An American on Secondment
by Capt Keil R Gentry USMC

As I sat in on a planning conference between USIVIC, Royal Marines and US Army representatives 1 groaned inwardly, knowing that 1 and my very heavy pack, would be assigned to 45 Cdo RM and the hills. A few days later my three Marines and 1 joined 45. My Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) Team came from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina via 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). Our primary mission was to control US attack aircraft in support of Operation Provide Comfort (or Op Haven as the British Government chose to call it).

With CO 45  (Lt Col JJ Thomson OBE) Ops Offr (Capt De Jager)

As we pushed into the towns and villages of Northern Iraq we ejected the Iraqi soldiers and Secret Police, with an occasional gentle persuader in the form of Air Force A10s and Marine Cobra Attack helicopters. The companies occupied the towns, assessed the situation, cleansed the area of Iraqi forces and finally resettled the Kurdish refugees. With no formal civil affairs training, the officers and Marines rebuilt the infrastructure (mainly food, water and electricity) which drew the Kurds back in. 1 am convinced the longstanding British Imperialist spirit made the Marines naturals at this revitalizing process.

CSgt Dave Stocks with M&AW Cadre Team
walk through camp at Yessilova on Turkish border
accompanied by US Marines

The peculiar (for Marines) humanitarian mission brought out the eccentricity we Americans expect of you British. In one case, I would see a troop commander walking about the town with his entourage of Kurdish officials, carrying a cane and worry beads as badges of his office as unofficial Mayor. He reminded me of Kipling's 'Man Who Would be King'. As a measure of his success, though, his town grew in population from barely 300 to over 8,000. There was a feeling of camaraderie that binds all hands together. Within days, I felt that I was a regular member of the unit - I believe, however, that it was part of a plot hatched by the Adjutant to get me to stand watches (he succeeded). Mean­while, my Marines patrolled alongside Royal Marines, and enjoyed doing it. This was for us all, a most rewarding experience.