Army, Navy loading up for war
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
In the military it's called "strategic mobility," and it was on display in a big way yesterday at Ford Island.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
Hundreds of 25th Infantry Division (Light) Humvees destined for Iraq were parked bumper-to-bumper on one of the aprons of historic Luke Field, next to more than 20 shrink-wrapped OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters.
Maj. Bob Lehman is surrounded on Ford Island by rows of 25th Infantry Division (Light) Humvees. The vehicles, along with helicopters and other combat gear, are being loaded onto the USNS Pililaau for shipment to Kuwait.
All are going into the belly of the 950-foot Navy Military Sealift Command ship USNS Pililaau.
When the Pililaau sails for the Persian Gulf in a few days, it will be carrying approximately 800 wheeled vehicles, 500 trailers, scrapers, bulldozers, the helicopters and around 300 shipping containers with weapons, night-vision goggles, camouflage nets, generators and other combat gear.
"You are starting to see the effect of the joint (Army and Navy) team coming together ... to facilitate the deployment process," said Lt. Col. Eric Criner, commander of the 17th Corps Support Battalion assisting in that process.
The ship will arrive ahead of 4,800 Schofield Barracks soldiers who will deploy in February to Kuwait, convoy into Iraq, and serve a year of duty in that country.
A similar load-up will take place for 3,500 Hawai'i-based soldiers leaving for Afghanistan in April.
Just less than 2,000 pieces of cargo will occupy 275,000 square feet in the Pililaau, named after Wai'anae native Pfc. Herbert Pililaau, who was killed covering his platoon's withdrawal in Korea in 1951 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5459.
