Photo By Cpl. Khoa Pelczar | Lance Cpl. John K. Kelly, 23, from Granite City, Ill., Cpl. Ryan K. Judah, 26, from...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. – Marines from various 1st Marines Logistics Group units joined forces with Combat Logistics Company 16 here to conduct a weapons transport mission to a training site 200 miles away, Oct. 25.
After all the training and preparation they’d done in the last few months, the Marines with Support Detachment, CLC-16, 1st MLG, supporting Weapons and Tactics Instructor course, were ready to face their final mission.
“This is an important mission and we can’t afford to make any mistakes,” said 2nd Lt. Sarah F. Burke, officer in charge of WTI Support Detachment, CLC-16, 1st MLG. “Every detail counts so make sure you double check everything once we’re ready to head out.”
Burke, 24, from Brooks, Ga., inspects the Marines’ route they’re taking and briefs them on what they can expect while conducting the mission. They’ll be transporting a Russian radar, on- and off-road, to a training site 200 miles away from Yuma Air Station.
The Russian radar, known as SA-6, is an anti-aircraft missile designed to detect and destroy aircraft, missiles, cruise missiles and assault helicopters at low to medium altitudes, according to Global Security.
The radar belongs to the Northrop Gruman Corporation. Before, they transported the radar commercially, but since the tracks had worn out, the commercial vehicles could no longer transport the radar off-road to the training site. So they depend on the Marines and their tactical vehicles to transport the radar.
“I feel that we’re ready for this mission,” said Cpl. Thomas D. Crowley, wrecker operator with Combat Logistics Battalion 5, 1st MLG. “We’ve been preparing and planning for this mission ever since we arrived to Yuma.”
After two weeks of planning, conducting route reconnaissance, checking equipment and communicating with the on-site security personnel, these Marines were ready to accomplish the mission via combat logistics patrol.
“If the mission goes as we planned, we’ll be the first group of Marines to ever transport this radar all the way to the site,” said Crowley, 23, from Saint Petersburg, Fla.
By 9 p.m., the team was leaving the gate of Yuma Air Station and heading to the site. Despite the fact that they were driving in the middle of the night, pitch black and through rough terrain, they reached their destination in a little more than six hours.
Driven in a team of two vehicles consists of a fuel truck and a trailer attached to a 7-ton that carried the radar, the Marines accomplished their mission without any incidents occurring. Being the first group of Marines to transport the Russian radar the entire route, they’d set the blueprint for the rest to follow. The team would head out to the site and retrieve the radar a few days later.
“I got the pleasure to work with a lot of good Marines here,” said Crowley. “Everyone knew what we had to do and worked great together. The staff gave clear instructions and let us know exactly what needed to be done. I would definitely come back and work with these guys again.”
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.16.2010 13:52 |
| Story ID: | 60260 |
| Location: | YUMA, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 196 |
| Downloads: | 11 |
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