From 1812 to 1815, the United States fought Great Britain, its colonists in Canada and its Native American allies. New York State was at the center of the struggle, with both land and sea borders with Canada and seacoast on the Atlantic Ocean. The bicentennial begins in 2012 and will include events in and around the state.

June 18, 1812 – Congress declares war on Great Britain.

July 19, 1812 – USS Oneida drives off several British vessels attempting to attack Sackets Harbort, NY.

September 21, 1812 – American troops cross St. Lawrence River and burn the Gananoque military depot.

October 18, 1812 – Maj. Gen. Stephen van Rensselaer fords the Niagara River near Lewiston, NY, with nearly 1,300 troops. An attempt to take the Canadian town of Queenston fails. 300 Americans are killed and 1,000 taken captive.

February 7, 1813 – New York militia capture Brockville, Canada.

February 22, 1813 – British raid and burn Ogdensburg, New York.

April 27, 1813 – Americans sack York, now Toronto.

May 27, 1813 – Americans capture Fort George in Canada.

May 29, 1813 – British attack Sackets Harbor Naval Base and are driven off.

August 7-10, 1813 – naval battle at the mouth of the Niagara River. British capture two U.S. ships.

September 11, 1813 – inconclusive naval battle off the mouth of the Genesee River

September 28, 1813 – naval battle in York Bay. Storm forces the two sides apart.

November 1813 – British bombard U.S. positions near French Creek, Clayton, NY. U.S. Army artillery forces one British vessel to scuttle.

November 11, 1813 – British troops pursue Americans south from Sackets Harbor and are met in battle at Crysler’s Field. Americans lose 120 men and are forced to abandon hopes of attacking Montreal.

December 19, 1813 – British capture Fort Niagara and raid the eastern shore of the Niagara River.

December 30, 1813 – British cross the Niagara. American forces fail to halt them in a battle near Black Rock. British burn Buffalo and Black Rock.

May 5, 1814 – British attack Fort Oswego. They take the fort and the town and then sail back to Canada.

July 1814 – American troops cross the Niagara again. They recapture Fort Erie. In a battle with British regulars at Chippewa Creek, the American force their retreat.

July 24, 1814 – the invading Americans meet British and Canadian forces at Lundy’s Lane. One of the largest battles of the war, both sides claimed victory. The cost was steep, some 1,600 casualties on both sides, and the Americans retreated to Fort Erie.

September 6-11, 1814 – British troops advance to the village of Plattsburgh, N.Y. The two sides fought a naval battle on Lake Champlain which the British lost. The British troops retired to Canada without further combat.

February 18, 1815 – President James Madison signs the Treaty of Ghent, ending the war of 1812.

May 23-30, 2012 – Fleet Week in New York City will include bicentennial events for the War of 1812

September 12-17 – Buffalo, New York to celebrate the bicentennial of the War of 1812

]]> http://northshorejournal.org/new-york-and-the-war-of-1812/feed 0 http://northshorejournal.org/200-years-after-the-war-of-1812 http://northshorejournal.org/200-years-after-the-war-of-1812#comments Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:21:26 +0000 Chuck Simmins http://northshorejournal.org/?p=18877

On the morning of September 12, 1814, a British force of 9,000 men landed at North Point, Maryland, with the intention of marching inland and capturing Baltimore. Brig. Gen. John Stricker, commander of the 3d Brigade of the Maryland militia, was ordered to delay the British advance so that the defensive entrenchments around the city could be completed. The 5th Regiment was assigned the task of holding the American right flank. Despite two hours of artillery and rocket fire, the 5th Maryland stood their ground. After inflicting some 300 casualties, the 5th was ordered to fall back to a new position in front of the Baltimore trenches. The British army, exhausted by the fighting and surprised by the stubborn defense of the Maryland militia, withdrew, while the British navy failed to silence the guns of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. Thwarted on land and sea the British force sailed away

On land and at sea, the United States and Great Britain struggled for three years in a war that many historians see as the final chapter of the American Revolution. From 1812 to 1815, the U.S. Navy was on the front lines worldwide as it fought the Royal Navy. At home, Canada and the U.S. were both battlegrounds as capitals burned and the tides of war flowed back and forth. The War of 1812 settled the issue, once and for all, of America’s relationship with Great Britain and established the new nation as quite thoroughly independent.

The approaching bicentennial of the War of 1812 is being commemorated by the United States and Canada in a series of events to be held all along the East Coast, through the Great Lakes and down in New Orleans. The U.S. Navy sees these events as a way to highlight the events of the time and to also feature the modern Navy with its current missions and capabilities.

The first event on the 1812 calendar is a visit to the last battlefield of the war, New Orleans. From January 6-8, 2012, the National Parks Service will remember the 197th anniversary of the battle immortalized by singer Johnny Horton.

As events are developed, they will appear on the Official War of 1812 Bicentennial website. The Navy has assisted in the development of an online game titled A Sailor’s Life for Me! which allows the player to experience the life and times of a sailor in 1812.

]]> http://northshorejournal.org/200-years-after-the-war-of-1812/feed 2 http://northshorejournal.org/george-washington-bridge-turns-80 http://northshorejournal.org/george-washington-bridge-turns-80#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:02:12 +0000 Chuck Simmins http://northshorejournal.org/?p=18754

1932 picture of the north side of the George Washington Bridge. From the Library of Congress collection

The George Washington Bridge was dedicated on Oct. 24, 1931 and opened for traffic the next day. The Port Authority, which operates the bridge, claims it is the busiest in the world, handling 106 million vehicles a year. Originally just one level, in 1962 a lower level was opened to increase the capacity of the structure by 75 percent.

