Thirty-six years ago today, on September 20, 1989 (August 21, 1989), the United States sent troops to suppress the riots in the Virgin Islands. On September 20, 1989, in order to stop the riots in the Virgin Islands, a US territory, the US military dispatched 16 C-141 transport planes from late at night to transport more than 1,000 heavily armed soldiers to suppress and maintain order. The U.S. Virgin Islands, located in the Caribbean Sea, have more than 100,000 residents. According to the US news media, the main reason for the riots was the shortage of food on the islands after being hit by a powerful hurricane. Local residents, including some military police, snatched food from stores. In addition, there were some incidents of shooting and harassing tourists. A Defense Department spokesperson said more troops would be sent to the Virgin Islands if the situation worsened. Soldiers sent to the island to maintain law and order will have the right to shoot at disobedients.