MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Under the cover of darkness and at lightning speed, the Raiders of 1st Platoon, Company A, did what they do best, successfully raid and destroy the enemy, during a motor raid training exercise here Nov. 14.
The objective of the motor raid was to destroy a logistical camp for suspected insurgents and to recover valuable intelligence.
The Raiders, from Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, here, along with MEU Service Support Group 11, the 11th MEU Command Element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 166 (Reinforced), Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, along with Amphibious Squadron 3 and Expeditionary Strike Group 3, are conducting pre-deployment training exercises off the coast of Camp Pendleton in preparation for their upcoming deployment this winter.
While the MEU's Command Element planned and coordinated the attack from aboard the amphibious ship, the U.S.S. Peleliu, 1st Platoon readied their weapons and 7-ton trucks and hummers.
Vehicles burned diesel fuel as the convoy of trucks and hummers rolled from Del Mar to Fire Base Gloria, the objective of the raid. The exercise was orchestrated by the instructors of the Special Operations Training Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, here.
SOTG stocked the camp with mock weapon caches and explosives, cast Marines as hostile personnel, and even added Middle Eastern music to create the right atmosphere.
Within minutes of exiting their vehicles, the Raiders went on alert and hiked to the location of the camp. Before they even had the camp in their sights, they were attacked. The sound of automatic weapons fire, shouts and commands in a foreign language blasted through the air.
The Raiders quickly went to work, and in skilful fashion, they had the whole area secured in less than 30 minutes. The Raiders captured more than 10 hostile combatants, seized small arms weapon caches, improvised explosive devices and rocket-propelled grenades.
According to Sgt. Will A. Powell, platoon guide for 1st Platoon, the Raiders always look forward to conducting this type of training because it helps them sharpen their skills to perfection. "The Raiders are skilled professionals when it comes to motor raids," said Powell. But "when the time comes to do actual raids," said Powell, a unit can never be too prepared.