Returning U.S. Soldiers Tell of Hero Treatment

A small contingent of the 14,000 U.S. troops that invaded Panama returned home today, saying they accomplished their mission of helping to install a democratic government.

Fifty-six soldiers based at Ft. Ord, the first uninjured troops to pull out of Panama since the U.S. invasion Dec. 20, landed aboard a C-141 transport at about 6:45 a.m. after a brief stop at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio.

The soldiers, among 141 that left Panama on Monday, said they were well received there.

“Now they have a democratic government--it’s what they want. They love Americans,” said Army Sgt. John Grauer, 29, of Fresno. “They love what we did.”

Spec. 4 Ralph Santos, a 19-year-old soldier from Los Angeles, said the reaction of Panamanians boosted spirits among the troops.

“Overall, the morale of the soldiers was greatly increased. The infantry guys were treated like heroes by the Panamanians,” said Santos, who speaks Spanish and was called on at times to interpret for military police.

“In some ways I was expecting more of a negative reaction.”

Most of the returning soldiers were from field artillery and air defense batteries that provided protection for infantrymen in Panama City, a Panamanian army base at Rio Hato on the Pacific coast, and in the city of David on the Costa Rican border.

Second Lt. John Jaskwhich said the artillery troops were called in to assist infantrymen, but did not have to fire any weapons other than flares to light up the sky for the soldiers.

As the first elements of the U.S. invasion force withdrew, a Catholic Church official in Panama said it was up to Manuel A. Noriega to decide when to leave the Vatican Embassy at Panama City, where he sought refuge Christmas Eve after being ousted by American troops.

Archbishop Marcos McGrath said Noriega would have a fair trial and greater personal security if he went to the United States, but said, “He will have to leave by his own decision.