Loved ones anxious as strike group heads to sea

[maddezmom]

Source: SignonSanDiego

By Angela Lau
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

May 5, 2008

The reassuring shadows from the massive gray hulls of warships didn't make goodbyes any easier for the 5,500 sailors and Marines leaving with a six-ship convoy yesterday.

It was doubly hard for their parents and spouses, who wondered whether the ships were headed to the Persian Gulf and Iraq.

They got no answers from the brass.

In a brief news conference before the battle group's 10 a.m. departure, Navy Capt. Jonathan Padfield said he had not been told the ships' destination. Padfield said yesterday's deployment was a regular rotation, and the group was going as the Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group.



Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080505-9999-1m5deploy.html

---

And in 2006, the 15th was part of a "surge" of Marines into sprawling Anbar province where it engaged in combat in Rutbah, Barwana, Haditha, Ramadi and Al Asad. The deployment was extended into the early months of 2007.

On Sunday, 2,200 Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed from San Diego with the six ships (and 3300 sailors) of the Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group headed for the Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf.

It was a morning of tearful goodbyes as hundreds of family members came to the 32nd Street Naval Station to say farewell.

The Marines will be a standby force ready to be sent into Iraq or Afghanistan. They could end up in both locations or neither. They could end up spending their six months doing training exercises and, by their very presence in the region, acting as a deterrent.

Only the commander-in-chief and the Defense secretary know what they have in mind for the strike group and neither is talking.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2008/05/iraq-ready-and.html

[Robbien]

1. Iraq or Afghanistan?

Anyone believing that hasn't been paying attention to Cheney and his jonesing on an Iranian attack.

[Dr.Phool]

2. It's obvious.

The asshole is going to do it.

[Proletariatprincess]

3. Of course they aren't telling....

they wouldn't tell the truth anyway. US foreign policy is just none of our business. It is our job as citizens to just pay taxes and be good consumers of propaganda...ie good patirots.
I am much more afraid of my government and what it is capable of than I have ever been of terrorism or so called terrorists.

[SpiralHawk]

4. Battle of Peleliu - Not the most auspicious of omens

Battle of Peleliu
The battle remains one of the war's most controversial, due to its questionable strategic value and high death toll.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Peleliu
Part of World War II, Pacific War

Date September 15 – November 27, 1944
Location Peleliu, Palau Islands
Result American victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United States
United States

Flag of Japan
Empire of Japan
Commanders
Flag of the United States William H. Rupertus Flag of Japan Kunio Nakagawa
Strength
1st Marine Division: 17,490
81st Infantry Division: 10,994 Approximately 11,000 men
Casualties and losses
1st Marine Division:
1,252 killed, 5,274 wounded
81st Infantry Division:
208 killed, 1,185 wounded
Total: 1,460 killed, 6,459 wounded 10,695 killed,
202 captured


Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
Saipan – Philippine Sea – Guam – Tinian – Peleliu – Angaur

The Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate, was fought between the United States and Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, taking place between September and November 1944 on the island of Peleliu.

The U.S. Forces, originally consisting of only the 1st Marine Division, later relieved by the Army's 81st Infantry Division, fought to capture an airstrip on the small coral island.

U.S. Major General William Rupertus, commander of 1st Marine Division, predicted that the island would be secured within four days, but due to Japan's well-crafted fortifications and stiff resistance, the battle lasted for over two months.

The battle remains one of the war's most controversial, due to its questionable strategic value and high death toll. When considering the number of men involved, Peleliu had the highest casualty rate of any battle in the Pacific War.

(snip)

[maddezmom]

6. I was reading about that earlier :(

here is another link I was reading
Bloody Peleliu: Unavoidable Yet Unnecessary
by Jeremy Gypton

Purpose and Planning
The American assault on Peleliu, in the Palau Islands, had the highest casualty rate of any amphibious invasion in terms of men and material in the entire war in the Pacific. Peleliu was viewed as a potential threat to General Douglas MacArthur's invasion of the Philippines; its airfield would enable Japanese planes to strike at American landing and support ships and menace troops once on the ground in the Philippines. Clearly, from MacArthur's perspective, the almost 11,000-man garrison there had to be eliminated before his forces could move, unhindered, on his primary target. Thus, the strategic legitimacy of the Peleliu operation was established. American amphibious doctrine – well-developed and tested from operations from the Gilberts to the Marianas – was up to the task, as well. The 1st Marine Division, a veteran of the Pacific theater, was also ready. Peleliu, however, proved to be quite different from the many previous battles in several fundamental ways, and would end with a high death toll, questionable strategic gain, and yet valuable insights for future operations.
Read More...

Preparing to Fight
Nimitz, therefore, ordered the planning of an invasion expected to be very much like others fought, and won, over the last year. STALEMATE II, as the operation was eventually designated after some changes, would take place on 15 September 1944, with landings first at Peleliu, and subsequent assaults on Anguar and Ulithi, also in the Palaus. American amphibious doctrine had been refined and improved upon over a year of hard fighting, beginning with Tarawa, and was approaching the efficiency of a well-oiled machine by late 1944. Land-based targets would be destroyed by massive naval fires, lasting days, and the landings themselves would be immediately preceded by strafing and bombing runs by carrier-based aircraft. The troops would be carried to shore in successive waves, massing on the beaches until they had sufficient force to push inland. The shallow Japanese defenses, although held with vigor, would eventually be overwhelmed, and American troops would move and capture the island. Although fighting in the Marianas had been tougher than expected, this overall methodology worked, and would be employed again at Peleliu.

