Photo By Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos | U.S. Marines with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, conduct a...... read more read more
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BRIDGEPORT, Calif. – Running on less than an hour of sleep, Marines from 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment loaded their gear and continued their climb to the next objective during the final field training portion of Mountain Exercise 2014 here Sept. 8, 2014.
The culminating event tests the Marines on skills they have learned aboard Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center over the past month.
“We’ve trained for this and my Marines are ready,” said Sgt. Joshua Germond, an acting platoon sergeant with 1st Platoon, Lima Company, 3/1. “They know what they need to do, and they’re ready to get out there and do what is needed.”
After a 40 minute upward trek, Marines shedded their main packs and continued forward to the “Dog Bone.”
Less than 20 minutes after departing, gun fire erupted and filled the once quite air.
“Contact front!” someone shouted and Marines instantly dropped to the ground and began returning fire.
“Get those 240s over here and start laying suppressive fire!” shouted Lance Cpl. Jacob Pedraza, a team leader with 1st Platoon, Lima Company.
Caught in a vulnerable position, the Marines quickly found themselves fighting an uphill battle. Facing a reinforced squad-sized enemy, the Marines began bounding forward, using machine-gun fire to suppress and subdue the enemy.
“We were in a pretty bad spot when we first took fire,” said Germond, 24, from Knappa, Oregon. “We held our position and then individual actions led us to advance and gain ground.”
Taking the initial hill, Germond and his squad began sweeping through densely-wooded areas and encountered fire-team-sized enemy elements.
“[The enemy] was set in place pretty good,” Germond said. “We continued to push through to our objective.”
After taking simulated casualties, Marines stepped up and took over as team leaders and continued to direct Marines and eliminate the enemy.
Lance Cpl. Jonathan Ladowski, an infantry rifleman with 1st Platoon, Lima Company, 3/1, was one of those Marines who quickly found himself in a position where Marines were looking to him for leadership.
“My team leader went down and I took over,” said Ladowki, 20, from St. John, Ind. “It’s what were trained to do. In a moment like that, when their so much going on, you can’t hesitate. We all know what we need to do and Marines turn to you for direction, you have to be ready to step up and my [noncommissioned officers] trained us for that.”
Painstakingly, Marines seized the “Dog Bone” and immediately began setting in defensive positions to ensure they weren’t taken by surprise.
“You fight so hard and you’re tired,” said Cpl. Jose W. Delgado, a squad leader with 1st Platoon, Lima Company. “But it’s not over. You have to make sure you don’t put yourself in a position to lose what you fought so hard to get.”
With the “Dog Bone” secured, and defensive positions set in place, Marines from India Company had the cover necessary to pursue to their main objective.
“[The Marines] were great out there,” Germond said. “We’ve come together, and it showed today. I’m confident that this group of Marines will have no trouble facing anything they’re going to be asked once we deploy with the [15th Marine Expeditionary Unit].”
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2014 12:45 |
| Story ID: | 141938 |
| Location: | BRIDGEPORT, CA, US |
| Hometown: | FILLMORE, CA, US |
| Hometown: | KERMAN, CA, US |
| Hometown: | KNAPPA, OR, US |
| Hometown: | SALT LAKE CITY, UT, US |
| Hometown: | SHIRLEY, NY, US |
| Hometown: | ST. JOHN, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 394 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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