Nassau (LHA 4) - Naval Cruise Book

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Tl' Weapons Platoon, Company F In the chilly half-lit dawn of some disputed battlefield, assault gunners tensely charge their high explosive rounds and jerk open their LAAW rockets. Mortarmen make a last check at their luminescent aiming posts and prime their cold green shells. Machine gunners snug up tightly to the butt- stocks of their M6O's. All await the signal that will unleash an impenetrable wall of flying steel and copper-jacketed death. Such is the mission of the Weapons Platoon. These Marines have fired tens of thousands of rounds and strug- gled under their heavy weapons for countless miles in prepa- ration for this. They only await the signal. fl'!'f1T n.7 Back Row: LCpl Persinger, LCpl Tront, LCpl Schmilla, LCpl Wrighter, LCpl Sullivan, LCpl McGhee, LCpl Dively, LCpl McMore 2nd Row: LCpl Woodworth, Sgt Barttells, Cpl Peters, Cpl Trias, LCpl Edwards, LCpl Brice, LCpl Meadows, LCpl Cause, LCpl Daniely, LCpl Hughes, HN Rymer, SSgt Denecke Front Row: Cpl Davis, Cpl WinterBorne, Cpl Lambert, LCpl Miller, LCpl Bethea, 2ndLt Owens, LCpl Whitehead, LCpl Lewis, Cpl Raposo l 'ff Qfrrirsfeigg ' a.m.,...e 2ndLt Owens . , S ,fxfi ,ff ffif' 7 M' g 2

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Third Platoon, Company F ,, . --.-. .., ..- mp-as Back Row: LCpl Durham, LCpl Green, LCpl McGhee, LCpl Lyons, LCpl Sheehan, LCpl Shumard 2nd Row: HN Tasto, LCpl Hugo, LCpl Henderson, R.D., LCpl Norman, LCpl Brophy, LCpl Henderson, T.L. Front Row: LCpl Ford, LCpl King, LCpl Werner, 2ndLt Mendenhall, LCpl Thompson, LCpl Barbon, Cpl Lee No matter how technologically advanced war becomes, when the dust settles, the final issue will not be settled by the pilot, artilleryman, or the amtracker, but by the Infantryman. In Third Platoon, the training centered on settling issues on the ground at close range. Third Platoon has distinguished itself as a highly-motivated combat unit that will do whatever it takes to impose its will on the enemy. From the fire and maneuver orchestrated by the Team Leaders to the close-in lighting that the individual Devil Dog thirsts for, everything evolves towards inflicting the maximum of Hell, Death and Destruction on our opponents. 2ndLt Mendenhall M..-l

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Golf Company During the six month work-up and the LF6F deployment, Golf Co. held fast to its mission as the BLT's heliborne force. To execute a helicopter mission requires the highest standard of military proficiency and warrior spirit by both junior and senior Marines alike. The Marines of Golf should not soon forget their own courage for seizing that difficult baton and carrying it proudly for the Corps. The heart and soul of the company was 1stSgt. john Clark. Having served the Company enthusiasti- cally for two floats, he will likely always be remembered as Big Dog . In likewise fashion, the Executive Officer, 1stLt. R. Kimbrell, provided an experienced foundation to guide the training of the Company and the fire to succeed to all the Marines, especially his beloved sponges . The Company Gun- ny, GySgt. W.R. Nixon, kept the Marines going and communi- cating regardless of the situation. HM2 Anderson provided both fine medical care for the Marines and a solid leadership example to his subordinate corpsmen. It is not clear yet whether the Marines of Golf Co. have achieved the high standard of those honored men in the Corps' past who have earned the title Marine for us. It's nearly impossible to measure up with the circumstance of war. However, the Marines of Company G are indeed a special breed who gave it all in a worthy cause and shall therefore always hold an honored place for those privi- leged to lead them. LCpl Edwards LCpl McKenzie, 1stLt Kimbrell, LCpl Reed, 1stSgt Clark, Cpl Williams GySgt Nixon, LCpl Carpenter, LCpl Beauregard