Editor's
note: On Aug. 8, terrorist bombers attacked the American embassies in
Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. At the time of the attack,
Marine security guards were on duty protecting the internal security of
those embassies. They were among an elite group of more than 1,400
Marines who serve similar diplomatic security duty at 123 posts around
the world, Just hours after the attack, the following message, edited
for space, was sent via electronic mail by Lieutenant Colonel Dennis
Sabal, the Marine Security Guard "Fox" Company commander, to Colonel
David S. Burgess at battalion headquarters in Quantico, Va. His
compelling report explains in dramatic detail the actions and untold
heroism of a few of America's finest.
11 Aug 1998
Colonel Burgess,
It has been almost 96 hours since the devastating
blasts ripped through the American Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar
Es Salaam, Tanzania. With the situation at both embassies now somewhat
stabilized, I want to take a few moments and attempt to paint a picture
of the events leading up to the blasts as well as provide you with a
commander's perspective of the actions of our Marines subsequent to the
explosions.
On Friday morning, 8 August 1998 at 10:30 a.m.
local Kenyan time (0330 EST), Corporal Samuel Gonite was standing Post
One in the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. At approximately 10:35,
Marine Sergeant Jesse "Nathan" Aliganga walked into the embassy to cash
a check. Corporal Gonite watched Sergeant Aliganga walk past Post One,
get onto the elevator and ascend to the bank.
At the same time and unbeknownst to anyone in the
embassy, two men pulled up to the rear guard shack of the embassy,
which was manned by the local Kenyan security force. This parking lot,
which was sandwiched in between a 60-story bank building and a smaller
bank building, was also the entrance into the underground garage for
the embassy. Reportedly, a man approached the local guard and demanded
he open the gate (leading into the embassy's underground garage) to
which the local guard refused. At this time, the man hurled what was
believed to be a grenade.
Inside the embassy, people heard the explosion and
reportedly got up to look out of their windows when at 10:40 a.m. a
truck filled with explosives crashed into the rear wall of the embassy
adjacent to the underground garage and exploded. Corporal Gonite was
immediately knocked to the ground by the concussion of the blast. The
glass surrounding Post One was shattered, but remained intact. The
detachment commander, Gunnery Sergeant Cross, upon hearing the first
blast, immediately went for the ladder well and was shielded from the
main blast.
When the truck exploded, the small bank building
behind the embassy collapsed onto the chancery's emergency generator,
spilling thousands of gallons of diesel fuel into the basement of the
embassy. The diesel fuel ignited, and smoke and fire were billowing
throughout the embassy. As injured and confused people were running out
of the chancery screaming and choking, the Marines were running into
the building looking for survivors.
With no thought for their own lives, having no idea
what else might happen, or whether or not the shattered structure would
cave in on them, the Marines immediately reacted and began a sweep of
the building.
Sergeant Briehl, who was waiting outside the
embassy in the car, immediately darted into the building looking for
Sergeant Aliganga. He ran to the elevator shafts behind Post One, which
were completely destroyed, and fell two floors down into the shaft,
breaking three ribs and sustaining multiple lacerations and bruises.
Sergeant Briehl managed to climb out of the elevator shaft and
continued his search for Sergeant Aliganga. Sergeant Outt, who was in
Nairobi from Bujumbura for a dental appointment, as well as Sergeant
Harper, who was on COT [consecutive overseas tour] leave in Nairobi
from Accra, immediately reacted with the Marines and manned posts
around the embassy.
At this time, we had Gunnery Sergeant Cross,
Sergeants Russel, Jiminez, Briehl, Outt, Harper and Corporal Gonite on
board. These Marines immediately made their way through the rubble,
fire and smoke looking for survivors, fended off local looters who
swarmed the embassy moments after the blast, secured classified
material and, most importantly to them, began the search for their
brother, Sergeant Aliganga.
