Monday, January 23, 2023

A Repost from Long, Long Ago.

Sorry Guys and Gals,  it's been a long few weeks taking care of the newest Granddaughter.  She's doing great, maxing all her scores and such. The Doc's are very happy with her progress, but she's still on O2 and other monitoring equipment.  This requires a lot of constant assisting in moving her around.  The Blog Call Sign Committee-Texas Section had an important meeting and has officially changed her Call Sign to Miss B.  (Reasoning to be included in a future Blog.) Meanwhile, LJW is being a trooper, but she, and us, need sleep (from time to time).  My brain is running low on thinking capacity.  Given that, you get a repeat of an episode from back when I felt I actually had an impact on "Things".  

JTF Prompt Return

So, There I was…* In receipt of orders to depart my hardship tour at CinCPAC headquarters, Camp Smith Hawaii, and proceed to what to what would be my final assignment in the Air Force.  Others referred to the next location as Fort Fumble, still others the Puzzle Palace.  I, with the true force of loathing, referred to it as the Northern Virginia Penitentiary for Wayward Fighter Pilots. Yes, some folks refer to it as the Pentagon, they are either non-Military types or if they are military, have sold their soul for their careers.  In other words, people I have no use nor any respect for.  But, now that I have gotten that off my chest, I will cease and desist with that digression vector and discuss where I PCS’d from.

But Juvat, you were assigned to Camp Smith, didn’t you PCS from there?  Technically, yes, but I actually left from Wake Island.  So, let’s get to that bit of oddity.

Back in the first term of Billy Jeff, before Monica, the United States actually attempted to enforce Immigration Laws.  (I know, I know.  How very Racist of us!).  As part of that enforcement, the US Coast Guard would board suspicious ships that were approaching the 12 mile limit.  Boarding them before reaching that limit was important, especially off the West Coast, because, even then, Liberal Judges would issue an injunction prohibiting their deportation until they had a chance to plead their case.  Those proceedings were always delayed and delayed….Thus ensuring that the Democrats had additional voters Justice was served.

The problem is complicated by what the USCinCPAC Commander (he was the ranking 4 Star in all the Pacific services, and was Navy) at the time referred to as the “Tyranny of Distance”.  It’s a 6 hour plane ride from SFO to HNL, and depending on the winds, a 10 to 12 hour plane ride from HNL to Tokyo.  The USCG intercepts a ship carrying illegal aliens.  What does it do with them?  If they bring them ashore in the States, they’re home free.  Taking them all the way back to their home country ties up that Coast Guard asset for a long time.  An option is to find a Non-US territory that is willing to take them in until the illegal alien’s country of origin makes arrangements to recover them.  The US had some limited success in paying some friendly Pacific Island nations to do exactly that.  

China, of course, was the primary starting point of the illegals.  After a few ships were intercepted, (I am under no illusion that all, let alone most, were intercepted, so let’s settle for a “few”), China changed the game by insisting that the “refugees” were repatriated from “US held territory”.  They did this knowing full well the problem of bringing them into the US.

My job at CinCPAC HQ was to provide an augmentation team and train them in Joint Task Force planning and operations.  I drew my team from the Combat Commands on the island (PACAF, USARPac, CincPACFlt and MARFORPAC).  When activated, we’d deploy to one of the designated three star billet commands in the Pacific.  At the time, those were 7th Fleet, 3 MEF and I Corps.  We’d join with their Command Staff and become a JTF.  The concept worked pretty well, at least in exercises.

It’s around the 1st of July, when I get called in to the CincPAC J-3s office, a Marine 2 star.  He tells me to ready the team and that sometime during the next week we’d be deploying.  No idea when or where, or to whom as yet.

I get the notification process started and attend the initial briefing.  Seems that a small Chinese fishing boat had been intercepted off the coast of California with 118 illegals aboard.  The State Department was negotiating with the Chinese for their return, but the Chinese were insisting that they be returned from US Held Territory.  Saipan and Tinian were not going to be acceptable.  Hawaii with its very Democrat infested liberal court system was definitely not an option.  We considered Midway, but discovered that also fell under the Hawaii’s District Court.  Finally, we found that Wake Island was an “unincorporated territory” of the United States. 
 
Wake Island


According to a Citation in Wikipedia (a source renowned throughout the world for its accuracy) an unincorporated territory is one "where fundamental rights apply as a matter of law, but other constitutional rights are not available".  Bingo.

The boat and escort are directed to Wake Island.  The JTF is to be created with the main manpower coming from one of the Army Battalions from the 25th ID.  They would include an infantry company, and some MPs.  A BG from the Division would be the CJTF.  My team would be the JTF staff.  PACAF would provide medical and dental support and personnel.  CincPacFlt would provide construction support.
The yellow line is 4500 miles long

It was going to take the boats about 2 weeks to transit and Wake’s facilities were not ready for a few hundred people to arrive.  It had been hosting a small team that supported launch activities from Kwajalein.  So there was some rudimentary facilities, a small clinic, dining hall and airport support.  The rest we’d have to bring or repair.

