Photo by: CpI Paula M. FitzgeraldA CH-SSE Super Stallion helicopter prepares to receive fuel from a KC-130 Herculesaircraft during an aerial refueling exercise. The helicopter belonged to Marine HeavyHelicopter Squadron 772, a reserve squadron from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, thatserved with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) in sup-port of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Photo by: Cpl Paula M. FitzgeraldMarines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron

First, sea-based helicopters transported supplies to 772 serving with the 24th Marine ExpeditionaryUnit (Special Operations Capable) at CampPakistan, where cargo was transferred to VMGR-234 and Lemonier, Djibouti, January2003.

VMGR-352 aircraft for transport to Afghanistan.Detachment A, VMGR-234, led by Lieutenant Colonel

Span of Operations by Marine air and ground units in the early stages of Operation EnduringFreedom compared to distances in the Continental United States. LtCot Bradley S. James, Detachment Commander,

VMGR-234.

Bradley S. James consisted of four aircraft and flew toPakistan on 25 February 2002, where they joined theMarines and aircraft from VMGR-352. Both VMGR-234and VMGR-352 supported ground forces in Afghanistanfrom the 11th and 13th Marine Expeditionary Units(MEUs). The primary mission of the KC-130 aircraft was

ICC-130s supporting operations in Operation Enduring Freedom.

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Col Christopher J. Gunther, Commanding Officer, 13th MEL! (SOC), talks to theMarines of the Detachment from VMGR-234. Detachment Commander, LtCo!Bradley S. James (left), and Maintenance Chief, MSgt Kevin K. Mitchell, listen.

A KC-130 supports Operation ANACONDA at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, March 2002.

refueling, but it also provided tactical airlift support.Aircrews in Afghanistan were often targeted by

small arms and rocket-propelled grenades at Jacobabad,Pakistan, and Bagram, Afghanistan presenting significantchallenges to their mission.

Most flights were conducted at night, increasing therisks to aircraft and personnel alike. Lieutenant ColonelJames noted that, "most of the missions were [flown] atnight so night vision [capability] was essential for flight

Maintenance team from VMGF1-234, Jacobabad, Pakistan, March 2002.

crews who would bring the supplies another 500 milesinland." Missions generally took six to eight hours tocomplete and Marines usually worked 12-hour shifts.

The reserve KC-130 aircraft were 25 years youngerthan airplanes with active duty units, and they had nightvision goggle capability. The Marines of VMGR-234 spenttime working with their active duty counterparts trainingaircrews on the night vision goggles. Detachment A,VMGR-234, had a group of very experienced pilots dueto active duty experience and civilian work in commer-cial aviation.

While Detachment A, VMGR-234, was engaged insupporting missions in the Persian Gulf and SouthwestAsia, the remainder of the squadron supported theintense training requirements of stateside Marine and

Main hanger for ICC- 130 detachment, Jacobabad, Pakistan, March 2002.

Two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters receive fuel from a kC-130 Hercules aircraftwhile each carries two vehicles during operations around Ojibouti, January 2003. Thehelicopters belong to HMH- a reserve squadron from Willow Grove, Pennsylvania,attached to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) in sup-port of the global war on terrorism.

Army units. During the pre-deployment training and sub-sequent deployment of the Camp Lejeune-based 24thMEU, VMGR-234 provided fixed wing and helicopter aer-ial refueling and administrative airlift support. At thesame time, VMGR-234 served an integral role in provid-ing helicopter aerial refueling support for the Army's160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

In addition to the demand for KC-130 aircraft andcrews from the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, heavy lift CH-53E helicopters were needed. Two reserve Marine heavylift squadrons—HMH-769 and HMH-772-—were activatedin January 2002 and provided support to active dutyforces.

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While many active duty squadrons from CampPendleton-based Marine Aircraft Group 16 were overseasin support of Operation Enduring Freedom, FIMH-769filled the flight demands required to sustain the tempo ofactive duty operations. On short notice, HMH-769 aug-mented the aviation combat element of the 11th MEUwith two aircraft and 17 Marines. As the 11th MEU pre-pared for departure, the Marines and aircraft of HMH-769joined the composite squadron of Marine MediumHelicopter Squadron 166 (HMIVI-166) without participa-tion in the normal six-month pre-deployment trainingroutine. To their credit, the Marines from HMH-769 flewonto the USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) as the ship departedSan Diego for the deployment.

