Seabee Coordination Helps Restore Bridge in Iraq
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS070709-10
Release Date: 7/9/2007 4:52:00 PM
By Chief Mass Communication Specialist (SW/AW) Shane Montgomery, 30th Naval Construction Regiment Public Affairs
FALLUJAH, Iraq (NNS) -- When an explosion disabled the primary bridge providing access for vehicles passing between lakes Habbaniyah and Razazah in western Iraq on May 27, Seabees from the 30th Naval Construction Regiment (30 NCR) were tasked to repair the heavily trafficked route.
The explosion, created by nearly 2,000 pounds of explosives hidden in the bed of a dump truck traveling across the span, demolished the western end of the bridge and sent a section of it plummeting 100 feet below into the Al Majarrah River.
The destruction of the bridge, referred to as the Atlantic City Bridge by coalition forces, would impact convoys that use the route to move supplies and personnel around the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.
“When we got the call to repair Atlantic City Bridge, there was an immediate sense of urgency,” said Master Chief Constructionman Michael Cassidy, 30 NCR Operations Department leading chief petty officer. “Until we could get the bridge repaired, it would mean convoys would be taking more dangerous routes to get to their destinations. That knowledge provides plenty of motivation to get the job done as quick and safe as possible.”
The initial response was to send a team out to assess the damage and get an idea of whether or not a repair crew could work with what was left of the bridge structure. Lt. Charlie Kubic, 30 NCR structural civil engineer officer and project leader was one of the two members who made the assessment on the bridge.
“Luckily, we had been out to Atlantic City only two days prior to verify the stability of the bridge,” said Kubic. “The first trip helped us considerably because it gave us pictures of the complete span before it was attacked. After doing the second assessment, we knew what needed to be done; it was just a matter of getting our resources together.”
Those key resources included utilizing the 362nd Medium Reinforced Bridge Company of the U.S. Army’s 321st Engineering Battalion out of Balad to make repairs, Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction (NMCB) 4 to verify measurements and layout prior to placing a new structure, and Naval Facilities Command Atlantic (NAVFAC) engineers to crunch the available data and make recommendations for a solution.
The first step in the coordination was arriving at a solution and Kubic would need support from stateside to get the answers he was looking for. He called NAVFAC Contingency Engineer James Gale and got him out of bed.
“Very few requests for engineering assistance come in the middle of the night for us,” said Gale, who also explained that NAVFAC averaged 4,000 man-hours a year for the last five years on support to deployed units. “When we do get an urgent request, as we did with Atlantic, we respond in kind.”
NAVFAC structural engineers received Seabee-provided electronic data and photos that enabled them to prepare a solution that would allow the repaired bridge to support mission required military load capacities.
“Getting good engineering data from the field is always a challenge, but Lt. Kubic did a great job making it real on the sharp end,” said Gale about getting data from Iraq. “After coordinating with fellow structural engineers here at NAFVAC and with Seabees at 30 NCR, it was decided a Mabey-Johnson bridging solution was the answer.”
A Mabey-Johnson bridge, named after the manufacturer, is portable and easy to assemble and launch, according to Cassidy. But getting the bridge in place is only part of the job. First, Seabees from 30 NCR had to ensure all supplies were staged, personnel and equipment were moved and the right tools were being used.
“Even if everyone who has a piece of the pie is successful, we still have to do a good job baking the thing,” said Cassidy. “Success can’t happen unless we have all the right ingredients together. Then we put that proverbial pie in the oven and cook it to perfection.”
Thirty-five Army engineers and security personnel arrived on site along with two Seabees from NMCB 4 who ensured the Mabey-Johnson bridge was placed precisely where the NAVFAC engineers determined it should be.
“The missing section of bridge measured about 100 feet, so it was decided that the Mabey-Johnson bridge would be placed over the top of the existing bridge structure which would reinforce the span,” said Cassidy.
The Army engineers pieced together 40 meters of bridge and slowly pushed it across the chasm on a roller until it was long enough to reach the other side. The bridge was lifted, the roller was removed and the span was anchored into place.
According to Cassidy, the one-lane bridge took three days to build and is rated to handle most coalition force vehicles currently serving in Iraq.
Capt. Kate Gregory, commodore for 30 NCR in Iraq, explained that the mission reinforced the positive capabilities of the construction force serving under II Marine Expeditionary Force in western Iraq.
“The quickness with which we were able to safely and effectively respond and repair this important infrastructure highlights our ability to act on a catastrophic event in theater and be able to recover in a short amount of time,” said Gregory. “Missions like this are why the Seabees are here in Iraq. We’re proud to be representing construction assets of nearly every branch of service but more importantly we’re proud to be serving the Marines and Soldiers in this country at such a critical time.”
The repair of the Atlantic City Bridge gives coalition forces more options to safely move equipment and personnel across the country, bringing them closer toward reaching the ultimate goal of provincial Iraqi control.
Seabees from 30 NCR are responsible for nearly 1,100 personnel supporting critical construction efforts in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq.
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