Size
* 107,000 miles of steel wire used to suspend the bridge
* The bridge’s main span is 3,500 feet in length
* The towers supporting the main span are 604 feet high
* The bridge is 213 feet above the Hudson River
* The bridge is 119 feet wide

Traffic
* Originally was six lanes on one level
* In 1946, two lanes added
* In 1962, six lanes on a lower level added
* 300,000 vehicles per day

Records
* World’s longest suspension bridge from 1931 to 1937
* World’s only 14-lane suspension bridge
* Display’s the largest free flying American flag in the world on special occasions

The George Washington Bridge was an engineering marvel when it was constructed and remains so today. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has followed much of the original planning with the addition of the lower level and other changes over the last 80 years. It has also renovated the bridge, ensuring both user safety and prolonging the life of the structure.

There is a toll for drivers using the bridge from New Jersey to New York. The drive from Manhattan to New Jersey is toll free for passenger vehicles. It is estimated that the bridge generates $1 million per day in tolls. The south walkway of the bridge is open for pedestrians and cyclists, and there is no toll.

The George Washington Bridge bus terminal opened in 1963. In 2010 over 4 million bus passengers passed through the terminal from buses using the bridge.

Security concerns after the attacks of September 11 have resulted in restrictions on the lower level. Only automobiles are allowed, and at night only cars with an E-Z pass. The north walkway is closed because of safety concerns and lack of handicapped accessibility.

Shindand Air Base is under construction. It is slated to be the primary training site for the Afghan Air Force, as well as a key base for regional Afghan security forces.

An Afghan worker throws a rock into a well to test for water in a collapsed karez on Shindand Air Base in Herat province that provides water to a thousand families in a nearby village on March 7, 2010. Coalition forces hired workers from the village to dig out the karez to provide work for the families in addition to the restoration of their water supply. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

Coalition forces and local Afghan villagers worked together to reconnect access to an underground karez that supplies water for over 1000 families in a village just outside of Shindand Air Base in Herat province on March 7, 2011.

The 300-year-old karez, an underground aqueduct, runs through the air base and collapsed after heavy rains flooded the area in February.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Steve King, deputy commander for the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group at Shindand Air Base, says that the accessibility of Commander’s Emergency Response funds has financed the hiring of Afghans from the village to work on the Karez.

“Through the CERP funds, we were able to hire those villagers to come in and fix the situation,” King said. “It was a win-win situation. We were able to get their drinking water and the water for their crops and fields back flowing again, and at the same time being able to offer them work, so the counterinsurgency [COIN] effect is huge.”

Afghan workers dig out the dirt with their bare hands. The process isn’t how coalition forces usually do this kind of work but it is the traditional way for Afghans who have been maintaining the karez for generations.

Afghan workers hoist up a worker from a collapsed karez on Shindand Air Base in Herat province that provides water to a thousand families in a nearby village on March 7, 2010. Coalition forces hired the workers from the village to repair the karez in order to provide work for the families in addition to the restoration of their water supply. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

“We would never consider being lowered into a karez hole via a manual wheel where it is actually perfect for this environment and the work that needs to be done,” said King.

Safety is a main concern for all involved in the project.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Robert Hilker, 838th AEAG fire department assistant chief of operations, heads up the effort to keep everyone involved in the repair project safe.

“Because the operations that are going on are between 25 and 35 feet below the ground, there is a high probability for collapse,” Hilker said. “We are on point to provide immediate entry to pull out Afghans in the event of an emergency.”

Supplies and safety equipment are also being provided.

“We have provided them with hard hats, flashlights, better rope than they had, D-rings and carabiners, anything that we had that would make what they do safer,” said Hilker.

The reconstruction effort and employment of Afghans has had a mutual benefit.

“We are learning as much from them as they are from us.” King said. “It has dramatically increased the goodwill amongst ISAF, the Afghan air force and the local villagers.”

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Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Stephen Hickok

An Iraqi girl sings a song to Lt. Col. Gregg Athey of 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, before a ceremony to open the Babil Museum Sunday. The museum was renovated as part of a project implemented under the U.S.-Iraqi Strategic Framework Agreement to bolster tourism in the region. The project was supported by the Babil Provincial Reconstruction team, as well as the 3rd ACR. Photo by Staff Sgt. Garrett Ralston

The Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team, with support from 1st Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, officially opened the doors of the historic Babylon Museum Sunday.

The restoration of this historic landmark is a reflection of the U.S. Government’s commitment to implementing the Strategic Framework Agreement between the U.S. and Iraq, and these efforts will assist Iraq in preserving its heritage.

“I have been so privileged to participate in events such as these,” said Dr. Rick Roberts, of the Babil PRT. “This is the most important one of all to me. The city of Babylon is a treasure not just for the people of Iraq, but for the whole world.”

The newly renovated museum sits among the old Babylon ruins, a nearby palace, and other outbuildings that date back to the 3rd century B.C. Projects such as these are intended to preserve Iraq’s rich history and tradition for future generations.

