Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit tcml-4

by Tom Clancy

  • Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Support—If there was any lesson that came out of the 1982 Falklands War, it was the overriding need for surface ships to have proper AEW coverage. Lack of a decent AEW platform for cuing of their limited force of Sea Harrier FRS.1 fighters probably cost the British several of the ships that they lost to Argentine air attack. Unfortunately, the Marine Corps has no such capability to augment their ACE aboard the Wasp (LHD-1), so they must make use of any AEW capability they can get. If they are near a CVBG, they can make use of AEW- information-data-linked E-2C Hawkeyes. In addition, data links on the ships of the ARG, as well as those on the new AV-8B Plus Harrier IIs, are compatible with a number of other such systems, including the force of E-3 Sentry AEW aircraft operated by the Air Force, NATO, and some of our other allies.

  • Composite Wings—One of the important capabilities of the MEU (SOC) ACE is the ability to work jointly with air units of other services, or even other countries. As a result, don't be surprised if you don't someday see the use of Air Force composite wings like the 366th at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, or the 23rd Wing at Pope AFB, North Carolina, with one of the MEU (SOC)s to support landing operations or provide cover for the ARG.

  As you can see, it's easy for other units to team with or "plug into" the 26th MEU (SOC). Thanks to a robust series of command and control links aboard the ARG, the MEU (SOC) can provide connectivity for anything from an Air Force AEW aircraft to an airborne unit. Meanwhile, the staff of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command at Quantico, Virginia, is working hard to find new units and ways for the MEU (SOC) to play in the ever-growing world of joint operations.

  • Reconnaissance Support—If there is anything that Colonel Battaglini wants more of on-cruise, it is high-quality, up-to-the-minute imagery of their AOR. If the imagery is satellite-based, it will come from the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), with their fleet or orbital imaging satellites, and the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO), which manages UAVs and other airborne imaging programs. Both agencies are working hard to supply more imagery to an ever-expanding user base. In particular, plans are progressing to create a super-agency called the National Imaging Agency (NIMA), which will stand up on October 1st, 1996. NIMA will combine the services of NRO, DARO, the Central Imaging Office (CIO), the National Photographic Center (NPIC), and the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA), all under a single roof. In this way, the users of their products can more rapidly and efficiently obtain the wealth of assets they provide — everything from maps to real-time photography — when they need it.

  The products themselves are growing in both variety and quality. As always, the NRO's satellite systems are producing a large volume of high-quality imagery, though efforts are under way to look at smaller, less expensive collection systems in the late 1990s.

  Meanwhile DARO is making giant strides towards their vision of an integrated airborne reconnaissance architecture that does its job within today's limited budgets. The Pioneer UAV will continue in service for a few years. Because the Hunter UAV system that was designed to replace it has been terminated over high life-cycle costs, DARO has decided to move onto what is called the "Maneuver UAV," which is designed to provide Army and Marine unit commanders with a capability to obtain real-time video and other imagery.

  In addition, the Predator program described in Fighter Wing is going great guns. The Air Force stood up its first Predator unit (the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron) at Nellis AFB, Nevada, just recently (these are roughly the same as the Gnat 750-series UAVs that did so well in their CIA-sponsored trials in Bosnia). The program is so successful that DARO is looking at buying and fielding more Predator systems to users.

  In addition to the Predator and Pioneer programs, excellent progress is being made on longer endurance systems, like the Lockheed-Martin "Skunk Works"-produced Dark Star system. And even longer-range systems are being developed, as well as the data links, common control stations, and other equipment that will be needed to make the various UAV systems available to the widest possible base of users. DARO is also working on more traditional manned reconnaissance systems, including the introduction in 1997 of the new RF-18D Hornet equipped with the new Advanced Tactical Reconnaissance System (ATARS), and a new F-16-mounted recon pod system being introduced by the Virginia Air National Guard. The expectations are that by the year 2001, DARO's plans for completely remaking the airborne reconnaissance architecture of the U.S. military will be close to completion.

