Walking the beat
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Lane Edward Morrow, of Susanville, CA, of 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3/4 Marines, walks during an early morning guard shift at a vehicle checkpoint near Patrol Base 302, in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011. The Marines living in austere conditions at PB302 exchange fire regularly with Taliban who attack from multiple positions. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
In: Images, Military · Tagged with: Afghanistan, US Marine Corps, War on Terror
Light it up
Pfcs. Greg Zecher and Nicholas Roberts, machine gunners with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, illuminate the night sky by firing tracer rounds and then reloading their weapons during Exercise Clear, Hold, Build 3 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Sept. 21, 2011. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder / RELEASED)
The two-day evolution — part of the Enhanced Mojave Viper training exercise — enabled “America’s Battalion” to improve its capabilities as the ground combat element of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The exercise is their final pre-deployment training event before deploying to Afghanistan’s Helmand province next month to support Operation Enduring Freedom. Zecher, 19, is from Jacksonville, Fla. Roberts, 20, is from Erie, Pa.
In: Images, Military · Tagged with: US Marine Corps
A Marine aviation first
1stLt Everett R. Brewer
GySgt Harry B. Wershiner
On Sep. 18, 1918, two Marines flying with the British Royal Air Force, 1st Lt. Everett R. Brewer and Gunnery Sergeant Harry B. Wershiner, were flying an air raid mission over Belgium with the Royal Air Force when they came under attack from 15 German scout planes. The Marines shot down two planes–only being credited with one–and became the first Marine aviators to shoot down another plane.
They were both seriously wounded–Brewer shot through the hips and Wershiner shot through both lungs—but managed to fly their de Havilland DH-9 back to the Aerodrome after shaking their opponents. Both were awarded the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart.
In: Military History · Tagged with: US Marine Corps, World War I
Improvise, Adapt, Overcome
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Sgt. Jason Pacheco, 23, scout sniper instructor, Division Schools, 1st Marine Division, from Las Vegas, N.M., uses his prosthetic leg as support for an M40 Sniper Rifle on a firing range at Camp Pendleton Aug. 30, 2011. Pacheco suffered a severed leg after an improvised explosive device detonated beneath him during a patrol in Afghanistan August 2010. His leg had to be amputated below his knee. Pacheco uses his prosthetic leg to support the weight of his rifle to show an example of how students can use anything to steady a rifle. He has been an instructor for the Pre-Scout Sniper School since March and recently completed a physical fitness test with his prosthetic leg. He has re-enlisted and said he hopes to continue training in preparation to return to full duty. (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Timothy Lenzo)
In: Images, Military · Tagged with: US Marine Corps
Operation Flintlock
Marines on Roi-Namur. Source: Flickr
On January 31 and February1, 1944, Marines and soldiers stormed the Japanese-held beaches of Kwajelein and Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands. In a few short days, the force would overwhelm the defenders and gain control of the Marshall Islands.
In: Images, Military History · Tagged with: US Marine Corps, World War II
Today in Marine aviation history
On Jan. 21, 1918, 12 officers and 133 enlisted Marines from the 1st Marine Aeronautical Company deployed to Ponta Delgada, Azores for anti-submarine duty, becoming the first fully-equipped American aviation unit to serve overseas in World War I.
Throughout the war, the Marines flew constant daylight patrols over shipping lanes near the Azores in their Curtiss R-6, N-9, and HS-2L sea planes. More on Marine aviation in World War I here and here.
A Curtiss HS-2L flying boat. Source: San Diego Air & Space Museum archives
In: Military History · Tagged with: US Marine Corps, World War I
The Battle of Hill 881
For 12 days in 1967, two battalions of Marines defeated several NVA battalions dug in on hills near Khe Sanh. After aerial bombardments and numerous assaults on the hills, the heavily-outnumbered Marines eventually took the objective, killing nearly 1000 NVA soldiers. 155 Marines were killed and 455 wounded during the battle.
Marines during the Battle of Hill 881. Source: Marine Corps Gazette, photo by David Powell
Time magazine covered the battle in a May, 1967 issue.
In: Military History · Tagged with: US Marine Corps, Vietnam War
U.S. Marine Corps: making pirates defecate since 1801
Apparently a Marine Corps captain who participated in yesterday’s retaking of the M/V Magellan Star had this to say during a conference call with reporters: “As soon as the first stack of Marines made our way into the bridge, their hands were up, their weapons were down, they moved to their knees and they were compliant,” Captain Alexander Martin said. “At that point, they were pretty scared. One guy actually defecated himself. … He sh– his pants. I don’t know if that can go on the news or not, but that actually happened.”
But in the pirate’s defense, I too would lose control of my bowels if 24 Recon Marines were coming after me.
(h/t Tony)
In: Military · Tagged with: Force Reconnaissance, pirates, US Marine Corps
More on the Marines’ retaking of the MV Magellan Star
From my latest article at Family Security Matters:
“This is a direct result of intense training over a long period of time,” says W. Thomas Smith Jr., director of the U.S. Counterterrorism Advisory Team and a recognized expert on seaborne piracy. “Any type of kinetic operation is dangerous. But when you add the elements of the sea, boarding, and then close-quarters once aboard, the danger is ramped up exponentially.”
Just how dangerous is it to board a vessel with armed pirates on board?
“Extremely dangerous for several reasons,” says Smith, who years ago as a U.S. Marine coincidentally sailed on USS Dubuque (the ship from which today’s raid was launched). “First, pirates today are often equipped with everything from satellite phones, GPS receivers, and long-range telescopes to all manner of weapons, including RPGs, assault rifles and pistols. Second, if pirates have already taken the ship, they may be in strong defensive positions with good cover from which they may totally focus on observing and engaging the boarding parties, whereas the boarders are exposed and having to divide their focuses between engaging and boarding. Pirates also may set booby traps and establish ambush positions, and there may be hostages involved.”
In: Military · Tagged with: Force Reconnaissance, pirates, US Marine Corps
US Marines seize ship from pirates off Somalia
(MANAMA, Bahrain) – US Marines seized a pirate-controlled ship in the Gulf of Aden according to a statement from the Fifth Fleet.
Early Wednesday, pirates captured the German-owned vessel M/V Magellan Star. Crew members locked themselves in a safe compartment of the ship once the pirates had boarded. At 5 a.m. local time, 24 members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Raid Force boarded the Magellan Star, capturing all pirates without firing a shot. No injuries to the crew, Marines, or pirates were reported.
Although the US military has taken action to deter pirate attacks, today’s event marks the first known occurrence of the US military boarding a pirate-controlled vessel.
The nine pirates are currently in custody of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151), a 25-nation task force whose mission is to “deter, disrupt, and suppress piracy” in the region. The Marines are members of Force Reconnaissance, and have trained for counter-pirate operations for several months prior to departing for the theater.
Marine Corps Captain Alexander Martin, a member of the Maritime Raid Force writes that the joint Navy-Marine Corps unit “conducts visit-board-search-seizure (VBSS), kinetic strikes on non-compliant targets, maritime infrastructure seizure and reinforcement, host-nation training, and other maritime raid and interdiction operations as directed.”
“Its execution packages come complete with supporting air, medical and trauma units, sniper teams, shadowing ships, Navy VBSS and ship-control teams, small-boat units, and a direct-action assault unit with an integrated infantry trailer platoon for support,” writes Martin.
The Marines are stationed aboard the USS Dubuque (LPD 
as part of Combined Task Force 151, one of three such task forces protecting shipping in the area.
[Originally published at The US Report]
In: Articles, Military · Tagged with: Force Reconnaissance, pirates, US Marine Corps