Read More...

Bloody Peleliu
Only two minutes off schedule, on 15 September 1944, the first troops began landing at 0832, with the 1st Marines on the far left, 5th Marines in the middle, and 7th Marines on the right (southern) end of the beaches.(11) The regiments on the flanks were to move inland and wheel outward, while the 5th Marines was to push across the airfield to the eastern side of the island. Should this be accomplished as planned, the entire southern end of the island – better than half the entire land mass – would be in American hands, and the rest of the operation would be over quickly. Rupertus, apparently brimming with confidence in his men and himself, declared that Peleliu would be taken by the 1st MarDiv in only a few days.

more:
http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/peleliu/default.aspx

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. I was about to say the same thing.

Ya gotta wonder why they would ever name a task force for it.

How about "Task Force Pyrrhus"?

[SpiralHawk]

11. "You forget, I'm the Decider." - Commander AWOL

"And I have my own peculiarly occult reasons for doing the peculiar Decidership I do. Smirk."

- Commander AWOL

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. According to revisionist history, Peleliu was a huge victory..

Peleliu is the first U.S. Navy ship to carry the name Peleliu, and the second ship named in honor of the World War II battles fought in the Palau Islands. The first ship was USS Palau (CVE 122), a Commencement Bay Class aircraft carrier, which served from 1946 until being decommissioned in 1954.

Peleliu is named in honor of the 3rd Amphibious Force’s assault and capture of Peleliu Island in the fall of 1944.
Commissioning took place in Pascagoula, Miss., at Ingalls Shipyard May 3, 1980




Source: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/lha-5.htm

[hack89]

15. Not really - I think the ship commentates the bravery of the individual Marines

not the wisdom of their leaders.

[hack89]

14. The Navy names ships after famous battles

Amphibious ships are name after famous Marine battles. The USS Peleliu is the flag ship of this particular strike group.

[Ghost Dog]

5. I don't think this really needs a kick.

All systems go?

:-(

[The Doctor.]

7. I know if we invade or attack Iran,

I will be one of millions of people who will set course straight for DC to help shut it down.

Who needs a lift?

[Marie26]

8. Here's a guess

Maybe they'll be supporting the Marines who attack the "insurgent training camps" inside Iran. This Strike Force participated in an exercise where they did just that.

"In June 2003 the Peleliu ESG supported elements of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit as they took part in an urban training scenario using abandoned buildings that were once part of a radar range complex at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. The ESG also provided force protection to the Marines as they conducted operations ashore.

Marines went ashore June 11, 2003 to collect intelligence on the numbers of enemy forces and locations of equipment, to assist in planning the eventual strike on the site. The attack began at about 10 p.m., June 13, when a raiding force of about 60 Marines came ashore in small boats to assault the mock encampment. Pilots in AH-1 Sea Cobra attack helicopters orbited overhead, training to provide fire support for the Marines on the ground. During the assault, Marines used a measured amount of plastic explosive to blow the doors off their hinges; in a real-life scenario, the resulting explosions would also give the assaulting force a tactical advantage by stunning anyone inside. By midnight, the encampment was secure and the exercise was complete."

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/lha-5-westpac03.htm

[Pappy]

9. Onward Christian Soldiers!

[Plucketeer]

12. AMEN!!!

:grr:

[jonnyra]

16. While we are bickering over Hillary/Obama

The attacks against another nation which has done nothing to us are being planned. We are going to stand by while the terrorists in the white house launch another attack on innocent civilians.

You know people a massive march on Washington AFTER the terrorists attack Iran wont do a damn bit of good...the damage would have been done. Its clear something is about to happen...the media is pumping out propaganda daily. As soon as a report copmes out that Iraq has found little evidence of Iranian meddling in Iraq then here comes new reports that Israel (our terrorist ally) is claiming Irans nuclear capability is far greater than the world believes. Oh yeah...I believe the terrorists who are daily killing innocents in Gaza and eleswhere....sure. And of course the terrorists in the white house are always completely honest with we the people.

America and Israel are the worlds biggest terror threat. If do not demand an end to this before the attacks then we are complicit to these terrorist attacks. We know congress wont stop it. We know its coming...if we the people do not protest loudly and demand an end to this insanity we too become terrorists.

[JDPriestly]

17. They are going to go after Osama Bin Laden or at least make it look like they are.

He will probably be pronounced dead whether or not a body is found. That way, Bush can put an end to the accusations that he has not seriously pursued OBL. Since he is leaving office anyway, he does not need the OBL threat any more, and he wants to make sure that the next president does not investigate just why he did not find the guy in the many years since 9/11. The whole Bush fraud will be bared for all to see if the OBL story is not put to an end right before Bush leaves. The OBL threat will be of no use to Bush once he is no longer prsident, so it has to have an ending that makes Bush look like a hero.

This is total speculation -- but it just makes sense with what Bush has done thus far.

And the Marine unit going in is the best suited to go after OBL, since they were in Afghanistan when the original search for him took place. There may still be some men in that unit who know and remember the terrain and conditions.