  • Intelligence Support — In addition to the support provided by the various photographic and mapping agencies within the intelligence community, the 26th MEU (SOC) makes use of intelligence from several other agencies and organizations:

  • National Security Agency (NSA)— The NSA, which controls electronic and signals intelligence, is a significant supporting agency for an amphibious unit like the 26th MEU (SOC). Through the Ships Signals Exploitation Space (SSES), the ARG and MEU (SOC) commanders can tap into a variety of different signals and electronic intelligence sources, among these: RC-135 Rivet Joint, ES-3 Shadow, and EP-3 Orion electronic intelligence aircraft and ferret satellites. Ground- and ship-based sensors (like the Classic Outboard ESM system) can also tap into all variety of different electronic signals, from SAM and air traffic radars to cellular phones and television signals.

  • U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM)—Based at Falcon AFB, Colorado, USSPACECOM provides space-based systems to support combat operations for all the military services. In addition to providing GPS navigation signals, communications support, weather reporting, and ballistic missile-warning, there are a whole range of new capabilities that will emerge in the next few years. These include integrated designation/communications/navigation /transponder systems, which will "net" individual Marines together on the digital battlefield of the 21 st century.

  • U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)—Strange as it may sound, the U.S. DOJ and its assorted agencies are excellent sources of information for a variety of missions that might involve a MEU (SOC). The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Marshals Service, and other agencies offer useful information on everything from terrorist organizations to smuggling techniques. As a result, you frequently see DOJ and other government agencies (the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, etc.) supporting unconventional operations by the Marines, as well as USSOCOM.

  • Cable News Network (CNN)—Okay, let's all tell the truth here. Right now, CNN is the finest real-time intelligence-gathering service in the world. If you walk into the office of anyone who is really on the inside, you will inevitably find the television tuned to CNN. In the twenty years since Ted Turner launched his twenty-four-hour news network, CNN has brought most decision makers their first news of vital events as they are breaking. This kind of topical and timely coverage is the reason why intelligence staffs aboard ships are fighting so hard to obtain the stabilized satellite dishes needed to receive CNN. In this way, they can get the same real-time information as any other cable television subscriber!

  CONOPS: The MEU (SOC) Way

  Now let's look at how a MEU (SOC)/ARG operates. Returning to the rescue of our downed Air Force Captain, the dauntless Scott O'Grady, just how did that come together, and why did it work? To understand this is to understand how the MEU (SOC)/PHIBRON team works.

  For Colonel Berndt and the personnel of the 24th, the rescue process started almost as soon as the young man was shot down in northwest Bosnia-Herzegovina. At the time, the 24th MEU (SOC) was embarked aboard PHIBRON 8—the Kearsarge (LHD-3), Pensacola (LSD-38), and Nashville (LPD-13), under the command of Captain Jerry E. Schill. The group's job was to act as an offshore ready reserve force for the NATO forces that were enforcing the air and maritime embargo of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 24th's duties also included combat search and rescue (CSAR), in the event that such a mission was required.

  In the Marines, a CSAR mission is called a Tactical Recovery of Airc
raft and Personnel, or TRAP. TRAP missions are something of an MEU (SOC) specialty, and are practiced regularly. The key to carrying out a TRAP, or any other MEU (SOC) special mission, is training and planning. Really fast planning. As for Scott O'Grady, on the night of June 2nd, 1995, the 24th MEU (SOC) was aware that Basher 52 was down, and that there was no confirmation that O'Grady was alive. All the staff of the 24th knew was that a rescue mission might be required. The commander of the 24th's GCE (the 3/8 BLT), Lieutenant Colonel Gunther (who was assigned the job of TRAP mission commander), quickly convened a crisis action team to begin the advance planning for a TRAP package of aircraft and personnel, should it be required. This done, the 24th waited and listened.

  TRAP packages come in various shapes and sizes, with a variety of options available to the MEU (SOC) staff. For example, let's say that a helicopter from the ACE goes down as a result of a mechanical problem in neutral territory. And let's say that the aircraft is not too badly damaged, so it would be possible to repair the helicopter and fly it out. In that case, a small security team from the GCE, together with some maintenance personnel from the ACE, would fly out and establish a security perimeter around the downed aircraft. The TRAP force would then repair the aircraft and fly it home to fight another day.

