Photo By Cpl. Daniel Redding | Marine heavy equipment operators at Combat Outpost Falcon took a few moments to discuss current operations June 28, 2006; they were there to utilize up-armored forklifts, commonly referred to as a TRAM, to emplace over 300 concrete barriers in 27 hours. The five Marines, a part of Combat Logistics Detachment 115, Combat Logistics Regiment 15, out of Camp Taqaddum, Iraq, aided the Army's 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division in securing the combat outpost, a part of increased security operations in Southern Ramadi. The four Marines are (left to right) Cpl. Travis J. Anderson, Lance Cpl. Joshua J. Henderson, Lance Cpl. William D. Weatherspoon, and Cpl. Sean P. Boller. (Official USMC photograph by Cpl. Daniel J. Redding. 060628-M-7799R-001. Released.) see less
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RAMADI, Iraq - An insurgent's lifeless body lay on the ground, evidence of the fighting the night before. Five Marines reflected on the situation before turning away to listen to Army Capt. John P. Hiltz brief them on their task at hand: quickly build a wall to protect a new combat outpost in southern Ramadi.
For the next three days this handful of Marines would fight sporadic attacks from insurgents and lack of sleep while operating their lumbering, armored forklifts to emplace concrete and sand-filled barriers at the makeshift base dubbed Combat Outpost Falcon.
Combat Outpost Falcon would be one of the newest fortified positions emplaced in the battle ridden capital of the Al Anbar province during a month-long operation aimed at taking and holding key terrain throughout the city. The Marines and their forklifts would play a critical role in accomplishing this mission.
Moments after arriving at their destination the Marines, and Hiltz' Army engineers they were supporting, were welcomed by two mortars landing nearby - a sign of events to come.
In the first hour, rockets and mortars continued to harass the compound as the heavily armored forklifts - called TRAM's - were offloaded and the Marines were briefed on their mission.
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