Photo By Spc. Cal Turner | U.S Army Sgt. Travis Douvia, a coxswain assigned to the 464th Transportation Company...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – Several U.S. Army Reserve units are practicing moving cargo and vehicles across the James River here as a part of the Seaport Operations Company 13-2 training exercise.
Soldiers from the 464th Transportation Company (Medium Boat), a downtrace unit of the 359th Transportation Battalion, are here conducting water operations moving Army equipment from the port to a nearby beach landing site.
These operations during the bi-annual training exercise simulating an earthquake support response by the Army to the island nation of Sumatra.
Many folks generally divide up U.S. armed forces by what their names suggest they are responsible for: Air Force defends the air, the Navy defends the ocean and the Army rolls across the land. Few people realize that the Army not only works in the air and on the water, but it has the corresponding vehicles and personnel to support those missions.
Often, Army watercraft are operated by as few as three crew members, but the personnel requirements increase as the time on water and distance increases, according to Sgt. Travis Douvia, a coxswain with the 464th Trans. Company from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va. A coxswain is the individual in charge of a small watercraft.
“We sail up and down the coast pretty regularly,” he said. “Getting out and underway is the best part about it; the more time out the better. Being at the pier is like being at the office.”
The 464th Transportation Company brought in four Landing Craft Mechanized watercrafts to haul equipment and supplies over the water. Soldiers from the 390th Seaport Operations Company from Ceiba, Puerto Rico, loaded Humvees, forklifts, generators and containers onto the LCMs. These crafts then sailed downriver to a landing site where the 390th SPOC also off-loaded the cargo.
“I’ve been on several mini mission and annual trainings,” said Pvt. Eric Bissett, a watercraft operator with the 464th Transportation Company and a native of Murfreesboro, N.C. “I like the job a lot more now that I’m taking more responsibility even as a private. Currently I’m now a licensed boat operator.”
The LCM is powered by two “Detroit Diesel” V-12 engines and have a very powerful towing capacity even at lower speeds. The craft can operate in as little as three feet of water and has an impressive pedigree.
“The grandfather to this type of boat was used in Normandy during Operation Overlord,” said Sgt. Michael Southards, a watercraft engineer with the 464th Transportation Company. “The Army wanted their own transportation corps. Our primary mission is transporting cargo from point A to point B, whatever that may be. We can pretty much transfer any cargo anywhere and we don’t need a marina or pier.”
Southards, a 20-year veteran who lives in Newport News, Va., enjoys his job, especially the time spent on the water. As an engineer, he maintains the boat and engines.
Training is very beneficial for junior-enlisted Soldiers on the LCMs. Often they are the primary operators of the craft under the direct supervision of their non-commissioned officers.
“We spend a lot of time getting in and driving the boats,” said Southards. “It’s good training for the younger soldiers; they are the future. I’ve been on pretty much every boat we have out here [for the exercise]. My whole life is Army boats.”
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2013 13:32 |
| Story ID: | 111436 |
| Location: | VA, US |
| Hometown: | MURFREESBORO, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 375 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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