Courtesy Photo | An Army soldier observes the offloading operations from the Landing Craft Utility 2023...... read more read more
Story by: Pfc. Chalon Hutson
PORT OF TAN-TAN, Morocco - The Landing Craft Utilities 2023, also known as the “Hobkirk,” is a United States Army vessel that belongs to the 97th Transportation Company out of Fort Eustis, Va., being used to transport equipment and supplies in support United States Marines, Navy, Army and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces as part of Exercise African Lion 2011.
The United States military ship pulled up to the dock at the Port of Tan-Tan, Morocco and prepared to offload essential cargo for the mission. Then a crane downloaded over a dozen Humvees and four large storage containers off of the ship for usage by United States Marines. However, most people are unaware that this ship doesn’t belong to the United States Navy or Marines.
The exercise is a U.S. Africa Command-scheduled, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Africa-conducted, joint and bi-lateral exercise between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States that involves more than 2,000 U.S. servicemembers and approximately 900 members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, between April 25 and June 18.
Named after the Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, a 1781 Revolutionary War battle, the ship is one of seven vessels belonging to the 97th TC and generally contains 12 soldiers, consisting of two warrant officers and ten enlisted.
“So far the mission has been great,” said Sgt. Christopher Underwood, watercraft engineer on the Hobkirk and Fort Myers, Fla., native. The exercise has given him useful experience in his job. “It’s really benefitted me. A lot of what I have done here, I wouldn’t have been able to do anywhere else.”
Despite difficulties throughout the mission Underwood trusts in the soldiers he works alongside with.
“Even with all the bumps along the way,” he said, “this crew has done very well at getting the stuff done that we needed.”
These Army mariners have opportunities to travel the world and see places most Americans don’t have the chance to, while completeing missions by giving vital support to the rest of the military.
“If you’re in the business, you will travel,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy J. Saal, boatswain for the Hobkirk, and 19 year Army veteran. The Akron, Ohio native has been to dozens of countries across five of the seven continents throughout his over 16 years as an Army mariner.
He admitted he would trade his job for any other job in the world. Also, he has had countless memories he will never forget, he said.
During March 2009, his ship was carrying NASA tracking radar and was ordered to go six miles off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Fla. There NASA used the radar to track the Space Shuttle Discovery, and Saal said he was able to watch the entire launch. “It is a once in a lifetime experience,” he described watching the shuttle.
Saal said that the Army mariners on these ships are the best of the best. Soldiers on the Hobkirk continue to serve the United States Army and Exercise African Lion 2011, despite their unique job description. They live and work together just as any other unit of soldiers would, and drive through adversity to accomplish the mission.
“It has given me an eye-opener of some of the situations we could be put into,” Underwood said. “It’s been beneficial to see what we need to do to still make the mission happen.”
| Date Taken: | 05.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2011 23:05 |
| Story ID: | 70861 |
| Location: | PORT OF TAN-TAN, MA |
| Web Views: | 208 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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