Nassau (LHA 4) - Naval Cruise Book

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.L Second Section, Third Platoon, A-T QTOWD Company, 2D Tank BA Talion Back Row: LCpl Snow, LCpl Conner, Cpl Gallagher, LCpl Gizowski, Cpl Fraser, Sgt Alexander 3rd Row: LCpl Perser, Cpl Hubbart, LCpl Wilkes, LCpl Darnell, SSgt Mulkey, LCpl Kalloch 2nd Row: LCpl Vernon, Cpl Varela, LCpl Plurien, Cpl Collins, Cpl Samples Front Row: LCpl Pardo, LCpl Spence, Cpl Barrios, LCpl Hinson A -A -e Et T.O.W. . . . That elite band of brothers, forceful yet dynamic, whose soul purpose in life is to put metal-on- metal. The long range of the T.O.W. provides new meaning to Ma Bell's phrase, Reach out and touch someone. What is a T.O.W.? Could it be as our fellow Marines refer to us as Tired of Walkingn? No, actually it is an Anti-Tank section comprised of a rogue gallery of Marines. As we look over the Section, our eyes are drawn to the central figures. The Section Leader, SSgt Mulk Monster Mulkey, that irrepressible man set on developing pain with his death runs while the growing rumble of regurgitated breakfast echos in our minds. To help in his relentless pursuit, he has his henchmen, the Squad Leaders, Sgt Big Al Alexander with 1st Squad, Highcenter Crew , notorious for finding every hole where a HUMMV can get stuck. Sgt Coop the Scoop Cooper with 2d Squad, The Searchers , a map and compass in hand, riding off into the sunset, never actually knowing where they will turn up. Sgt Bust Ass Batchelor with the 3d Squad, The Schemers , always ready with their Zulu Mikes and other fast moves. Finally, Cpl Bum Scoop Barrios with the 4th Squad, famed for flying the friendly skies yet forced to eat someone else's dust. This is T.O.W. Section, the leading edge of death and destruction that is guaranteed to blow your mind . . . 1 3 I i Ti SSgt Mulkey

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2d Platoon, Company B, 2d Combat Engineer Battalion Combat Engineers are tasked with a broad and difficult mission: to provide the BLT with the mobility, counter-mobility, survivability and general engineering skills. An engineer squad is capable of destroying enemy obstacles and breaching minefields to give the tactical commander the desired rates of advance. Engineers can construct obstacles and emplace minefields to channelize the enemy. Engineers are tasked with building bunkers and hardening areas so the BLT can survive the enemy onslaught unscathed. General engineering skills include: water production, electrical power production and carpentry. The hardest part of our mission is communicating with the infantry. The grunt talk , as we fondly call it, of BLT 2f6 changes with geographic location. The following are examples of the mindless dribble that the engineers have had to try to work with. The list could go on, but as they would probably take too long to read it, here are a few: ITALY Individual units will bivouac in their training areas CFind a spot clear of cow dip and sleepy FRANCE Engineers are going to De Garrigues for training CGO to De Garrigues, but end up at Brignoles . . . for unscheduled trainingj SPAIN Provide COC security CGO up into the mountains, protect us against goat attacks . . . Back Row: Cpl Reed, Cpl Eldridge, LCpl Reed, Cpl Moran, LCpl Goodson, 3rd Row: 1stLt Eller, Sgt Vanpelt, Sgt Tucker, LCpljohns, Cpl Wickline, LCpl Kersey, LCpl Tyler, LCpl Waters, LCpl Derr, LCpl Lee, LCpl McKisic, LCpl Miller, LCpl Mallozzi, LCpl Steinmetz, LCpl johnson, SSgt Roberts 2nd Row: Sgt Gipson, LCpl Sherwood, HM3 Rushing, LCpl Wurtsbaugh, LCpl Beachy, LCpl Flinchbaugh, LCpl Kemp Front Row: Sgt Dillon, Cpl Schneider then we'll displace and leave youj MOROCCO Engineers, order materials and build a bunker CFind whatever you can to build a bunker . . . Take your Tonka Toy dozer . . . and dig some crappersj l V Q , f H, 44d

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JULY 1987 1-5 6-8 8-9 10 14-19 27-31 AUGUST 1987 5 10-13 15 17-27 29 SEPTEMBER 1987 20 21-24 30 OCTOBER 1987 1 -11 14-16 20 21 -23 24-25 30 NOVEMBER 1987 4- 5 6-8 10 11-20 12-19 18 19 23 29 30 Training Highlights Verona Loop 1913. SOC and live-fire training. All at- tachments onboard. ' Crew-served Weapons Evaluation. n BLT Staff participated in 22d MAU TWSEAS exercise. 40km MCCRES -forced march. Field Exercise at Camp Lejeune. Embarked aboard shipping and subsequent MCCRES evaluation. Staff Exercise at CAST Trainer with BLT SNCO's fill- ing key billets. Crew-served Weapons Competition. Family Day aboard USS Nassau. Embarked aboard Amphibious Squadron 2 for Blue- Green Water work-up. Predeployment leave began. Predeployment leave ended. Anti-Terrorism training and final embarkation prepara- tions. Embarked aboard Amphibious Squadron 2 at More- head City. Sailed for the Mediterranean Sea. TransLant. Conducted SACCEX Training. Turn-over in Augusta Bay, Sicily. Surface assault at Pian de Spille and heliborne assault at Monte Romano, Italy. Small unit and live-fire training at Monte Romano and Pian de Spille. Conducted 26km hike from Monte Romano to Pian de Spille and backloaded. Conducted NCO School ashore at Piano Monaco, Sici- ly. Attached 70 French Infantry Lt's and conducted am- phibious assault in Sete, France with cross training. Arrived Toulon, France for port visit. Established Camps at De Garrigues and Brignoles, France. BLT participated in Armistice Day. Company-level training at De Garrigues and Brignoles, France. Tank Platoon trained with 1st Saphis Regiment. Static display and airshow at French School of Infantry, Montpellier, France. Company F cross trained with French Foreign Legion Company. Departed Toulon, France. Attached Spanish Naval Infantry Rifle Company for cross training. Company E conducted pre-assault rubber boat raid at Sierra de Retin, Spain. ...di Q.-X,,Qa hs .A