As the Global War on Terrorism expanded beyondAfghanistan, suspected terrorist training activity was sig-nificant in an area known as the Horn of Africa. Duringthe deployment of the 11th MEU, HMH-769 providedCH-53E helicopter and aircrew support to the multina-tional Special Operations Force in Djibouti, Africa, forcounter-terrorist operations in the Horn of Africa. Thesquadron participated in flight operations with the UnitedStates Air Force's Sikorsky MH-53H Pavelow hclicopterssupporting Special Forces units. It was necessary for theCH-53Es to stay ashore for this three-month mission. Inaddition to fighting the Global War on Terrorism, the11th MEU provided humanitarian relief in East Timor.The Marines and aircraft of HMH-769 transported build-ing materials and troops in support of the humanitarianoperations in this region.

Upon activation, the Marines of HMH-772 movedfrom their training center at the Naval Air Station, WillowGrove, Pennsylvania, to the Marine Corps Air Station,

New River, NorthCarolina. Due to thesubstantial demandfor additional heavylift helicopters,HMH-772 reinforcedthe aviation combatelement for the 24thMEU. In contrast tothe experienceHMH-769 had withthe 11th MEU, HMH-772 participated inthe six-month pre-deployment trainingcycle with the 24thMEU.

Upon arrival atthe New RiverMarine Corps AirStation, the squadron immediately integrated with thecomposite medium lift squadron, MMM-263, and beganthe pre-deployment training cycle, which requires aMarine expeditionary unit to perform a spectrum of mis-sions before receiving the rating of Special OperationsCapable. Training missions include amphibious and heli-borne raids, urban warfare operations, tactical recoveryof downed aircraft and personnel, riot control, embassyreinforcement and evacuation, non-combatant evacua-tions, and humanitarian assistance. During this period, ateam comes together comprised of the Navy's amphibi-ous squadron and the Marine expeditionary unit andconducts a series of training exercises. Many of these

exercises are conducted from naval shipping as the teamperforms ship-to-shore operations by aircraft andamphibious vehicles.

Prior to deployment with the 24th MEU, the CH-53Edetachment provided by HMH-772 was reduced fromeight helicopters to six. The aircraft and Marines thatremained on standby at New River sewed an integralrole in providing operational training support to the IIMarine Expeditionary Force. The rear element of HMH-

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772 strengthened the heavylift capability of the 2d MarineAircraft Wing, which providedthe aviation support to all IIMarine Expeditionary Forceoperational requirementsalong the east coast. Theseincluded: expeditionary war-fare capability demonstrationsfor congress, flag officers, andforeign dignitaries; logisticaland heavy lift support forlocal training exercises; andparticipation in joint testingand evaluation missions withthe U.S. Air Force at Eglin AirForce Base in Fort WaltonBeach, Florida.

The rear element of HMH-772 also provided opera-tional relief to active duty CH-53E squadrons located atthe New River air station. This allowed the active dutysquadrons time for extensive maintenance on their air-frames and the incorporation of much needed technicalmodifications.

In late August 2002, a detachment of six aircraft andpersonnel from HMH-772 serving as part of the compos-ite air squadron of the 24th MEU, traveled to theMediterranean Sea as the designated landing force forthe U.S. Navy's Sixth Fleet. The 24th MEU participated inseveral major exercises including a multinational opera-tion called Dynamic Response 2002. During the opera-tion, HMH-772 detachment flew 177 sorties in mountain-

ous environments under all weather conditions takingpart in missions ranging from humanitarian support oper-ations in remote mountain villages to logistical resupplyat military border outposts.

As terrorist activities increased in the Horn of Africa,the 24th MEU moved from the Mediterranean Seathrough the Suez Canal and Red Sea to the Gulf of Adenin early November 2002. The heavy lift aircraft of theHMH-772 detachment were flown to the AmbouliInternational Airport at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, andassigned the mission of supporting counter-terroristforces.

In the process of taking the fight to the enemy inthis part of the world, great demand was placed onMarine air command and control systems for the direc-tion of Marine aviation and protection of allied troopsand aircraft from terrorist strikes. The United StatesCentral Command needed additional early warning com-mand and control support and received it from MACS-2.Upon the completion of its deployment to the MiddleEast, MACS-2 was relieved by MACS-24 in September2002.

In the summer and fall of 2002, a combined jointtask force was established under the leadership of MajorGeneral John F. Sattler, USMC. Major General Sattler wasthe commanding general of the 2d Marine Division atCamp Lejeune, North Carolina, when he was named asthe commander of what became known as CombinedJoint Task Force Horn of Africa. The mission of the task

kC-l3O Marine crew member atBa gram airfield during Operation ANA-CONDA, March 2002.

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force was to detect, deter, and destroy transnational ter-rorism in an area defined by the Department of Defenseas the air space, land areas, and coastal waters ofSomalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, andYemen.

