Tongan Royal Marine Pvt. Paula Tatafu helps provide security in one of the perimeter towers at Camp Blue Diamond. Tatafu is one of 45 Tongan Royal Marines who arrived here earlier this month to assist is guard duties here. (USMC photo by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald)
Tongan Marines join U.S. Marines in Iraq
Submitted by: 1st Marine Division
Story Identification #: 200471553640
Story by Cpl. Paula M. Fitzgerald
CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, Iraq(July 13, 2004) -- U.S. Marines here with 1st Marine Division recently welcomed "friendly islanders" from Tonga with a warm "malo e leielei."
Forty-five Tongan Royal Marines traveled from their tiny South Pacific island in order to support the division's security and stabilization mission in Iraq. They arrived earlier this month and are currently planning to stay for a six-month tour before heading home.
This trip marks the first peacekeeping deployment for the Tongan Defense Service outside of the South Pacific.
"All of my men volunteered to come to Iraq," said Tongan Capt. Maama Misi, platoon commander. "Our Marine Corps is very small and everyone wanted to come out here, but we could only bring a certain number."
The country of Tonga - the only monarchy in the Pacific - is four times the size of Washington D.C., and is home to about 110,000 residents. The Tongan Royal Marines Corps is made up of a few hundred people, so the group here makes up a large chunk of the defense force.
The Royal Marines who were selected hold a variety of billets. Most are infantrymen, but a few serve as mechanics, communications technicians and welders.
All of the Tongans make up part of the camp's guard force, responsible for providing internal and external security here.
"Since they got here, the Tongans have been doing the exact same duties as the U.S. Marines," explained Staff Sgt. Kenneth D. Douglas, sergeant of the guard. "They man the towers, rove around the camp and do escort duty. They work the same hours as us and sweat the same sweat."
Before arriving here, the Tongans spent the last year training for the mission.
"We trained for a long time before leaving Tonga," Misi explained. "We focused on conventional warfare - things every Marine knows."