Combat support

Browsing: Combat support

End of an era

By Bill McMichael on December 6, 2011 6th Fleet, Amphibious operations, Amphibious Ready Group, Combat support, Commanding officers, Flight deck certification, Homecoming, leadership, Marine Corps, Marine Expeditionary Unit, Maritime operations, Mine warfare, Navy, Norfolk Naval Station, Odyssey Dawn, Photos, Ponce, Ships, The Middle East

On May 7, 1970, the Beatles released their last single: “The Long and Winding Road.” Last week, the amphibious transport dock Ponce, launched 13 days after the song and commissioned in July 1971, completed its own long journey, coming home for the last time after four decades of service. Those years were filled with significant events. Ponce helped evacuate nearly 300 mostly U.S. and British Westerners from Lebanon during the 1976 civil war, and supported 6th Fleet air strikes on pro-Syrian militia positions in defense of U.S. Marines ashore. It supported military disaster relief in Florida following 1992’s devastating Hurricane…

Bring your earplugs

By Bill McMichael on April 7, 2011 C-5 Galaxy, Combat support, Construction, Logistics, Naval Expeditionary Logistics Center, Navy, NECC, Seabees

Maybe it’s a guy thing. But I, for one, would like to see the Navy’s new Expeditionary Rock Crusher in action. Look at this bad boy! The crusher/rock impactor and plant together weigh approximately 119,300 lbs., which is child’s play for a C-5 Galaxy. It fits, as you can see. And now, it’s certified to be loaded and shipped anywhere Seabees operate. Seabees can build anything, but one thing they build a lot of is roads and airstrips for the Navy and Marines. That’s where the ERC comes in. “The Expeditionary Rock crusher bridges the gap between war debris or…

Browsing: Combat support