En Co (Vertical Const) Mare Island Naval Cemetery
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322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY The week of December 8th, an element of the 322nd Engineer Company from Sloan, NV arrived to support of the MINC IRT project. Unclassified 1 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Just prior to the arrival of the 322nd, the 801st used up the last of the decent weather cleaning up the few remaining trees on the south fence line. In the photo above left, SFC Matthew Knasick (801st) drags a tree towards the waiting chainsaws and dumpster. Unclassified 2 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY As trees were removed, SFC Knasick would use his parallel rippers to tear out any remaining tree roots underground. This is intended to protect the new MINC fence from the encroachment of future tree growth as long as possible. The picture at right shows the delicate level of work as we attempted to get as many of the roots as possible –without posing an unacceptable risk to the graves. Unclassified 3 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY The 322nd Engineer Company arrived just in time for the rain. Some areas of MINC quickly turned into a sea of mud. Unclassified 4 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Before: A view of the south fence line After: A mid-December view of the same fence in late September during the wildfire. line with all trees, and shrubbery removed. The early morning sunlight is hitting parts of MINC for the first time in decades. Unclassified 5 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY The main effort of the 322nd EN CO was to attack the thick tree growth on the north fence line (notice behind the geo-tech contractors on the right). At left Private Zachery Miller, our most experienced Chainsaw man, & Major Douglas Hayes (OIC) discuss the plan to safely drop the next tree. This was particularly delicate work as we were dealing with some of the largest trees so far to be removed on this project, and we had to be careful to drop these monsters where they would (1) not damage any headstones, and (2) not hit the portion of the north fence line that is going to be left standing –not to mention avoid hitting any of the contractors or us! Our fight with these large, stubborn trees provided some good entertainment for the drillers who would occasionally stop work and watch as the Engineers would reach another climactic moment with one of the leafy giants. Unclassified 6 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Our dozer operator, Specialist William McGarry, fights one of the more stubborn trees, that we dealt with this week. Unclassified 7 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Once the trees are down, it’s time for the chainsaws to go to work. Then it’s off to the chipper (left background). Unclassified 8 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Dropping a large tree is just the start. Most of the work is on the chain saw crew cutting it up for the Skid Steer and Gators to haul to the chipper and/or dumpsters. Unclassified 9 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY It was critical that we kept our chainsaws sharpened, fueled, and oiled. They proved to be the backbone of the 322nd mission at the north fence line. A special thank you to the City of Vallejo for providing both the 322nd and the 801st with excellent equipment and BOM support throughout the IRT project. Unclassified 10 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Since the start of the MINC IRT Project, we have heard rumors of dogs (and a pet bear) being buried outside the MINC fence. They had all been lost to history, but we had been told we might find them on the hillside, just outside of the west fence line. However as the 322nd began combining trees on the north fence line, in no time at all we came across the graves of Captain Goss’ (pictured left on Dec 18, 1942) dogs. They are in fact buried just outside the north fence line, in between the cemetery and the (now long abandoned) tennis court. Captain Goss graduated Annapolis in 1905 and was decorated for heroism in the First World War. He was the commander of Mare Island during World War II. Unclassified 11 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY The City of Vallejo provided the 322nd Soldiers with a chipper, and they put that thing to work! Specialist Ryan Sayaman was very handy operating the Skid Steer, and the truck driver mentioned that the contents of the dumpster in the picture to the immediate right weighed over 6 tons. Unclassified 12 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY We eventually moved the chipper to the south side of MINC in order to put some wood chips down and try to stabilize the mud. To the right, Specialist Brandon Roat works with the Skid Steer driver to place wood chips on the mud further up the slope. Unclassified 13 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY The MINC IRT project involves almost as much work OUTSIDE the cemetery as within. The 322nd EN CO NCOIC (SGT Angelyn Cayton) leads a crew on the heights above MINC digging out an old ceramic pipeline running down from a culvert above the cemetery. The pipe had failed in too many places to count, and is one of several factors contributing to the annual rainfall runoff that has undermined the soil on the hillside and caused damage to MINC through the years. Unclassified 14 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY After about four days of hard digging, the pipeline crew finally reaches the end of the pipe which empties into a large cut that has eroded the side of the hill directly above MINC. During the dig, we came across some conduit with electrical wiring running perpendicular to the axis of the pipe. I don’t know for sure, but I believe these wires run between the two large 180,000 gallon water tanks on the side of the hill above MINC. Unclassified 15 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Although it was December, we had the unusual occasion to be visited by a couple snakes, and some very interesting looking bugs. Anyone recognize what that is in the right hand picture? Anyway, I was called to the top of the hill on a report of a rattlesnake, but it turned out to just be a gopher snake. The snake and I were asked to strike a dramatic pose for the joe’s eager to take a picture. Last I heard the snake had gotten a Oscar nomination for best supporting actor… I didn’t rate so much as an honorable mention on Facebook. The snake was last seen making himself at home in his new crib at the bottom of a hole, about 100 feet safely north of the pipeline work area. Unclassified 16 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Before: The NE corner of MINC, just as the 322nd EN CO and the rain arrived. Take note of how the fence had been unintentionally acting as a retaining wall over the decades holding back the soil as it gradually moved down the slope, towards the Napa river. No wonder the fence has for years been leaning out into the street. Unclassified 17 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY After: The NE corner of MINC with the overgrowth cleaned up, and waiting for some fill dirt to get rid of the low spot in the foreground. Unclassified 18 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY At left we see the north fence line as it was originally choked with overgrowth. You can see a large tree leaning over the fence –another tricky one that took us a half day to remove without destroying that section of fence. At right we see what is a good start on the north fence line. We still have several trees yet to be removed as we cut our way up hill to the NW corner of MINC. Unclassified 19 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY Major items accomplished: *Removal of over 140 feet of fence line. *Over 266 feet of ceramic pipe dug up. * Removal of over 18 ton of wood. By the time we came down to the last day of work, the 322nd had caught the vision of what MINC could look like again, once all the work and improvements that it needs are complete. They were hesitant to pack up for home, and I almost had to give an order to stop working … but we ran low on fuel anyway. I don’t blame them. Once you see the headstones and understand the history of Mare Island; it’s impact on the history of the United States; and the lives these great people led, it is difficult not to keep working until you drop over. Unclassified 20 322nd EN CO (VERTICAL CONST) MARE ISLAND NAVAL CEMETERY On the last day, Mr. Miguel Espinoza (Unit Administrator for the 801st EN CO) prepared a homemade Mexican lunch for the 322nd EN CO as a thank you for all their hard work. Three Soldiers (SPC Erik Castro, PFC Miguel Lemus, and PV2 Zachery Miller), were recognized by their peers and the Command with the presentation of Battalion Challenge Coins, for distinguishing themselves during the week of cold, wet, difficult work.