29th Infantry Division Lands on Marcala

FORT PICKETT -- Troops from the 29th Infantry Division’s 1st and 3rd Brigades landed on the north end of Marcala today to provide military support to the 80th Airborne Division. Besieged at Fort Pickett by President Carlos Rivera’s Marcalan Army, the 80th has been anticipating the arrival of the 29th forces. The Marcalan military are well established around the Fort’s perimeter, according to 80th Commander Maj. Gen. Fred Doyle.

"They have extensive defensive positions integrated with obstacles, tunnels and buried communications lines," said Ranger. "The 29th faces a tough fight breaking through the Marcalan defenses."

The 29th Division is deploying into Marcala through the next several days. In a landing operation early this morning, troops from 1/116th and 3/116th, were inserted by Blackhawk helicopters into strategic landing zones on the island. The troops were assisted by defensive fire from accompanying Cobra gunships.

For the insertion of 3rd Battalion units, the 229th Chemical Company, from Roanoke, Virginia, was tasked with the mission of laying down smoke to screen platoon movement into the woodlines. Because of the timing of the mission, "We had to com promise our usual procedures," said Capt. Gray Kendall, company commander. "Usually we’d be a click away from the site and we’d start earlier to let smoke drift into the area." Kendall said for the duration of the operation, the unit will continue to provide smoke for troop movement.

Landing operations were screened by smoke produced by the 229th Chemical Company.

The magnitude of this operation has tested the training and the mettle of 29th soldiers. "I felt more than prepared to do this mission," said 1st Lt. John Lewis. Originally from Tappahannock, Virginia, Lewis has been in the Virginia National Guard for eight years. "From a training standpoint, it’s very important that we have this opportunity to coordinate with a lot of units, whether we do a smoke mission or a recon. And that (coordination) is, in itself, half the battle."

As the operation unfolds over the next several days, the 29th Division units will link with the 80th Airborne Division to protect Fort Pickett and restore peace to the strife-ridden country.