The U.S. supported project cost nearly $300,000 and features a replica of the famous Ishtar Gate, several beautiful outdoor color murals, and architecturally appropriate front and side gates. The inside of the museum has many exhibits that bring the past to life. Some of these include a portion of a brick wall with the Lion of Babylon emblazoned on it, many backlit pictures of historical Babylon, and a model of the old layout of the city.

The efforts in Babil are intended to bolster a new basis for tourism and opportunities for the outside world to see firsthand the wonders of Iraq, both past and present.

Members of the 3rd ACR have worked with the PRT consistently to ensure the successful completion of this and many other local projects over several months.

Completion of the museum will bring new potential for Iraq’s history to reach new audiences and provide a way for its own citizens to access their heritage.

“A rehabilitated and protected Babylon site will create sustainable tourism development for the people of Babil province and ultimately, the world,” said Bob Wong, Public Diplomacy Officer for the Babil PRT.

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Story by Staff Sgt. Garrett Ralston

First Lt. Matthew Dean from Richmond, Ohio, 1st Lt. Di’Anna Newton from Hallettsville, Texas, and 1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa from Austin, Texas, explore the tomb of King Shulgi, the king of Ur who originally built the Ziggurat of Ur. The Ziggurat is one of Iraq’s many historical sites and is located just north of Camp Adder near Nasiriyah. All three soldiers are assigned to Company G, 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., 3rd AAB, 4th Inf. Div. (Army photo/1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa)

The soldiers of Maintenance Platoon, Company G, visit the historical Ziggurat of Ur. The Ziggurat is one of Iraq’s many historical sites and is located just north of Camp Adder near Nasiriyah. Company G is assigned to 3rd Bn., 29th FA Reg., 3rd AAB, 4th Inf. Div. (Army photo/1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa)

The soldiers of Company G, 3rd Battalion, 29th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division took a break from their support operations to experience some of the culture and history of Iraq.

The Ziggurat of Ur stands proudly outside Camp Adder and is believed to be 4,000 years old. While originally a temple to the moon god, it has become a symbol of honor for Iraqi ingenuity and culture, as well as being the birth place of the prophet Abraham.

Over the course of three weeks, the entire Company ventured out to the Ziggurat and met with the local tour guide Dhiaf Mahsen, who willingly shared his knowledge of Iraq as well as the historical site. The trip started with a trek to the top of the Ziggurat where Dhiaf discussed the history of the people of Ur, the significance of the Ziggurat and the temple that used to stand on top of it.

“It was really cool to stand on top of the Ziggurat and see the whole area we have been working in for months. It gave me a new perspective,” said Pvt. Dante Tate, of St. Louis, Mo.

While learning about the historical city of Ur, as well as the structural specifications of the Ziggurat, Soldiers also learned a few interesting bits of trivia from Dhiaf. They learned that the city of Ur had the first written law under king Ur-namu and that it predated the Code of Hammurabi by almost 300 years. Dhiaf shared that the first wheel had been built in the area and that despite its lasting impact on human society and technology, it was originally designed as a child’s toy.

“The wealth of knowledge we got from our guide was amazing. This guy knows his history,” said Spc. Dorian Johnson of Stoudsburg, Pa.

After the view from the top of the Ziggurat, the Ghost Riders headed down into the ruins of the Ur-namu Shugli Palace near the base. Despite being over 4000 years old, the Ghost Riders were able to see the original foundations and got to walk into the excavated royal tombs.

Within the tombs, many of the ancient technology fascinated the Ghost Riders. The door hinges made of wood tied to a door in a stone base and the ancient written language of cuneiform were particular favorites.

“It was amazing to be around all the old artifacts and structures,” said Spc. Cody Bryan of Dayton, Ohio. “The most interesting part was the three original bricks still engraved with cuneiform.”

The Ziggurat stands by the remains of the biblical prophet Abraham’s birth home and many soldiers were excited to see this portion of religious history in person. The house had fallen to its foundations over time, but was rebuilt in 1999.

“Actually seeing Abraham’s house and knowing an actual prophet lived there was really awesome and a once in a lifetime experience,” said Spc. David Adkins of Harker Heights, Texas.

The time at the Ziggurat and the surrounding historical sites was beneficial for the Ghost Riders and helped them understand a portion of Iraq’s history in a way they had not understood before.

“It was interesting to see something from so long ago still standing and show the ingenuity and progress of mankind,” said Johnson. “The trip was enlightening.”

The soldiers returned from their adventures feeling inspired and more connected to the history of the country they have been working to support.

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By 1st Lt. Theresa Ockrassa

The Ziggurat of Ur, sometimes called the 'Great Ziggurat of Ur' is a Neo-Sumerian ziggurat which is located in the city of Ur near Nasiriyah. Photo by Spc. Chastity Boykin

Among all of the construction that has been undertaken to rebuild the economy of Iraq, one project that was started over 4,000 years ago may hold the keys to the financial future as the site is reframed as a tourist attraction.

In the desert sands outside of Nasiriyah in Dhi Qar province, the ancient Ziggurat of Ur stands as a testament to the craftsmanship and hard work of its builders.

“To think of the amount of effort required to build the temple over four-thousand years ago and the sense of community and spirituality required to organize a project of this magnitude is overwhelming,” said Maj. Brian North

North, who is the executive officer of the 3rd BSTB, 3rd Advise and Assist Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, said that the architecture and the sheer size of the monument is something that the people of Dhi Qar take pride in as part of their continued legacy stretching from millennia ago to the present day.

