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U.S. Marines with 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Assault
Amphibian Battalion and 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division,
Marine Forces Reserve, came together in wake of Hurricane Harvey to
conduct search and rescue missions and provide disaster relief to
effected areas of Texas and Louisiana, Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2017.
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August 31, 2017 - Marines with Charlie Company, 4th Reconnaissance
Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, along with a
member of the Texas Highway Patrol and Texas State Guard, patrol
past a flooded house in Houston, Texas, August 31, 2017. Hurricane
Harvey landed August 25, 2017, flooding thousands of homes and
displaced over 30,000 people. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl.
Niles Lee)
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Hurricane Harvey was a storm of record breaking
proportions, dropping an estimated 27 trillion gallons of
water or 51 inches of rain in areas of both Texas and
Louisiana. U.S. Marines supported lead federal agencies and
worked closely with state and local officials to conduct
search and rescue missions. With flood waters rising to
record proportion, the Marines’ amphibious capabilities,
which make them unique amongst the services, allowed them to
swiftly rescue residents in distress.
The U.S.
Marine Corps Reserve is exceptional in its ability to
respond quickly to any call and to flexibly conduct
operations through air, logistics and ground elements. For
example, the Marines rapidly mobilized and used their
amphibious assault vehicles designed to transport Marines
from ship to shore for rescuing approximately 327 residents
from flood affected areas.
“We were called up to
come out and provide humanitarian assistance to the local
population,” said Gunnery Sgt. Alan Daigle, a platoon
sergeant with 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion, 4th Marine
Division, Marine Forces Reserve. “We got the call to come
over to east Texas, into Beaumont, Lumberton and Port Arthur
areas. So we’ve been doing humanitarian missions, going out
with the swift water rescue survival team and finding areas
that traditional military vehicles cannot get in and out of.
The amphibious assault vehicles help us get to those areas.”
Marines from 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th
Assault Amphibian Battalion and Marine Light Attack
Helicopter Squadron 773 rescued almost 1,300 locals and
countless animals from the affected areas.
“We got
our first mission to Clearview, Texas, to help the local
Pfc. Samantha Schwochities there to go to these neighborhoods that were
unreached,” said Sgt. Brad L. Coats, a reconnaissance Marine
with 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division,
Marine Forces Reserve. “They had us going house to house via
Zodiac, which is our combat rubber rafts, checking on the
individuals that were in these houses to see if they wanted
to be rescued or if they needed supplies.”
The units
from Marine Forces Reserve focused on life-saving efforts
throughout south east Texas, where many of the Marines are
from. Charlie Company, 4th AAV Bn is located in Galveston,
Texas and 4th Reconnaissance Bn, in San Antonio. The Texas
based Marines have longstanding relationships in the
surrounding communities where they live and work.
“We have a personal responsibility to pull together because
it’s like our home is being invaded in a way,” said Staff
Sgt. Travis Hough, a reconnaissance Marine with 4th
Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th MarDiv, MARFORRES. “Since all
of us are from San Antonio and the surrounding areas
essentially it’s more than just a duty but more of a
personal responsibility to help out our fellow communities,
it’s the best part about having that special bond together,
especially in Texas.”
By U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Samantha Schwoch
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
The U.S. Marines
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