24.07.2013 Views

The Coast News, Feb. 25, 2011

The Coast News, Feb. 25, 2011

The Coast News, Feb. 25, 2011

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

A14 THE COAST NEWS<br />

FEB. <strong>25</strong>, <strong>2011</strong><br />

Marine marksman show top skills at Depot Competition<br />

CAMP PENDLETON —<br />

For the past two weeks,<br />

Marines from Marine Corps<br />

Recruit Depot San Diego visited<br />

Camp Pendleton’s Edson<br />

Range to compete in the <strong>2011</strong><br />

Depot Competition in Arms<br />

Program in <strong>Feb</strong>ruary.<br />

This year’s gunner trophy<br />

was awarded to Bravo Range.<br />

This year’s overall winner,<br />

who out-shot more than 100<br />

competitors in both the rifle<br />

and pistol was Cpl. Jeremy<br />

Henemyer, infantry field<br />

instructor, Weapons Training<br />

Battalion, Camp Pendleton.<br />

Since Henemyer proved<br />

to be the single best shooter<br />

this year he has solidified his<br />

position on the MCRD rifle<br />

team and will compete in the<br />

Western Division Matches<br />

scheduled to begin March 8<br />

through March 19 at Camp<br />

Pendleton.<br />

<strong>The</strong> 12th Marine Corps<br />

Recruit District shooting<br />

team won the rifle competition<br />

and the 9th Marine Corps<br />

Recruit District took home<br />

the trophy for best pistol<br />

team.<br />

<strong>The</strong> annual competition,<br />

started in 1999, encompassed<br />

both the use of pistols and<br />

rifles as Marines competed on<br />

teams and as individual<br />

shooters. <strong>The</strong> purpose of the<br />

DCIAP is to help identify<br />

potential members of the<br />

CAMP PENDLETON — In<br />

honor of the many contributions<br />

made by the African American<br />

community to the United<br />

States, Camp Pendleton is taking<br />

part in observing Black<br />

History month throughout<br />

<strong>Feb</strong>ruary.<br />

In 1926, Dr. Carter Godwin<br />

Woodson, an African American<br />

historian, author and journalist,<br />

launched “Negro History<br />

Week,” so U.S. citizens could<br />

reflect on the history and contributions<br />

of African Americans.<br />

It wasn’t until 1976 that the celebration<br />

of black history was<br />

expanded to include the entire<br />

month of <strong>Feb</strong>ruary.<br />

<strong>The</strong> black community has<br />

aided in the development of our<br />

country in many ways, but one<br />

of the more commendable contributions<br />

is by defending it as<br />

United States Marines.<br />

Five African Americans<br />

throughout Corps’ history have<br />

been Medal of Honor recipients.<br />

Pfc. James Anderson Jr.<br />

laid the foundation by being the<br />

first black Marine to receive the<br />

Medal of Honor for his valiant<br />

actions during the Vietnam War<br />

in 1967.<br />

According to his Medal of<br />

Honor citation, Anderson and<br />

his platoon were advancing in a<br />

dense jungle northwest of Cam<br />

Lo in an effort to extract a heav-<br />

SHARPSHOOTER Marines gathered at Camp Pendleton’s Edson Range to compete in the <strong>2011</strong> Depot Competition in Arms Program in<br />

<strong>Feb</strong>ruary. Overall winner Cpl. Jeremy Henemyer will compete in the Western Division Matches March 8 through March 19 at Camp<br />

Pendleton.Courtesy photo<br />

MCRD rifle team, who then<br />

compete in the annual<br />

Western Division matches.<br />

“This was a great oppor-<br />

Pendleton honors first African-American Marines<br />

ily overwhelmed reconnaissance<br />

patrol. Anderson’s platoon<br />

was the lead element and<br />

had advanced only 200 meters<br />

when they were brought under<br />

intense enemy fire.<br />

<strong>The</strong> platoon reacted swiftly,<br />

getting on line as best they<br />

could in the thick terrain and<br />

began returning fire. Anderson<br />

found himself tightly bunched<br />

together with the other members<br />

of the platoon only 20<br />

meters from the enemy positions.<br />

As the firefight continued,<br />

several of the men were wounded<br />

by the deadly enemy assault.<br />

Suddenly, an enemy grenade<br />

landed in the midst of the<br />

Marines and rolled alongside<br />

Anderson’s head.<br />

Unhesitatingly and with complete<br />

disregard for his own personal<br />

safety, he reached out,<br />

grasped the grenade,pulled it to<br />

his chest and curled around it as<br />

it went off.<br />

Although several Marines<br />

received shrapnel from the<br />

grenade, his body absorbed the<br />

major force of the explosion,<br />

saving numerous Marines in the<br />

platoon.<br />

Since then, four other<br />

African American Marines, Pfc.<br />

Oscar P. Austin, Pfc. Robert H.<br />

Jenkins, Pfc. Ralph H. Johnson<br />

and Sgt. Rodney Davis, have<br />

sacrificed their lives in efforts<br />

tunity for Marines to compete<br />

with each other on the rifle<br />

range and for the Western<br />

Recruiting Region to identify<br />

to save those Marines at their<br />

side.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Medal of Honor is the<br />

