TwinMom7
Proud Mom of a United States Marine
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2000
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Here's today update for all of you "Cyber-Aunts" of Engineer Company B...
Dangerous Route Safely Traversed
WAR ON IRAQ: DESERT DISPATCH
By FRED DODD, South Bend Tribune
SOMEWHERE IN SOUTHERN IRAQ -- South Bend's Marine Corps reservists pushed another 140 miles north in a dusty convoy Friday, safely traversing a route that other units had recently found hazardous. "Numerous convoys in the two days prior to ours had been fired upon by small arms and rocket-propelled grenades," said Engineer Company B executive officer Capt. Casey Barnes, 29, of South Bend. Around noon Friday, the 55-vehicle convoy, which included the South Bend Marines and others from 7th Engineer Support Battalion (Company B's parent unit for Operation Iraqi Freedom) crossed a bridge over the Euphrates River -- something some Marines had looked forward to because of its Biblical history. But the river was fairly small where Engineer Company B crossed, leaving Marines surprised.
"That was the most disappointing part of this convoy," said Gunnery Sgt. Laureano Santos, 36, of Elkhart. "I expected this big river, maybe like the Mississippi, with palm trees around it, flowers -- something like an oasis. But it was nothing."
"When we passed it, I said 'that was it?' " said Cpl. Roy Saenz, 27, of South Bend.
Although the Euphrates wasn't much to see, the Marines of Engineer Company B had plenty of company on the road. Several huge Marine Corps and Army convoys passed them while heading north. Even a few Iraqi vehicles were on the road, most flying white flags. The Iraqis were stopped at various checkpoints so vehicles and passengers could be closely scrutinized. One foreign television crew tried to pass through a checkpoint but was turned back when they didn't have the proper clearance. "They were told that all they could do was film the convoy. They weren't going north without an armored vehicle escort," Santos said.
Unlike their last convoy, much of this route was improved roads. But at three spots the trucks slowed down to pass over temporary bridges that Navy Seabees and Marine Corps combat engineers had constructed.
"Some of these temporary bridges will be replaced by permanent bridges built by the Seabees, others will be removed when we leave," said Chief Warrant Officer Brian Currie, 45, of Fremont, Ind. Just like Company B's earlier convoy, the lack of landmarks made for a boring trip. "I'm surprised that we've seen a lot of nothing so far," Saenz said. "I thought we'd see more civilization. But I guess we've been trying to avoid the cities, which is fine."
The few people seen are usually sheep herders or camel herders.
"These people are even more remote than the Amish back home," Saenz said. "They herd sheep on foot. It kind of gives you a biblical perspective to see people doing that and riding around on donkeys," he said.
"I didn't expect them to be out in the middle of nowhere," said Cpl. Eric Johnson, 24, of Granger. "I was blind to how they live.
"There are people living out in the middle of nowhere in clay houses. You wonder how they survive and if they're all sheep herders. But then again, we haven't been around any cities."
Around dusk Friday, the convoy reached a position held by part of the 1st Marine Division, from Camp Pendleton, Calif. The South Bend Marines pulled over to the side of the road and bedded down next to their trucks overnight to await their next mission in the morning.
Dangerous Route Safely Traversed
WAR ON IRAQ: DESERT DISPATCH
By FRED DODD, South Bend Tribune
SOMEWHERE IN SOUTHERN IRAQ -- South Bend's Marine Corps reservists pushed another 140 miles north in a dusty convoy Friday, safely traversing a route that other units had recently found hazardous. "Numerous convoys in the two days prior to ours had been fired upon by small arms and rocket-propelled grenades," said Engineer Company B executive officer Capt. Casey Barnes, 29, of South Bend. Around noon Friday, the 55-vehicle convoy, which included the South Bend Marines and others from 7th Engineer Support Battalion (Company B's parent unit for Operation Iraqi Freedom) crossed a bridge over the Euphrates River -- something some Marines had looked forward to because of its Biblical history. But the river was fairly small where Engineer Company B crossed, leaving Marines surprised.
"That was the most disappointing part of this convoy," said Gunnery Sgt. Laureano Santos, 36, of Elkhart. "I expected this big river, maybe like the Mississippi, with palm trees around it, flowers -- something like an oasis. But it was nothing."
"When we passed it, I said 'that was it?' " said Cpl. Roy Saenz, 27, of South Bend.
Although the Euphrates wasn't much to see, the Marines of Engineer Company B had plenty of company on the road. Several huge Marine Corps and Army convoys passed them while heading north. Even a few Iraqi vehicles were on the road, most flying white flags. The Iraqis were stopped at various checkpoints so vehicles and passengers could be closely scrutinized. One foreign television crew tried to pass through a checkpoint but was turned back when they didn't have the proper clearance. "They were told that all they could do was film the convoy. They weren't going north without an armored vehicle escort," Santos said.
Unlike their last convoy, much of this route was improved roads. But at three spots the trucks slowed down to pass over temporary bridges that Navy Seabees and Marine Corps combat engineers had constructed.
"Some of these temporary bridges will be replaced by permanent bridges built by the Seabees, others will be removed when we leave," said Chief Warrant Officer Brian Currie, 45, of Fremont, Ind. Just like Company B's earlier convoy, the lack of landmarks made for a boring trip. "I'm surprised that we've seen a lot of nothing so far," Saenz said. "I thought we'd see more civilization. But I guess we've been trying to avoid the cities, which is fine."
The few people seen are usually sheep herders or camel herders.
"These people are even more remote than the Amish back home," Saenz said. "They herd sheep on foot. It kind of gives you a biblical perspective to see people doing that and riding around on donkeys," he said.
"I didn't expect them to be out in the middle of nowhere," said Cpl. Eric Johnson, 24, of Granger. "I was blind to how they live.
"There are people living out in the middle of nowhere in clay houses. You wonder how they survive and if they're all sheep herders. But then again, we haven't been around any cities."
Around dusk Friday, the convoy reached a position held by part of the 1st Marine Division, from Camp Pendleton, Calif. The South Bend Marines pulled over to the side of the road and bedded down next to their trucks overnight to await their next mission in the morning.
So glad that they did not come down under attack.