“Those ties to the past are important,” said North.

The Ziggurat is made of a three-layered, solid mass of mud and brick with no chambers, said Mike Francis Dhaif Muhsen, Ziggurat curator and tour guide.

“The lower layer is from the original construction by Ur Nammu, while the two upper layers were restored during the Neo-Babylonia era,” said Muhsen, who hails from nearby Tallil, Iraq.

Also found at the site are examples of cuneiform, one of the earliest forms of writing. The markings can still be seen on bricks that lay among the ruins of the city of Ur, along with one of the oldest surviving archways. Still more archeological treasures are thought to lie just beneath the surface as only 20 percent of the complex is believed to have been excavated.

The possibility of even more discoveries there has led to the site being seen as a major tourist attraction in the region, with the potential to bring in tourist dollars to the area.

But after weathering thousands of summers in the hostile environment of Mesopotamia, a new hazard threatens to rain destruction upon what remains of the site.

Insurgent rocket attacks launched against nearby Camp Adder have come dangerously close to damaging the Ziggurat along with the other structures that stand nearby. The recent explosions and impacts in the surrounding area may have already done irreparable harm to what had yet to be uncovered.

Furthermore, the continued threat of attacks has harmed the local economy by keep visitors, and their cash, away.

How the locals handle the security situation in the region will undoubtedly affect whether or not the region will see a rebirth in their fortunes, economic or otherwise. Bringing peace to the area after years of conflict would be another monumental achievement in the long and resilient legacy of Iraqi people’s ability to rebuild.

“Walking through the ruins,” said North, “you can clearly get a sense of the pride Iraqis have in their history.”

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Story by Spc. Chastity Boykin

A 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldier peers into a courtyard at the Babylon Ruins site. The soldier is part of a team surveying the site for a renovation project in the Babil province of Iraq. Photo by Staff Sgt. Mark Albright

What’s old will become renewed as the Babylon Historic Ruins Museum undergoes a facelift. Local contractors have begun the renovations under the coordinating efforts of museum officials and the Babil Provincial Reconstruction Team.

“We are working hand-in-hand with the Provincial Governor and we are just doing one step at a time,” said Lou Simonetti, Infrastructure Essential Services Team Lead Engineer of the Babil PRT.

The project focuses on the renovation and restoration of the museum, the exhibits, archeological artifacts, and upgrading security at the gates. Once complete, the project will benefit the economy of the province by boosting tourism there, said Simonetti.

The project will also provide a benefit to students of all age groups as they come to visit the ruins and learn about its history, said Lt. Col Brian Radliff, Regimental Deputy Commanding Officer, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment

The project is scheduled for completion in three months at the cost of just over $200,000. The site contains Nebuchadnezzar’s Palace, Alexander the Great’s Palace, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and several other temples.

“Our current focus in the last stage of our operation here is to continue to develop the Iraqi economic infrastructure within the local communities,” said Radliff. “Improving tourism, and specifically, ecotourism, with projects like the Babylon Ruin Museum will have economic benefits.”

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Story by Staff Sgt. Mark Albright

Juan Alsace (right), an embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team leader, examines a piece of clay pottery found at the Sobbar Abu Habba historical site near Mahmudiyah, Nov. 4. Alsace joined Soldiers of the 120th Combined Arms Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, and officials from the Iraq Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism to survey ancient historical sites to build protective fences to discourage looters. Photo by Sgt. Jon Soles

What may look like large, weathered mounds of dirt in rural farmland near Mahmudiyah are actually artifact-filled ruins of an ancient civilization.

Soldiers of the North Carolina National Guard’s 120th Combined Arms Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, surveyed the sites, here, recently, with officials from the Government of Iraq’s Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism to examine ways to preserve and protect two ancient Sumerian sites from looters.

The complexes of dirt mounds — Tal Aldair and Sobbar Abu Habba — were once Sumerian city walls outside of what is today Mahmudiyah, south of Baghdad. Pottery and clay tablets with the world’s first form of writing, Cuneiform, are known to be in the mounds. The Sumerian culture is the oldest civilization in the world, dating back to the 6th century B.C.

“It’s for the world and not just Iraq to preserve these world heritage sites because a lot of folks know it as the cradle of civilization,” said Morrison. “These [Sumerians] were the first people we know of in history to be able to write and keep records and those are the kinds of artifacts that are here today.”

The sites have already seen looting, and the GoI officials and archaeologists want to prevent more plundering by erecting security fences and a guard shack at the mounds.

“It has been identified as one of those sites that have been an easy target for looters over the years because of close proximity to Baghdad and because of turbulence in Iraq’s history,” said Maj. Charles Morrison, executive officer for the 120th CAB. “We’re working with the Ministry to secure the site for preservation and future excavation. It’s important for the Iraqi people, especially to preserve their heritage.”

Morrison, an infantry officer from Nashville, N.C., is taking a lead in the project. A self-described history buff, Morrison formerly worked for the North Carolina of Archives and History. He said he is particularly interested in helping the Iraqis preserve a site that is 4,000 years old.

