The 1969 Soccer War on the Ground
Machetes Mausers and Garands versus Howitzers and tanks in the jungle
The poorly equipped- even by third world standards-Honduran army had its hands full against the modern El Salvadoran invasion force in 1969.
The eight thousand man Honduran army consisted of nine light infantry battalions supported by two batteries of world war one era 75mm howitzers. Their soldiers were armed with thirty year old Garand or even older Mauser rifles, and did not have the support of tanks or any other armored equipment. Once the conflict began thousands of Honduran workers and peasants had gone to the government to beg for arms to defend their nation. Local defense committees had sprung up, with thousands of ordinary citizens, often armed only with machetes, taking over local security duties and making pin prick attacks on the much better equipped Salvadoran invaders.
The Salvadoran Invasion Plan, Named as the Plan de Campaña, used a seven thousand man force consisting of four Infantry battalions, the Battalion of the Presidential Guard of Honor, a parachute unit and nine mobilized national guard companies armed with modern German made H&K G3 rifles and supported by nine 105mm artillery pieces and two M3A1Stuart light tanks.. The Salvadoran army launched major offensives along the main road connecting the two nations and against the Honduran islands in the Golfo de Fonseca. At first, the Salvadorans made fairly rapid progress. By the evening of July 15, the Salvadoran army, which was considerably larger and better equipped than its Honduran opponent, pushed the Honduran army back over eight kilometers and captured the departmental capital of Nueva Ocotepeque. Thereafter, the attack bogged down, and the Salvadorans began to experience fuel and ammunition shortages.
On July 16th the Salvadoran troops received orders to advance until they take the towns of Alianza, Goascorán, Aramecina, Caridad and Langue. The most intense combats on this front took place on the Ticante Creek, where Salvadoran troops faced ferocious resistance from the Hondurans until the Salvadoran 105mm howitzers could be brought up.
On July 17th the elite Guardia de Honor Battalion of the El Salvadoran army began deploying alongside the area of operations. Honduran troops located the column advancing on the highway to Llano Largo and manage to ambush them near a ranch known as San Rafael de Matarás, attacking it with machinegun, mortar and rifle fire. The Honduran air force acting with impunity dropped bombs and strafed the convoy all afternoon bringing it to a halt. This ambush, called the Battle of San Rafael de Matarás is considered as the major victory in the history of the Honduran army.
On the morning of the 18th, the Honduran air force continued their aerial attacks carrying Napalm canisters in support of the Honduran Army, especially against the Salvadoran National Guard in Llano largo, Nueva Ocotepeque, and against the Army's Third Battalion in El Amatillo. The OAS cease fire agreement effectively ended the ground fighting at 10:00 PM that night.
