The Coast News, Feb. 25, 2011
The Coast News, Feb. 25, 2011
The Coast News, Feb. 25, 2011
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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