thedrifter
05-12-03, 05:26 PM
Marines relieved to begin journey home
By DENNIS O'BRIEN, The Virginian-Pilot
© May 12, 2003
CAMP SHOUP, KUWAIT -- It's official: The war is over for Charlie Company.
The weary Marines returned to the relative comfort of this base in northern Kuwait late Saturday, and one of the first orders of business was to turn in their ammunition. Someone else stands guard now. For the first time in almost two months, the men of Charlie Company can relax.
``I slept like a rock last night just knowing I was in Kuwait,'' Lance Cpl. Brian Norman said.
The men never thought this place would be such a sight for sore eyes and sore everything else. But it is.
It's hard to believe it has been only seven weeks since the Marines piled into their light-armored reconnaissance vehicles and sped north to make war with Iraq. Time flies when you're being shot at.
And though they hadn't heard gunfire in some time, the potential for it had weighed heavily on their minds through every interaction with the Iraqis. The men knew they would not be completely out of harm's way until they were back across the Iraq-Kuwait border.
Charlie Company spent the past few weeks gradually moving south as new units assumed Task Force Tarawa's area of responsibility. One of the stops on the way back was Nasiriyah. The visit was awkward, to say the least.
In Nasiriyah, Charlie Company had experienced its fiercest fighting of the war -- more than a week of battling an enemy that used guerrilla tactics and hid among civilians. This time around, the men said, the city's citizens greeted them with smiles and waves. But the Marines said they were still on edge, worried that enemies might be lurking behind the seemingly innocent.
``I find it hard to believe there wasn't even one guy out there with an AK who wanted to shoot us,'' Norman said.
But there were no shots fired this time. Eventually, the Marines were able to let down their guard enough to buy local shopkeepers' wares, such as trinkets, Zam Zam cola, fresh produce, and bread from Alkarim's Deli.
The men also suffered from what appeared to be a case of Nasiriyah's revenge, as a 24-hour stomach flu ravaged the company.
But it turned out to be the Norwalk virus, which has been making the rounds among American forces in Iraq, and not the food.
Upon their return to Camp Shoup, the Marines were rudely welcomed back by a nasty sandstorm.
As they started cleaning out their vehicles and digging into sea bags full of clean clothes they had left behind, grains of fine sand found their way into everything.
Not that the men were about to complain after almost two months of living like animals. When they stayed at Camp Shoup in February and March, the Marines were none too fond of the conditions. But compared to the wartime lifestyle up north, even Shoup's austere accommodations are a step above.
The Charlie Company men made swift use of the camp's showers and quickly donned fresh clothes. And there would be no grousing about the food. Their first dinner back in the Camp Shoup chow tent: pseudo steak, chili mac, potatoes, ice cream and the old, familiar instant coffee.
In fact, after a day back here, good old Camp Shoup is pretty much the same as it was when the company left on March 20. But the men returning certainly are not.
``If any of us were kids when we left here, some of the situations we were in up there made them a man,'' Cpl. Andrew Belt said.
``I think we've definitely matured and will be able to handle any situation in life, knowing how crappy it can get.''
Agreeing, Cpl. Robbie Gribbons said, ``It was hard to have gone through a place like Nasiriyah and not get a little perspective. This was a great experience, one of those things you dream of when you go into the Marine Corps but never think will happen -- a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be right in the meat and potatoes of the hardest fighting of the war.''
In a few days, Charlie Company will head south again, this time to the coast of Kuwait. There, they will drive onto Little Creek-based hovercraft, taking them to Norfolk-based ships, which will then begin steaming toward the shores of North Carolina.
Two months ago, the Marines couldn't wait to get out of Kuwait and into Iraq. And once their work was done there, they couldn't wait to get back to Kuwait.
``Now I just want to go home and see my wife and little boy,'' Gribbons said.
``I missed his first birthday, missed his first step, and I can't wait to chase him around Wal-Mart and everywhere else.''
The wait is getting shorter every day, but Charlie Company will have to be patient. The Marines are not due back to their Camp Lejeune, N.C., base until late June.
