thedrifter
08-01-06, 03:01 PM
Showing the way home
By William H. McMichael
Marine Corps Times Staff writer
For the Americans escaping the fighting that had cut short their vacations or daily lives, the rugged utility landing craft inviting them aboard at the water's edge had to seem more like a luxury speedboat.
For the sailors and Marines helping them up the opened ramp so they could leave increasingly dangerous Lebanon behind, it had the delicious sense of hands-on, up-close-and-personal service to country - a reward for signing on the dotted line.
The 650 sailors and Marines on board the amphibious transport dock Nashville herded a total of 1,052 U.S. citizens onto a Navy LCU on July 20, moving them in three shifts from the beach to the ship, two miles out to sea, and to the safe haven of Larnaca, Cyprus. And they performed like champions, the Nashville's commanding officer said.
"They were just beaming with pride - each and every person on board," Navy Capt. Dee Mewbourne said of his crew and embarked Marines. "They were looking for ways that they could contribute to the mission. "I wish their parents could see what I got to see today ... because it was absolutely magnificent."
"It was a very exciting day," added Marine Chief Warrant Officer Ken Cupp, the ship's assigned combat cargo officer. "It was really good to be able to help out American citizens and get them on board."
And once there, the civilians, an estimated 30 percent to 40 percent of them children, made themselves at home - with the commanding officer's blessing. Hot food was served. Calls home were made. The visitors seemingly filled the ship - even Mewbourne's own cabin - resting or milling about as the Nashville made its way across the Mediterranean Sea toward a late-night docking in Cyprus. Music played through shipboard speakers. The mood was festive.
"We're definitely trying to make it like a homecoming event," said Cupp, who, along with Mewbourne, spoke to Marine Corps Times via a satellite telephone while en route to Cyprus. But it ended up being what Mewbourne called "a giant slumber party."
"They seem extremely happy," Mewbourne said. "They're very thankful to be on board."
The day hadn't started so cheerily. Nashville, a Norfolk, Va.-based ship, had moved into position the morning of July 20 following the 140-mile voyage from Cyprus, taking what Mewbourne called a "robust defensive posture." Sailors manned defensive weapons stations. The destroyer Gonzalez, also out of Norfolk, had joined Nashville about 70 miles out to sea and was close by, ready to lend large-scale fire support if needed. Throughout the day, the ship shifted positions, using evasive tactics.
There wasn't much fighting in sight - Mewbourne later thought he saw, from the bridge, a building that had been struck - but everyone knew the score. Israeli jets were pounding Shiite Hezbollah guerrilla positions in the country, even in downtown Beirut. Hezbollah was firing rockets into northern Israel. A ground war was brewing in southern Lebanon.
Most vividly, they knew Hezbollah had no compunction about shooting at ships.
On July 14, Hezbollah struck an Israeli military ship with a radar-guided missile. The ship caught fire, was severely damaged and had to be towed back to port. In addition, four sailors were lost at sea. A simultaneous barrage missed a second warship but struck a civilian merchant vessel.
The first American LCU to shore carried its Navy crew and a 40-member Marine evacuee processing team to a spot on the edge of the sand selected by the embarked Navy beachmasters.
"And then, people started showing up," Mewbourne said. It was between 7 and 8 a.m., and the parade was on. For many, he said, the old-style LCU with its open front gate flopped onto the sand probably looked like a scene from "Saving Private Ryan" - but in reverse. Instead of storming the beach, they were leaving it.
It took several hours to process and load the first group of 299 evacuees, who had to step carefully along the boat's ribbed bottom. Sailors and Marines carried children aboard. They lifted a woman in a wheelchair. A man who'd recently had hip surgery was hoisted aboard in a litter.
Once the evacuees were on board the ship, and throughout the return trip to Cyprus, Mewbourne said, "We opened up everything." There was "nonstop food," he said, with fruit, cut vegetables, water, cookies and a big spaghetti dinner. Crew members were assigned as guides to help the evacuees around the ship.
The visitors were given Internet and telephone access to contact home. Toiletries were provided. The ship's store was opened for souvenir purchases, but many were walking around in Nashville T-shirts and ball caps they'd been given for free, Cupp said. Many asked sailors to autograph their mementos.
Others relaxed under tents and camouflage netting on cots set up on the flight deck and throughout the ship. Some of the visitors were topside, sleeping under the stars; others were in open berthing.
At one point, Mewbourne looked into his cabin and saw three young girls taking a nap by his desk - under "one of my tablecloths," he said. Other family members were sleeping on his sofas.
After dropping off its passengers in Cyprus with the State Department - along with their surprisingly large amount of luggage, which Mewbourne said would be lifted off by the ship's cargo nets and cranes - Nashville was set to turn around and head back to Lebanon to do it all over again.
"It's been exciting," Cupp said. "And it's been a challenging day."
And rewarding. "As I walked about the ship today, I've never seen a group of happier people," Mewbourne said of his civilian passengers. "They were so complimentary of the crew; they were so thankful for what we've done."
And while another week of this could easily take the shine off the apple, Mewbourne said that for now, his sailors were taking a lot of satisfaction out of bringing their countrymen to safety.
"I've had many a member of the crew say this was the most meaningful thing that they've ever done in their career," Mewbourne said. "Any time that you can make this kind of difference in peoples' lives … I don't know what higher calling there is."