To provide a bit of situational awareness, the
embassy in Nairobi is a seven-floor concrete structure with five
above-ground and two below-ground levels. It was situated on two major
avenues of approach with minimal stand-off distance between the road
and the structure. When the bomb exploded, the force of the blast was
so devastating that it blew out almost every closed window and frame on
the building. Twelve-inch-thick concrete walls on all floors of the
embassy were shattered like thin plates of glass. Solid wooden doors
mounted on steel frames were sent airborne, landing throughout the
structure. Windows on office buildings over a quarter of a mile away
were shattered. There was not an office space that survived inside of
the embassy. Bodies were spread all over, most of which were buried
under up to 8 feet of rubble.
At the same time, the Regional Security Officer for
the American Embassy in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, John DiCarlo, a former
Marine Security Guard, had taken Post One from Corporal Johnson in
order for him to make a head call. At approximately 10:40 a.m., a truck
bomb exploded outside the security gate, ripping through the embassy.
Corporal Johnson was knocked to the deck. He stood up and ran to Post
One where he found it intact, but inoperable. Corporal Johnson
immediately reacted the Marines, who were all at the Marine BEQ during
the explosion, and informed all mission personnel to evacuate the
building. Corporal Johnson donned his react gear and took control of
the Command Center.
The detachment commander, Gunnery Sergeant Kimble,
arrived at the embassy approximately four to five minutes after the
blast and began checking offices throughout the chancery to ensure all
personnel were safely out of the building. Within eight minutes of the
blast, Sergeant Sivason and first posters Corporals Bohn, Hatfield,
Johnson and McCabe began working through the chancery clearing all
rooms of personnel.
Due to the enormous amount of smoke and fire, the
decision was made to evacuate Post One, and the Marines fell back to
their secondary positions. The force of the blast blew out every window
in the chancery and all doors except Post One. The hardline doors,
which are located on the opposite side of the embassy, were forced open
by the blast. Emergency fire exits on the opposite side of the building
in which the blast occurred were blown off the hinges. Concrete walls
within the embassy were knocked down, and safes were moved or knocked
over.
During the search of the building the Marines had
to bust through walls in order to get to areas unattainable during
their sweep. Within four hours of the truck bomb, which damaged
diplomatic properties and houses up to 1,000 meters away, the embassy
was secure with MSGs maintaining 24-hour security on the building until
the arrival of the FAST team [Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team].
In Nairobi, Marines continued to work throughout
the day clearing the embassy, providing local security, moving the
injured and the dead from the rubble to safety.
By 0400, a number of Army special forces NCOs had
volunteered to stand post to give the Marines a much-needed break. At
first light, all of the Marines were back to continue their mission
while looking for Sergeant Aliganga. After hours of digging by hand
through tons of rubble, behind Post One and in the elevator shafts, we
moved to the area of the bank. This was one of the hardest-hit areas as
it was one floor up and only about 50 feet from the blast site. By this
time, over 30 bodies had been recovered from the rubble, including 10
Americans.
Finally, at exactly 1430 local time, after 27 hours
and 50 minutes of relentless digging with their bare hands, the body of
Sergeant Aliganga was recovered from the rubble. Once positively
identified, the Marines then gently wrapped Sergeant Aliganga in the
American flag and very purposefully marched him through the rubble and
out of the embassy to the waiting vehicle. Although there were no
cameras present, nor was there any music playing, the crowds seemed to
still, and people stood erect with tears running down their faces, as
the body of another United States Marine, who gave his life in defense
of his country, was ushered away.
By nightfall, the FAST team arrived and quickly
took up the perimeter security, freeing the MSGs to return to the still
ongoing task of recovering classified material and equipment from the
rubble.
Sir, I apologize that my words are insufficient to
more accurately describe the true essence of this horrific tragedy.
What must not be missed is the incredible bravery and heroism displayed
by our Marine security guards. Without any regard for their own lives
or safety, they maintained incredible presence of mind in the face of
tremendous devastation. Each Marine continued to serve our country and
our Department of State with distinction.
Even through the chaos and the fog, our Marines
never lost focus of their mission. They were models of strength to be
emulated by all.
Semper Fidelis and Very Respectfully, Dennis Sabal
Lieutenant Colonel,U.S. Marine Corps
Commanding