thedrifter
12-24-05, 08:21 AM
CLB-2 Marines complete Operation Liberty Express
2nd Marine Logistics Group
Story by Lance Cpl. Joel Abshier
HADITHA CITY, Iraq (Dec. 22, 2005) -- Iraqi civilians gather alongside the roads to witness a U.S. military convoy roll through their town to headline an operation that will help bring independence into their country’s grasp.
More than 40 Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion-2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), recently completed their role in Operation Liberty Express III, here Dec. 18.
Operation Liberty Express III was a successful operation in which U.S. service members and Iraqi Security Force soldiers worked together to build, protect and guarantee that Iraq’s polling sites operated smoothly, according to Cpl. Kasi Thomas, assistant convoy commander with Transportation Company, CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd).
Spanning from Dec. 11-18, the role of CLB-2 Marines during the operation was to load and transport supplies, such as concertina wire and cement barricades, to the cities of Haditha, Haqlaniyah and Barwana.
“The people here need our help, whether they want to admit it or not,” said Lance Cpl. Nicholas A. Walts, a radio operator with Communication Company, CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd).
A few days before the elections, Marines and hired civilian truck drivers with Kellogg Brown and Root, loaded into their humvee’s, seven-ton trucks and logistics vehicle system’s and took to the desert road.
A couple hours after departure from Al Asad, the Marines arrived at Haditha Dam, located on the Euphrates River, and made it their home for the duration of the week.
With no solid structures in the area, minus a few porta-johns and the dam itself, the Marines unrolled their sleeping bags and slept on top of humvees, under seven-tons, and if lucky enough, inside a vehicle.
With an early roll call, everyone was up and preparing their convoy for the drive to Haditha City, the first of three polling sites that needed to be completed before the Dec.15th election.
Once arriving at their destination, the military police rounded the perimeter and secured the area for the rest of the convoy. A security team, consisting of Marines from all military occupations from administration to motor transportation mechanics, toured the area on foot for signs of potential danger.
While Marines Corps engineers built female search areas and unrolled concertina wire around a school that was to be used as a polling site, heavy equipment operators used forklifts to situate cement barriers along the roads to hinder vehicle access through the area.
Constant radio checks with Al Asad were performed to ensure everyone was kept in the light about the progress of the operation.
“I had to keep the command updated about everything so they could keep accountability on us,” said Lance Cpl. Donadin F. Palucho, a radio operator with Communication Company, CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd). “Without communication you have nothing,”
When the Marines finished in the first city, their training helped them spot a number of dangers on the return trip.
“This operation went real smooth, except for the [improvised explosive device’s] that were placed along the roads after we arrived in the city,” said Cpl Nicholas J. Essenmacher, a loadmaster with TS Co., CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd). “The [insurgents] must have done it quickly because we were only there for a few hours.”
After the convoy drove into the city of Haditha, insurgents went to the same road the Marines had traveled and planted four improvised explosive devices. IED’s have become the weapon of choice of the insurgency in Iraq.
“[Explosive Ordinance Disposal] Marines came and disarmed them,” Essenmacher said of the hazards. “Although nobody was injured, it still set us back a couple hours.”
Once the polls shut down, the CLB-2 Marines successfully cleaned up the polling sites in one day, which directly resulted in their return to Al Asad earlier than expected.
“The first time I was here, nobody liked America’s presence,” Essenmacher said. “But now when we drive through the cities here, kids are smiling and waving at us. It wasn’t until that moment when I realized that we are actually doing good things.”
Ellie
2nd Marine Logistics Group
Story by Lance Cpl. Joel Abshier
HADITHA CITY, Iraq (Dec. 22, 2005) -- Iraqi civilians gather alongside the roads to witness a U.S. military convoy roll through their town to headline an operation that will help bring independence into their country’s grasp.
More than 40 Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion-2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), recently completed their role in Operation Liberty Express III, here Dec. 18.
Operation Liberty Express III was a successful operation in which U.S. service members and Iraqi Security Force soldiers worked together to build, protect and guarantee that Iraq’s polling sites operated smoothly, according to Cpl. Kasi Thomas, assistant convoy commander with Transportation Company, CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd).
Spanning from Dec. 11-18, the role of CLB-2 Marines during the operation was to load and transport supplies, such as concertina wire and cement barricades, to the cities of Haditha, Haqlaniyah and Barwana.
“The people here need our help, whether they want to admit it or not,” said Lance Cpl. Nicholas A. Walts, a radio operator with Communication Company, CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd).
A few days before the elections, Marines and hired civilian truck drivers with Kellogg Brown and Root, loaded into their humvee’s, seven-ton trucks and logistics vehicle system’s and took to the desert road.
A couple hours after departure from Al Asad, the Marines arrived at Haditha Dam, located on the Euphrates River, and made it their home for the duration of the week.
With no solid structures in the area, minus a few porta-johns and the dam itself, the Marines unrolled their sleeping bags and slept on top of humvees, under seven-tons, and if lucky enough, inside a vehicle.
With an early roll call, everyone was up and preparing their convoy for the drive to Haditha City, the first of three polling sites that needed to be completed before the Dec.15th election.
Once arriving at their destination, the military police rounded the perimeter and secured the area for the rest of the convoy. A security team, consisting of Marines from all military occupations from administration to motor transportation mechanics, toured the area on foot for signs of potential danger.
While Marines Corps engineers built female search areas and unrolled concertina wire around a school that was to be used as a polling site, heavy equipment operators used forklifts to situate cement barriers along the roads to hinder vehicle access through the area.
Constant radio checks with Al Asad were performed to ensure everyone was kept in the light about the progress of the operation.
“I had to keep the command updated about everything so they could keep accountability on us,” said Lance Cpl. Donadin F. Palucho, a radio operator with Communication Company, CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd). “Without communication you have nothing,”
When the Marines finished in the first city, their training helped them spot a number of dangers on the return trip.
“This operation went real smooth, except for the [improvised explosive device’s] that were placed along the roads after we arrived in the city,” said Cpl Nicholas J. Essenmacher, a loadmaster with TS Co., CLB-2, 2nd MLG (Fwd). “The [insurgents] must have done it quickly because we were only there for a few hours.”
After the convoy drove into the city of Haditha, insurgents went to the same road the Marines had traveled and planted four improvised explosive devices. IED’s have become the weapon of choice of the insurgency in Iraq.
“[Explosive Ordinance Disposal] Marines came and disarmed them,” Essenmacher said of the hazards. “Although nobody was injured, it still set us back a couple hours.”
Once the polls shut down, the CLB-2 Marines successfully cleaned up the polling sites in one day, which directly resulted in their return to Al Asad earlier than expected.
“The first time I was here, nobody liked America’s presence,” Essenmacher said. “But now when we drive through the cities here, kids are smiling and waving at us. It wasn’t until that moment when I realized that we are actually doing good things.”
Ellie