Fierce fire fight brings together MEU ground and air fighters

[thedrifter]

Fierce fire fight brings together MEU ground and air fighters
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 200474112834
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (June 4, 2004 ) -- When the lead elements of a large 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) and Afghan Militia Force (AMF) convoy recently entered a village in central Afghanistan, nothing seemed out of place and it looked as if another quiet day would soon draw to a close.

However, in a flash, all that changed when the specter of Taliban insurgency reared its ugly head.

As four machine gun and anti-tank missile-toting Humvees of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines' Combined Anti-Armor Team pushed through the village and spread out to assume blocking positions on its far side, the lead vehicle noticed three Afghan men attempting to nonchalantly walk out of the village and into the surrounding mountains.

"I saw them walking away from the village and up a hill," said 1st Lt. Chris Niedziocha, who hails from Montgomery County, Penn. and serves as the CAAT platoon leader. "We immediately went after them and when we got closer they started running."

Meanwhile, the other three CAAT vehicles had been converging on Niedziocha's position, fighting through the difficult terrain and confusing village layout to reach their platoon leader.

As Niedziocha's vehicle (dubbed Light Horse 1-1) pulled up to a stop behind the three men, Niedziocha and his driver, Lance Cpl. Ray Colvin, got out to order them to stop when one of the three stopped, turned, drew a Russian-made AK-47 assault rifle from under his clothes and opened fire on the Marines. The vehicle's gunner, Cpl. Curtis Spivey, of Vidalia, Georgia, was the first to respond to the threat.

"Spivey let go a few bursts with the 240 [M240G machine gun mounted atop the Humvee] and all three of the bad guys jumped into a trench and began firing on us," Niedziocha said.

In a span of only a few minutes, Niedziocha and his crew had accomplished the first two edicts of their battalion commander's instructions to 'find, fix, and finish' the enemy and set out to accomplish the third as well. Carrying their M16A2 assault rifles and with grenades bulging in their pockets, Niedziocha and Colvin began pushing forward while Spivey jumped from the vehicle and grabbed the rifle from CAAT's forward air controller, Capt. James 'Big Jim' McBride who was busy radioing for air support.

"Beaver [Capt. James Hunt] was controlling some helos for Charlie Company so when we broadcast that we were in contact, they switched over to support us," said McBride, an EA-6B Prowler crewman from Butte, Montana. McBride and his radioman, Lance Cpl. Jason Heighland, of Eaton Rapids, Mich. stayed on the vehicle to provide security as their comrades advanced.

The helicopters weren't the only ones to hear the announcement of troops in contact. Driving Light Horse 1-6, Sgt. Dan Trackwell, a machine gunner from Klamath Falls, Oregon was already speeding toward Niedziocha's and the call spurred him on. Sitting beside Trackwell was his assistant driver, Cpl. Nicholas Marrone of Saranac, New York, and riding on top was his MK-19 heavy machine gunner, Lance Cpl. Jonathan Freeze of Naples, Florida.

"As soon as I heard them say 'contact' all bets were off," said Trackwell, who 'stood' on the gas pedal and plowed over the rough, uneven terrain as the sound of firing began to fill the air.

On the hill, Niedziocha, Colvin, and Spivey moved forward firing their weapons as the enemy fighters would pop up, fire a few rounds, and then move right or left inside the trench to repeat the process. When Spivey ran out of ammunition in McBride's rifle, he tossed it aside, pulled his 9mm pistol, and began tossing hand grenades into the trench, as did Niedziocha. Colvin, carrying a M203 40mm grenade launcher underneath his M16A2, began accurately lobbing rounds into the trench as well.

"When one of the grenades went off," Niedziocha explained, "all I saw was turban and equipment flying, so I knew we had gotten at least one of them."

By the time the grenades starting flying, Light Horse 1-1 had pulled up and Trackwell and another Marine began moving forward and firing at the enemy while Marrone and Freeze stayed on the vehicle. Manning the 40mm 'up gun,' Freeze opened fire on Trackwell's command and lobbed 25 40mm grenades onto the hillside directly over the trench where the Taliban had taken refuge.