Nouri Obeyd Kathem, an archaeologist with the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism, led Morrison over the mounds. Thousands of years of erosion have worn down the once city walls and temple structures, exposing countless pieces of clay pottery and other artifacts. Many more are still buried in the centuries-old mounds.

“They have been with us today to make sure we don’t damage any of the archaeological sites when we emplace the fence and scope of work,” said Morrison. “We’re trying to work hand in hand with the government to make sure we do what they want in terms of preserving the site.”

The plans call for security fences and possibly guard shacks to protect the sites. Signs would also be erected to let Iraqis know about the historical significance of the sites.

One of the legacies American Soldiers can leave behind in Iraq as the troop drawdown continues is a fence that will help preserve an ancient site that will continue to be a symbol of the nation’s ancient history and culture.

Story by Sgt. Jon Soles
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A chaplain's assistant reads while Soldiers tour St. Elijah's Monastery, June 11, at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Chad Menegay

The abandoned, sixth century St. Elijah’s Monastery of Ninawa province, Iraq, once a center for the regional Christian community, served the Army chaplain community, June 11, and brought two old friends back together in study and prayer.

Seven years prior, 1st. Lt. Brandt Klawitter, chaplain with the 14th Transportation Battalion, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and a Hermann, Mo., native, and Capt. Matthew Christensen, chaplain with the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment and a Kalispell, Mont., native, studied biblical archaeology together, but never imagined that one day they would walk within the deteriorating walls of a possible archeological cache and pray at its altar.

It seemingly happened by chance.

As Klawitter scanned his ID card at the entrance to the dining facility at Contingency Operating Base Diamonback, Iraq, he looked up to see his friend, Christensen, wandering around looking for coffee.

The two had no idea one another was visiting troops at COB Diamondback at the same time. Klawitter’s office of operations is at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and Christensen’s at Contingency Operating Base Taji, Iraq.

They caught up over breakfast.

Capt. Matthew Christensen -from left-, chaplain with the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, and a Kalispell, Mont., native; 1st Lt. Brandt Klawitter, Chaplain with the 14th Transportation Battalion, 13th Sustainment Command -Expeditionary- and a Hermann, Mo., native; and 1st Lt. Geoffrey Whitaker, garrison chaplain with Regimental Fires Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 13th ESC and a Murphy, N.C., native, enjoy a tour of St. Elijah's monastery, June 11, at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Chad Menegay

Klawitter and Christensen met during postgraduate work in 2001 at Concordia University in Seward, Neb. They had Greek and Hebrew classes together. They continued studies at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

They also started Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course together.

“We were friends so we signed up for the same summer,” Klawitter said. “We rode down together in his minivan to Fort Jackson, S.C. I babysat his kids before. His Family came out to my Family’s house. He helped my dad and I put in a rail fence.”

Klawitter described Christensen, who was previously a diesel mechanic in the Army, as accomplished and squared away.

“He grew up in the mountains of Montana,” Klawitter said. “His dad runs mules and horses up at Glacier National Park.”

Christensen described Klawitter as both a people person and an intellectual.

“If you have any kind of issue, he’s one of the guys you could call at anytime,” Christensen said.

Klawitter said it is a real blessing to have a good friend in Iraq.

“He’s one of those friends you trust in, you depend on, you’ve been through different life experiences with,” Klawitter said. “I give him a call every once in a while just to say ‘hi.’ When we get together, we compare notes about what’s worked and what’s not.”

Of course, this time around the chaplains did more than just catch up; they visited a 1,500 to 1,700-year-old building together, the oldest, still standing Assyrian monastery in Iraq.

1st Lt. Geoffrey Whitaker, garrison chaplain for Regimental Fires Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and a Murphy, N.C., native, leads weekly St. Elijah’s monastery tours at the southwest corner of COB Marez, a base connected to COB Diamondback.

He put together a VIP tour for Klawitter, Christensen and their chaplain assistants.

“The tours boost interest in spirituality,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker has been working to build interest in stabilizing the monastery to preserve the building and the Christian heritage it holds.

Recently, the RFS mayor’s cell’s coordination with Iraqi and U.S. agencies has paid off, as St. Elijah’s has made an Iraqi government list of sites to be preserved.

“The Iraqi facilities engineering team is working on a full blown plan with diagrams, a timeline and cost of materials,” Whitaker said.

Whitaker said the monastery is Iraqi history. As such, the Iraqis should lead the process of preservation, with Americans only helping.

1st Lt. Brandt Klawitter, chaplain with the 14th Transportation Battalion, 13th Sustainment Command -Expeditionary- and a Hermann, Mo., native, listens to a lecture during a tour at St. Elijah's Monastery, June 11, at Contingency Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. Chad Menegay

“In this day and age you don’t think of Iraq as having much to do with Christianity,” Klawitter said, “but there actually is a history over here, just like in Turkey there is a ton of Christian history.”

Klawitter said St. Elijah’s was something adventurous to check out.

“A lot of Soldiers now don’t go outside the wire and see much of the Iraqi culture and history,” he said. “To see something of cultural value, of religious significance, it reminds you of another side of this land that doesn’t have to do with the present war.”

Klawitter and Christensen said during the visit they felt tied historically to the Christians who came before them to the monastery.

They said they thought back to their biblical archaeology class and wondered what they might dig up if they actually had the chance to excavate.

