Logistics personnel supported all facets of the operation, from the afternoon of 3 October 1993 until the completion of the recovery of combat personnel throughout the following day. Support included the evacuation of wounded and deceased personnel, securing and accounting for weapons and personal items, redistribution of ammunition and filling magazines. It also included feeding personnel, providing water and soda to returned combatants, fixing vehicles to return to combat and rearming the ground security and recovery forces. Other logistic support included the preparation and deployment of aerial ammunition and water resupply packages to pined down combat elements, securing captured personnel, and providing personnel to the recovery force as well as to the base security elements. Supply, food service, mechanics, armory and engineer personnel all did what was required at the time.

The operation started as usual – with the establishment of the PC area and the standing by of litter bearers. Drinks were iced down for the returning assault and security forces.

On this particular day, as casualties returned, they were identified and the litter bearers and medical personnel went into action as planned. Detainees and captured weapons were recorded and secured. Deceased personnel were processed and the remains were moved to the graves registration point. We were all involved, throughout the conflict, in securing casualty equipment and ammunition and redistributing it for the rearming of the security force preparing to recover personnel at the objective and helicopter crash sites.

As damaged vehicles returned to base, they were rapidly inspected and repaired through the cannibalization of non-mission capable vehicles. We also repaired small arms that were returned to action and reloaded 600 M-16 30-round magazines. Additionally, these same personnel filled 5-gallon water cans with bottled water for aerial resupply. They also prepared plates of food for the medical and staff personnel and spelled personnel on guard duty to assume duties on the security and recovery elements. Logistic personnel – and others – pulled guard duty shifts throughout the night and the next morning.

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