State 1990 Honduras country report
Supports: Documents the March 31 bus ambush and reports six airmen wounded, two seriously.
Limits: Final roster/count and individual awards remain unresolved.
Honduras Veterans Service Recognition
Evidence
EVIDENCE LIBRARY
How HVSR classifies and releases evidence
HVSR records three separate decisions for each submitted or researched item. A document's source type does not determine whether its claims are verified or whether the document may be published.
Source classification
Identifies the nature and origin of the material: official documentary evidence, historical source material, veteran testimony and recollections, research contributions, or recognition and advocacy records. The issuing institution, contributor, document date, and original source are recorded where known.
Verification status
Records the state of review: Received, Under Review, Corroborated, Verified, or Disputed. Verification applies to the specific document or claim described; it does not automatically establish every assertion contained in the source. Unresolved conflicts and limitations remain visible.
Public-release authorization
Records a separate publication decision: Not Assessed, Restricted, Permission Pending, or Approved for Public Release. A verified official record can remain restricted because of privacy, sensitivity, or other release limitations. Testimony may be published with appropriate permission while remaining identified as personal recollection rather than independently verified history.
Publication rule: HVSR evaluates permission to reproduce a document separately from permission and evidentiary support to publish a particular claim derived from it. A source's presence in research files does not itself authorize publication.
Follow the source
Official government and archival sources come first, followed by approved HVSR preservation copies and credible secondary corroboration. No HVSR preservation copies or private personnel files are included in this edition.
Each card identifies its scope and limits. Links require an internet connection; the website itself works offline.
Document labels: Verified source means the publisher and cited content were checked. Secondary account identifies reviewed testimony or secondary research. Awaiting review means the document is a lead. None of these labels substitutes for HVSR publication approval.
Patterns of Global Terrorism: 1993
Supports: Retrospective account reports seven wounded in the March 1990 bus attack and an FPM responsibility claim.
Limits: Count and attribution differ from the 1990 country report; this is a separate edition from the inventory’s 1996 citation.
March 1990 · Hall of Honor registry evidence
Supports: Profiles associate eight named Air Force personnel and Purple Heart awards with March 31, 1990.
Limits: Voluntary registry, not military award orders or a complete casualty roster. Underlying documentation and independence from submitted accounts remain to be established.
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Roll of Honor registryNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Dean A. Dark recipient profileNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Brian R. Domsch recipient profileNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Todd H. Fewell recipient profileNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Kevin A. Flint recipient profileNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Todd M. Groeschel recipient profileNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Patrick J. Kelly recipient profileNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Jerry D. Mallard recipient profileNational Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Bryan W. Miller recipient profile
William L. Jarrell II · Air Medal certificate reproduction
Supports: Names Jarrell and MEDEVAC Detachment, 4th Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment; describes a UH-1H mission and crash survival.
Limits: Secondary-hosted reproduction awaiting authentication and complete orders; does not verify accident findings, hostile action or all four reported awards.
State 1991 chronology · El Salvador helicopter loss
Supports: Documents three U.S. military deaths after a helicopter was downed at Canton San Francisco, El Salvador, while flying toward Honduras.
Limits: Witness reports about the two survivors are attributed. Individual assignments and awards need separate records.
IACHR 1990–91 · El Salvador account
Supports: Places the incident in San Francisco district, Lolotique, San Miguel, and identifies Scott, Pickett and Dawson.
Limits: Retain source-specific name/rank forms pending casualty records; not military award or assignment orders.
Official / primary record
U.S. Military Presence at Soto Cano Air Base
Supports: JTF presence from August 1983; command, intelligence, communications, logistics and base facilities.
Limits: Does not establish individual participation, hostile action or award entitlement.
U.S. General Accounting OfficeU.S. Military Presence at Soto Cano Air BaseOfficial / primary record
Honduran Deployment: Controls Over U.S. Military Equipment and Supplies
Supports: Golden Pheasant emergency deployment; the March 1988 Sandinista incursion; approximately 3,150 U.S. personnel already in Honduras before the surge; and approximately 3,000 additional combat troops deployed for Golden Pheasant. The pre-surge force included about 1,100 JTF-Bravo personnel, 850 Guard/Reserve/active-duty engineers in Yoro, about 1,100 personnel in AHUAS TARA 88, and about 100 National Guard engineers at Palmerola.
Limits: This report documents a specific March 1988 force picture and emergency deployment. It does not establish AFEM eligibility, individual participation, or a continuous 6,000-person force level outside the surge.
U.S. General Accounting OfficeHonduran Deployment: Controls Over U.S. Military Equipment and SuppliesOfficial / primary record
Administrative Control of Funds – Honduras
Supports: A DoD IG audit conducted May–July 1989 at SOUTHCOM, U.S. Army South and JTF-Bravo; FY1989 programming for 87 Service exercises and 5 joint exercises; approximately 1,200 personnel assigned to JTF-Bravo; a staff composed almost entirely of 4–6 month TDY personnel; and the January 1989 request to convert 50 TDY positions to longer assignments as workload and continuity needs grew.