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Story by Sgt. Chad Menegay

Maj. Wolfgang Von Aspe, a KC-130 pilot with the VMGR-234 detachment here, admires a ceramic mosaic during a visit to an artisan village with his Marines. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Paul Greenberg. Click on pic for a larger image.

Marines deployed here for exercise African Lion stepped outside their comfort zone May 29 to travel several hundred kilometers by bus to visit the historic Moroccan city of Fes and indulge in the local culture.

A detachment of Marines and sailors from Marine Aerial Refueling Squadron 234, a Marine Forces Reserve unit based in Fort Worth, Texas, is here on a two-week reserve summer deployment in support of this theater security cooperation exercise.

Over the course of about 17 days in country, the Marines are conducting both day and night operations in their KC-130 aircraft with the Royal Moroccan Air Force, performing their primary mission of refueling the Moroccan F-5 jet fighters while in mid-air.

In addition, the squadron is a key logistical arm of the Task Force, moving hundreds of troops around and out of the country.

However, all work and no culture can make a deployment a drab experience to quickly forget.

“This is good for the Marines to learn something about Moroccan history and culture,” said Sgt. Khalid Tament, a Moroccan Gendarme who accompanied the Marines on the tour.

Tament, who is fluent in English, French and Arabic, formed friendships with the Marines in the squadron while working on the Royal Air Base here. He assisted the tour guide and gave the Marines advice on bargaining for the best price for artisan goods in the shops.

“Today, they don’t have to worry about missions,” said Tament. “Today they can relax and be tourists and experience the real Morocco.”

The Marines and sailors spent most of their day in the Fes el Bali Medina, which is one of the oldest in the country. It was constructed in its current configuration in the 9th Century, and remains both a world-renowned tourist attraction and a routine place of commerce for locals.

“When you hear the word ‘Balak!’ that means get out of the way,” instructed Mohammed, the troops’ tour guide. “When you hear that, it means that a donkey cart will be coming through.”

Although the narrow walkways of the medina are off-limits to all vehicle and bicycle traffic, donkeys laden with produce and other goods clopped along the pavement behind their masters.

The Marines heeded the instruction of their guide, and backed against the walls or jumped into doorways to stay out of the way of the animals.

While in the Medina, the Marines had the chance to visit a traditional leather tannery which dates back to the 13th Century. The guide explained the leather tanning process in detail, and handed each of them a sprig of mint. He instructed them to shove the mint into their nostrils to ward off the strong stench of the tanning dyes, which are made primarily from pigeon excrement, limestone and salt.

Next to the tanning vats was a multi-tiered store with a maze of narrow doorways and stairwells. The walls of each room were lined with leather goods. One floor had jackets; another pants; an entire room was filled with handbags and backpacks of indeterminate age and endless variety of design. One Marine described the store as “a scene out of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.”

Despite the aroma, which ranged from mild to noxious depending on the room’s proximity to the tanning vats, the Marines bargained with the vendors and bought leather jackets, backpacks and various other items.

Staff Sgt. Kevin Powell, a KC-130 power lines mechanic with VMGR-234, shops for ceramic pottery during a tour of an artisan village here May 29. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Paul Greenberg. Click on the pic for a larger image.

“It was really interesting,” said Staff Sgt. Seth Cavarretta, a squadron maintenance controller and airframes mechanic. “I really liked walking through the medina, seeing all the windy passages, artisans at work in the shops, the garments, and the spices.”

After several hours of touring the Medina, the troops were overdue for lunch. Their guide took them to a traditional Moroccan restaurant in the medina. They had their choice of couscous, tajine or pastilla.

“Too often, Marines go to foreign countries and only focus on the mission. They get stuck in their workspaces and don’t get out to really experience the culture. This is an important part of their deployment. They only get four days off out of the 25 days that we’re on this mission, and I wanted to make sure they got to see this,” said Maj. Mike Quirk, the VMGR-234 detachment commander.

“This is especially good for the maintenance Marines, who don’t get to deploy a lot,” said Quirk. “They spend most of their time back on the flight line in Fort Worth. So it’s really important that they get out and can experience this type of thing.”

After lunch, the group departed Fes, driving on a country road through lush rolling hills and fields of hay, vegetables, grazing livestock, vineyards and pungent olive groves.

“This looks just like central California,” commented Sgt. David Goldblatt, one of the squadron’s KC-130 loadmasters, who hails from the Golden State.

They passed through the city of Meknes and back into the country again, arriving at the final stop on their tour.

The Marines got out of their mini-buses and entered the site of the ancient Roman city of Volubilis.

Marines from VMGR-234 take a sightseeing tour of the ancient Roman city of Volubilis here during a day-long trip through Fes and the surrounding region May 29. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Paul Greenberg. click on pic for a larger image.

These crumbling pillars, walls and columns represent the remains of a bustling city built by the Romans more than 2,100 years ago.

The troops hiked and climbed around the site with the European tourists there, taking photos and reading inscriptions.

“It was pretty amazing that this was the Romans’ western outpost at one time,” said Sgt. Alan McBride, an Active Reserve Marine from Yuma, Ariz., who works in the squadron’s flight operations department. This is McBride’s first overseas deployment in his six years in the Marine Corps.

“I didn’t realize that the Roman Empire stretched this far south,” commented McBride. “This has really been a great trip.”

The troops headed back to Kenitra as the sun set over the horizon.

