Missile misses Marine headquarters
USMC News
Story Identification Number: 20033210127
Story by Sgt. Colin Wyers
CAMP COMMANDO, Kuwait(March 21, 2003) -- An unidentified Iraqi missile struck outside Camp Commando, Kuwait, March 20 at approximately 10:28 a.m.
Monitor and survey teams were dispatched to the impact site, where no signs of biological munitions were found. No Marines were injured or killed.
Camp Commando is the headquarters of the I Marine Expeditionary Force, which is deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sergeant Christopher Ransom, from Coopersville, Mich., was out laying communications wire when he heard the missile.
"It sounded like a jet coming in," said Ransom, a field wireman with A Co., 8th Communications Battalion. "We looked over to see the jet, and we saw a small flash and lots of dust and smoke. Our instincts kicked in. We donned our gas masks, and we got in the bunkers."
Inside the bunkers, some Marines and sailors nervously traded jokes, while others remained silent. All waited for the words "all clear" to come over the base's loudspeakers.
"I was scared, nervous," said Cpl. Joshua Honesto, from La Grange, Calif. "Everybody was breathing hard. We were all listening to what was going on in the sky."
Further alarms sounded later in the day, sending leathernecks scurrying into the bunkers after donning their M-40 field protective masks. Undaunted, the I Marine Expeditionary Force, continued to carry out the mission throughout the day's interruptions.
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