Limits: This is a management and funds audit, not an incident, awards or eligibility determination. The personnel figure describes JTF-Bravo assignments and is not a total count of every U.S. service member in Honduras.
Department of Defense Inspector GeneralAdministrative Control of Funds – HondurasOfficial / primary record
Honduras exercise construction review
Supports: Airfields, base camps and engineering activity; Cabanas road projects involving Jocón and Olanchito.
Limits: Earlier construction is not proof of a particular 1989 unit assignment or route.
U.S. General Accounting Office[Request for Update of Legal Decision]Official historical record
A History of Joint Task Force-Bravo
Supports: Records that on 13 June 1987 U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Randall Harris was shot and killed while performing security duty at the front gate at Palmerola Air Base.
Limits: The chronology entry does not establish motive, perpetrator, combat status or award entitlement.
Joint Task Force-Bravo · U.S. Southern CommandA History of Joint Task Force-BravoLinked record entries
Official memorial record
JSF members pay tribute to fallen MP
Supports: Identifies Harris as deployed from the 978th Military Police Company at Fort Bliss in support of JTF-Bravo and states he was killed while performing security duty at the front gate.
Limits: Memorial reporting does not by itself establish motive or classify the shooting as combat or terrorism.
Joint Task Force-Bravo · U.S. Southern CommandJSF members pay tribute to fallen MPOfficial / primary record
Public Law 100-204 §1213 · Terrorist Bombing in Honduras
Supports: Congressional findings that the 8 August 1987 China Palace bombing in Comayagua was directed at American soldiers, wounded American soldiers and an American contractor, and involved personnel assigned to JTF-Bravo.
Limits: Does not establish individual Purple Heart entitlement.
U.S. CongressPublic Law 100-204 · §1213: Terrorist Bombing in HondurasLinked record entries
Official congressional record
Congressional Record · China Palace wounded personnel
Supports: Identifies Ronald W. Rodriguez, Robin Jackson, Ian Holt, Direak McKeen and David Lambert as wounded U.S. soldiers and Barry Stein as the wounded American contractor in the 8 August bombing.
Limits: Names and incident linkage do not independently establish later award determinations.
U.S. SenateCongressional Record · China Palace wounded personnelOfficial / primary record
Significant Incidents of Political Violence Against Americans: 1989
Supports: The four dated 1989 incident summaries linked below.
Limits: Does not identify every participant or establish personal award entitlement. Perpetrator claims are not casualty findings.
U.S. Department of StateSignificant Incidents of Political Violence Against Americans: 1989Official historical research
313th MI Battalion deploys for Golden Pheasant
Supports: Deployment of the 313th MI Battalion and the Golden Pheasant contingency.
Limits: An official retrospective history, not an individual service record.
U.S. Army313th MI Battalion deploys for Golden PheasantLinked record entries
Official / primary record
VFW 124th National Convention proceedings
Supports: Convention approval of Resolution 419, Honduras.
Limits: Approval of advocacy does not independently verify the historical assertions within a resolution.
Veterans of Foreign Wars124th National Convention proceedingsLinked record entries
Organization primary document
NEC Resolution 3: Honduras service
Supports: Calls for AFEM recognition for service in an area of hostility in Honduras, 1981–1992.
Limits: Organization-hosted resolution copy; not federal award authorization.
American LegionNEC Resolution 3: Honduras serviceLinked record entries
Organization primary document
Resolution 2-2026: Honduras Operations
Supports: Published resolution calls for AFEM, Combat Action Ribbon or similar recognition.
Limits: The document says adopted but does not provide a convention adoption date. Its casualty characterizations are not adopted as historical findings here.
Document access: The original publisher PDF is currently unavailable. The resolution citation is retained while HVSR looks for a working publisher copy.
Linked record entries
Official / primary record
North Dakota HCR 3007
Supports: Passed; last official action records filing on 21 March 2025.
Limits: State advocacy does not authorize a federal award.
North Dakota Legislative BranchHouse Concurrent Resolution 3007Linked record entries
Official / primary record
Kansas HR 6046
Supports: Enrolled resolution honoring and supporting Honduras service, 1981–1992.
Limits: Resolution assertions about award totals need separate military records.
Kansas LegislatureHouse Resolution 6046Linked record entries
Official / primary record
Louisiana HR 37
Supports: Adopted 92–0 on 11 May; presented to Secretary of State on 21 May.
Limits: Records a request to Congress, not federal eligibility.
Louisiana LegislatureHouse Resolution 37Linked record entries
Official / primary record
Illinois HR 868 legislative action
Supports: Resolution adopted 28 May 2026.
Limits: Member listing substantiates the action; use the measure text for its full wording.
Illinois General AssemblyDan Swanson member recordLinked record entries
Official / primary record
Ohio 136th General Assembly status report
Supports: Introduced 15 September 2025; referred to Veterans and Military Development in the inspected report.