Shortly after their return, U.S. Navy Capt. John Howard, the squadron’s reserve flight surgeon, explained the importance of this trip for unit cohesion and morale.

“It was terrific, a great opportunity to get away from work for a day to see more of the Moroccan people we’re working with. On the airfield and up in the air, you see a limited view of the country,” said Howard, who has a private family medical practice at home in Clarendon, Texas. “To see the people that the military represent in Morocco is great. You work hard and you relax on deployment. It’s important to have a good balance.”

DVIDS
By Maj. Paul Greenberg

Sunday is Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. There have been ethnic cleansings throughout human history, some far more thorough than this. What sets the Germans apart is their damn efficiency at the process.

No German living within 20 miles of a camp could have not known of it. The traffic to and from, the guards coming in to town on leave, the odor of the dead and dying. Germans are human, too, and I suspect they were glad it was being done to someone else and not them.

Germany is in the process of erasing the dozens upon dozens of sub-camps that were associated with each of the major camps. For every Dachau, there were a host of smaller camps that were grouped about the main site. The Germans have preserved a select few major camps but are ensuring that the sub-camps will vanish into the maw of history.

Why? With four or five sites preserved, a casual observer could wonder at the truth of the numbers from the Holocaust. The museum sites could not have killed six million. Thus, denial becomes history.

Here is history:

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Pause a moment tomorrow and remember.

The ziggurat at Aqar Quf rises 180 feet above the desert west of Baghdad. Soldiers of the 16th Engineer Brigade's Survey and Design Team traveled to the ancient ziggurat in Aqar Quf, March 11, to assess and verify the electrical needs of two modern structures on the site. The U.S. Army 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, and Iraq's Ministry of Antiquities is seeking to restore the modern buildings around the site in an attempt to revitalize tourism in the area. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Robbins)

Soldiers from the 16th Engineer Brigade Survey and Design team conducted a site assessment on several buildings at an historic site in Aqar Quf, 20 miles west of Baghdad to assess and verify the electrical needs of renovating two modern structures at the base of an ancient ziggurat there.

The ziggurat, a stepped, temple tower, is the Mesopotamian equivalent of the Egyptian pyramids. Aqar Quf’s ziggurat, rising 180 feet above the desert floor, was considered to be built more than three and a half millennia ago.

Recently, the Iraqi Ministry of Antiquities approached 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, for help with restoring some modern structures at the temple in order to attract visitors to the site which would revitalize the economy and preserve the temple.

The modern structures at the base of the ziggurat, built in the 1960s, functioned as a museum and administrative building throughout the second half of the 20th century. However, after years of war, the site is not what it once was.

“The administrative buildings have been degraded and looted,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Markel, from Chillicothe, Ohio, a member of the survey and design team.

According to Markel, the ziggurat and temple areas have suffered no damage but the modern buildings are in need of restoration work. The restoration, still in the planning stages, will eventually be completed by local Iraqi contractors.

“We came to the site to look at the electrical installation and to validate the existing scope of work for the electrical project,” said Markel.

“The museum had nothing electrical left in it; no lights, no switches, and wires have been literally pulled out of the walls,” said Spc. David Robbins from Cincinnati, Ohio, a member of the team, also sent to assess the site.

According to Robbins, even the electrical panels were removed from the museum and administrative buildings at some point, leaving holes in the walls.

“This was a functioning facility,” said Markel. “It’s now not functioning at all.”

Providing security, a member of the U.S. Army 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, looks down from the steps of the ziggurat at Aqar Quf, March 11, during a site visit by Soldiers of the 16th Engineer Brigade Survey and Design Team. The engineers traveled to the ancient ziggurat in Aqar Quf to assess and verify the electrical needs of renovating two modern structures on the site. The ziggurat, more than 3,500 years old, was once a popular tourist destination in Iraq. The site now lays dormant. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. David Robbins)

During their visit to Aqar Quf, Robbins and Markel had the opportunity to explore the ruins. They said the experience deepened their understanding of the significance of the museum and administrative buildings.

They were awe struck after exploring the ancient ruins.

“When I climbed the steps and was able to see the monument up close and the fine details about how it was constructed; it’s impressive to think that 3,500 years ago someone had constructed this,” said Markel. “It’s an engineering feat because it is still standing after all these years.”

Both Robbins and Markel said they hope their work will help reopen this historical site someday and bring tourists back to the area; including them.

DVIDS
By Spc. Brian Johnson

Capt. Michael T. Lanigan, the chaplain with Task Force Atlas, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Portland, Ore., and a Salem, Ore., native, explains the history and significance of Abraham's Oasis Jan. 4, during a tour of the oasis at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. Photo by Spc. Lisa A. Cope

In the past 4,000 years the terrain in Iraq has changed drastically, but according to the oral tradition of the Bedouins, one of the resting places along the biblical journey of Abraham from Ur to Canaan is located at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

The oasis at Al Asad, commonly referred to as Abraham’s Oasis or Abraham’s Well, would have been critical to Abraham’s travels through the desert.

Capt. Michael T. Lanigan, the chaplain with Task Force Atlas, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team out of Portland, Ore., has studied the Bible and the history of the site.

“Abraham’s oasis was one of the few stopping points that … according to the oral tradition of the Bedouins, was where Abraham and his family stopped before going on to Canaan, which is Jerusalem, the promised land, where God had called him,” said Lanigan, a Salem, Ore., native.