  The downing of Basher 52 was an entirely different problem. In that case, the shootdown was in an isolated area, over 30 nm/55 km from the coast, and in generally rough and mountainous terrain, well within reach of hostile Bosnian Serb forces. Given these parameters, and the expected threat level (there might still be an active SA-6 battery in the area), Gunther and Berndt decided to lay on what they call a "D" package. This was the largest of the five TRAP packages available to the 24th, and involved sending a pair of big CH-53E Super Stallions loaded with the mortar platoon from the 3/8 BLT's headquarters company. When I later asked why the mortar platoon was chosen for this duty, Chris Gunther answered, "They were available, and they did it during the workup." In other words, given the variety of tasks that the 24th was being tasked with at that time (possible evacuation of UNPROFOR personnel from Bosnia-Herzegovina, etc.), these personnel were not tasked for other duties, and they had trained specifically for the job. The CH-53Es from HMM-263 (the 24th's ACE unit) were chosen over the elderly CH-46Es Bullfrogs because of their greater range, speed, and lifting capability. In addition to the cargo helicopters, there would be an escort of AH-1 W Cobras, and AV-8B Harrier IIs. All told, the rescue force, if it were ever needed, would have fifty-seven Marines and four Navy Corpsmen. By the morning of June 3rd, the personnel for the TRAP package had been alerted and the aircraft readied. The planned TRAP package looked something like this:

  • CH-53E Super Stallion Flight (2)—The lead CH-53E was flown by Major William Tarbutton (the air mission commander) and Captain Paul Oldenburg. This helicopter would carry half of the mortar platoon commanded by First Lieutenant Martin Wetterauer, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Gunther (the BLT CO and mission commander), and two Navy corpsmen. The second Super Stallion was to be flown by Captain Paul Fortunato and Captain James Wright. This aircraft would carry the rest of the mortar platoon, two Navy corpsmen, Colonel Martin Berndt — the 24th MEU (SOC) CO, and Command Sergeant Major Angel Castro, Jr.

  • AH-1W Cobra Flight (2)—The lead Cobra was to be flown by Major Nicholas Hall and Captain James Jenkins II. The second helicopter by Major Scott Mykleby (the escort flight leader) and Captain Ian Walsh.

  • AV-8B Harrier II Flight (4)—This flight was led by Major Michael Ogden of VMA-231, and was made up of four aircraft, so that at least two would be available over the recovery site.

  In addition to these forces, there would be mission spares (called "bump" aircraft) readied, as well as reinforcement units (known as Sparrowhawk and Bald Eagle), should the TRAP package encounter problems.

  For the next six days, the situation remained quiet, as the pilots of the 31st FW flew over northwest Bosnia-Herzegovina, hoping to hear something from Basher 52. During this time, the TRAP package stayed on Alert 60 (an hour's notice), eating and sleeping on alert, hoping for the chance to go in and snatch the young Air Force officer out of harm's way. Down in the 24th's LFOC on the Kearsarge (LHD-3), the plan was refined, based upon the minimal information that was available at the time. On the night of June 7th/8th, O'Grady was located. Out on the Kearsarge, the staff of the 24th monitored the transmissions and began to get ready, even before the execution order arrived at 0300. Once this was given, Captain Schill tightened up the formation of PHIBRON 8's ships, and headed towards the Dalmatian Coast to be ready to launch the TRAP force. Immediately, the Kearsarge's CO, Captain Chris Cole, ordered the ship to Flight Quarters, and things began to happen. Realizing that the TRAP team might be headed into an area where SAMs had recently been active, the MEU (SOC) requested, and Admiral Leighton Smith (the commander of NATO Forces, South) ordered, a support package of Air Force, Navy, and Marine aircraft to be launched. This included F-15s, an E-3 AEW aircraft, and Marine F/A- 18Ds with AGM-88 HARM missiles, just in case the Serbian SAMs decided to engage. As it turned out, organizing this force took longer than expected, causing the TRAP force to remain airborne over the ARG until just before daybreak

  Down in the 24th's LFOC, the decision to use the "D"- size TRAP package was reaffirmed, and the final steps necessary to ready the force were under way. Aircraft were fueled and armed. Weapons were test-fired and checked. And then they had what's called a "confirmation briefing." This took place down in the Kearsarge's war room on the 02 Level just prior to the loading of the aircraft; and it's the final piece of what the Marines call "the rapid response planning process" — a planning sequence that allows a MEU (SOC) to commence the execution any of its preplanned special operations missions within just six hours of the reception of an execution order.