At almost this same instant, spotting the yellow smoke billowing from the signal grenade tossed by McBride, one of the UH-1N Huey helicopters overhead banked sharply and the door gunner, Cpl. Samair Alyassini of San Jose, Calif., let loose a sustained burst of around 100 7.62mm rounds into the trench.

Between the barrage of grenades, and rifle and machine gun from both the air and ground, the enemy fire ceased as all three Taliban fighters died where they chose to make their last stand.

"That was the closest fighting we've seen," said Colvin after the brief, yet intense firefight. "Usually we use our weapons to create a stand-off, but we weren't more than five or ten meters from these guys."

"It was the hottest fight yet," reflected Niedziocha, who had led his platoon through at least eight sharp engagements last month.

A thorough search of the slain enemy fighters revealed, in addition to their personal weapons, a wide array of explosives and bomb-making materials that are commonly used in constructed improvised explosive devices.

Discussing the wide range of armament and fighters brought to bear in the fight, Freeze summed up their collective feelings.

"It doesn't matter who got them, just that they aren't around to hurt us or anyone else ever again."

In addition to BLT 1/6 and HMM-266 (Rein), the 22nd MEU (SOC) consists of its Command Element and MEU Service Support Group 22. The MEU is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations as Task Force Linebacker.

For more information on the 22d MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

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First Lt. Chris Niedziocha leads two of his Marines, Cpl. Curtis Spivey (with pistol) and Lance Cpl. Ray Colvin (in black protective vest), toward a trench where three Taliban fighters have taken refuge outside a village in central Afghanistan. The three Marines are assigned to the Combined Anti-Armor Team of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the ground combat element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

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Col. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., center, commanding officer of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), listens as 1st Lt. Chris Niedziocha explains what happened during a firefight only moments before. To the far left is Lt. Col. Asad Khan, commanding officer of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the MEU's ground combat element.


Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

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Ellie

[thedrifter]

MEU stabilizes, transports nine year-old victim of Taliban
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 2004751841
Story by Sgt. Matt C. Preston



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (June 5, 2004 ) -- Walking back from a bazaar after buying gasoline for their village, four young friends were stopped by Taliban rebels. Gunfire erupts from the Taliban, killing one and wounding two children. One of the two people injured was a nine year-old boy, who was brought to doctors and corpsmen of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).

After the attack, the boy's father brought his son to Tarin Kowt to ask the governor of the province, who in turn asked the Marines if they could help. The boy had been shot at least twice with an AK-47.

"His right shoulder had two entrance wounds and several smaller wounds," said Lt.(j.g) Brian Allen, a nurse corps officer and Nazareth, Penn., resident. "You could see the top of his lung. His clavicle was blown off."

However, like most Afghan youth, the boy proved to be a tough survivor. He needed only a minimum amount of painkillers, and didn't require a blood transfusion.

"He had a great threshold of pain," said Petty Officer First Class (Fleet Marine Force) William Fetherman, a Bangor, Penn., native. "This wasn't a thing where we could stitch him up and send him on his way."

Fluids proved enough to bring the boy's blood counts and pressure up.

"We were contemplating a unit of blood," said Allen. "We were going back and forth. We opted not to transfer and just went with fluids."

Regardless of how tough the boy was, the team of doctors and corpsmen immediately went to work. They cleaned and dressed the wound, and ensured there was no other internal damage. They determined that he needed more extensive surgery than could be provided at FOB Ripley, so they arranged for a flight to another medical facility.

Escort by their side, the boy and his father were loaded onto an aircraft and taken to Bagram.
The boy was treated at a hospital ran by the Egyptian military where more additional medical and humanitarian care is available to local nationals.

The boy is now listed in stable condition and is scheduled for surgery to repair his extensive injuries.

Shooting an innocent nine year-old child in the back highlights the brutality of the former Taliban regime and justifies continued presence of the Coalition and the Marines in Afghanistan, a presence which the people of Afghanistan are grateful for.

"Dad came down the ramp and shook my hand," said Allen. "He said through the interpreter, 'Thank you very much.'"

The 22d MEU (SOC) is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations as Task Force Linebacker for Combined Joint Task Force 76 in the Oruzgan province.

