Battle of Sapotillal

Battle of Sapotillal
	Part of the United States occupation of Nicaragua, Banana Wars
Date	8–9 October 1927
Location	Sapotillal ridge, Nicaragua
Result	Sandinista victory American-Nicaraguan rescue attempt fails.; Heavy casualties inflicted on the Sandinistas.;
Belligerents
United States; Nicaragua	Sandinistas
Commanders and leaders
Lt. George J. O'Shea	Unknown
Strength
9 marines; 1 sailor; 10 national guard	400 guerrillas (conservative estimate)
Casualties and losses
2 USMC POWS Killed & 4 national guard killed	40-60 killed; 1 captured

The Battle of Sapotillal, or the Battle of Zapotillal or Zapotillo Ridge, took place on the 9 October 1927^[7] during the American occupation of Nicaragua of 1926–1933 and the Sandino Rebellion. The battle was an unsuccessful attempt by American and Nicaraguan government forces to rescue two downed American airmen.

^ "O'Shea, Engagement at Sapotillal, with Sketch Map". The Sandino Rebellion, 1927–1934. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^ Macaulay, Neill (February 1998). The Sandino Affair. Chicago: Quadrangle Books. p. 93.
^ "O'Shea, Engagement at Sapotillal, with Sketch Map". The Sandino Rebellion, 1927–1934. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^ Macaulay, Neill (February 1998). The Sandino Affair. Chicago: Quadrangle Books. p. 95.
^ "O'Shea, Engagement at Sapotillal, with Sketch Map". The Sandino Rebellion, 1927–1934. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^ Musicant, Ivan (August 1990). The Banana Wars: A History of United States Military Intervention in Latin America from the Spanish–American War to the Invasion of Panama. New York City: Macmillan Publishing Company. p. 322.
^ "O'Shea, Engagement at Sapotillal, with Sketch Map". The Sandino Rebellion, 1927–1934. Retrieved 19 May 2015.