  The confirmation briefing is the final coordination meeting for the officer and enlisted personnel of the ARG and MEU (SOC). And it is an amazing thing to watch. Taking only about fifteen to twenty minutes, it covers more than twenty different subjects — from weather and intelligence to radio call signs and aircraft weapons loadouts. The briefing can proceed so quickly because every movement and action of the TRAP mission has been practiced many times in training back in the U.S. and while afloat. In the confirmation briefing, the speakers execute what is called "briefing by exception": A speaker walks (rapidly!) to the front of the wardroom, slaps down a briefing transparency just long enough for the assembled crowd to see it, and speaks only about those operations that are not normal or running to plan. In short, you brief a particular topic in between thirty and sixty seconds. This procedure is not designed to be hasty or frivolous. Rather, it's done only when time can kill a mission. This was one of those times.

  Following the briefing, the Marines moved up the ramp from the hanger deck to the flight deck. Each "stick" of Marines was led to their aircraft by Combat Cargo personnel from the ship and trooped aboard. When the loading was completed, the order was given for the helicopters to start engines. By 0505 hours, all of the helicopters were airborne, waiting for the word that the NATO support package was airborne and in position. At 0545, the "go" order was given. And at 0549, the TRAP force went "feet dry." At 0640 the lead Cobra, code named "Bolt," made contact with O'Grady, and ordered him to pop a smoke flare. Sighting the smoke, the Cobra crew dropped a flare of their own, and began to coach the lead CH-53E into a small clearing adjacent to the young pilot's position on the side of a hilly, rock-strewn pasture. Heavy fog blanketed the area, and caution was required to get the big choppers down. As soon as they hit the ground, Lieutenant Wetterauer and his mortarmen exited the helicopter to set up a defense perimeter and commence the search for O'Grady. The standard TRAP mission plan assumes that the person to be rescued is injured, so a security perimeter was established, just in case extra time was needed to carry O'Grady out. As it turned out, this was not required.

  As the lead helicopter was unloading, and the second CH-53E was coming in to land, there was a small
problem. A small fence was in the LZ, and the second chopper came down on top of it. This only caused a moment's delay, however. Moving forward a bit to clear the fence, Captains Fortunato and Wright set the CH-53E down and dropped the rear loading ramp. Before they could unload the chopper, though, Captain O'Grady came sprinting out of the underbrush, brandishing his radio and pistol as he headed into the CH-53E. After he was relieved of these items (for safety's sake!), the helicopter lifted off. Captain Fortunato then notified the air mission commander that O'Grady was safely aboard. This done, the four helicopters, with their Harrier escorts flying above, headed back to the coast at full speed and minimum altitude. Even during the burst of AAA and SAM fire, their planned procedures worked well. When the Cobras sighted the ground fire and SAMs, they immediately ordered an SAM break from the CH-53Es (an evasive turn while firing flares and chaff decoys) and continued on to the coast. With the rescue completed, TRAP rules advise that you avoid a fight in enemy territory, so the rescue force continued on with only a few return shots fired by a door gunner. By 0730, the TRAP force was back over the Kearsarge and safely home.

  A reunion of 24th MEU (SOC) personnel with Air Force Captain Scott O'Grady (eighth from right in rear) in April of 1996. Included are Brigadier General Marty Bernet (far left), Lieutenant Colonel Chris Gunther (fifth from left), and Sergeant Major Angel Castro (fourth from left). The female officer (third from left) is Lieutenant General Carol Mutter, the first woman to achieve such rank.