Photo By Sgt. Zoe Morris | A large cherry tree and remnants of a tool shed block the Gauley River in Webster,...... read more read more
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COWEN, W. Va. - A crew of Soldiers from the193rd Engineer Support Platoon cleared more then 200 tons of debris from rivers in Webster County Saturday and Sunday in preparation for an expected 3 to 5 inches of rain.
Lt. Michael Judy, commander of the 193rd ESP, handpicked Soldiers from the 193rd and the 119th Engineer Company to get the water flowing again around five bridges across the flood affected areas.
Using a 330 excavator and chainsaws, the team operated in areas including the Gauley River in Cowen. Two bridges crossed the river only 200 feet apart, causing half the river to still be blocked a week after the initial floodwaters raged through the area. Judy said this was a critical mission because of the potential rainfall.
“That could be catastrophic for the area. If this builds up, it has the potential to be life threatening for the people in this area,” he said.
By proactively opening up the waterways, Judy said the National Guard hopes to mitigate flooding and keep people safe.
Teresa May Hamrick, who lives between the two bridges, had to swim out of her home June 24th. Four feet of water entered her home and six feet in her garage which is a approximately 20 feet above the river, she said. It was just starting to get dark when they noticed the water was rising higher then it had ever been and she and four family members decided to get out. But when it came in, it came in all at once.
It’s when the two bridges get jammed that the river backs up onto their property said Hamrick, who has lived in her home for 17 years. She added that she’s very grateful for all the National Guard has done to clear the river.
National Guard Soldiers stopped by her home the morning of June 25th and were the first people to check on the family.
“They’ve been really good. They stop every day,” she said. “I’d seen on TV how good they were but I never, ever dreamed I’d have to experience it.”
It’s the communication with Judy and his team that has led to a bright spot in the situation. The Hamricks run a sawmill and will be able to use wood salvaged by the 193rd Soldiers to replace their floor as well as sell. A cherry tree blocked the old railroad trestle bridge and is worth $4,000 to $5,000, Judy said. There are other cherry trees as well as maple and other species. Judy said he and his Soldiers were glad to be able to help the family this way.
Judy said he is reconnoitering four more bridges and, if needed, will deploy his team to continue the mission.
From his understanding, this type of mission has never been attempted by the 1092nd Engineer Battalion, Judy said.
“This is something out of normal range of operations,” he said. “But luckily, we have Staff Sgt. (David) Rexrode running the excavator. Rexrode has 20 plus years of experience on both the military and civilian side.”
Every one of his Soldiers has civilian experience, Judy said, and they are some of his most trusted operators. The experience and skill of Guardmembers is outstanding, he said, and with out each individual Soldier he couldn’t get his mission done and couldn’t possibly save lives.
This is the last hoo-rah of the 193rd, however. The platoon is being absorbed into the 115th Engineer Company.
“It’s kind of bittersweet to be the last commander of a unit,” Judy said. “Especially when you spend two years with these outstanding gentlemen. I’m proud to see how they’ve [grown] and hopefully they go out and do better things with a bigger unit.”
Col. David Shafer, Commander of the 111th Engineer Brigade, said despite the storm that’s coming the National Guard is always there and always ready. The 193rd’s mission is ongoing in corporation with the Department of Highways, he said.
| Date Taken: | 07.04.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.05.2016 07:27 |
| Story ID: | 203075 |
| Location: | COWEN, WV, US |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Opening waterways, saving lives - 193rd ESP carries out final mission, by SGT Zoe Morris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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