In 1973 our class at Troy University took a field trip to Mobile. We did a lot of things but we also visited the state docks.
When we got there, we saw hundreds, maybe even thousands of tanks and armored vehicles being loaded on ships. Our professor sent me and a guy named Barry Diamond to ask at one of the ships what was going on. (Diamond later became a slightly well known comedian).
We found out they were going to Israel but decided to play a joke on our professor. We told him they were going to the Irish Republican Army. It was the stupidest thing we could think of. Our professor who was really intelligent, believed us.
Something doesn’t agree with the timeline tho as this was in the Spring of 1973, before that war but I sure do recall something going on over there at the time.
At least you did not say Costa Rica!