For more information on the 22nd MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

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Ellie

[thedrifter]

BLT 1/6 recognizes its own for combat service
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 200476750
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (July 6, 2004) -- For the first time since beginning combat operations in south-central Afghanistan nearly 75 days ago, Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines recently held a battalion formation to recognize the achievements of some of its Marines and Sailors.

"If I could recognize all the Marines and Sailors who deserve an award, we'd be here all night," said Lt. Col. Asad A. Khan as he addressed the nearly 1,100 Marines and Sailors arrayed before him in formation.

The ten individuals recognized represented a cross-section of the battalion which provides the main combat punch for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Most of those who received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal did so and for their work in and around Forward Operating Base Ripley and during Operation ASBURY PARK, a combat mission in early June that resulted in the deaths of more than 80 Taliban and anti-coalition militia fighters.

Those achievements specifically recognized were:

- As executive officer of Charlie Co., 1st Lt. Kristopher Cozad was primarily responsible for ensuring his company remained supplied and mission-capable during the 17 days of ASBURY PARK. Most notable was his personal supervision of the unit's 15 Humvees that were severely tested during the 300-kilometer road march the unit undertook over harsh terrain.

- Staff Sgt. Michael Lamar was plucked from his primary duties in Golf Battery to serve as the battalion's operations chief, which is normally a master gunnery sergeant billet. Lamar ensured a smooth daily operations of the BLT command post which is truly the heart of any combat unit.

- Ensuring the security of a large forward operating task is a daunting task, and Staff Sgt. Rogelio Salas flawlessly performed his duties as FOB Ripley's security chief for more than a month. In addition to helping design the defensive layout of the FOB, he worked closely with the Army's 528th Engineer Bn. to ensure the proper construction of defensive fortifications and the base's combat operations center. Additionally, he oversaw perimeter security operations and local combat patrols.

- Staff Sgt. John Wilkerson earned the second NMCAM of his career while serving as Charlie Co.'s machine gun section leader. During ASBURY PARK he continuously led and employed his section in pursuit of the enemy and during one nighttime engagement, called for and adjusted mortar illumination rounds and then directed his section's machine gun fire against an enemy position.

- In a rugged environment such as Afghanistan, where paved roads are nearly non-existent, trucks and Humvees take a beating. Keeping the vehicles of the battalion's three Combined Anti-Armor Teams (CAAT) running fell onto the shoulders of Sgt. Terrance Eddy. Responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of 18 vehicles, Eddy's efforts were nothing less than Herculean.

- Cpl. James Eugene has spent much of his time in Afghanistan standing post at the main gate to FOB Ripley. Working alongside Afghan security forces, he has screened and searched hundreds of vehicles that have entered the FOB. Even though at times as many as 60 jingle trucks have sat waiting outside the gate, he never compromised security for expediency as he tireless supervised and conducted searches for weapons, explosives and contraband.

- Several times during ASBURY PARK, Charlie Co.'s mortar squads entered the fray with illumination and high explosive rounds. Leading one of these squads was Cpl. Christopher Gadzinski. When enemy forces ambushed his convoy, Gadzinski quickly dismounted his squad and supervised them as they employed the direct alignment method of fire to destroy a Taliban observation post. During another engagement, his squad provided the illumination for Staff Sgt. Wilkerson's successful engagement of enemy forces.

- Lance Cpl. Yoseph Chang is normally a squad advanced rifleman with Alpha Co., but underwent 27 days of continuous combat operations with BLT 1/6's Combined Anti-Armor Team 3. During this time, he participated in cordon and search operations, vehicle patrols, movements to contact, and vehicle check points. On two separate occasions he discovered substantial caches of arms and ammunition that might one day have been used against U.S. or coalition forces.

- Riding with the battalion commander can sometimes be a stressful burden, especially for a young Marine, but Lance Cpl. Brian Janick performed his duties as radio operator and driver for BLT 1/6's mobile command post during ASBURY PARK superbly. As one of three radio operators, he was instrumental in keeping the command post connected with higher headquarters and subordinate maneuver units. On at least three occasions, he braved heavy enemy small arms fire to keep the battalion command post together.

