Five more years to the Corps

Photo By Cpl. Ryan Mains | U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Gerard Maurer swears in during his reenlistment ceremony near Wana Ridge, Okinawa, Japan Sept. 17, 2015. Wanna Ridge was one of the many battle sites that the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines took a part in during the Battle of Okinawa in WWII. Maurer is with Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditinary Unit. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan C. Mains/ Released)  

WANA RIDGE, OKINAWA, JAPAN

09.18.2015

Story by Cpl. Ryan Mains 

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit       

WANA RIDGE, Okinawa – Choosing a certain location for a reenlistment ceremony can be as simple as holding a small formation outside of the office you work at or at your favorite restaurant. But for Cpl. Gerard Maurer, his reenlistment ceremony was oriented more toward the history of the Marine Corps and reflected a devotion to Marines who’ve fought and bled for their country.

“I spoke with my company 1st. Sgt. and my company executive officer quite a bit about the reenlistment process and one of the things that they kept saying was, ‘This is for you, this is your day so make it yours’,” said Maurer, a rifleman with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

“Seeing that I am currently deployed to Okinawa, I wanted to do something meaningful to me, so instead of doing it at the command post or on another base I wanted to do it somewhere special.”

With Marine Corps history on his mind, Maurer decided to hold his ceremony in the vicinity of Wana Ridge. While it may not look like much at only 50 feet high, the ridge served as a strongpoint for the Japanese during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, also known as Operation Iceberg. The struggle to take control of the ridge took eleven tries in a twelve-day period, costing the lives of approximately 1,656 Marines and wounding another 7,429.

The Battle of Okinawa was the last battle fought by the U.S. during the war, and it was crucial for the U.S. to win in order to use the island as a base for flight operations over Japan. Because of the island’s strategic importance, the Japanese fought vigorously in an effort to stop the Americans. As a result, the battle of Okinawa was the bloodiest battle in the Pacific, causing approximately 149,193 Okinawan casualties; 77,166 Japanese casualties and 14,009 U.S. casualties.

“2/5 was very involved in the battle of Okinawa and I have always appreciated the traditions the Marine Corps embodies with it,” said Maurer, a Fairfax, Virginia, native. “Getting the opportunity to stand on the same ground as my fallen brothers that shared the same unit and recommit myself to serving my country meant a lot to me.”

Now that he has nearly finished his first enlistment as a rifleman, Maurer decided it was time to move on to a new battle field. With this next enlistment Maurer has chosen to make a lateral move the military occupational specialty of cyber security.

“Cyber security also happens to be at the forefront of defense and is a rapidly growing part of our national security posture,” said Dee Maurer, spouse of Cpl. Gerard Maurer. “I am pleased that Gerard will be a part of that growth and also able to continue contributing if and when he retires. Also, the prospect of a more stable schedule and a little more time at home is certainly a pleasant thought.”

• Date Taken: 09.18.2015
• Date Posted: 09.25.2015 01:50
• Story ID: 177168
• Location: WANA RIDGE, OKINAWA, JP
• Hometown: BOYDS, MD, US
• Hometown: FAIRFAX, VA, US