This presented a unique challenge to the 24th MEU,as it required the amphibious force to provide support toboth the task force and training exercises Operation

Marines from Company A, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, return from a night patrol, May2003.

Image Nautilus and Operation Iron Magic in the UnitedArab Emirates. The amphibious squadron split its forcehieeting both requirements and straining the distributionof the MEU's heavy lift aircraft capability. The aircraftand Marines of HMH-772 provided a detachment inDjibouti in support of Combined Joint Task Force Hornof Africa while the remainder of HMH-772 remained with

LtCol Wiliam M. Brandenburg follows Gen Thomas A. Franks, Commanding General, CentralCommand, during the general's visit with the Command Logistics Element, Combined JointTask Force — Horn of Africa.

the portion of the amphibi-ous squadron tasked withthe training exercises in theUnited Arab Emirates.

The flight operationsconducted in Djiboutirequired the integration ofthe HMH-772 detachmentwith elements of otherAmerican services. Joint trainingwas conducted with Army, Air

Force, and Navy special operations teams. This trainingconsisted of the following: rapid live fire exercises; low-light level flying with night vision goggles conductinginsertions and extractions; dual point external lifts ofhigh mobility multi-wheeled vehicles (humvees) withmultiple aircraft during radio silence; simultaneous aerialrefueling in support of long range missions; specialinsertion and extraction training; airborne sniper plat-forms; and dissimilar aircraft flights with the Air Force

MH-53M PaveLow helicop-ters, using themas pathfindersin mountainousterrain. Thisenabled theCH-53Es to flyin mountainousterrain duringall weather con-ditions.

This train-

ing built a cohesive team and enhanced the developmentof standard operating procedures for the task force,which were used in future classftied operations involvingthe HMH-772 detachment. Ultimately, this training pro-duced a joint team capable of providing highly effectivesupport in conducting counter-terrorist operations in theHorn of Africa region.

Supporting the Combined Joint Task Force Horn ofAfrica, was a command logistics element established and

Photo by: Cpl Andrew W. MillerMajGen John F Saltier. (left), Combined Joint TaskForce-Horn of Africa Commander, greets MajGen(select) John J. McCarthy Commanding General, 4thMarine Division, April2003. CJTF-l-lOA was establishedto detect, disrupt and defeat terrorism in the Horn ofAfrica region.

Armed and ready, aMarine sentry standswatch for the CommandLogistics Element

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Photo by: CpI Matthew J. ApprendiCot Mario LaPaix, commander, Command Logistics Element, MarineCentral Command, reviews Djibouti's military police force during a cern-mony honoring LaPaix for his efforts to solidify strong relations withOjibouti.

staffed with a large contingent of Marine reserves andicc! by a reserve officer, Colonel Mario La Paix. Thereserve units that comprised the command logistics ele-ment were the following: Military Police Detachment,Headquarters, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing from BelleChase, Louisiana; Detachment A, Headquarters andService, 4th Force Service Support Group from Marietta,Georgia; Headquarters Detachment, 4th Force ServiceSupport Group from New Orleans, Louisiana; CompanyA, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division fromGrand Rapids, Michigan; Weapons Company, 1stBattalion 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division fromPerrysburg, Ohio; Anti-Armor Section, WeaponsCompany, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th MarineDivision from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; andDetachnient A, Headquarters and Service Company, 4thCombat Engineer Battalion, 4th Marine Division fromBaltimore, Maryland.

LtGen Earl B. Hailston (farleft) Commanding Gen-eral Marine Forces,Pacific and Marine ForcesCentral Command, visitsthe Command LogisticElement in Ojibouti.

Prior to taking over for MWSG-37 at Marine CorpsAir Station, Miramar, California, MWSG-47 Headquartersestablished an aerial port of embarkation for the Marinesand equipment assigned to the command logistics ele-ment for the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.Marine Wing Support Group 47 provided all necessary

The Marines of theCombined LogisticsCommand Elementwork with the localFire department atCamp Lemonier

transportation, billeting, food service, and communica-tion needs while coordinating pre-deployment trainingrequirements for the command logistics element.Additionally, MWSG-47 worked in conjunction with AirForce units located at the Air National Guard Base inSelfridge, Michigan, loading two Air Force C-17 aircraftwith 17 vehicles and 20 cargo pallets.

The command logistics element assumed responsi-bility for base operations at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, on26 January 2003. The command logistics element reno-vated the 88-acre former French Foreign Legion camp,constructing additional living spaces, working quarters,and a communication network from January to June

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