Written by Ajax Trueblood, see more at stormquellers.wordpress.com © ATAG International, 2018 1

WARPIG WEAPONS COMPANY, 2004-2005The heavy firepower of an infantry battalion resides in its Weapons Company, which traditionally supports the other companies with crew-served weapons such as mortars, heavy machine guns, anti-tank weapons and demolition or “assault” teams. In the modern Marine Corps, Weapons Companies are also fully mobile, utilizing light-armored vehicles as weapons platforms and transport. Properly led and employed, the Weapons Company provides the battalion commander a powerful, highly flexible asset.

Weapons Company Marines go through more specialized training on their systems and gear, beyond what most infantry Marines receive. Gaining the technical skills to accurately fire mortars, effectively aim and repair heavy automatic weapons, or safely handle demolitions charges requires frequent and demanding training.

For the company’s leaders, keeping these skills honed is always a challenge as they involve specialized qualification courses, larger, more sophisticated and harder-to-schedule ranges, and unique and expensive equipment. Adding to the training challenge is the fact that many of these technical skills do not translate from one system to another. An outstanding machine-gunner has little idea of how to effectively engage a target with the 81mm mortar, for instance.

For the Battalion leadership, another inherent challenge is deciding how best to employ these capabilities. The Weapons Company’s elements can be attached out to the line companies in “direct support” mode, or can be kept under Weapons Company control to be leveraged at key times and places. Combined approaches can be used as well. The choice a particular battalion takes will depend on the area of operations, the threat and the missions assigned.

In May of 2004, Capt Ford Phillips checked into the 3/2 Battalion as the new Weapons Company Commander. From Downington, Pennsylvania, he’d been commissioned through the Naval ROTC program at Penn State, having chosen the Marine option after his first year. He’d been a platoon commander in the 3/4 Battalion at 29 Palms, and served an instructor tour at the School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune. Like most of 3/2’s leaders in 2005, Capt Phillips was already an experienced Marine officer but this would be his first combat tour.

As Phillips took command, he was aided by 1st Sergeant Mike Cagle, from _____, and the Battalion Gunny, Chief Warrant Officer ____ Vitale. Cagle and Vitale were seasoned leaders that had helped build the capabilities of the enlisted Marines, and a strong reputation for “WarPig”, the Company callsign. Under these leaders’ influence, WarPig was a tight-knit organization known for tactical competence and accomplishing tough missions.

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ABOVE Capt Ford Phillips, Commander of Weapons Company.. (USMC photo)

LEFT Gunner in the turret of an up-armored HumVee used by Weapons Company, which operated under the callsign “WarPig”. Note that that the turret armor only provides partial protection for him. (WarPig photo)

CAAT vs MAP

Among the Marines in 2005, and even after, the terms CAAT and MAP tended to be used interchangeably, despite their different technical and doctrinal contexts. Often 3/2 veterans refer to a “CAAT” or “CAT Team” when mentioning one of WarPig’s platoons or sections.

Written by Ajax Trueblood, see more at stormquellers.wordpress.com © ATAG International, 2018 2

In the fall of 2004, as detachments of 3/2 returned from Anti-Terrorism duty, Capt Phillips was studying the conditions in Iraq and how other Weapons Companies were organized to fight there. During Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and up until the mid 1990s, Marine Corps Weapons Companies incorporated mobile Combined Anti-Armor Teams (CAAT). These “CAAT Teams” employed anti-tank guided missiles and heavy weapons mounted on HumVees. But in the late 90s, a new organizational pattern, known as the Mobile Assault Company (MAC), began to take hold and had been adopted by most Marine Infantry Battalions in Iraq.

Consequently, in late 2004 Phillips presided over the refashioning of 3/2’s Weapons Company according to the Mobile Assault Company concept. The 81mm Mortar section was retained, and the rest of the sections were organized into three Mobile Assault Platoons (MAPs) equipped with up-armored HumVees mounting heavy automatic weapons. Each platoon was further divided into Alpha and Bravo Sections, each with four vehicles, which they called “guntrucks”.

