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yellowwing
07-04-09, 11:49 PM
Marines march in grueling Afghan sun for July 4
By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_afghan_hot_helmand)
July 4th,2009

NAWA, Afghanistan – Taliban militants were nowhere in sight as the columns of U.S. Marines walked a third straight day across southern Afghanistan. But the desert heat proved an enemy in its own right, with several troops falling victim Saturday to temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Marines carry 50-100 pounds (23-45 kilograms) on their backs. But because they are marching through farmland on foot, they can't carry nearly as much water as their thirst demands.

Few even realized the date was July 4, but once word of the holiday spread through the company, several said they knew relatives would be holding lakeside celebrations — a world away from the strenuous task Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment was taking on.

"Happy 4th of July, dawg. Happy America," said Lance Corp. Vince Morales, 21, of Baytown, Texas said to one of his Marine buddies while resting under a tree during a break.

Some Marines ate watermelon from a farmer's field as the evening sun set, but there were few other signs of a holiday celebration here.

Some 4,000 Marines are moving through southern Helmand to take back Taliban-held territory and pinch the insurgents' supply lines. Bravo Company has seen a lot of walking but up to now little fighting, though other Marines in the operation have had extended battles.

So far, the worst danger facing Bravo is the heat. Temperatures are well above 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius), and medics treated several heat casualties Saturday.

"When (body) temperature goes up past 104 (40 Celsius), your brain starts cooking, and that's what we're trying to prevent," said Simon Trujillo, an HM3 Navy Medic from Dallas.

The high heat, heavy packs, limited water and three straight days of walking through tough farmland terrain were taking a toll, he said. Several Marines threw up or were dry-heaving from the heat. Three passed out, and other Marines rushed to share the weight and pour water on overheated bodies.

"It's pretty taxing on your body. There's no way to prepare for this," said Trujillo.

One cruel irony: A helicopter dropped off a load of water to the Marines early Saturday, but because they hadn't yet reached their final destination, they took only what they could carry and left hundreds of bottles behind for Afghan villagers to drink.

The sun in southern Helmand is blazing by 8 a.m., and the troops seek out any sliver of shade available. Trees grow along the many manmade water canals the farmers use to survive here, but there is little relief elsewhere.

Sweat pours off faces as Marines shift heavy weapons from one shoulder to the other. Everyone still carries all the ammunition they arrived with in the dark hours of early Thursday, because this unit has not yet exchanged fire.

The Marines walk in columns down dusty dirt roads, and every couple dozen steps they bend over at the waist to give aching shoulders a break. During frequent breaks, medics go up and down the line, looking to see if their men are drinking water.

"It'd be so great if we took contact. We'd lose so much weight," said Lance Corp. Michael Estrada, 20, of Los Angeles.

Lance Corp. Bryan Knight, a mortar man, carries one of the heaviest pack. The 21-year-old Cincinnati native weighs a slight 145 pounds (65.8 kilograms) — and his pack almost equals him.

He carries a 15-pound (6.8-kilogram) mortar base plate, four mortar rockets that weigh 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) each, about 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) of water and another 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms) of combat gear — ammunition, weapon and his flak jacket.

Unsurprisingly, he is drenched in sweat. "The only dry parts of my clothes are the pockets," he said.

Squatting in a lean-to made out of a camouflage poncho beside Knight was Corp. Aaron Shade, 24, of Greenville, Ohio, who hadn't realized it was Independence Day back home in the U.S.

"My family's out on the boat house riding on jet skis, drinking lots of beer," he said. "That's not depressing to think about."

The company captain, Drew Schoenmaker, said the heat was affecting militants as well, noting there were few daytime attacks theater-wide and none on his unit. He said he doubted people back in the United States could understand how hard his Marines work.

"Someone back home might say, 'Oh, it's 100 degrees here, too.' But you're not trying to carry 60 or 90 pounds and people aren't trying to kill you," he said. "And you can always step out of the sun. You can't always do that here."

SlingerDun
07-05-09, 12:44 AM
He said he doubted people back in the United States could understand how hard his Marines work.We do, hang tough Captain:usmc:

--->Dave

HurricaneRJ
07-05-09, 04:00 AM
Welcome to the suck boys.

yellowwing
07-05-09, 10:47 AM
http://www.ywg-web.com/images/grunt%20baseplate.jpg

Lance Corp. Bryan Knight, a mortar man, carries one of the heaviest pack. The 21-year-old Cincinnati native weighs a slight 145 pounds (65.8 kilograms) — and his pack almost equals him.

He carries a 15-pound (6.8-kilogram) mortar base plate, four mortar rockets that weigh 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) each, about 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) of water and another 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms) of combat gear — ammunition, weapon and his flak jacket.

Did he pizz somebody off? The base plate and 4 mortar rounds?

Pete0331
07-05-09, 10:54 AM
http://www.ywg-web.com/images/grunt%20baseplate.jpg

Lance Corp. Bryan Knight, a mortar man, carries one of the heaviest pack. The 21-year-old Cincinnati native weighs a slight 145 pounds (65.8 kilograms) — and his pack almost equals him.

He carries a 15-pound (6.8-kilogram) mortar base plate, four mortar rockets that weigh 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) each, about 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) of water and another 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms) of combat gear — ammunition, weapon and his flak jacket.

Did he pizz somebody off? The base plate and 4 mortar rounds?

Each gun is probably carrying around 20 rounds by those numbers.
From the weight per round, those are 81mm Mortar rounds.

Those numbers don't add up.
He's probably carrying more weight then that.

ggyoung
07-05-09, 11:38 AM
Welcome to the suck boys.

I don't know how it is now but in Vietnam I wanted no part of being a tanker or a trucker. Tanks=-I seen to meany of them blown all to hell with there crews still inside. I have a good friend who was in tank maitence and he said it was hell cleaning the parts of his buddies off of the seats, bulk heads and the whole inside of the tanks.Truckers---=-I remember too well the suicide ammo runs between LZ Rose to LZ Baldy.

HurricaneRJ
07-05-09, 12:07 PM
Each gun is probably carrying around 20 rounds by those numbers.
From the weight per round, those are 81mm Mortar rounds.

Those numbers don't add up.
He's probably carrying more weight then that.

That's about close but I can' tell if they the Spartan II vest on, which would weigh lighter than the MTV's.

Never had to carry a full combat load ever, but I don't even wanna imagine what these guys are going through. Still got my A/C in my own room.

Achped
07-05-09, 12:31 PM
RJ, now why is it, the supply guy with an arty battalion has carried a full combat load but the 03 in the grunt battalion hasn't?

That's when you know **** is all ****ed up.

Air force.

SlingerDun
07-05-09, 03:52 PM
http://www.ywg-web.com/images/grunt%20baseplate.jpg

You can't prepare for that load with July heat expecting to stay sound for long.
I wouldn't demand a double tough mule to pack near 1/2 it's weight.
Where's the Lav's and Humvee's at?
Is that a trekking staff in his right?

And here abouts poolee's wanna know how much dirt and aggregate they should stuff into they pokeman bookpack.

Alisium
07-05-09, 04:20 PM
Surely this will become one of those humps of legend, like the RMC and their march across the Falklands.

Zulu 36
07-05-09, 07:09 PM
What a load! I see the Corps still traditionally gives the base plate to the little guys. And the heat? Sheeeeit.

God love the grunts, because no one else does.

HurricaneRJ
07-05-09, 10:07 PM
RJ, now why is it, the supply guy with an arty battalion has carried a full combat load but the 03 in the grunt battalion hasn't?

That's when you know **** is all ****ed up.

Air force.

Don't get it twisted only the Marines with rifles got the full combat load. They just didn't have enough SAW ammo to pass around. No matter though, ain't like we need it anyway.


The smallest guy in our Mortar section carries the base plate as well. And of course every black boot thats an 0311 carries the SAW.

SlingerDun
07-05-09, 11:35 PM
..of course every black boot thats an 0311 carries the SAW.Black boot? Are you saying every Black Marine thats an 11 and new is guaranteed to hump a SAW?

--->Dave

FistFu68
07-06-09, 05:38 AM
:evilgrin: We humped the Elephant Valley 4,7 weeks non Stop,120 in tha shade @ there was no shade!!!We were loaded 4 Bear,Glad 2 See the Marines are doing what only a Few could only Imagine.GodBless these Young BadAsses S/F OOOHRAH :beer: :iwo:

HurricaneRJ
07-06-09, 07:59 AM
Black boot? Are you saying every Black Marine thats an 11 and new is guaranteed to hump a SAW?

