Santa Monza was the home of a regiment of French Foreign Legion Paratroopers.
I Company of the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines on board the Monrovia had the opportunity to switch places with a company of the Legionnaires.
We cross-trained with Legionnaires and French Marine Commandoes for a week.
The highlight of our training was a military field meet at the end of our cross-training.
Part of the field meet included a 5 or 10 mile force march where everyone in a squad had to finish together.
Each squad's start was staggerd. A legionnaire squad, then a French Marine Commando squad, then a US Marine squad would start about 3 minutes apart.
While the French Marines and the Legionnaires ran and walked the distance, we ran at a slow pace the whole way.
Our squad past a French Marine Commando squad about half way through the run and I believe we were closing on the second squad.
I remember about the last couple hundred yards were up a hill and the finish line was at the top and we were in a hurt locker.
Although our rubbery legs were forever moving, our bodies were making slow progress up the hill.
As we got closer to the finish line someone yelled "They're gonna pass us!"
I remember looking back for the first time and seeing the squad we had passed several miles back, closing the gap between us. That's all we needed! We finished almost intermingling with the squad in front of us.
We completed the force march with exceedingly good times. If you don't believe it, just ask me.
It was a good day.
