MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Like the Nordic north men of lore and legend who traversed the seas centuries ago in search of new lands, the Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 Vikings more than lived up to that spirit of adventure during their recent Theater Cooperative Support Program deployment.
The TCSP deployment, dubbed Fish Hook-2 2002 because the path of 6,800 miles VMFA(AW)-225 took during the Pacific Theater journey resembled the shape of a giant fish hook, brought the Vikings through Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Fiji and New Caledonia.
"The purpose of this trip was to foster the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing TCSP," said Maj. Douglas Pasnik, executive officer of VMFA(AW)-225, which hails from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., and is currently at MCAS Iwakuni under the Unit Deployment Program until mid-September. "TCSP seeks to build mutually beneficial relationships with selected theater air facilities and their local communities in order to facilitate expanded Marine Corps aircraft transit and aviation training opportunities as well as contingency response options."
The Vikings, led by commanding officer Lt. Col. James Daulton Jr., deployed on Fish Hook-2 2002 from Australia with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 along with 38 Marines, four F/A-18D Hornets and one C-130 Hercules, sometimes seemed more like rock stars than Marines to the hordes of local crowds that greeted their arrivals at each stop.
"In New Caledonia we were very well received by an audience in the thousands, who lined the beach at Anse Vata Beach in Noumea and displayed the American flag for our arrival," said Pasnik.
The Vikings received similar receptions on the other islands as well, and all the attention didn't go unappreciated by the Marines, as they visited numerous schools and entertained the locals by putting on static displays.
"We all got to see some amazing places, that few people get to see, and we did it while representing our country and our Corps," said Capt. Neal Rickner, VMFA(AW)-225 operations officer. "Additionally, seeing so many varied cultures, and their relationship to the United States, helped us see the bigger picture of how we fit into the global scheme of things."
Before returning to Iwakuni via Australia, the Vikings stopped in Guadalcanal for the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, (see story Page 6) where they were met by nearly 5,000 locals, many wearing Marine colors to show their support.
No matter where the Vikings went, the locals were "entertained and mesmerized by our arrival, departure and static displays," said Pasnik.
But locals weren't the only ones who were glad to see the Marines on this historic trip.
"We earned praise from Americans and patriots living across the globe," said Pasnik, "who cheered because they felt once again the support of a country seemingly so far away. It was a pleasure for us to participate in this epic event and we hope that our successful execution paves the way for continued and improved relationships with the countries who's memories of America stem from a history fostered long ago during a world war, and rekindled by a simple visit."
"I feel so fortunate to have been a part of this deployment," said Lance Cpl. Alejandro Canto, VMFA(AW)-225 plane captain. "It was an adventure I will never forget."
And also an adventure that proved the Marines of VMFA(AW)-225 are every bit as stubborn as the original Vikings, refusing to not attempt something just because the critics say it can't be done, or that it has never been done before.
"Our training is primarily based around the idea that we can take Hornet's anywhere, anytime, with nothing but a C-130 full of Marines and gear," said Rickner. "We knew we could do it. Now we've proved it."
And then some.