for valor, for combat deaths or wounds.
Beyond that, it said, it gave out 8,337 medals for individual performance. These included 4,581 commendation medals, 2,495 achievement medals, 681 Bronze Stars and a variety of other decorations.
''Many support and staff personnel received these awards for their support of the Grenada operation outside of the actual combat zone or for service in Grenada after hostilities had ceased,'' the Army said. Awards by Unit Commanders
It indicated that the decisions on awards were made by unit commanders. The 82d Airborne Division led with 6,708 individual awards.
The Marine Corps reported granting 10 Purple Heart medals for combat deaths and wounds, with an additional 100 recommendations for bravery being studied. The Marines had about 1,000 men ashore in Grenada during the battle. However, the corps has approved a unit commendation for the full 22d Marine Amphibious Unit, including about 1,800 men who apparently remained on ships offshore.
The Navy said it has awarded seven Purple Hearts for combat deaths or wounds and added that ''to date, no individual award recommendations had been received at the Navy Department level.''
About 50 Navy men either went ashore on Grenada or flew aboard aircraft in what the Navy called a ''possible combat situation.'' In addition, the Navy estimated, 10,000 officers and sailors were aboard the carrier Independence and other ships that stood near the island during the battle. No Medals for Staff Officers Navy officials said Adm. Wesley McDonald, commander in chief of forces in the Atlantic, has made it clear there will be no individual medals for staff officers.
The Air Force, which had 800 ground personnel and air crewmen on Grenada or flying to and from the island, has not yet approved any individual awards. But it has laid down rules for eligibility that could bring medals to some officers and enlisted airmen who were stationed at the airport in Barbados, as well as airmen who played a direct role in the campaign.
All the services are expected to distribute Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals to the men and a few women who were on or near the island during the campaign. This could total some 19,600.
Pentagon officials said no comparative statistics on medal awards in other wars and conflicts were readily available.
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Carl
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