Home > Some 14,000 Marines, sailors expected to be sent to Iraq in Jan.

Some 14,000 Marines, sailors expected to be sent to Iraq in Jan.

by Open-Publishing - Sunday 31 October 2004

Wars and conflicts International USA

(Camp Lejeune, North Carolina-AP) Oct. 28, 2004 - Officials say about 14,000 Marines and sailors, including some from South Carolina, will head to western Iraq beginning in January.

Camp Lejeune in North Carolina has announced that the troops of the Two Marine Expeditionary Force should be in control of its assigned area by late March.

Most will come from units based in North Carolina, though some other Navy and Marine personnel, including reservists and aviators from South Carolina, will be involved. No word on which specific Palmetto State units could be called. The group will include air and ground troops and support units.

US officials are concerned they won’t get enough new troops from allies to help provide security for Iraqi elections in January. The increase would bring US troop presence in Iraq to its highest level since President Bush declared an end to major combat operations in May.

On Wednesday members of the First battalion, 151st Aviation unit out of McEntire Air National Guard Station were deployed to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in August. The group, which works with Apache helicopters, is headed to do aerial surveillance for soldiers in Iraq.

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2481487