Marines, Afghan Army disrupt enemy supply routes during Operation Big Wave

News: Marines, Afghan Army disrupt enemy supply routes during Operation Big Wave

Regimental Combat Team-7, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs

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Marines from Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conduct a re-supply during Operation Big Wave in Khanagawr, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2010. Local farmers assisted the Marines by driving the supplies in their tractors, saving the men from having to carry them a mile and a half in triple-digit heat. The operation was conducted to disrupt the enemy from using supply lines to bring weapons and fighters into Nawa.

KHANAGAWR, Afghanistan — Marines and sailors from Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, partnered with the Afghan National Army to complete Operation Big Wave, a two-part operation in Khanagawr and Southern Lashkar Gah taking place from Aug. 15-20.

The operation, designed to disrupt insurgent activity, was planned after the Marines received intelligence about future enemy activity in the area.

A platoon of Marines and Afghan soldiers worked together to complete the first part of Big Wave Aug. 15-19. Working out of Patrol Base Meinert, the partnered disruption effort conducted patrols and vehicle checkpoints south of Lashkar Gah. The operation took place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when observers spend the days fasting. First Lt. Seth C. Miller, the ground commander for the first part of the operation, worked out a schedule so the soldiers could work without having to break their fast. During the nights the Afghan soldiers would work alongside the Marines, and during the daytime the Marines would continue the mission alone.

“We’d been with them during Ramadan so we knew what they were willing to do,” Miller, from Denver, said. “They surprised me sometimes by working all night and through the morning. Not having them there during the afternoon, it wasn’t a showstopper, but we couldn’t cover as many roads and it’s definitely better to have the ANA in the front when we’re dealing with locals.”

After 48 hours of the partnered disruption operations, more than 30 Marines and sailors were inserted by helicopter into Khanagawr to block off alternate transportation routes and to watch for any enemy fighters trying to cross the Helmand River. This portion of the operation was completely by coalition forces alone to prevent the Afghan soldiers from needing to break their fast. For two days the men stayed out in the barren desert, only getting a few hours sleep each night with no shelter from the day’s sun, where temperatures topped 120 degrees and where Armas admitted, “the heat was pretty brutal.”

In two days the Marines stopped more than 100 vehicles along their vehicle checkpoints, but neither part of the operation saw enemy contact.

The operation didn’t lead to any major cache finds, or detainees, but the men did gather useful information and see support from the local populace. Two farmers even helped the Marines in Khanagawr during a re-supply by hauling food and water in their tractors, saving the men from having to carry them a mile and a half in triple-digit heat.

“We threw the enemy something they haven’t seen before,” Armas said. “We definitely caused disruption over the last five days. I like to say that a reason there were zero significant actions over the last three days was because of the operation.”