In 1983, when Reagan was president, terrorists killed 241 American servicemen: 220 Marines, 18 Navy personnel and three Army soldiers. The deadliest single-day death toll for the United States Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II and the deadliest single attack on Americans overseas since World War II.
Ronbo Reagan CUT and RAN.
1983 Beirut barracks bombing (October 23, 1983 in Beirut, Lebanon)
Suicide bombers detonated each of the truck bombs. In the attack on the American Marines barracks, the death toll was 241 American servicemen: 220 Marines, 18 Navy personnel and three Army soldiers, along with sixty Americans injured, representing the deadliest single-day death toll for the United States Marine Corps since the Battle of Iwo Jima of World War II, the deadliest single-day death toll for the United States military since the first day of the Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War, and the deadliest single attack on Americans overseas since World War II.
Response
U.S. President Ronald Reagan called the attack a "despicable act" and pledged to keep a military force in Lebanon.
There was no serious retaliation for the Beirut bombing from the Americans, besides a few shellings. In December 1983, U.S. aircraft from the USS John F. Kennedy and USS Independence battle groups attacked Syrian targets in Lebanon, but this was ostensibly in response to Syrian missile attacks on American warplanes.
Multi-service ground-support units were withdrawn from Beirut after the attack on the Marine barracks due to retaliatory threats.
In the meantime, the attack boosted the prestige and growth of the Shi'ite organization Hezbollah.
