thedrifter
10-16-08, 06:30 AM
Marine Attack Squadron 311 returning home from Iraq
Comments | Recommend
October 15, 2008 - 4:48PM
More than 120 Marines are due to return to Yuma on Friday after a seven-month deployment to Iraq.
Most of Marine Attack Squadron 311 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 are scheduled to arrive at the Marine Corps Air Station at 9:30 a.m., when they will be greeted by friends and family.
At least five AV-8B Harrier pilots from 311 are scheduled to land at MCAS at 2:30 p.m.
While in Iraq, 311 Harriers operated out of the Al Asad air base and provided close air support for troops on the ground.
The squadrons’ advance party returned Sept. 28 with about 25 Marines.
About 160 Marines and 10 Harriers from 311 and MALS-13 Marines deployed to Iraq in March. The remaining 311 Marines and planes set sail in May aboard the USS Peleliu as part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
Ellie
thedrifter
10-17-08, 04:18 AM
Harrier squadron returns from a different Iraq
Comments | Recommend
October 16, 2008 - 5:38PM
BY LANCE CPL. LAURA A. MAPES, SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Unlike past deployments to Iraq, Yuma-based Harrier squadron 311 spent its most recent tour mainly doing nontraditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as opposed to actually dropping bombs, a squadron commander said.
With civilian deaths in Iraq dropping 77 percent from last year, the focus of squadron members shifted from combative to preventive.
"We were loading the bombs, but the pilots weren't dropping any," said Cpl. Joshua Ortega, aviation ordnance specialist. "But that is a good thing."
More than 120 Marines who went to Al Asad, Iraq, as members of the Harrier squadron VMA 311 and Marine Aviation Logistic Squadron 13 are due to return to the Marine Corps Air Station today (Friday) after what could be the last Harrier squadron here to deploy to Iraq.
No squadron is immediately replacing VMA-311 in Iraq as the need for close air support dwindles in light of safer conditions and further self-sufficiency by Iraqi security forces.
In contrast, 311's 2006 deployment was more of a high-intensity conflict, said Gunnery Sgt. Ricky Hall, VMA-311 squadron gunnery sergeant.
Because minimal ordnance was dropped this time, most of the squadron's time was spent doing nontraditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, which has become a staple of the current situation in Iraq, said Maj. Jerome Whalen, VMA-311 executive office.
In any counter-insurgency, intelligence is key.
"On the vast majority of our missions, we found something of interest. However, we did not always receive feedback of what it actually was," said Whalen. "On one occasion, our aviation maintenance officer, Maj. (Charles) DelPizzo, successfully located an IED (improvised explosive device) from the air."
Convoy escorts, battlefield illuminations and close air support for raids were also performed by 311.
"When (Sen. Barack Obama) visited Ramadi, Iraq, earlier this year, I was tasked to perform route reconnaissance prior to his convoy getting under way," said Whalen. "We did this by using the LITENING II targeting pod to locate any suspicious activity or anything that looked out of the ordinary."
With the pod, pilots are able to pass coordinates to ground forces to investigate anything of interest.
VMA 311 deployed seven months ago with 10 Harriers and flew more than 2,000 missions during the recent deployment.
"We didn't fly as many hours, perhaps, as previous deployments," said Whalen. "This is a much different fight now than it was even a year ago.
"This is certainly a milestone for the Harrier community," said Whalen. "To my knowledge, this is the first time we haven't been replaced by an AV-8B unit since we started deploying to Al Asad, and in my opinion, it's a sign that we are definitely winning the fight."
---
This story is reprinted from The Desert Warrior, the newspaper of the Marine Corps Air Station.
Ellie