Atlas of Battles

battle, Cold War

Battle of San Carlos

Battle of San Carlos was a battle fought on 21 May 1982 at San Carlos Water, in what is now United Kingdom; it lasted 4 days. It was part of the Falklands War. The recorded result: British victory; British beachhead successfully established.

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Fought21 May 1982lasted 4 days
WhereSan Carlos Water, United Kingdom51.508S, 59.080W
OutcomeBritish victory; British beachhead successfully established
BelligerentsUnited KingdomagainstNational Reorganization Process
Part ofFalklands War1982

Where it sits in the Falklands War

Battle of Wireless Ridge, 1982Invasion of South Georgia, 1982Sinking of ARA General Belgrano, 1982Sinking of HMS Sheffield, 1982Sinking of HMS Sheffield, 1982Battle of San Carlos, 1982Battle of Seal Cove, 1982Battle of Goose Green, 1982Skirmish at Top Malo House, 1982Battle of Murrell Bridge, 1982Bluff Cove Air Attacks, 1982Skirmish at Many Branch Point, 1982Battle of Mount Longdon, 1982Battle of Two Sisters, 1982Battle of Mount Harriet, 1982Mount Kent Skirmish, 1982Battle for Stanley, 1982Battle of Mount Tumbledown, 198219821982Battle of San Carlos, 1982
20 placed engagements of the Falklands War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date21 May 1982
to 25 May 1982
PlaceSan Carlos Water, United Kingdom
51.508S, 59.080W
KindBattle, Cold War
Strength2 destroyers; 7 frigates; 11 landing ships; Sea Harrier CAPs90 fighter-bombers on the mainland; 2 KC-130 Hercules tankers; 10 attack aircraft on the islands
Casualties and losses1 destroyer sunk; 2 frigates sunk; 8 ships damaged; 4 helicopters lost (2 Gazelle and 2 Lynx); 49 killed and ~80 injured22 aircraft lost; 11 killed
Commanders
  • Sandy Woodward
  • Michael Clapp
  • Julian Thompson (Royal Marines officer)
  • Mario Benjamín Menéndez
  • Ernesto Crespo
Battle of San CarlosBattle of San CarlosSkirmish at Many Branch PointBattle of Goose GreenSkirmish at Top Malo HouseBattle of Seal CoveBluff Cove Air AttacksBattle of Goose GreenBattle of Seal CoveStanleyFox Bay100 km51.508S, 59.080W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1982

Battle of San Carlos is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 695 in present-day United Kingdom.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4872265, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of San Carlos (1982), revision 1373226188, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.