- Cpl. Christopher Fowler, alongside his fellow Marines in Alpha Co., spent 57 continuous days in the field conducting operations. As a machine gun team leader, he took part in four movements to contact, 11 cordon and search operations, four civil affairs missions, and was a key part of the security plan for FOB Payne and as his citation reads, did so with "leadership and motivation," and set an example for his junior Marines to follow.

- 'Corpsman up' is one of the most dreaded sounds a corpsman can hear, and that's exactly what happened to Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Christopher Martinez on April 24. While riding in a multi-vehicle convoy, Martinez' seven-ton truck struck two anti-tank mines and became the target of heavy enemy fire. Braving the barrage, Martinez leapt from the wrecked truck and immediately began treating the seriously-wounded driver and two other Marines who had been injured. Calmly and deliberately, he treated the wounded Marines and escorted them to a helicopter landing zone from which they were flown to safety. Without Martinez' quick and professional response, medical officials say the wounded driver quite possibly could have lost his life.

- While Bravo Co. was heading toward an blocking position during ASBURY PARK, an unimproved road gave way and sent a seven-ton truck rolling down a steep embankment. A number of Marines were injured in the accident, and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Juan Munoz quickly sprinted down the hill to begin tending the wounded. Evaluating the most seriously wounded, he began implementing life and limb-saving measures for the injured Marines that undoubtedly saved their lives and stabilized their injuries until they could be evacuated.

According to Khan, if he could, he would hold similar ceremonies each week to ensure every Marine in his battalion, all of whom he regards as heroes in their own right, are properly recognized for their role in America's war against terrorism.

For more information on the 22d MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

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1st Lt. Kristopher Cozad, executive officer for Charlie Co., Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, pulls security for his vehicle during ASBURY PARK, a recent combat operation in Afghanistan. Cozad was one of ten Marines from BLT 1/6, the ground combat element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), who were recently awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Acheivement Medal for their combat service in Afghanistan. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

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Ellie

[cjwright90]

"all I saw was turban and equipment flying, so I knew we had gotten at least one of them."

I think they got one, too. :marine:

[thedrifter]

Field MPs do more than guard gates and issue tickets
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 20047754415
Story by Sgt. Matt C. Preston



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (July 7, 2004) -- Military policemen from MEU Service Support Group 22, the combat service support element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), have been an essential part of the security forces escorting personnel and gear along the roads of Afghanistan.

Rolling with Golf Battery, who provides most of the muscle during these convoys, the MPs are sometimes the heads and tails of the columns. Should convoys be needed to roll out on a moments notice, the MPs are ready to take the lead.

"We're basically on call," said MSSG-22 military policeman Lance Cpl. Rodolfo R. Fuentez, a Wilwaukee, Wis., native. "We live out of our trucks. All of our gear stays on the truck. We've got to be ready to move out at all times."

Once out on the road, the MPs act as scouts for the main body of the convoy, stopping traffic as necessary and conducting searches of people and vehicles.

"We punch up ahead to check out the route and make sure it's clear," said Staff Sgt. William Abernathy, a squad leader. "The purpose of the searches is to put forth the presence that we are looking for something, to deny sanctuary [to ACM forces]."

The MPs are actually looking for a variety of things during the searches. Weapons, materials for improvised explosive devices, and Taliban or other terrorist paraphernalia top the list of indicators that a person may be more than a casual traveler. For those who are merely going from one place to another, the searches draw little resistance and almost no reaction.

"There's no real response," said Abernathy. "They know the deal. Its just part of the routine."

Being first in the column doesn't come without its risks. In case of enemy contact, the MPs would also be the first responders. They would identify where the attack came from and return fire to allow the main security team to move into position.

While not on the road, the MPs also have the job of guarding suspected Taliban, terrorists or their supporters in the persons-under-control facility. With recent developments on Iraq, the oversight of the facility is not only over those on the inside, but on those guarding them as well.

"The PUCs are the most delicate issue right now," said Sgt. Nick Cyr, a military policeman from Rye, N.H. "The world is keeping eyes on these guys."

The PUCs in the facility are afforded their fundamental human rights, particularly in regards to practicing Islam.

"They're praying all five times a day," said Cyr. "They can use the restroom whenever the need to go, they can drink as much water as they want and eat three times a day."

Despite the international scrutiny, the MPs will continue to conduct themselves as the MEU's finest, both on and off the road.

