Essex (LHD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 49 text:

c; r S$5§ ?« ■ «, ' .V 1 HlltflMHl iMtttM m r i •«ni - C .. - m It ' ' w -- W i re did they put the road ?

Page 48 text:

if : »«u Typical of Singapore s beauty Modern Transportation...

Page 50 text:

13thMEU(S0C) hones skills in Singapore SGT. DOUG ANDERSON 13TH MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT(SOC) Aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2) — The Marines and Sailors of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) took advantage of their visit to Singapore during the first part of their deployment to train in a jungle environment. The 13th MEU(SOC), commanded by Colonel John C. Garrett, departed Hong Kong, heading for one of the three islands that make up the country of Singapore. Singapore was the first working port the MEU had visited since beginning their six-month Western Pacific deployment. Singapore provided the Marines and Sailors with terrain that can ' t be found aboard the 13th MEU(SOC) ' s home base, Camp Pendleton, California — a terrain of hot, humid, dense, jungle forest. This is a chance to do some more sustainment training, said Major Kirk Rice, Operations Officer for Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3 1 , Ground Combat Element for the 1 3th MEU(SOC). Singapore offers us the chance to get the Marines and Sailors out on terra firmae, run around and practice our basic skills, living up to the motto ' In every clime and place, ' Rice added. Some of those skills included: Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT), rappelling, assault rock climbing, and infantry tactics. For five days the Marines and Sailors trained in the northern area of Singapore at the Saribum Fibua Village, a small area located within the Lim Chu Kang training site. The Marines made good use of the MOUT facility and jungle environment. A great deal of time and effort went into cross-training units that weren ' t infantry-tactics inclined. Marines that normally prepare legal briefs went out on reconnaissance patrols alongside Marines that normally handle mail. Marines from the 13th MEU(SOC) ' s communication detachment had a chance to patrol and land navigate in the dense jungle area. I never know when the time will come when I ' ll have to go out there