highest military decoration<br />

given by the U.S. government.<br />

It is presented by the U.S.<br />

Congress to members of the<br />

U.S. Armed Forces who display<br />

heroism and unselfishness at<br />

its strong shooters for<br />

Division matches,” said Capt.<br />

Timothy Sparks, adjutant,<br />

12th Marine Corps District<br />

the risk of their lives above and<br />

beyond the call of duty while<br />

engaging in an action against<br />

an enemy of the U.S.<br />

Black Marines exhibited<br />

these qualities throughout history<br />

making it one more reason<br />

to honor those who have given<br />

the greatest sacrifice in defense<br />

and rifle team captain. “No<br />

expectations were put out for<br />

our team other than to just<br />

try our best.”<br />

MARINES HONORED In honor of Black History Month, Camp Pendleton recognizes the first African-<br />

American Marines to be awarded the Medal of Honor. <strong>The</strong> black community has aided in the development of<br />

our country in many ways, but one of the more commendable contributions is by defending it as United States<br />

Marines. Five African Americans throughout our Corps’ history have been awarded the Medal of Honor.<br />

Photo by Lance Cpl. Michelle S. Mattei<br />

of our country.<br />

In observance of Black<br />

History Month, the Camp<br />

Pendleton Chapter of the<br />

National Naval Officers<br />

Association hosted the <strong>2011</strong><br />

Black History Month luncheon<br />

at the base’s South Mesa Club<br />

on <strong>Feb</strong>. 23.<br />

During the event, a variety<br />

of competitions were<br />

held, including an individual<br />

and team pistol and rifle competition<br />

and a Gunner’s trophy<br />

competition.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Gunner’s match was<br />

a team event that simulated a<br />

faster-paced shooting style<br />

and participants were<br />

required to wear a flak jacket<br />

and kevlar.<br />

“<strong>The</strong> Gunner’s match<br />

was definitely motivating<br />

because we were doing the<br />

‘Marine’ thing,” said Sgt. Ted<br />

Fidelholtz, administrative<br />

clerk, MCRD San Diego. “We<br />

don’t get to run around in our<br />

flak and kevlar helmet too<br />

often, so I think it’s good to be<br />

able to take part in something<br />

like this.”<br />

During the competition,<br />

new challenges and difficulties<br />

were thrown in to mix-up<br />

the events. Usually during<br />

pistol qualification, competitors<br />

can fire with both hands.<br />

However, this year Marines<br />

were only allowed to use one<br />

hand to steady the weapon,<br />

making it more difficult to<br />

achieve sight alignment.<br />

“I knew every shot I<br />

took had to be perfect,”<br />

Henemyer said. “I wish I<br />

could take all the credit but I<br />

know I wouldn’t have been<br />

able to do it without my teammates’<br />

support.”<br />

Wounded<br />

Marines<br />

compete<br />

in trials<br />

CAMP PENDLETON —<br />

More than 150 wounded, ill<br />

and injured Marines, Marine<br />

veterans and international<br />

Marines and soldiers will participate<br />

in the inaugural<br />

Marine Corps Trials aboard<br />

Camp Pendleton.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Opening Ceremony<br />

and practices were held <strong>Feb</strong>.<br />

21. A Gold Medal basketball<br />

game was conducted <strong>Feb</strong>. 24<br />

and a volleyball game including<br />

a Gold Medal round and a<br />

Closing Ceremony was held<br />

<strong>Feb</strong>. 26.<br />

<strong>The</strong> event is hosted by<br />

the Wounded Warrior<br />

Regiment and will include<br />

individual and team competition<br />

in sitting volleyball,<br />

wheelchair basketball, swimming,<br />

cycling, shooting,<br />

archery and track/field. Four<br />

teams, East, West, Veteran<br />

and International, will go<br />

head to head for team gold.<br />

<strong>The</strong> international team will<br />

have athletes from the British<br />

Royal Marines, Dutch<br />

Marines and soldiers from<br />

TURN TO MARINES ON A15

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!