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Tennessee Marines Patrol Uncharted Territory

by Lance Cpl. Stephen McGinnis

Marines of B Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment patrolled through unfamiliar terrain in their new area of operations.

Marines of B Company, 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment patrol through swamps and farmlands on the outskirts of Fallujah to disrupt insurgent movement throughout the area Dec. 10. Marines searched the area for any sign of insurgent activity and interacted with local citizens. The area is part of B Company's new area of operations, and they continue to keep a watchful eye on their new location. (photo by Lance Cpl. Stephen McGinnis).

Marines from B Company took a day off from patrolling the streets of Fallujah to patrol through marshes and farmland west of the city Dec. 10. They searched out insurgent trails suspected of being used to smuggle weapons into the city.

The battalion is currently conducting combat operations in the Al Anbar Province in direct support of Regimental Combat Team 5.

The area was rarely visited by Coalition Forces.

Marines met no resistance, but by the reaction of the people, it was obvious that they hadn't seen many Marines come through their farms in an extended period of time. The only obstacles Marines met were from Mother Nature. They trudged through swamps, farmlands and rivers.

"The area hasn't been patrolled in a long time," said Cpl. Justin W. Phillips, a 24-year-old infantry squad leader from Cookeville, Tenn. "We believe that the insurgents are using rat lines to bypass check points into the city and hiding weapons and improvised explosive device materials in the swamps and farmlands.

"The insurgents are dropping off their weapons, then coming into the city and picking them up later down the road to use against Coalition Forces," Phillips said.

Homes and warehouses were searched by Marines, but nothing was found to hint toward any insurgent activity.

"We patrolled through a river area, and as the main effort of the patrol, we went out and did some reconnaissance for future patrols," said Cpl. Robert T. Kazmerowski, a 26-year-old infantry squad leader from Nashville, Tenn.

The local children clung to the legs of their parents and kept a curious eye on the Marines as they passed through the open fields.

"The open terrain is helpful to us as infantryman because it allows us to more easily identify areas that could be used to attack us," Kazmerowski said. "It also makes it easier for us to keep accountability of our Marines and complete our mission as Marine riflemen."

The area is now under B Company's watchful eye after giving the Iraqi Army control over certain areas of the city previously patrolled by B Company Marines.

"It helped us get a view from the ground as to what kind of patrols and supplies we will need the more we patrol those areas," Phillips said. "It's a lot different seeing it from the ground rather than from a map on the wall."

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