Ellie
By William H. McMichael
Marine Corps Times Staff writer
For the Americans escaping the fighting that had cut short their vacations or daily lives, the rugged utility landing craft inviting them aboard at the water's edge had to seem more like a luxury speedboat.
For the sailors and Marines helping them up the opened ramp so they could leave increasingly dangerous Lebanon behind, it had the delicious sense of hands-on, up-close-and-personal service to country - a reward for signing on the dotted line.
The 650 sailors and Marines on board the amphibious transport dock Nashville herded a total of 1,052 U.S. citizens onto a Navy LCU on July 20, moving them in three shifts from the beach to the ship, two miles out to sea, and to the safe haven of Larnaca, Cyprus. And they performed like champions, the Nashville's commanding officer said.
"They were just beaming with pride - each and every person on board," Navy Capt. Dee Mewbourne said of his crew and embarked Marines. "They were looking for ways that they could contribute to the mission. "I wish their parents could see what I got to see today ... because it was absolutely magnificent."
"It was a very exciting day," added Marine Chief Warrant Officer Ken Cupp, the ship's assigned combat cargo officer. "It was really good to be able to help out American citizens and get them on board."
And once there, the civilians, an estimated 30 percent to 40 percent of them children, made themselves at home - with the commanding officer's blessing. Hot food was served. Calls home were made. The visitors seemingly filled the ship - even Mewbourne's own cabin - resting or milling about as the Nashville made its way across the Mediterranean Sea toward a late-night docking in Cyprus. Music played through shipboard speakers. The mood was festive.
"We're definitely trying to make it like a homecoming event," said Cupp, who, along with Mewbourne, spoke to Marine Corps Times via a satellite telephone while en route to Cyprus. But it ended up being what Mewbourne called "a giant slumber party."
"They seem extremely happy," Mewbourne said. "They're very thankful to be on board."
The day hadn't started so cheerily. Nashville, a Norfolk, Va.-based ship, had moved into position the morning of July 20 following the 140-mile voyage from Cyprus, taking what Mewbourne called a "robust defensive posture." Sailors manned defensive weapons stations. The destroyer Gonzalez, also out of Norfolk, had joined Nashville about 70 miles out to sea and was close by, ready to lend large-scale fire support if needed. Throughout the day, the ship shifted positions, using evasive tactics.
There wasn't much fighting in sight - Mewbourne later thought he saw, from the bridge, a building that had been struck - but everyone knew the score. Israeli jets were pounding Shiite Hezbollah guerrilla positions in the country, even in downtown Beirut. Hezbollah was firing rockets into northern Israel. A ground war was brewing in southern Lebanon.
Most vividly, they knew Hezbollah had no compunction about shooting at ships.
On July 14, Hezbollah struck an Israeli military ship with a radar-guided missile. The ship caught fire, was severely damaged and had to be towed back to port. In addition, four sailors were lost at sea. A simultaneous barrage missed a second warship but struck a civilian merchant vessel.
The first American LCU to shore carried its Navy crew and a 40-member Marine evacuee processing team to a spot on the edge of the sand selected by the embarked Navy beachmasters.
"And then, people started showing up," Mewbourne said. It was between 7 and 8 a.m., and the parade was on. For many, he said, the old-style LCU with its open front gate flopped onto the sand probably looked like a scene from "Saving Private Ryan" - but in reverse. Instead of storming the beach, they were leaving it.
It took several hours to process and load the first group of 299 evacuees, who had to step carefully along the boat's ribbed bottom. Sailors and Marines carried children aboard. They lifted a woman in a wheelchair. A man who'd recently had hip surgery was hoisted aboard in a litter.
Once the evacuees were on board the ship, and throughout the return trip to Cyprus, Mewbourne said, "We opened up everything." There was "nonstop food," he said, with fruit, cut vegetables, water, cookies and a big spaghetti dinner. Crew members were assigned as guides to help the evacuees around the ship.
The visitors were given Internet and telephone access to contact home. Toiletries were provided. The ship's store was opened for souvenir purchases, but many were walking around in Nashville T-shirts and ball caps they'd been given for free, Cupp said. Many asked sailors to autograph their mementos.
Others relaxed under tents and camouflage netting on cots set up on the flight deck and throughout the ship. Some of the visitors were topside, sleeping under the stars; others were in open berthing.
At one point, Mewbourne looked into his cabin and saw three young girls taking a nap by his desk - under "one of my tablecloths," he said. Other family members were sleeping on his sofas.
After dropping off its passengers in Cyprus with the State Department - along with their surprisingly large amount of luggage, which Mewbourne said would be lifted off by the ship's cargo nets and cranes - Nashville was set to turn around and head back to Lebanon to do it all over again.
"It's been exciting," Cupp said. "And it's been a challenging day."
And rewarding. "As I walked about the ship today, I've never seen a group of happier people," Mewbourne said of his civilian passengers. "They were so complimentary of the crew; they were so thankful for what we've done."
And while another week of this could easily take the shine off the apple, Mewbourne said that for now, his sailors were taking a lot of satisfaction out of bringing their countrymen to safety.
"I've had many a member of the crew say this was the most meaningful thing that they've ever done in their career," Mewbourne said. "Any time that you can make this kind of difference in peoples' lives … I don't know what higher calling there is."
Ellie