Photo By Sgt. Mandaline Hatch | Marine veteran Byron H. Coates, points to the Laem Chebang Port in Thailand, Feb. 8,...... read more read more
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USNS PILILAAU, At Sea — His weathered red cap with the proud lettering, “United States Marine Corps,” was the first dead giveaway. This man was, and will always be, a United States Marine.
Byron H. Coates from Baltimore, Md., wears a beaming white smile, which contrasts greatly against the ambient light of the lower decks of the USNS Pililaau, en route from Guam to Thailand. His tall stature makes him easy to spot onboard the Maritime Prepositioning Force ship.
Coates was born December 16, 1948, to his mother Elise Coates. Growing up, Byron had a passion for studying military history. His love for military history along with the influence of a high school principal and two teachers, who were all former Marines, led Coates to join the Marine Corps after graduation. He left for boot camp in August 1968 and would later become a combat engineer.
After two and a half years in the Marine Corps, Coates got out and moved to New Jersey with his mother, but he didn’t stay out long. He joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1972, and returned to active duty in 1975.
During his time in the Marine Corps, Coates had deployments to Vietnam and Japan. Byron speaks very humbly of his time in service. He doesn’t boast about the Navy Achievement Medal he received, but a clipping from his home newspaper speaks for him.
“Lance Cpl. Byron H. Coates has been presented with the Navy Achievement Medal in connection with Marine combat operations in Vietnam,” it reads.
“I was just doing the daily job,” said Coates. “I didn’t think I deserved anything. When I was up at [Camp] Fuji this officer just gave me [a] letter to thank me for what I did,” he said.
“In his demanding billet as the [Amphibious Assault Vehicle] Platoon Sergeant, his performance was of the highest caliber despite the rigorous demands placed on his personal time and the frequently stressful conditions which accompany an operational infantry battalion,” wrote Capt. W. L. Ezell, the commanding officer of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines in August 1986. “He proved to be an inspiring and exacting leader attending to his duties with unmatched dedication and vigor. When he spoke, his men listened; when he demanded, his men responded; when he led, Marines followed.”
“The Marine Corps was just unbelievable for me,” said Coates. “I mean, I just loved it. No other service, no other branch. I am a Marine."
“It’s a very special club, not everybody can join in. Be proud of what you do,” Coates said he would constantly remind his Marines.
The closeness of the Marine Corps is what Coates said he misses most.
“You know we had our rough times, kids get into trouble,” said Coates, “but I always kept them under my thumb. I loved watching them learn and get better each day.”
“I used to always press that, you’re going to be a Marine,” he said. “Do your time. If you don’t like it, get out, but be a Marine while you’re here.”
After a total of 16 years in the Marine Corps, Coates got out and worked part time jobs in New Jersey.
“I was bored the whole time,” he said.
He told his mother one day he was going back to the Marine Corps and left to work with Marines on Maritime Prepositioning Force ships like the Pililaau. The Marine Corps utilizes MPF abilities for humanitarian assistance, disaster response, training exercises and, if called to do so, to support wartime efforts.
The MPF provides the Marine Air-Ground Task Force essential equipment and supplies to support and execute crisis or contingency responses worldwide. Coates has been working on maritime prepositioning ships for 26 years, sailing across the Pacific as an ordnance mechanic. He says the best part about working on an MPS is the opportunity he gets to continue working alongside his fellow Marines.
“I couldn’t just stay there, as long as I’m around Marines I’m fine,” said Coates. “My favorite part of my job now is being with the Marines, trying to pass on any knowledge I have, and getting up to speed on what’s going on in the Marine Corps.”
“Coates loves talking with the Marines, sharing his stories and giving his knowledge and advice,” said Donald W. Burcher, the lead mechanic aboard the Pililaau. “I’ve known Coates since 2003. I consider him my best friend on the ship; he’s somewhat of a father figure to me.”
Coates works with Marines during scheduled exercises approximately every six to seven months. The Marines aboard the Pililaau during this voyage were bound for exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand. The joint U.S.-Thailand exercise is one of the largest in the Pacific with participants from 25 countries focusing on cooperation for humanitarian and civic actions in the region.
Marine Wing Support Squadrons 171 and 172 based out of Japan treat this deployment to Cobra Gold as they would a deployment to a real-world contingency. After receiving orders, the unit flew to Guam where they prepared the Pililaau and set sail. Once at Cobra Gold, the unit offloads the equipment for the exercise.
The crew of the Pililaau received the order to activate and support Cobra Gold 15, January 24. Seven days later they had left their homeport and arrived in Guam, fully stocked the ship with provisions for the Marines coming aboard. During the voyage from Guam to Thailand, the ship’s crew worked alongside the Marines to prepare the equipment and supplies for the exercise.
“We do maintenance, so when the Marines come on stuff is ready to go,” Coates said. “It’s a little bit of everything that the Marines can use for thirty days of combat.”
Ships like the Pililaau can hold 11,616 tons of cargo and have the carrying capacity of 380,000 square feet. Most of the time the Pililaau is anchored, but every now and then, they’ll have Marines come aboard to see what the crew is doing and ask questions.
“A lot of Marines don’t get to see all of this,” said Coates.
Coates carries around pictures, letters, and documents that display his time in the Marine Corps all in a bright red folder with United States Marine Corps written across the top.
“I always keep stuff to remind people that I’m in the Marine Corps,” he said.
“Byron talks about the Marine Corps at least once every day,” said Burcher. “In most of our conversations he talks about the Marines.”
“I feel like the Marine Corps is the front of everything,” Coates said. “The Marine Corps tries to stay just above the water to do it the right way. Sometimes I get a little melancholy about it because I miss it so much.”
According to Burcher, once Coates gets talking about his time in the Marine Corps, there’s no stopping him. It’s easy to get lost in the conversation listening to story after story. After a while, he will stop and go deep into thought, only to break the silence a few moments later with another story.
“I can go on and on and on about the Marine Corps,” he said.
“There’s not a day I wake up that I don’t think about it.”
For more information about exercise Cobra Gold, please visit the official Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ExerciseCobraGold.
| Date Taken: | 02.10.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.10.2015 09:20 |
| Story ID: | 154098 |
| Location: | USNS PILILAAU, AT SEA |
| Hometown: | BALTIMORE, MD, US |
| Web Views: | 935 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, USNS Pililaau carries Marines, memories, by Sgt Mandaline Hatch, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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