Essex (LHD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, riding in amphibious assault vehicles. Once the last of men and machinery were loaded aboard the last LCAC and waterborne, the AAVs pulled back, covering the endmost U. S. Marines and Sailors leaving Somalia. For the first time since March 1993, Somalia will not have U. N. Forces. I knew we ' d accomplish our mission. We had too much firepower not to. The challenge was to accomplish the mission without any casualties, said Col. Garrett. The coalition forces suffered no casualties during the three-day withdrawal. We planned thouroughly and we played it smart, Col. Garrett explained. Every U. S. Marine, U. S. Sailor, Italian Marine and coalition force participating had their head in the game from start to finish. The United Nations forces are out of Somalia, the coalition forces are out of Somalia, and Somalia, Africa is on its own once again. There ' s no other force in the world that could ' ve accomplished this mission except the United States Navy Marine Corps team, Col. Garrett said with pride. .