British Eke Out a Victory at San Carlos

Dear Fellow Earthlings, On the 25th of May 1982 the residents of the Falkland Islands were forced to observe a holiday they cared very little for: Argentina's "May Revolution Day". The holiday celebrates the establishment, in 1810, of the first government in the area around Buenos Aires that was not formed by Spanish colonialists but rather by the occupants of the area. The establishment of that government was the first step in a process that would lead to independence of Argentina from Spain on July 9, 1816. Perhaps it was the fervor of a national holiday which enabled the Argentine's to inflict the British forces

with heavy losses on this day. Early in the day, two Mirages being chased from Falkland Sound by Harriers were shot down by Sea Dart

missiles fired from Coventry, lying forward on picket with Broadsword. Coventry later shot down a third

aircraft, Rapier claimed one, and Yarmouth another. The British were feeling some optimism. But -- later in the day -- the fired-up Argentines dealt a staggering double blow to the British Forces:

Skyhawks sank Coventry, with the loss of life of 19 men -- and then Super Etendards used an Exocet

to sink the container ship Atlantic Conveyor, which lost 11 of its crew. In addition, it lost 3 of the 4 troop

carrying Chinook helicopters so essential for waging a land campaign since each could haul 80 men

at a time. Ten Wessex helicopters and the complete inventory of tentage for the British and assault

troops had also been on the Atlantic Conveyor. All of the Wessex copters and all of the tentage were

lost, ending up on the sea bottom. The only thing that had saved the British from further losses was that the Argentines had not been provided by their U.S. arms producers with instructions on how to fuse their bombs to make sure they would explode on impact. This poor after-sales service by the Americans may have saved the British from defeat.

May 25, 1982 marked the end of the San Carlos battle, where the British had eked out a victory.

Fully a third of the Argentine Air Force -- and a good many of its best pilots -- had been lost. But now the British would have to break out of their 155 square kilometer beachhead and head

for Port Stanley by going on foot through bitterly cold weather all the way! At this point victory did

not yet seem to be anything that would come without great cost. Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator

EarthSaver

Steve Walker

British Eke Out a Victory at San Carlos