USS WHIDBEY ISLAND, Atlantic Ocean (NNS) — More than 677 sailors and marines from amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) participated in a bilateral Spanish Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) from June 20 to 29.
The USS Bataan (LHD 5) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), including Bataan, USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), and the Whidbey Island, joined forces with Spanish sailors and marines to conduct the 10-day evolution off the coast of Spain.
“The primary mission was the bilateral exercise with Spain, but our second and third objectives were to conduct safe, meaningful training to help brush up on our infantry skills we haven’t been able to use the past three months we have been on board the ship,” said Gunnery Sgt. Patrick McClung, from the 22nd MEU’s Easy Company.
The Marines began PHIBLEX with a meet-and-greet with Spanish marine counterparts. The U.S. and Spanish marines shared and practiced different tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) to provide each unit with the unique opportunity to see the differences and similarities between the two nation’s militaries. The training included exercises ashore and culminated in a joint bilateral ship-to-shore assault.
“Working with the Spanish marines was exciting,” said McClung. “Working with another foreign military is always eye-opening for us as Marines. It allows us to see different methods within the infantry spectrum. Foreign militaries sometimes show a different approach to training which in turn helps us grow as professional war fighters.”
In order to get the marines ashore, Whidbey Island’s deck department had a full schedule throughout the exercise, conducting flight operations and multiple well deck evolutions for landing crafts utility (LCUs), landing crafts air cushion (LCACs), and amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs).
“Reveille was at 5 a.m. every morning so there wasn’t much time for sleeping,” said Seaman Apprentice Erin Byron, from St. Louis. “Our mornings began with well deck operations, normally bringing in the LCU and then moving onto the boat deck to drop the small boats. It was non-stop evolutions.”
“The days were long, and we always had a duty section on watch, so that minimized personnel, but we had a job to do so we flexed,” said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class (SW) Desmond Charles, from Chicago. “Everybody was doing something, whether it was standing a watch, handling a line, or signaling a helo, but this is what we do and it’s the whole reason behind these training exercises.”
Despite the challenges, the opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the amphibious Navy and Marine Corps team during an international exercise gave many sailors a sense of pride and accomplishment.
“It went good. It proved that there is nothing that the deck department can’t do,” said Charles. “We truly came together as a unit and created pure magic. It felt like this entire high-stress week was about coming together and staying in the game.”
