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“ his beach is mine,” is the mantra of Beachmaster Unit
(BMU) 2 a United States Navy amphibious beach party unit based out of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek in Little Creek, Virginia. Tracing its origins back to World War II, BMU 2 is a 19-person unit embracing long-standing tradition of providing a flow of personnel, equipment, and supplies.
BMU 2 began its integration with the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5) during the Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT), Amphibious Ready Group, Marine Expeditionary Unit exercise (ARGMUEX) and Carrier Strike Group 4 Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) periods.
The unit Possess the capability to scope out an environment, update environmental conditions, surf zones, and occupying a
space needed for any personnel, equipment, or vehicles that are offloaded from the ship, for safe and secure access to beaches for the amphibious operations of landing craft air cushions (LCAC) and landing craft utilities (LCU) ashore. Beachmasters are the only units in the Navy that can conduct an official beach survey and certify the area, allowing them to serve as a Navy element that can assist with Marine Landing Forces that need to go inland and complete objectives when needed, such as humanitarian aid.
BMU 2’s medium tactical vehicle replacement (MTVR), 400-gallon water trailer, high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle (HUMVEE), and two lighter amphibious resupply cargo five tons (LARC) all offers versatility to successfully complete operations as stated by Engineman 2nd Class Wyatt Lawson, LARC Engineer.
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“For any landing operations on any beach in the world, there is a survey done on it,” said Lawson. “This is where we integrate with the Marines, because the [reconnaissance] element is the element onboard that can do the hydrographic survey which is essentially, mapping out what under water looks like to avoid any damage that could occur to the equipment. Our HUMVEE is the command vehicle and it allows us to communicate from the ship to the LCU to any marine elements ashore. The MTVR allows us to do salvage operations as well as pull our water source and extra equipment we might need.”
As an embarked unit, consisting of Boatswain’s Mates, Enginemen, Information Systems Technicians, and many other rates, BMU 2 continuously networks with multiple departments aboard to improve their integrative cohesion throughout the deployment, to ensure they are ready at a moment’s notice.
“We have been down to Marine S-6 Aviation Supply shop to get equipment such as communications, connecting with Deck Department and the Marine
heavy equipment mechanics to get materials we need to accomplish maintenance,” Lawson said. “We’re just overall doing our best to integrate and make the connections with everyone onboard,whocanhelpsowecan assistonthebackend.”
And when BMU 2 does end up on a beach donning their tactical vests,helmets,andweaponsalong with their camping gear. Facing the environmental elements and weather, while safely meeting operational requirements for the Bataan, the Beachmasters embrace the individuality of their community.
“Nearly every amphibious vehicle and equipment that gets loaded onboard ships, at one point will end up on the beach,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joao Moreira, Beachmaster officer- in-charge. “And we are there standing by to receive them, waving green beach for arrival. Although, at times this job may become challenging, in the end it offers us a sense of comradery and teamwork; together we can overcome any obstacles on the beach, because out there, that is all we have.”
| Date Taken: | 08.30.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2023 15:20 |
| Story ID: | 453941 |
| Location: | U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY |
| Web Views: | 546 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Jack of All Trades Masters of the Beach: Beachmaster Unit 2 brings tradition in a modern landscape, by PO2 Christopher Jones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
