Photo By Sgt. April de Armas | A Coast Guard transportable port security boat brings Marines to an insertion point...... read more read more
Subscribe
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — In the military, there is no greater honor or award than the Medal of Honor. The medal is awarded to a select few service members who display extraordinary heroism. One Coast Guardsman holds the honor, earned at Guadalcanal during World War II. The story behind this Medal of Honor recipient mirrored a joint training exercise at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay recently between the Coast Guardsmen of Port Security Unit 305 and the Marine Corps Security Force Company stationed here.
On September 27, 1942, Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Douglas A. Munro led a detachment of 10 boats to insert a group of Marines into battle. Conditions for the Marines quickly worsened and they needed to be evacuated from the position.
Munro volunteered to lead the extraction mission and brought the rescue boats in under heavy fire. He placed his boat in the direct line of enemy fire to protect the Marines — many of whom were wounded — as they entered the boats. Munro was mortally wounded as some of the last boats were leaving, but survived long enough to know his mission was accomplished; his last words being, "Did they get off?"
Munro earned the gratitude and respect of the Marines he helped rescue that day and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, as well as the Purple Heart, for his actions.
Coast Guard and Marine Corps forces at GTMO conducted a training exercise, April 8, using Coast Guard transportable port security boats to insert and extract Marines from a coastal range.
"The Coast Guard has a history of providing amphibious landing vehicles to the Marine Corps and the Army," said Coast Guard Lt. Adrian Bellin, PSU 305 assistant operations officer.
The exercise was beneficial because it provided an opportunity to practice individual and unit movements and tactics, as well as allowed for two services to integrate and train together, furthering the support of the security mission for the naval station and Joint Task Force Guantanamo.
"The exercise showed that two separate elements, with a little planning, could get together and make a joint operation a success," said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Micah Deyoung, PSU 305 communications officer.
Upon insertion, the Marines conducted live-fire maneuvers at Granadillo Range with M-16 and M-240 rifles. The Marines simulated a casualty, which the Coast Guard responded to and evacuated across the bay to the naval hospital. The exercise called for the evacuation of the Marines due to increased hostilities and the Coast Guard tactically extracted the Marines from the situation.
"The Coast Guard proved to be a professional force and got us where we needed to go," said Marine Corps Capt. Adam Stiles, platoon commander of the 5th Platoon of the Marine Corps Security Force Company.
Communication was key to the success of the mission. Whether between separate services on land or those on water, communication was critical for the safety of the Troopers and the completion of the exercise. Multiple planning meetings prior to the exercise allowed each entity to become familiar with the terminology and tactics of all involved.
"We are always working with the naval station and the Marine Corps to further develop force protection for the base and the JTF," Bellin said.
For more information about Joint Task Force Guantanamo, visit the Web site www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil.
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2009 11:53 |
| Story ID: | 32659 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 310 |
| Downloads: | 157 |
This work, Coast Guard, Marines Practice Joint Operations, by MSG Blair Heusdens, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT