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Darkhorse
By Slab
I got my issue of the Marine Corps Times yesterday, was impressed with their cover story. They had a good article on one of the most storied battalions in the history of the Marine Corps, the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment. 3/5 used to call themselves "Consummate Professionals", but this was changed to "Darkhorse" in 2005. In the past year, 3/5 has been in the news after 7 Darkhorse Marines and one sailor were accused of killing a man in Hamdaniyah last April.
Marine Times, to their great credit, decided to focus on the valor and sacrifice of the Marines of 3/5.
In a large glass case, the images of two dozen Marines etched in wood and crystal glance from several shelves. Each piece represents the battalion’s fallen warriors, many young infantrymen who died in places like Fallujah and Ramadi, where they fought insurgents, patrolled neighborhoods and helped steady the fledging Iraqi government and security forces during three combat tours.On a nearby podium lie three binders, two bulging with pages of award citations detailing the actions of 3/5’s men in the intensity and stress of combat. The citations represent bravery, determination and courage — of fighting up stairwells, assaulting trenches, dodging wounds and gunfire to evacuate wounded buddies — and include nearly every level of commendation and decoration leathernecks can earn for their actions in war.
3rd Battalion 5th Marines, which has seen combat from WWI France to Guadalcanal, the Chosin Reservoir, Da Nang, and the Al-Wafrah forest of Kuwait, has been to Iraq three times, and is getting ready for a fourth trip this year. They were part of the "March Up" in 2003, participating in the seizure of Baghdad. In November 2004, they took part in the assault on Fallujah. And last year they returned to Iraq to operate in the Fallujah and Habbaniyah areas. Through all of this, 6 Darkhorse Marines have been awarded the Navy Cross - more recipients than any other unit in this war.
Not much is said about 3/5's deployment to Iraq last year. Unlike the race to Baghdad and the assault on Fallujah, there were no great climactic moments. If you didn't know any better, you might think it was defined by the Hamdaniyah incident. However, I had the distinct pleasure of working alongside several Marines from 3/5, as I was in direct support of the battalion's Military Transition Team for three months. The pride and professionalism of these guys was amazing.
The 3/5 MTT team, when they finally got to meet some of the advisors they would be replacing in Jazirah, were told that they would be going into "the scariest environment imaginable". Their new home would be a small Combat Outpost in an area that had never been under Coalition control. When the old MTT team was preparing to occupy this new COP, the leaders reconnaissance was almost a battalion-sized operation, complete with Bradley IFVs on overwatch. When the 3/5 MTT actually arrived, they found themselves engaging in gunbattles almost daily. Their COP was hit repeatedly by enemy mortars, and by March they had the dubious distinction of being the most heavily mortared base in Iraq. In May, the insurgents loaded a 14.5mm heavy machinegun (similar to the Chinese Type 75 pictured here) in the back of a truck and attacked the COP. The Marines of MTT 3/5 loaded into a Humvee, drove out to meet their attackers, and brought back the heavy machinegun after killing or driving off all of their attackers.
That was a few days before I arrived. Within a few weeks it became apparent that MTT 3/5's aggressiveness had caused the enemy to give up direct attacks in favor of indirect methods such as IEDs and occasional mortaring. The Iraqis near the COP began to spend more time outside their houses, and they started to let their children play in the fields. Several of them thanked the 3/5 Marines for making the area safer. One even asked to pose for a picture with the gunnery sergeant who shot him accidentally during a heated gunfight weeks before.
Links to the citations for all 6 Navy Crosses are below the jump. It is stories like these, not Hamdaniyah, that make up the legacy of the consummate professionals of the Darkhorse Battalion. Remember to raise a glass in their honor at your next opportunity.
Lance Corporal Joseph B. Perez
Private First Class Christopher S. Adlesperger
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Comments
Great post. The Marine I shack up with brought that edition home last night and we read it. I love their simple yet poignant motto, "GET SOME."
Slab - thanks for the post. I had not heard CPL Clairday's story. We don't get any Navy Cross stories in the local papers, although I try to monitor different websites to stay informed about them.
Good excuse to break out the Woodford Reserve tonight...
"Remember to raise a glass in their honor at your next opportunity."
CHEERS!
I was embedded with 3/5 before, during, and after Operation Al Fajr recording their actions for the Marine Corps History Division. I lived with them in just about every one of their outposts at some point in time and accompanied them in the city during kinetic operations.
I can say without reservation that Darkhorse continued to lead the heroic charge begun by it's earliest warriors. What most observers haven't seen is that the heroic actions well-up in this battalion from the most junior Marine to the very top - the battalion commander. At all command levels during the fight you had leaders placing themselves between the enemy and the members of the unit - no matter the size. PFC's, mortally wounded defending their stricken fireteam on the roof-tops, Company First Sergeants and Gunnys leading and resupplying under terrific amounts of fire, Bn Gunners directing fire, and the BN CO and XO both rushing into buildings to kill insurgents and relieve wounded Marines. All these actions occured in "close combat" - indeed, most actions occurred with insurgents merely feet away behind a door or hallway, hurling grenades and spraying the area with AK fire. Additonally, most observers do not know the first four days of the assualt do not address the total amount of time spent clearing the city. Darkhorse went on to spent an additional 60 days in the city (until Dec 24th) clearing the city room by room (under the leadership of the Bn XO who put together the fabled Task Force Bruno). TF Bruno was an adhoc conglomeration of that type of Marine Corps unit which our history is full of - an group of cooks, bakers, and candlestick makers from HS Co, along with regular infantry, who, determined to get their shot at fighting the enemy, ceaselessly cleared that warren of rooms and improved fighting postions. It was during this period that the Bn saw significant action as it encountered the most diehard and determined jihadists who had holed themselves up preparing to die for what they beleived in. The jihadists would build positions in which there was only one way in, and one way out. To say that this one battalion was the "most herioc" in Fallujah certainly does not do all the units of RCT-1 and RCT-7 justice - they all fought heroically - but, I can say that Darkhorse continued the long illustrious history that they strived to live up to. I was honored to be a witness.
Sir, thanks for that addition. Several of the Marines on the MTT fought in Al Fajr, including Lt "Soup" Campbell, Lt Kimener, Gunny Anderson, and SSgt Newman. It was an honor working alongside these guys.
Although I have no copies left, I am again getting requests for my two volume book, "The Faces Behind The Names", profiling #562 men who were killed in Vietnam. So, I am planning a re-print this fall. Take a look at my web site and see if you would like to have copies of these hhistorical books, and e-mail me first. Thank you.
Don Ward (Ltjg Navy - '65)
Pattaya, Thailand
www.mpress.addr.com
I served with India 3/5 from Jan 73 to June of 74. Also, served in the Tonkin Gulf with the 7th Fleet in 1972. Just wanted to thank all my 3/5 Brothers for their sacrifices.
Cpl M.C. Mannell, USMC '71-'74
2nd Sqd Ldr, 2nd Platoon
India Co. 3/5
1st Mar Div.
My first active duty command was 3/5. Located atop Camp Margarita at the time, it was one of the best tours of duty I ever had. The brotherhood of this command was incredible. LtCol J.A. Kelly, BNCMDR was an Irish hard charger who could motivate the worst "non-hacker" to be a "hardcharger." Routinely running the 10 mile Lake O'Neil fun run up Margarita River in Utes and Boots. Simply running the battalion was no easy task, yet so few Marines dropped out, they wanted to finish with their commander. Prior to Col. Kelly, it was LtCol Hayes. I had the opportunity to serve under Col. Hayes only for a short time. Col. Hayes wanted to leave his mark on the battalion by taking all of us on a 100 mile hump, full gear from Salton Sea back to Camp Pendleton. 20 miles a day for 5 days was an incredible achievement especially the logistics. Marching proudly, the battalion was welcomed with warmth and patriotism from many of the townsfolk in the towns that we passed. Back to Col. Kelly, before our 1984 rotation back to the "rock" (Okinawa), we had prepared for our MCREST. Any Marine salty Grunt knows what it takes to pass a MCREST and believe you me it is no easy task. Col. Kelly was adament about breaking the 20 mile final hump in under seven hours with full gear (and I mean full)without losing more then 10% of the battalion. The MCREST was a complete success and I will never forget humping that old KY-38 and PRC-77. If you are familiar with Camp Pendleton, you know it's not flat and I swear that after we finished, I could not walk for four days. I had no control over my legs. Kind of a waste of a "96." So many good times, good training and good men. God Bless 3/5 and all of the men who have served past and present.
I served with my 3/5 brothers in fallujah. I would like to thank all of you who show us so much support in your kind words. It means more than the yellow ribbons, or bumber sticker flags ever will. I sincerely thank you and wish you a life time of freedom and happieness.
Cpl Ben Jones '03 '07
3/5 India Co. 2nd Plt.
1st Marine Div.
There is not a day that i don't remember my fallen plt mates and there couragous stories. It makes me tear when i remember the long hikes and bumin' of smokes long poker nites, and stories of home while on patrol/post of adelsperger-kilo, Hodges-kilo, Morrow-jump, Ramierez'cheecks'-jump , plougher-jump, as well as the guys I didnt know as well. 3/5 will live on well past me, as well as the Marine Corps. yut-yuttt
I am a mother of a Marine of the 3/5. Cpl Jason W Morrow was KIA in the Al Anbar Provance of Iraq in June 2006. I am very proud to have been part of the Dark Horse Family and know the kind of men my son served with. They are truely the Best of the Best. I have nothing but respect, love and admiration for the 3/5. I believe my son was a better human being for earning the right to be a Marine. He love the Marine Corp, the men he served with and the people he helped protect. God Bless the Marines!!!
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Meaning no disrespect to the other branches of the U.S. Military or the other contributors of OPFOR, but that two of my uncles made it home at the end of World War 11 is a direct result of their having served alongside members of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Sadly, and much to my displeasure, the MSM here in Canada are also focusing on feeding the public daily diatribes of negative news on all of our Troops. I steadfastly believe that one cannot judge the actions of combat Troops, unless one was there under fire. This is not blind patriotism on my part, as I've seen too much to blindly believe in anyone or anything. Aside from being only concerned for the Marines who were charged, I do have a great many concerns for the Marines in their unit still in Iraq. It was also disheartening to witness the media continuing to portray all of the Marines of the 3/5th in as negative a light as possible. Equally disheartening is that so many of the public appear to want to believe only the negative. Why so many turned away from fully supporting our Troops in this war? There are so very many like you, Slab, who have returned from Iraq witnessing the progress that's being made, and yet that news appears in very few places other than here on OPFOR. Well, this civilian is interested so please keep posting. Thank you, sir.
Veritas et Fidelis Semper