Insurgent attempts to ambush convoy, MLG Marines thwart plans

Photo By Cpl. Katherine Solano | Local traffic in Now Zad, Afghanistan, is stopped during a convoy with Marines and sailors with Marine Air-Ground Task Force Support Battalion 11.1, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward), Aug. 30, 2011. The convoy covered more than 150 miles and delivered fuel and other supplies to various forward operating bases in the area.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE EDINBURGH, AFGHANISTAN

09.01.2011

Story by Lance Cpl. Katherine Solano 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

FORWARD OPERATING BASE EDINBURGH, Afghanistan - “They opened up on us with everything they had. They were just waiting for us,” said Cpl Cameron Johnson, a motor transport operator with Marine Air-Ground Task Force Support Battalion 11.1, 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward).

The ambush he described came during an 11-day fuel and supply mission from Camp Leatherneck to Forward Operating Base Edinburgh.

The convoy was comprised of more than 50 military vehicles and fuel tankers driven by local nationals. It was the sixth or seventh convoy of its type for the Marines and sailors of MSB, but it was nothing like their previous experiences.

“This one was definitely a lot heavier contact wise. Every fuel mission you can expect something different,” added Johnson, a native of El Dorado, Kan.

Staff Sgt. Dennis Moyer, a motor transport chief and platoon sergeant with MSB, agreed there were similarities between this and previous convoys, but this was by far the most kinetic.

“Every fuel run, going past that compound progressively got worse,” stated Moyer, originally of Las Vegas. “We knew something bad was going to happen. So we took action and stopped what they were trying to accomplish, which was destroy the fuel run. There was a heavy planned ambush on us.

“If we didn’t stop them, it was going to be something horrific. Marines would’ve died,” Moyer added.

In addition to pressing through the ambush without suffering any critical casualties and completing their mission, the unit delivered a massive blow to enemy morale.

“It was announced on the insurgent web site that the ‘Infidels’ stopped an operation of theirs,” said Moyer. “Logistics doesn’t usually take the fight to the insurgent. We definitely did this time.”

Knowing an ambush is coming, but not knowing exactly when, where or how is the most nerve-wracking part of these fuel runs, said Sgt. Theerapongse Klangthamniem, a motor transport operator and security platoon sergeant with MSB.

“Based off prior runs, knowing these places where bad things can happen is by far the scariest thing … knowing that it’s coming,” Klangthamniem said. “It’s a big relief once it’s all done.”

• Date Taken: 09.01.2011
• Date Posted: 09.09.2011 09:35
• Story ID: 76743
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE EDINBURGH, AF