--->Dave
Marine Corps has changed. At least in my unit, everyone of us has the SAW. Theres only 6 (0311) of us in the company and all of us got the SAW. I was pretty much told I was carrying it because I was black and big and should have no problems lugging that thing around. :p

HurricaneRJ
07-06-09, 08:00 AM
Black boot? Are you saying every Black Marine thats an 11 and new is guaranteed to hump a SAW?

--->Dave
Marine Corps has changed. At least in my unit, everyone of us has the SAW. Theres only 6 (0311) of us in the company and all of us got the SAW. I was pretty much told I was carrying it because I was black and big and should have no problems lugging that thing around. :p

Well it's no longer a guarantee anymore. Were getting fielded with the new IAR when we get back so. Looks like I'm the last of a dying breed.

yellowwing
07-06-09, 09:00 AM
LOL, they were just motivating you!

charm1110
07-07-09, 04:01 PM
http://www.ywg-web.com/images/grunt%20baseplate.jpg
Lance Corp. Bryan Knight, a mortar man, carries one of the heaviest pack. The 21-year-old Cincinnati native weighs a slight 145 pounds (65.8 kilograms) — and his pack almost equals him.

He carries a 15-pound (6.8-kilogram) mortar base plate, four mortar rockets that weigh 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) each, about 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) of water and another 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms) of combat gear — ammunition, weapon and his flak jacket.Did he pizz somebody off? The base plate and 4 mortar rounds?

It may seem extreme but honestly as an 0341 (1/5 also) back in the day it was pretty common to have a mortar ammo man carry exactly what this Marine is carrying. In fact there were times when we were so badly undermanned that we had 2 man crews so you do what you gotta do to get the gear there. It was also a common complaint when the rest of the company had to hump 1 or 2 rds. apeice.
It's no different for the 31's or 51's if you're in a weapons plt. you will be a one loaded down m***f'er when it comes hump time. Also the decision of who carries what is usually decided by what billet you hold in your platoon and squad, a 0341 squad leader (usually a cpl.) will be carrying a mortar tube, sight case, and a few rounds also.

GET SOME 1/5!!!

Thanks for the post Wing..


Semper Fi...:flag:

SGT7477
07-07-09, 04:59 PM
Looks like they need to load down a bigger Marine but it just shows a Marine can take anything given to him, Semper FI.

ggyoung
07-07-09, 05:16 PM
To all you mortar men. The 4.2 mortar round weighed 27 lbs. The 8inch howitzer was 204 lbs.

Supersquishy
07-07-09, 05:23 PM
What would a 0621 carry also besides the radio?

SGT7477
07-07-09, 05:42 PM
To all you mortar men. The 4.2 mortar round weighed 27 lbs. The 8inch howitzer was 204 lbs.
That was one heavy round, Never Forget.:flag:

Eric Hood
07-07-09, 05:49 PM
These men are heros. Americans have a great life because of guys like these.
Semper Fi,
Eric

NeverQuit
07-07-09, 07:17 PM
Well i'm part of 1/5 RBE, I was in the Platoon with Lcpl Knight, he cross trained while deployed last year to be a 41. He's carrying his load plus more due to the fact all of the platoons were under TO before 1/5 left. We do have HMMWV's MRAPS anf 7 tons but Bravo co. 1/5 was chosen to be a foot mobile element, they are spending a night in each town along the way through the Helmand province. My thoughts and prayers go out to each and every one of them, and were lucky they have only taken heat casualties.

SlingerDun
07-07-09, 07:30 PM
...Bravo co. 1/5 was chosen to be a foot mobile elementhttp://www.drodd.com/napoleon-dynamite/lucky.wavhttp://www.duncancumming.co.uk/photos/lucky.jpg (http://www.duncancumming.co.uk/photos.cfm?photo=6426)

Eric Hood
07-08-09, 05:58 AM
Good Luck , Never Quit.
Semper Fi,
Eric

HurricaneRJ
07-08-09, 09:57 AM
I know for a fact that some of my buddies in 2/8 must be cursing my soul by now. Poor bastards, talked all that **** about us going to Candy land and now they're out there humping.

charm1110
07-08-09, 01:26 PM
My thoughts and prayers as well. Bravo Co. was my company back about 20 years ago, I give all of you hardchargers all my respect. Funny thing is back then we were almost always under TO as well. <br />
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