Dennis O'Brien has been with the Marines of Task Force Tarawa since they left the coast of North Carolina in mid-January. You can reach him at dennis.obrien@pilotonline.com
Sempers,
Roger
By DENNIS O'BRIEN, The Virginian-Pilot
© May 12, 2003
CAMP SHOUP, KUWAIT -- It's official: The war is over for Charlie Company.
The weary Marines returned to the relative comfort of this base in northern Kuwait late Saturday, and one of the first orders of business was to turn in their ammunition. Someone else stands guard now. For the first time in almost two months, the men of Charlie Company can relax.
``I slept like a rock last night just knowing I was in Kuwait,'' Lance Cpl. Brian Norman said.
The men never thought this place would be such a sight for sore eyes and sore everything else. But it is.
It's hard to believe it has been only seven weeks since the Marines piled into their light-armored reconnaissance vehicles and sped north to make war with Iraq. Time flies when you're being shot at.
And though they hadn't heard gunfire in some time, the potential for it had weighed heavily on their minds through every interaction with the Iraqis. The men knew they would not be completely out of harm's way until they were back across the Iraq-Kuwait border.
Charlie Company spent the past few weeks gradually moving south as new units assumed Task Force Tarawa's area of responsibility. One of the stops on the way back was Nasiriyah. The visit was awkward, to say the least.
In Nasiriyah, Charlie Company had experienced its fiercest fighting of the war -- more than a week of battling an enemy that used guerrilla tactics and hid among civilians. This time around, the men said, the city's citizens greeted them with smiles and waves. But the Marines said they were still on edge, worried that enemies might be lurking behind the seemingly innocent.
``I find it hard to believe there wasn't even one guy out there with an AK who wanted to shoot us,'' Norman said.
But there were no shots fired this time. Eventually, the Marines were able to let down their guard enough to buy local shopkeepers' wares, such as trinkets, Zam Zam cola, fresh produce, and bread from Alkarim's Deli.
The men also suffered from what appeared to be a case of Nasiriyah's revenge, as a 24-hour stomach flu ravaged the company.
But it turned out to be the Norwalk virus, which has been making the rounds among American forces in Iraq, and not the food.
Upon their return to Camp Shoup, the Marines were rudely welcomed back by a nasty sandstorm.
As they started cleaning out their vehicles and digging into sea bags full of clean clothes they had left behind, grains of fine sand found their way into everything.
Not that the men were about to complain after almost two months of living like animals. When they stayed at Camp Shoup in February and March, the Marines were none too fond of the conditions. But compared to the wartime lifestyle up north, even Shoup's austere accommodations are a step above.
The Charlie Company men made swift use of the camp's showers and quickly donned fresh clothes. And there would be no grousing about the food. Their first dinner back in the Camp Shoup chow tent: pseudo steak, chili mac, potatoes, ice cream and the old, familiar instant coffee.
In fact, after a day back here, good old Camp Shoup is pretty much the same as it was when the company left on March 20. But the men returning certainly are not.
``If any of us were kids when we left here, some of the situations we were in up there made them a man,'' Cpl. Andrew Belt said.
``I think we've definitely matured and will be able to handle any situation in life, knowing how crappy it can get.''
Agreeing, Cpl. Robbie Gribbons said, ``It was hard to have gone through a place like Nasiriyah and not get a little perspective. This was a great experience, one of those things you dream of when you go into the Marine Corps but never think will happen -- a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be right in the meat and potatoes of the hardest fighting of the war.''
In a few days, Charlie Company will head south again, this time to the coast of Kuwait. There, they will drive onto Little Creek-based hovercraft, taking them to Norfolk-based ships, which will then begin steaming toward the shores of North Carolina.
Two months ago, the Marines couldn't wait to get out of Kuwait and into Iraq. And once their work was done there, they couldn't wait to get back to Kuwait.
``Now I just want to go home and see my wife and little boy,'' Gribbons said.
``I missed his first birthday, missed his first step, and I can't wait to chase him around Wal-Mart and everywhere else.''
The wait is getting shorter every day, but Charlie Company will have to be patient. The Marines are not due back to their Camp Lejeune, N.C., base until late June.
Dennis O'Brien has been with the Marines of Task Force Tarawa since they left the coast of North Carolina in mid-January. You can reach him at dennis.obrien@pilotonline.com
Sempers,
Roger