I’m sitting there looking at this operation knowing that I’m PCSing from this unit I’d trained. I also knew it was going into what was their first “real world” operation. I wanted to go, bad!  But I also knew that I had to be in DC by the end of August.

We have our initial meeting with the CJTF and he starts laying out the command structure.  I’m taking notes as fast as I can write.  He tells the Army Lt Col Battalion Commander he’s the Ground Forces Commander.  Lays out the Support Command structure and then starts on the JTF staff.  He looks at my replacement  (AF) who’s just been selected for O-6 and has been shadowing me for about a week and tells him he’s going to be the Chief of Staff.  Then looks at me and says “LtCol Juvat, you’re going to be my J-3.” (COO in civilian terms.)  I tell him about the PCS and he says “do you want to stay or go with us?”

“I want to go.”

“You’re in.”

Now, I’ve gotten most of the pre-PCS paper work done, but we’re now approaching that point where Physics is involved.  Physics being the actual moving of People and things.  To further complicate matters, my wife has already PCS’d to DC.  Fortunately, we had a live-in Nanny, who took care of my kids.  I deployed about 3 days later, while gone, she handled the movers, the clearing of quarters, the shipment of cars and the transportation of two unaccompanied minors. Talk about stepping up!  Kim, if you’re reading this, I still have a hard time believing you pulled it off.  And, even after all these years, thanks does not begin to express my gratitude.

The operation has two critical areas that are needed for success.  We have to restore facilities so they are fit for human habitation and we have to find enough Chinese linguists to communicate with the illegal aliens.  The first is constrained by time and the second by availability.

Wake had several buildings that had served as barracks in the 60s, so on arrival we selected the one in the best shape as the dorm for the illegals.  Best shape should really be least worse.  But the engineers got to work and by the time the boat arrived, the plumbing, lights and electricity all worked.  Bedding had been replaced.  It wasn’t the Hilton, but it beat the cargo hold of a fishing boat.  

We also had to come to terms with what we were going to do about the Enforcers.  They were a group of 10 men who were charged with bringing the illegals to the US.  The Coast Guard told us we would have to keep them separated from the rest of the group.  So we restored a separate facility and surrounded it with concertina.

To the best of my recollection, Top Left was the building housing the illegals, top right was for the enforcers and bottom was JTF operations.  

The boat and escort arrived.  We’re using the marina and a WWII landing craft to transport the illegals and their enforcers ashore.  The illegals are brought ashore first,  and given a quick in-processing, basically asked their name and given a quick medical check for anything serious. Then they were given a bus ride around to the other side of the island and checked in to the barracks.
This was high tide.  Low tide and the boat was 5 or 6 feet lower.
Source

We handled the enforcers a little differently, upon advice from the Coasties.  We’ve selected low tide for when this would happen as we didn’t want the enforcers to have a chance to scope out the arrival facilities.

The Coast Guard had kept them bound and on deck for essentially the entire trip.  Upon inspecting the fishing boat and hearing the stories of their actions, I’d have been tempted to troll for sharks with them.  I was not alone having similar temptations for them like that...by a long shot.

At low tide, the water level in the marina put the landing craft below the dock, so the occupants couldn’t see anything behind the edge.  We had a greeting party that took the names at the front.  That greeting party had been told at the first sign of resistance to move out of the way.  

Sure enough, we’d brought 3 or 4 of them up the ladder, hands bound in front, feet free when one of them starts to do the kung fu stuff.  The greeting party moved away, leaving the Bruce Lee wannabe face to face with a squad of infantry, bayonets ready in a cordon around the docking area.  Problem solved.

By now the illegals are in their dorm and have eaten.  The enforcers are in their area, have eaten and it’s getting dark.  Shortly after dark, I get a call saying we’ve got a fire in the enforcer’s area.  That was one of the scenarios we’d gamed out.  The security team had sheets of plywood and breeched the concertina with them.  Again, with bayonets out, they herded the enforcers into one corner of the concertina away from the fire while another team put the mattress fire out.  

After the fire was out, we confiscated all the fire starters and cigarettes.  We also took away the remaining mattresses and put them back in their smoke damaged rooms.  It was quiet from then on out.

Things got pretty boring at that point.  The illegals were getting their three hots and were getting medical and dental care.  Their trip across the Pacific had been hellish.  Stuffed in a 500 square foot fish hold with a 55 gal drum for a toilet.  They’re only time on deck was when they were brought up to “entertain” the enforcers.  All of them were used that way.  Grandmothers, Grandfathers, Girls, Boys the entire group. 

