Fort Lee in Prince George County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada
Women In War
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 28, 2025
1. Women In War - Operation URGENT FURY - Grenada Marker
In October 1983 the United States sent troops in response to the internal strife taking place on the island of Grenada. It was the first joint mission since the Vietnam War and the first deployment to include women after the end of the Women's Army Corps era. Because there was no policy in place after the gender integration of Army units in 1978, there was confusion over whether or not female soldiers should deploy into the war zone. Nonetheless, over one hundred women were sent with military police, transportation and supply units. Although limits were put in place after the invasion to reduce women's exposure to direct combat, it quickly became evident in successive conflicts that those policies were ineffective.
[Captions:]
Soldiers wait to board transport, Grenada, 1983.
A member of the 82nd Airborne Division on assignment in Grenada, 1983.
A soldier takes a break, Grenada, 1983.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, Cold • Women. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1983.
Location. 37° 14.598′ N, 77° 20.722′ W. Marker is in Fort Lee, Virginia, in Prince George County.
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Regionally, this marker is in Coastal Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Operation JUST CAUSEPanama (here, next to this marker); Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm (a few steps from this marker); Vietnam War (a few steps from this marker); Global War On Terror (a few steps from this marker); Korean War (a few steps from this marker); 14th Army WAC Band (within shouting distance of this marker); World War II (within shouting distance of this marker); World War I (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Lee.
More about this marker. In 2025 the garrison opened the old 19th Street gate as a public access route to the Museum Enclave - which includes this marker and the Army Women's and Quartermaster Museums as well as the limited-access Ordnance Training Support Facility (housing parts of the Aberdeen Proving Ground collection) - by changing the security perimeter to exclude the museums and enable direct public access.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 2, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 40 times since then. Photo 1. submitted on February 2, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
