Seahorses in Afghanistan

[Walt's Daughter]

From: "Stevens, Richard L USA COL USA CTF Rugged" To: "John Fallon" Subject: RE: seahorse Date: Tue, 22 May 2007 05:19:40 -0000

 

Captain Fallon, thanks very much for the note. By the way, I'm told that the Rugged Seahorse stickers are "in the mail". But I'm not sure if they're coming from Afghanistan or Texas. Still, you should be getting them shortly at your address.

 

I have some other news that you may find interesting. I have been asked to temporarily take command of a task force responsible for completing the transition of our base in Kandahar, home to some 10,000 US and coalition soldiers, over to NATO control. This will include things like property and facilities transfers, base defense operations, airfield operations, etc. I have brought with me select members of my staff and am being augmented with over 100 other soldiers, sailors, and airmen. I have taken the liberty of naming our team "Task Force ANZIO".

 

I chose ANZIO for the obvious significance that battle has for the Rugged Seahorse engineers, but also because of some of the other parallels...Kandahar is within the British sector of Afghanistan, many members of our ANZIO team are from the 82nd Airborne, and so on. Of course, some historians will argue that the ANZIO landings were not without flaws in higher echelon leadership and planning. Still, I felt it appropriate to honor the courageous and inspiring soldiers who fought there. Our motto will be "Stand and Fight!", which are apparently words attributed to Gen Clark during the ANZIO campaign.

 

I hope we will do justice to the ANZIO name.

 

As an aside, the Rugged Seahorse Brigade continues to perform magnificently here in Afghanistan. While I am on this temporary assignment, my deputy commander and command sergeant major are leading their efforts.

 

Best wishes...and do stay in touch...and STAY RUGGED! Rick

 

-----Original Message----- From: John Fallon Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 2:03 AM To: Richard Stevens Subject: seahorse

 

I am sending out the first announcement of our annual reunion this week and am sending you one just to keep in touch even though I know you won't fly over for the weekend.

 

I ordered a 36th engineer baseball cap for you and had it sent to Fort Hood so you might not get it for a long long time. They are very nice and you just might be able to wear it to a Bar-B-Que. Or maybe you can show it to some young Lieutenant who thinks he has been overseas too long. I has the story very compactly next to the Seahorse, all the Arrowheads and Stars.

 

 

36 Engineers are rugged......John Fallon II. Capt. USA Ret.

 

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