It was Christmas morning 1992 when I received the phone call. I had just sat down to open presents with my family. My friend Goodpaster called from base and said I better get back ASAP or I will be in the Brigg for the rest of my enlistment. Our battalion was on air alert and was recalled from Christmas leave and scheduled to fly out to Somalia the next morning for operation "Restore Hope". He said he can only cover me for so long and he would do his best until I get there. .
I was in the 2nd year of my 4 year enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. I was attached to the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance battalion in Twenty-nine Palms California. I wasn't really excited about our mission to Somalia, but I new I was trained well and was confident in myself and my Corp.
Operation Restore Hope was a humanitarian mission to provide security for food convoys to reach the starving people of Somalia Africa. The city was in ruins from the two leading warlords fighting and confiscating the food from the people. The government had fallen and Somalia currency had become worthless. .
The flight was the longest I have ever taken. A fully combat loaded commercial 747 flew us. The flight took about 48 hours, with a layover in London and a layover in Egypt before landing in Somalia, the "Horn of Africa". .
It was a frightening experience not knowing what to expect when we landed. I was prepared for the worst and expected it. As we all filed out of the Jet, we hit the deck immediately to take cover. There was poor visibility because of the sand storm that was in the area. The temperature was a very hot 115 degrees and I was immediately drenched from head to toe with sweat. I had just realized that I landed in hell and it was just the beginning of my 6 month all expense paid vacation there.
I look back on my experience in Somalia and remember most every day. The memories that stand out the most though, are all the little things.