MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON-- On an early, cold and rainy morning in the middle of Camp San Mateo here, Marines of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, prepare themselves for the training ahead of them. While putting on layer after layer of dry fleeces and waterproof jackets to escape the rain, the Marines and sailors check their gear one more time. “Load’em up,” shouts Capt. Benjamin Middendorf, 32, commanding officer of Golf Company, 2/5. from Rochester, Minn., referring to the 7-ton trucks waiting on the road. An hour drive in the back of wet 7-tons is nothing new for this company. Instead they’ve learned to steal naps while sitting up, or joke about past deployments and what they‘ll do for Thanksgiving.
On Oct. 20, 2/5, Golf Company conducted a live-fire helicopter raid starting on the heliport on Red Beach, near the Las Pulgas training area, and flying into the hills northeast of San Mateo, Calif. The Marines of 2/5 don’t take training lightly.
“The more you train, the more natural it gets, which helps everybody else out,” said Lance Cpl. Peter O’Brien, 23, the senior radio operator for Golf Company, 2/5, from Maybrook, NY. “The more we are out here training, the more it helps with unit cohesion.”
Move! Move! Move! Shout the squad leaders getting their teams in position. Keeping low to avoid from being hit by debris being kicked up by the propellers, the Marines quickly set up a secure landing zone.
The officers begin directing units over the hills to the south. Moments later, you can hear the patter of M16s and M4 carbines suppressing their designated area. Even though the targets aren’t shooting back, the Marines and sailors fire as if their brother’s lives are in danger.
“This is what we train for,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Linden, 33, the mortar section leader, with Golf Company, 2/5, from Knoxville, Tenn. “If we’re ever tasked out by our battalion to go in and conduct a raid that you just have to go in and hit fast, our unit is ready to go in and secure the objective.”
When the dust settled and the smoke had cleared, the training was still far from over. Squad leaders were still directing their Marines to get them back to the landing zone while keeping cover for the other squad’s running back. The officers in charge say they were thrilled about on the faultless execution of their company.
“This is one of the most complex operations as a rifle company, and we rehearsed the heck out of it, and that’s what sets you up for success,” said Middendorf. “I could not be happier with how the Marines did out there. They’re worn out but these Marines are ready to go.”
The Marines of Golf Company, 2/5 will continue their training of helicopter raids and live fire practices for their deployment with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit in early January of next year.
| Date Taken: |
10.20.2010 |
| Date Posted: |
10.25.2010 11:25 |
| Story ID: |
58769 |
| Location: |
CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: |
225 |
| Downloads: |
5 |
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This work, 2/5 practice helicopter raid near camp San Mateo, by LCpl Glen Santy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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