In addition to MSSG-22, the 22nd MEU (SOC) consists of its Command Element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced).

For more information on the 22nd MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

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A miltary police vehicle from MEU Service Support Group 22, the combat service support element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), plows through a river during a recent combat operation in south-central Afghanistan. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

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Ellie

[thedrifter]

'Living legend' of the Corps visits 22nd MEU (SOC)
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 20047854115
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (July 8, 2004) -- In recent years, Marines participating in combat operations have grown accustomed to having news reporters in their midst. However, few of these, regardless of their media affiliation or fame, match the prestige of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)'s most recent embed.

James Webb, a writer for "Parade" magazine, spent several days with the Marines and Sailors of the MEU as they continued their hunt for Taliban and anti-coalition militia in central Afghanistan.

During his time with the 22nd MEU (SOC), Webb traveled via a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced) to elements of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines who were in the midst of a battalion-level combat operation.

Accompanied by his son Jim (who was acting as his photographer), Webb spent time with BLT 1/6's field headquarters, Charlie Company, and Combined Anti-Armor Team.

The 58-year-old Webb, perhaps best known for penning the Vietnam War classic "Fields of Fire," is himself a former Marine who served in Vietnam. There, the U.S. Naval Academy graduate earned a Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars for valor, and two Purple Hearts while serving as a platoon leader and company commander with Delta Co., 1st Bn., 5th Marines.

Following his service in Vietnam, Webb, the son of a career Air Force officer, remained on active duty for several years before entering the Georgetown University Law Center in 1972. Later, he chose to pursue journalism and in 1984, won an Emmy Award for his coverage of the Marines in Beirut. Webb has had a relationship with "Parade" magazine for nearly 20 years, and frequently contributes to the U.S.'s most-read magazine (weekly readership of 40 million).

In addition to "Fields of Fire," he has authored five other best-selling novels: "A Sense of Honor," "A Country Such As This," "Something To Die For," "The Emperor's General," and "Lost Soldiers." He is also a widely-sought public speaker, and contributes frequently to a wide range of prestigious magazines and newspapers.

Webb's public service included work on the Congressional House Committee on Veterans Affairs, as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, and as the Secretary of the Navy. Over the years he has received a number of awards for his work on the behalf of the nation and its veterans.

As Webb waited for his flight from Forward Operating Base Ripley (named after another Vietnam Navy Cross recipient, retired Marine Col. John Ripley) to visit other Marine units in Afghanistan, he met with the MEU's commanding officer, Col. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., and joined the colonel in promoting one of the MEU's Marines.

Newly-promoted Lt. Col. Mike H. Brown, the MEU's future operations officer, said his reason for asking Webb to promote him was simple.

"If you can't be with your family when you're promoted, this is the next best thing," Brown explained, "being forward deployed and promoted in front of your fellow Marines by a living legend of the Corps."

In addition to BLT 1/6 and HMM-266 (Rein), the 22nd MEU (SOC) consists of its Command Element and MEU Service Support Group 22. The MEU is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations as Task Force Linebacker.

For more information on the 22nd MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

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Jon Mohammed, governor of Afghanistan's Oruzgan province, chats with, from left, James Webb, an interpreter, and Col. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the commanding officer of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Webb, a writer for "Parade" magazine, is a highly-decorated Vietnam veteran and former Secretary of the Navy. Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

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James Webb, far right, a writer for "Parade" magazine, highly-decorated Vietnam veteran, and former Secretary of the Navy, meets members of the battalion aid station for Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines during his visit to Afghanistan. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

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Ellie

[thedrifter]

22nd MEU ground and air warriors unite to defeat Taliban fighters
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 2004793552
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (July 9, 2004) -- When the lead elements of a large 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) and Afghan Militia Force (AMF) task force recently entered a village in central Afghanistan, nothing seemed out of place and it looked as if another quiet day would soon draw to a close.

However, in a flash, all that changed when the specter of Taliban insurgency reared its ugly head.

As four machine gun and anti-tank missile-toting Humvees of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines' Combined Anti-Armor Team pushed through the village and spread out to assume blocking positions on its far side, the lead vehicle noticed three Afghan men attempting to nonchalantly walk out of the village and into the surrounding mountains.