Their medical condition reflected that abuse as did some of their dental problems. 

As I said, routine set in and the highlight of discussion was when was China going to accept them back.  It was about the 10th of August when the CJTF calls me in and says I should take the next 141 back.  

We had been redeploying the stuff and people we no longer needed and I now fell in that category.  I handed off the J-3 responsibilities to a Navy Commander who’d been in that shop.  She was very sharp and I wasn’t worried about the job not getting done.  As far as I can tell, she was the first female J-3.  Well done, Darah!

I flew in the 141 from Wake to Travis, hitched a ride from my Aunt to SFO and from there flew to Washington Reagan.  Met up with my wife and kids and the following Monday reported in at the Northern Virginia Penitentiary for wayward Fighter Pilots and began my sentence.

On August 12th, the Chinese relented and sent a DC-10 to pick up the illegals.  Transfer to the airliner went without a hitch.  And JTF Prompt Return was over.  

Later, when I transferred from the Air Staff to Current Ops on the Joint Staff, I worked next door to the Pacific section. The guy we had communicated with from Wake was still there.  I asked him what had happened to the Chinese when they had arrived in Beijing.  He said the illegals were sent home.  The enforcers were knelt down on the tarmac and shot in the back of the head.

Good.

A few months later, I received a memo saying that I was authorized to wear the Humanitarian Service Medal for participation in JTF Prompt Return.  I had a few rows of brightly colored cloth on my uniform when I retired.  That was the only one that gave me any satisfaction.


On a side note, if I ever decide to move to Rhode Island , I’m eligible for Veteran’s property tax relief.

*SJC

38 comments:

  1. COC prevents me from further comments on the Chinese. Waiting for the call sign change, now get some shut eye juvat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nylon, agreed. A lot of time in the Pacific AOR has taught me that the Chinese (CCP to be precise) are not nor ever will be our friends. Words from Senile White haired Politicians not withstanding.
      Shut-eye? Aye!

      Delete
    2. They are only friends with themselves. Biden does not understand the difference between friends, and owners.

      Delete
    3. StB,
      The number of things he does not understand...Well...infinite seems to fit.

      Delete
  2. A fitting end to human traffickers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True, but I'm pretty sure they were shot for failing in their mission rather than trafficking humans. Nonetheless, a fitting end indeed.

      Delete
    2. StB,
      I'm definitely OK with it, that's for sure.

      Delete
  3. That is fantastic news on Miss B.

    Thanks for the story Juvat (even if a reprint, I am still new). These are the sorts of things that go on in the background of the civilian world.

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    Replies
    1. THBB,
      Yeah, she's starting to develop personality and situational awareness of things around her. We're pretty sure she is able to recognize us as different people and our relationship to her. I've learned it's very hard to remain awake when holding a sleeping baby on your chest. Of course, it's also very hard to remain asleep when she has a bit of spit up on your chest. C'est la vie!
      Re: "Things". Agreed. After we got everybody ashore and settled, The CJTF decided that the CJTF staff and assigned personnel should visit the trawler. To get a "Feel" for things. Most of the Chinese interpreters were second or third generation Americans. Most of the other assigned personnel had no idea of man's capabilities for inhumanity towards our fellow man. I recommended that none of the people assigned to "protect" the enforcers be required to visit the boat. Just because... The CJTF agreed.

      Delete
  4. Did you pay a visit to the famous boulder, where US POW who escaped (for a while) Japanese execution, carved up message about their fate?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pawel,
      Yep, most definitely. However, this was back in '95 when cell phones weighed a ton and didn't have built in cameras at the time, so...no pictures. It's a beautiful island. That Rock, not that I needed another reminder, is an excellent indicator of man's inhumanity to man.

      Delete
    2. ah, good old times when phone could be used as a self-defence blunt weapon :P
      watching Ukraine War as it unfolds I can say that nothing has changed in the war's inhuman face

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    3. Pawel,
      No, no it hasn't. Sadly.

      Delete
  5. Excellent news on the baby front. What with the entire family being a pool to talent, I'd expect her to be right at the top of the heap. Sounds like she's starting to show the family qualities.

    As to Operation Kung Fu Whoopsie, Well Done! JTF for the win on that one. I guess the high seas are a kinder, gentler place than I've read in the past. With pirates like that, I'd expect the Coasties to lose them on the way to Wake. Folks with "time in the Pacific AOR" should be the only ones allowed to make policy. Just my humble dos centavos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. STxAR, Believe me, The Coasties were indeed professionals. The handover brief was "interesting". Their professionalism and restraint was impressive. After my time with the bad guys, my sympathies for criminals went way down. Nothing that happened to them justified what they did to the others.

