Home Forums Modern Just Jack and Norway Marines.

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  • #35264
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    Hey Just Jack what do you know about the cold war US Marines being sent to Norway ??????

    #35275
    Avatar photoThaddeus Blanchette
    Participant

    Bummer. I didn’t look at what board this was posted to because I was hoping against hope it would be a discussion of SF figures from CJ Cherryh’s “Alliance-Union” universe….

    🙁

    We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

    #35277
    Avatar photoirishserb
    Participant

    We invaded Norway?  What you talkin about, dude?

    #35281
    Avatar photoJohn D Salt
    Participant

    Well, there’s this:

    http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/show-daily/modern-day-marine/2015/09/20/inside-us-marine-corps-prepositioning-program-norway/32511065/

    Although Cold War wargamers like to concentrate on the central front, there would have been lots going on on the northern and southern flanks.

    All the best,

    John.

    #35289
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    Sorry Guys but yes I did mean Cold War Goes Hot on the Northern Flank….

    #35331
    Avatar photoJust Jack
    Participant

    Kyote,

    Sorry man, I just got home, been up in Ohio the past few days.

    In any case, not sure how helpful I can be, Cold War was before my time man.  I served with (old) guys that were in during that time, but I don’t know much.  Off the top of my head:

    -There was a MEB built around 6th Marine Regiment, so the Ground Combat element had three infantry battalions (1/6, 2/6, and 3/6), probably a battalion of artillery, probably a company of amtracs, probably a company of tanks, probably a company of LAVs, an air defense detachment.  I say probably because Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) are task organized, meaning built to suit the situation.  So, they would definitely have three infantry battalions (the infantry regiment is the heart of the MEB), but then they could have between zero and a full battalion of tanks, depending on if the MEF commander thought that was what was needed, and he was okay with leaving the rest of the Division without tanks.

    -Within the MEB was a Command Element (with organic NBC defense, Comms, and Intel Detachments), a Logistics Element (from mid-80s through 90s called a Brigade Service Support Group), and a composite air group (with fast movers, probably F-4 Phantoms and A-4 Skyhawks; probably OV-10s or OA-4s as FACs, probably a medium lift squadron of H-46s, probably a det of UH-1s, AH-1s, and CH-53s).

    -Again, you have to keep in mind the task organization aspect of this, so it’s almost impossible to tell you what they actually had planned (without the actual Operations Order).  And even then, it can change at the drop of a hat depending on new gear getting issued, other stuff going on in the world, or changing missions sets, so even guys that were there for a deployment could possibly only be accurate for their particular deployment(s).  For example, when a MAGTF is put together, you typically give the commander three recommended courses of action, and it’s usually (at least when I was in) a light package, a medium package, and a heavy package (all in terms of the number of Marines and amount of gear).

    -I was told that, during the heart of the Cold War, 6th Marines was deploying to Norway every year to exercise.  They would fly over on chartered air with personal weapons, hit the ground, then conduct an MPF off-load and fall-in on the gear.  Then they conduct inter-op exercises with friendly militaries, maybe some force-on force, some live fire shoots, then conduct maintenance on all the MPF gear and load it back up.  Then they’d go on libo (everyone I talked to had a great time) then fly home.

    -I heard guys talk about going to Denmark.  I don’t know if they actually went to Denmark, or if there was a plan to go to Denmark, or what.

    -Gear was M-16A2s, M-249 SAWs, M-203s in the Rifle Platoons, M-60E3s, SMAWs, and 60mm mortars in the Weapons Platoons, M-2 HMGs, Mk19s, TOWs, and 81mm mortars at Wpns Company.  They also had Dragons, I believe at company level (Wpns Plt in a rifle company).  Still three 13-man rifle squads in a platoon, MGs and mortars from Wpns Plt at the company level.  LAVs had infantry in them (now it’s called ‘Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion,’ back then it was ‘Light Armored Infantry Battalion’).

    -Tanks would be M-60s until after Desert Storm.  I got to Lejeune in 1995 and 2nd MarDiv had M1 Abrams by then (though I couldn’t tell you if they were M1s or M1A1s or what; they were big-ass tanks).  Tracks were AAVs, but didn’t get Mk19s until the late 80s.  The helos would be green or that hideous gray and green camo, rather than the awesome solid gray 😉

    Well, I think that’s all I know, hope it helps, and if you’ve got questions, ask.

    V/R,
    Jack

    #35333
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    Thanks Just Jack that does help some…. I was thinking about doing a game up in Norway…I have some pines for the Fjords……

    #35346
    Avatar photoirishserb
    Participant

    Dude! Ohio?  Were abouts?  I’m just north of Columbus, in Delaware.  You should have stopped by.

    #35369
    Avatar photoJust Jack
    Participant

    Irish, I was in Cincinnati, just for one day.  Can’t see myself getting up that high in Ohio, though I’d certainly love to play a modern Africa game on your gorgeous table!

    V/R,
    Jack

    #35370
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    It’s true Irishserb’s table is a work of art….

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