"I saw them walking away from the village and up a hill," said 1st Lt. Chris Niedziocha, who hails from Montgomery County, Penn. and serves as the CAAT platoon leader. "We immediately went after them and when we got closer they started running."

Meanwhile, the other three CAAT vehicles began converging on Niedziocha's position, fighting through the difficult terrain and confusing village layout to reach their platoon leader.

As Niedziocha's vehicle (dubbed Light Horse 1-1) pulled up to a stop behind the men, one of the three stopped, turned, drew a Russian-made AK-47 assault rifle from under his clothes and opened fire on the Marines. The vehicle's gunner, Cpl. Curtis Spivey, of Valdosta, Georgia, was the first to respond to the threat.

"Spivey let go a few bursts with the 240 [M240G machine gun mounted atop the Humvee] and all three of the bad guys jumped into a trench and began firing on us," Niedziocha said.

In a span of only a few minutes, Niedziocha and his crew had accomplished the first two edicts of their battalion commander's instructions to 'find, fix, and finish' the enemy, and set out to accomplish the third as well.

Niedziocha and his driver, Lance Cpl. Ray Colvin, accompanied by radio operator Lance Cpl. Thomas Hyland, leapt out of their vehicle and immediately opened fire with their M16A4 assault rifles. Meanwhile, Spivey jumped from the vehicle and grabbed the rifle from CAAT's forward air controller, Capt. James 'Big Jim' McBride who was busy radioing for air support.

"Beaver [Capt. James Hunt] was controlling some helos for Charlie Company so when we broadcast that we were in contact, they switched over to support us," said McBride, an EA-6B Prowler crewman from Butte, Montana.

While McBride and Hyland stayed on the vehicle to provide security, the other three Marines pressed forward with rifles in hand and with their pockets bulging with grenades.

The helicopters weren't the only ones to hear the announcement of troops in contact. Driving Light Horse 1-6, Sgt. Dan Trackwell, a machine gunner from Klamath Falls, Oregon, was already speeding toward Niedziocha's position and the call spurred him on. Sitting beside Trackwell was his assistant driver, Cpl. Nicholas Marrone of Saranac, New York, and riding on top was his MK-19 heavy machine gunner, Lance Cpl. Jonathan Freeze of Naples, Florida.

"As soon as I heard them say 'contact' all bets were off," said Trackwell, who 'stood' on the gas pedal and plowed over the rough, uneven terrain as the sound of firing began to fill the air.

On the hill, Niedziocha, Colvin, and Spivey moved forward firing their weapons as the enemy fighters would pop up, fire a few rounds, and then move right or left inside the trench to repeat the process. When Spivey ran out of ammunition in McBride's rifle, he tossed it aside, pulled his 9mm pistol, and began tossing hand grenades into the trench, as did Niedziocha. Colvin, carrying a M203 40mm grenade launcher attached his M16A4, began accurately lobbing rounds into the trench as well.

"When one of the grenades went off," Niedziocha explained, "all I saw was turban and equipment flying, so I knew we had gotten at least one of them."

By the time the grenades starting flying, Light Horse 1-6 had pulled up and Trackwell and another Marine began moving forward and firing at the enemy while Marrone and Freeze stayed on the vehicle. Manning the 40mm 'up gun,' Freeze opened fire on Trackwell's command and lobbed 25 40mm grenades onto the hillside directly over the trench where the Taliban had taken refuge.

At almost this same instant, spotting the yellow smoke billowing from the signal grenade tossed by McBride, one of the UH-1N Huey helicopters overhead banked sharply and the door gunner, Cpl. Samair Alyassini of San Jose, Calif., let loose a sustained burst of around 100 7.62mm rounds into the trench.

Between the barrage of grenades, and rifle and machine gun from both the air and ground, the enemy fire ceased as all three Taliban fighters died where they chose to make their last stand.

"That was the closest fighting we've seen," said Colvin after the brief, yet intense firefight. "Usually we use our weapons to create a stand-off, but we weren't more than five or ten meters from these guys."

"It was the hottest fight yet," reflected Niedziocha, who had led his platoon through at least eight sharp engagements last month.

