State Department Commends Consul LaRoche for Grenada Coup Response

Officials praise his consular work and political reporting during the crisis’s opening week.

Date: March 21, 1979

State Department Issues Formal Commendation for Consul Richard LaRoche's Performance During Grenada Coup

Details: The U.S. State Department in Washington sent a formal message of commendation to the Embassy in Bridgetown for Consul Richard LaRoche's work during the first week of the Grenada crisis. The message, sent from Assistant Secretary of State Viron P. Vaky on behalf of Under Secretary David D. Newsom, praised LaRoche for his "outstanding performance".

The commendation specifically credited LaRoche with two major achievements:

  • Fulfilling Consular Obligations: His presence in Grenada enabled the Department to meet its responsibilities to American citizens, with the cable noting that the parents of over 700 medical students were "most grateful for his assistance".
  • Facilitating Policy Formulation: He provided "the type of comprehensively sensitive reporting needed to facilitate the formulation of our policy toward the new government".

The cable concluded that the "competent and professional manner" in which LaRoche acted was a "credit to the Foreign Service".

Key Members & Participants:

  • Honoree:
    • Consul Richard LaRoche.
  • Commending Officials (Washington):
    • Viron P. Vaky (Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs).
    • David D. Newsom (Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs).
  • Recipient:
    • Ambassador Frank V. Ortiz (in Bridgetown, instructed to convey the message to LaRoche).

Significance: This official commendation from the highest levels of the State Department underscores the critical importance and success of LaRoche's mission in post-coup Grenada. It formally recognizes the dual nature of his role: not only did he perform his primary consular duty of ensuring the safety of a large number of American citizens, but his political reporting was also deemed essential in shaping the initial U.S. policy toward the new revolutionary government. The message serves as a definitive official endorsement of his actions and reporting during a volatile and uncertain period, closing the chapter on his initial, successful deployment.

Source:

U.S. Department of State Cable 069655, "MESSAGE OF COMMENDATION FOR CONSUL LAROCHE," March 21, 1979, Declassified. (Document ID C17671141.pdf).

Link:

Internal Link:

Date:
March 21, 1979
Categories:
Greneda Invasion, Log, Matthew Smith, Military & Intel, Nuclear Warfare, Research, The Suriname Archive
Tags:
Cable, Commendation, Commending Officials (Washington), Consular Affairs, Facilitating Policy Formulation, Fulfilling Consular Obligations, Honoree, Intelligence Reporting, Recipient
Boxes:
MW Zotero
Years:
1979
Persons:
David Newsom, Richard Laroche, Viron Vaky
META DATA
    Scroll to Top