Word: port
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...sudden spate of attacks, British warplanes swept in over Port Stanley, the Falklands' tiny capital, and struck at the 4,000-ft. airstrip held since Argentina invaded the islands on April 2. First came a long-range, delta-winged Vulcan bomber from a base at Ascension Island, some 3,800 miles away. The Vulcan refueled in the air on the way to its target, dropped 21 half-ton bombs and, said a British defense official in London, left the airfield "severely cratered...
...separate strike, British jets attacked a grassy airfield 50 miles away, near the settlement of Goose Green (see map). Though one Harrier reportedly suffered minor damage, British officials called the series of missions a success and reported: "All aircraft and personnel returned safely." British warships also shelled the Port Stanley airport and perhaps other military positions along the Falklands coastline. A British Sea King helicopter was also said to have launched a strafing attack near the settlement of Darwin, hard by Goose Green...
...mainland, the Argentine junta denounced Britain's aggressive action, but denied that the Port Stanley airfield had been taken out of operation at all. The Argentines also claimed that their antiaircraft gunners at Port Stanley had downed two Sea Harriers, killing...
...attack, if it did in fact make the Port Stanley strip unusable, meant that the British had virtually destroyed Argentina's ability to resupply its roughly 10,000 troops in the Falklands. The air assault had also considerably eased the task of protecting the British task force of 60-odd ships, some of which were now on battle stations within a few miles of the Falklands. In addition, the attack prepared the way for a possible full-scale invasion of the islands. According to the Argentines, the British task force commander, Rear Admiral John ("Sandy") Woodward, who celebrated...
...first of the aircraft, along with their Victor aerial refueling tankers, were ferried to Ascension Island not long after the British navy began assembling its Falklands task force. Other Stage 3 possibilities include a full-scale invasion of the Falklands aimed at encircling the main Argentine forces at Port Stanley. But for that, the current British forces of some 4,000 marines and paratroopers (1,500 with the task force, 2,500 aboard the converted ocean liner Canberra) is inadequate. Recognizing the manpower problem, the British last week sent 1,200 more troops toward the Falklands aboard the Norland ferry...