Travel from Ur, now Contingency Operating Location Adder, Iraq, to Al Asad can be accomplished in a matter of hours in present times, but Lanigan said he estimates Abraham and his family would have spent at least 58 days traveling this 700 mile distance on foot.

Although there is no proof that Abraham stopped at this particular oasis, Lanigan said it would have made sense for Abraham to have followed a path through this area.

“[Abraham] definitely traveled north, instead of going all the way west,” he said. “That would be a deadly march because there really is not any fresh water. So he had to have moved along the Euphrates [River].”

1st Lt. Amaris A. Cervantes, the staff duty officer in charge with the 36th Special Troops Battalion out of Temple, Texas, visited Abraham’s oasis Jan. 4 with Lanigan and a small group of Soldiers.

Cervantes said, because the oasis is considered a holy site, the Soldiers were asked to secure their weapons in the truck, away from the sacred place.

Her visit to the oasis is one of the special experiences the Army has made possible for her, said Cervantes.

“Just being here [in Iraq] has been pretty exciting,” she said. “A lot of people pay a lot of money to come do stuff like this, to go [visit] this religious site. I get to do it for fun.”

Lanigan said he facilitates trips to the oasis on a monthly basis, but smaller groups are easier to accommodate.

This experience is a good way to educate service members about the history of the land they are in, as well as give them a much needed break, said Lanigan.

“It is something to kind of get their minds off of always rolling out on missions,” he said. “[It helps them] realize there is something bigger and more important, significant, in this land than just electronics and warfare.”

He said the history behind the oasis is what makes it so special.

“That is why it is a pretty cool thing, to have some geographical tie to something spiritual,” he said.

DVIDS
Story by Spc. Lisa A. Cope

The PBS series, NOVA, broadcast a show on January 5, 2010 about the mysteries around the Japanese submarine attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I was able to participate in an interview with the researchers behind the work discussed on the program. While that show was generally accurate, there were some differences in emphasis and timing that did not agree with those of the original research.

Historians have recognized since 1941 that the Japanese augmented their air attack on the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor with a submarine attack. Some twenty submarines were deployed around the Hawaiian Islands, and five mini submarines were launched in an effort to penetrate the harbor and attack.

The public, fed by movies and a brief history lesson in school, believes that the attack on December 7 was by carrier based aircraft. This interview provides a clearer picture of that day and the actions of the Japanese mini submarines. The faux newspaper clipping above illustrates an alternative view of the days events.

Of the five mini subs that the Japanese launched, one was intercepted and sunk by the destroyer Ward well before the aerial attack began. Her reports were ignored in the early hours of December 7.

Pearl Harbor was protected by torpedo nets, but they had been withdrawn because of expected ship traffic. The nets did not extend to the bottom of the channels, and it would have been possible for the mini subs to sail underneath. If necessary, the subs were equipped with net cutting devices.

At about 8:30 a.m. local time, the USS Monaghan was sortieing in response to orders when it observed a submarine being attacked by two moored Navy ships. Monaghan proceeded at flank speed to where the sub had been seen with the intent to ram the sub. It also launched a depth charge attack. The actions of the Monaghan resulted in the sinking of that Japanese mini sub.

In 2004, a team of analysts including Mr. Peter K. Hsu, Mr. Carroll Lucas, Dr. and CAPT. Andrew Biache, USN(Ret) and CAPT. John Rodgaard, USN, published an article in the USNI Navy History magazine describing their work on a captured Japanese photo from the attack. That photo seems to show a Japanese mini sub broaching the surface, a torpedo wake and an explosion at the side of the battleship West Virginia. It also appears to show a second torpedo track aimed at the USS Oklahoma.

Until this point, there had been little reliable evidence that any Japanese mini sub had penetrated the harbor and been successful in conducting an attack. There are numerous accounts of sightings by survivors of the attack and ships reported contacts and conducting several attacks on presumed subs but concrete proof was limited.

Mr. Hsu discussed the evidence. In his expert opinion, the sub in the photo had been forced to the surface due to the cavitation and various pressure waves being generated by both the torpedo explosion as well as the air attack. Within the relatively shallow harbor, these explosions would bounce off vessels, the shore and the bottom and would be capable of lifting the mini sub to where it would surface.

The mini subs were designed to launch their two torpedoes from periscope depth. The torpedoes would have been set to run at sixteen feet.

The sub did not survive its attack but what happened to it remains a mystery. Its remains lie in a Navy dump, underwater. Photos clearly show that it was cut into pieces and the cables used to lift and tow those pieces remain attached. No record exists, however, of the capture or disposal of that submarine.

Here is some information about one of the subs that did not penetrate the harbor.

Japanese 2-man midget submarine grounded on the coral reef off Bellows Field

The Japanese midget submarine at Bellows Field was salvaged by a Navy crew, 1941.

A Japanese 2-man midget submarine grounded on the coral reef off Bellows Field, was commanded by Ens. Kazuo Sakamaki who swam ashore on December 8, 1941 and was captured.

The Japanese Mini submarine was 80-foot long 6-foot diameter, 46 ton displacement, battery operated with 600 hp motor. Launched from mother sub (I-24) arrived off entrance to Pearl Harbor late evening, December 6, 1941. Was grounded off Bellows Field on December 7, 1941.

State of Hawaii