A thorough search of the slain enemy fighters revealed, in addition to their personal weapons, a wide array of explosives and bomb-making materials that are commonly used in the construction of improvised explosive devices.

Discussing the wide range of armament and fighters brought to bear in the fight, Freeze summed up their collective feelings.

"It doesn't matter who got them, just that they aren't around to hurt us or anyone else ever again."

In addition to BLT 1/6 and HMM-266 (Rein), the 22nd MEU (SOC) consists of its Command Element and MEU Service Support Group 22. The MEU is in Afghanistan conducting combat and civil military operations as Task Force Linebacker.

For more information on the 22nd MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20047931535/$file/CAAT-Fight_Advance_Low.jpg

First Lt. Chris Niedziocha leads two of his Marines, Cpl. Curtis Spivey (with pistol) and Lance Cpl. Ray Colvin (in black protective vest), toward a trench where three Taliban fighters have taken refuge outside a village in central Afghanistan. The three Marines are assigned to the Combined Anti-Armor Team of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the ground combat element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/98562BDE70CBB95485256ECC0026FD61?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marines throw a kink into Afghanistan's highway criminal activity
Submitted by: 22nd MEU
Story Identification #: 200471054843
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks



FORWARD OPERATING BASE RIPLEY, Afghanistan (July 10, 2004) -- For years, smugglers, Taliban insurgents, and anti-coalition factions have traveled Afghanistan's pot-holed and crumbling roadways with relative impunity.

However, since the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) arrived in-country and began pushing into the Afghan hinterlands, these criminal and terrorist elements have found the going a bit rougher due to the MEU's widespread use of vehicle checkpoints (VCPs).

"We're mainly looking for weapons, large amounts of cash or foreign currency, explosives, anti-coalition propaganda, and basically anything dangerous to us," said Cpl. Seth Doshier, a machine gunner from Cheney, Kansas.

Doshier is assigned to the Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) platoon of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines, the MEU's ground combat element, and over the course of the past three months, his platoon has set up the bulk of the VCP's in the MEU's areas of operation.

Jingle trucks (transport trucks with a narrow wheel base that are usually adorned with colorful stickers and chimes), motorcycles, taxis, horse and mule-drawn carts, pick-ups, and even bicycles are stopped at the VCPs and carefully scrutinized.

For the CAAT Marines, they usually set up their VCPs with a two-Humvee section with one machine-gun vehicle providing cover for the crew of the second vehicle who conduct the actual traffic stop and search.

"We'll usually pull all the vehicle passengers out and search them one at a time," said Cpl. Dan Dimosa, of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., another CAAT Marine. "Then while they're being guarded, the other Marines will search the vehicle and any cargo."

Nothing on the vehicles is left unsearched; the driver's cap, under and behind seats, the cargo bed, undercarriage, engine compartment, and any boxes, bags or containers being carried.

According to the Marines, the Afghans accept the VCPs as a necessary inconvenience if their country has any hope for future peace and stability.

"We've never had a problem during the searches," said Cpl. Steven Miller, of Wallace, W.V., another machine gunner and teammate of Doshier, Dimosa, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian Dessel, a corpsman from Pennsylvania assigned to CAAT.

"When they see us they know what's gonna happen," said Miller. "After all, if they're not doing anything illegal they have nothing to worry about."

More than four thousand vehicles have been stopped and searched since the MEU began conducting combat operations in south-central Afghanistan.

In addition to BLT 1/6, the MEU consists of its Command Element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 266 (Reinforced), and MEU Service Support Group 22.

For more information on the 22nd MEU (SOC)'s role in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, visit the unit's web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200471055556/$file/VCP_Intercept_Low.jpg

Marines from the Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 6th Marines move to intercept a jingle truck to search it at a vehicle checkpoint (VCP) in central Afghanistan. BLT 1/6 is the ground combat element of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Photo by: Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/0ABEC704EC6A8D6085256ECD0035E63F?opendocument


Ellie

[thedrifter]

22nd MEU Harriers mark 1,000 combat flight hours <br />
Submitted by: 22nd MEU <br />
Story Identification #: 200463011032 <br />
Story by Capt. Eric Dent <br />
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KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June 30, 2004 ) --...