U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Wayalan Cain

[thedrifter]

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Wayalan Cain
By Sgt. Valerie Martinez

DARWIN, Austrailia -- When the conflict in Iraq finally exploded into a full-scale war, Wayalan Cain was proud to be serving as a major in the United States Marine Corps.

But the war stories he will tell his four children will be much different than those told by a majority of his brothers in arms, because Cain didn't enter the fight with his fellow Marines - he flew as an F/A-18 Hornet pilot with the Australian's 75 Squadron.

Cain, who currently serves as the unit's B Flight Commander, began his journey with the Royal Australian Air Force in 2001 after applying for a spot in the Marine Corps Exchange Pilot Program.

After qualifying, he packed up his family and home, said goodbye to his unit, Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, currently participating in Southern Frontier 2003 here, and flew down under to RAAF Base Tindal.

"Australia was my first choice," said Cain, because "I wanted to be somewhere that I could spend time with my family."

That quality time Cain was looking for in the beauty of the outback didn't last though, because not long after arriving here his unit was called in to support the coalition against Saddam Hussein.

And when Cain deployed to Iraq in early February 2003, he and some 250 men and women from the 75 Squadron made history by being part of the first Australian fighter deployment and operation in a war zone since the Korean War.


"It was a really interesting experience to be a United States Marine fighting the war in Iraq on the Australian team," said Cain. "They could have taken one of their own officers with them and left me in the rear, but they took me with them to combat, and I feel very grateful."

The 75 Squadron entered the conflict ready to fight, flying counter air missions until the airborne threat from the enemy was nonexistent, and then began air interdictions including strikes and close air support. Before returning home May 15, Cain and his Aussie counterparts had clocked in more than 670 sorties and 2,300 hours of flying time and dropped 122 precision-guided weapons.

Although Cain admits it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to serve with the Australians, seeing his Marines on the television screen fighting the war "reminded me how much I missed them. At times I wished I was fighting with them - you know, with 'the boys.'"

And back with "the boys" Cain will go in December, where he is scheduled to report to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.

"It has been really great living in Australia, and the relationships I have made have been wonderful," he added. "But I am definitely excited to get back to the Marine Corps."



Sempers,

Roger