Briefs

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NAVY

Divers helped clear harbor in Iraq

Fifteen sailors and officers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One returned to Hawai'i from Iraq recently after taking part in Operation Iraqi Freedom for more than two months. The unit members deployed to Kuwait on Feb. 25.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Eric MacDonald said that by March 24, MDSU-1 had headed into the Iraq port city of Umm Qasr. Among the unit's tasks was clearing a channel of derelict vessels.

MDSU-1 members also removed mines from patrol boats — at least one of which had sunk with mines on board.

"This is the first time since the Vietnam War that Navy divers did harbor clearance in a combat environment," MacDonald said.

MARINES

Kane'ohe radio battalion honored

The National Security Agency announced that the 1st Radio Battalion at Kane'ohe Bay has been awarded the Director's Cup as the Marine Corps' top tactical signals intelligence unit for 2002.

The battalion is being recognized for exceptional support of Marine Air-Ground Task Forces in the Central Command area of responsibility, where they operated from Afghanistan to the Horn of Africa.

The NSA will recognize the 1st Radio Battalion at a ceremony at the NSA headquarters at Fort Meade, Md., later this year.