This flexibility would be sorely needed in Anbar. “The decision to reorganize Weapons along the MAC lines gave us three Mobile Assault Platoons” says Tim Mundy. “They could each act independently as mobile elements.”

During the pre-deployment workups and exercises, one of the main efforts by Weapons Company was to cross-train as many Marines as possible on skills they would need. Everyone learned driving skills, convoy operations, vehicle recovery, how to rig demo charges, and especially how to operate what would be their primary weapon systems, the M240G 7.62mm medium machine-gun (the “Golf”), the M2 .50cal heavy machine-gun (“Ma Deuce”), and the Mk19 40mm automatic grenade launcher (“Mark19” or just ”Mark”). This fit exactly with the battalion’s training emphasis of “Every Marine a machine-gunner”.

Since machineguns are often decisive in providing overwhelming firepower on the enemy, and were prevalent where we would operate, we wanted every Marine in the battalion to be comfortable operating them. --LtCol Tim Mundy, email to author

Once in-country Phillips attached his 1st Mobile Assault Platoon, “WarPig 1”, to India Company based at Camp Gannon. The Platoon Commander was 1st Lt Bryan Leahy, from Medford, New Jersey, and the 1st Sgt was Gunnery Sergeant John Harman, from ____. As part of the Advance Team, Harman had already been through an IED strike on 18 February during a ride-along with 1/7.

One section of the 81mm Mortar Platoon, along with its own Fire Direction Center (FDC), was also sent to Gannon where it provided indirect fire support and counter-battery fire against enemy mortar teams. Over the ensuing seven months, Leahy, Harman and the men of WarPig 1 and the 81mm section would endure exceedingly harsh conditions almost daily attacks.

ABOVE 1Lt Bryan Leahy, WarPig 1 Platoon Commander. (Bryan Leahy photo)

Typical organization of a Mobile Assault Platoon (MAP). Each guntruck is normally crewed by a driver, Vehicle Commander (VC), two “dismounts” in back and the gunner in the turret.

Alpha Section

.50cal, 5 men 7.62mm, 5 men 40mm, 5 men 7.62mm, 5 men

Bravo Section

.50cal, 5 men 7.62mm, 5 men 40mm, 5 men 7.62mm, 5 men

ABOVE Looking over the business end of a .50 cal from one of WarPig 1’s guntrucks, while protecting Trash OP outside Husaybah. (Jonathan Maines photo)

entrusted with command of a Mobile Assault Platoon, but senior officers saw potential in Stann. SSgt ______ Robertson was the Platoon Sgt who brought the young Lieutenant under his tutelage.

After checking in to the Weapons Company, Stann’s athletic background, work ethic and the fact that he was an amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter helped him gain acceptance and respect from the NCOs and enlisted Marines. And in the crucible of war he did not disappoint.

On repeated occasions, especially during several intense firefights during Operation Matador, Stann proved to be an exceptional combat leader. Awarded for poise, decisiveness and courage under fire, he was also greatly admired by those he served with. “Lt Stann was an amazing officer,” says Jonathan Maines, a Lance Corporal in WarPig. “He was inspiring, but down-to-earth too. He’d remember who you were, by your name.”

After leaving the Corps in 2008, Stann turned pro as an MMA fighter, eventually winning the ight-heavyweight title, making him a virtual icon among Marines everywhere. He also founded Hire Heroes USA, a non-profit organization that helps fellow veterans find and thrive in meaningful careers.

The other two platoons, and the remaining mortar section, operated out of Camp Al-Qaim. The mortar section there rotated one gun and crew out to the “Retrans” outpost, also named Battle Position Khe-Sahn. Often operating independently, the two Mobile Assault Platoons at Camp AQ essentially made up the other maneuver elements, besides Kilo Company, that 3/2 Battalion used to project combat power across the battlespace.