Limits: Living report may change. The prior site’s hearing claim is not independently established by this table.
Ohio Legislative Service Commission136th General Assembly status reportLinked record entries
Secondary research / testimony
Cerro la Mole MEDEVAC account
Supports: Describes the 13 May 1991 fatal MEDEVAC crash and California Guard crew context.
Limits: Secondary narrative includes testimony. Official accident and casualty records remain needed; this is not proof of enemy action.
Special Forces Association Chapter 78 - Cerro la Mole MEDEVAC retrospective accountLinked record entries
Official / primary record
El Salvador recognition comparator
Supports: Records the El Salvador period, 1 January 1981–1 February 1992, and individual determination requirement.
Limits: El Salvador provisions do not establish Honduras eligibility.
U.S. House · U.S. CodeEligibility for Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Based Upon Service in El SalvadorLinked record entries
Official legislative record
Mississippi HCR 56 (2026), enrolled resolution
Supports: Both chambers adopted a resolution memorializing Congress to authorize retroactive AFEM recognition for qualifying Honduras service from 1981 through 1992.
Limits: Does not itself confer AFEM eligibility. The recited 47 Purple Hearts, two POW Medals, four Air Medals, and organizational-support claims are not independently established by adoption.
Mississippi LegislatureHouse Concurrent Resolution 56Linked record entries
The Rise and Fall of Democracies in Third World Societies — Honduras passage
Supports: Secondary compilation reports two Navy personnel died in a demolition accident, attributing the account to the Washington Post.
Limits: ERIC hosting is not a Navy finding or federal endorsement. Original newspaper page, identities, exact accident date/site, unit and Navy investigation remain unverified. Retain H27 L/R.
CPT Drew Harrington — 2/75
Supports: Memorial identifies CPT Drew Harrington, 2/75, and a live-fire accident on 16 December 1984.
Limits: Incomplete memorial biography, not the Army investigation, assignment orders or evidence of adjudicated ammunition/safety failures. Independence of memorial source chains is not established.
Active Units — 2/75 casualty table — Drew Harrington
Supports: Association table lists Drew Harrington, 16 December 1984, Training Honduras, B Co under 2/75.
Limits: Association memorial table, not official assignment orders or an accident-board finding. Does not establish incident cause, alleged safety failures or hostile fire; independence from other memorials is not established.
Our Fallen Heroes — Winburn Drew Harrington III
Supports: Foundation memorial lists Winburn Drew Harrington III, 16 December 1984 and 2/75.
Limits: Memorial identity/date/unit reference, not cause-of-death investigation or Army assignment orders. Independence of memorial source chains is not established.
Terrorist Incidents Involving U.S. Citizens or Property 1981–1990: A Chronology
Supports: Attributed chronology describes a car carrying five U.S. military advisers in Tegucigalpa on 23 September 1981, with two wounded.
Limits: Reproduced historical chronology, not congressional adjudication or a reviewed incident investigation. Does not authenticate the intended CIA document or resolve conflicting dates/casualty accounts, identities or units. Retain H29 R/L/U.
U.S. Congressional Record — Senate; reproduced CRS issue brief by James P. Wootten, Foreign Affairs and National Defense DivisionTerrorist Incidents Involving U.S. Citizens or Property 1981–1990: A ChronologyU.S. Government Publishing Office · GovInfo copy of the same Congressional Record chronology · printed p. 2112 / PDF p. 92Related incident and evidence limits
Records recovery and FOIA tracking
These case references document records searches and requests, not independent verification of incidents, participants, casualties or award eligibility. The FOIA register lists dated agency updates and explains the limits of each search.
USSOUTHCOM · SC 26-134-S
Scope: 1 February 1989 Yoro convoy incident, including command journals, incident reports, convoy records and participating personnel or units.
USSOUTHCOM · SC 26-133-S
Scope: Broader January–June 1989 Joint Task Force-Bravo and Fuertes Caminos operations, units and operational records.
Army CID · FA26-4875
Scope: CID/MP records associated with the 1 February 1989 Yoro incident.
Recorded research outcome: Read the dated repository response in the FOIA register.
Limit: No responsive records in the searched repository does not establish that the incident did not occur.
U.S. Army Human Resources Command · JMUA inquiry
Scope: Joint Meritorious Unit Award research relating to 1989 Joint Task Force-Bravo service.
Limit: An inquiry is not an award determination. Submission details, current response status and any official citation require separate verification.
Additional evidence categories
Individual service records, official casualty documentation, National Guard annual reports, contemporaneous reporting and military professional studies remain important evidence categories. The earlier site references a Schwab DD Form 1300; that document is not available in this package, so its contents are not presented here as a verified finding.
Research compilations and attack collages supply leads, not verified aggregate casualty, Purple Heart or POW totals. Historical research and reasonable inference must remain labeled and distinct from official facts.