      Delete
  6. Never been to Wake Island but I did once use it as a navigation visual fix enroute from Hawaii to Guam.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anon,
      I had also, about 10 years prior to this deployment, my F-4 Squadron from Moody deployed to Taegu. There's not a lot of "terra firma" between HI and Okinawa. It was surprisingly reassuring to get a TACAN Lock on both Midway and Wake in the middle of that leg as well as one from a USN Carrier. Suffice it to say, my butt was sore and my legs quite stiff on shutdown in OKI. It was 10+ strapped in to an ejection seat. Far less comfortable than even the cheapest airline seat available anywhere.

      Delete
    2. Juvat, I'll have to remember that the next time I a) bitch about an airline seat and b) refer to your service as the "Chair Force". You certainly have cause to be proud of that decoration.
      Greatnews on the GrandDaughter!
      Boat Guy

      Delete
    3. BG,
      Yeah, I'm a bit more understanding of Airlines now, although....Age is starting to influence that.

      Delete
  7. Hey Juvat;

    Thanks for that story and kudo's for the good work. I am not a fan of the CCP and they ain't our friend, they will try to squeeze us out of the pacific if they can like the Japanese did in the 1930's and early 1940;s

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    Replies
    1. MrG,
      Nor am I, as you might have ascertained. Getting us out of the Pacific has been their goal since WWII ended. What galls me is their buddy/buddy relations with unnamed people in power here. Galls being a mild word. PTHFOOM seems like an appropriate acronym (hint: it ends in "...out of me" and there might be a "Holy" in there somewhere.)

      Delete
    2. T'will be interesting to see how the Japanese, South Koreans and the Taiwanese deal with CCP since we have feckless idiots running things for the moment
      Boat Guy

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    3. Sometimes I think I am the only one who listened when the CCP said that they were building up the PLAN, to take the Pacific away from the Pacific Fleet.

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    4. It's nice to kow that you chaps also heard them.

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    5. STB #1,
      You may be one of the few (not the only one) nowadays. Back then, there were a lot of people on HI that were listening hard.

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    6. BG,
      I think they're going to have to "man up". I'm not sure that "We" (AKA those in power now who may or may not have been cozy with the CCP) are going to hasten to their rescue as we have in the past.

      Delete
  8. I bought a Zippo Lighter in base ops there on my way in the Phabulous Phantom to Korat RTAB in August of 1965. Still have that collection of Zippos. Gave up smoking.
    We're so happy (Jeanie and I) about Miss B. The good Lord is really Good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LtFuzz,
      Thanks, We are also and yes He is! My Dad had a similar collection, but I don't know what happened to them as I never found them.

      Delete
  9. My dad visited Wake courtesy of the USN in 1945 as part of a task force sent from Pearl to accept the surrender of the Jap garrison stranded there during WWII.

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    Replies
    1. Anon,
      That would be an interesting story, given the atrocities committed there.

      Delete
  10. Much of what we do in the military is centered around training, and we're there "in case of emergency, break glass." So doing something that has tangible results like the humanitarian service you did is a big deal. Doing good for others always benefits both the giver and the receiver. And "The Big Guy" usually looks favorable upon it in the end. He's obviously been answering our prayers for Miss B too!

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    Replies
    1. Tuna,
      Yeah, I initially had a bit of conflict in my head that we were returning them to China and all that means. I was discussing this over dinner one night with a Coastie at the table. He explained that while the USA was sold to them as a land of freedom and posterity, in actuality, they were going into a life of undercover slavery. It took a bit of convincing from some of the civilian agency reps that were with us that it was true. Still...China vs. USA. I wonder about that from time to time.
      Thanks Tuna for the kind words and the prayers for Miss B. They seem to be working.

      Delete
  11. Great story, and it's nice to 'go out on a high' as it were.

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  12. The Humanitarian Service Medal on my ribbon rack is also my favorite medal. I got mine for trucking supplies into flooded areas of Georgia. Two thirds of it was food for farm animals. I was commo and I maintained the 39 tactical switch most of my time in the Air Force. If something happened in CENTCOM's playground I was either on a plane headed that way or on standby to make the trip. We had a deputy commander who had a journalism degree. Unless somebody totally screwed up on a TDY he had a team of admin writing citations for any medal or award possible when you got back. Once he was gone the woman who replaced him continued the program. I got some BS award for going to the NCO Academy where I exceeded the minimal standards. After 12 years in that organization I had 11 rows on my ribbon rack with quite a few with devices and the Humanitarian Service Medal was the only one that meant anything to me. The last 8 years I only received 5 medals/awards and three of them were devices for awards I already had. I did my job and it was behind the scenes providing comms to the decision makers and moral calls for the real heroes in the military.

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    Replies
    1. TSquared,
      I felt much the same way and for many of the same reasons.

      Delete

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