Besides being the Company Commander, Capt Phillips was also the Battalion Fire Support Coordinator, or FSC. In this role, he ran the Fire Support Coordination Cell, managing indirect fires from artillery, mortars and calls for close air support. This was a demanding job all on its own, which made the organization into Mobile Assault Platoons even more necessary. For the most part, each of the MAPs operated independently from Capt Phillips’ direct command.

1Lt Gabe Diana, one of the Battalion’s top-rated Lieutenants, commanded WarPig 3. From Columbus, Ohio, Diana had an interesting background, having been an enlisted Marine in the 3/25 Reserve Battalion based in his home state. He “bootstrapped” his way to a college degree, secured his commission as an active duty officer then successfully competed to become a platoon commander.

Before taking the reins of WarPig 3, Lt Diana had led 3/2’s Mortar Platoon and was well-versed in the art and science of indirect fire. Beside him, SSgt Anthony Vargas was the 1st Sergeant. With Dianna’s personal connections to the Reserves and to Ohio, his platoon would be employed several times during the deployment to support the Marines of Lima Company, 3/25 Battalion. He knew many of them personally.

WarPig 2 was commanded by 2Lt Brian Stann, an intense young man raised on the tough side of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He’d gone to the Naval Academy where he played linebacker on the football team. After graduation, commissioning as a Marine officer, and completion of the Infantry Officer Course (IOC), he was selected to lead one of WarPig’s platoons. New 2nd Lieutenants are not normally

Written by Ajax Trueblood, see more at stormquellers.wordpress.com © ATAG International, 2018 3

ABOVE 1Lt Gabe Diana, WarPig 3 Platoon

Commander.(Gabe Diana photo)

ABOVE 2Lt Brian Stann,, WarPig 2 Platoon

Commander.(USMC photo)

LEFT 2Lt Brian Stann, briefing up a mission on the hood of one of the WarPig 2 guntrucks, during Operation Matador. (WarPig photo)

Written by Ajax Trueblood, see more at stormquellers.wordpress.com © ATAG International, 2018 4

For the first part of the deployment, WarPig spent much time scouting the area, learning the road system and the terrain. They would often escort the small Civil Affairs Group (CAG) detachment on its missions, or set up vehicle checkpoints. Guntruck sections were also frequently tasked to insert Scout-Sniper Teams (SSTs), then recover them after a mission. During major battalion-level operations they were used for screening, isolating the battlefield with their long-range weapons and for fire support of the infantry. By the last half of the tour, the Mobile Assault Platoons, especially WarPig 2 and 3, were independently conducting raids and “cordon and knock” missions.

With mobility being their primary advantage, the biggest threats to the guntruck crews were the all-too-common mines and roadside bombs. A big percentage of WarPig veterans were blown up at least once, or had close encounters with IEDs. On 13 April, during the firefights that occurred after the triple suicide attack on Camp Gannon, one of WarPig 3’s sections was sent to Husaybah to support India Co.

While transiting the dusty desert tracks westward from Camp AQ, one of the HumVees hit a buried mine. The explosion tore off the right front wheel and most of the engine compartment. Marines inside the crew compartment were shaken, but unhurt. Up on the .50 cal, however, LCpl Justin Abraham didn’t escape entirely unscathed.

The force of the detonation snapped his face into the gun breech, knocking out a front tooth. Dazed but quickly shaking off the blow, Abraham stayed on the gun to provide security as the crippled vehicle was rigged to tow back to base. For weeks afterwards, he showed off his a gap-toothed grin and was quickly tagged as “Toothless” within the ranks.

LEFT LCpl Justin Abraham, aka “Toothless”, shows off his missing front tooth after the mine strike. (Justin Abraham photo)

LEFT Damage done by the mine strike against one of WarPig 3’s guntrucks on 13 April 2005. The crew was uninjured, but the gunner, LCpl Abraham, lost a tooth when his face hit the gun. (Justin Abraham photo)

Abraham’s persistence in completing the mission, despite being blown up, and his focus on protecting his fellow Marines, is emblematic of the attitude found across the Company. Throughout the deployment, all WarPig sections pushed through obstacles to their objectives, fought the enemy tenaciously and overcame all opposition.