General awards medals to Nevada National Guard members in Egypt

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001 | 8:26 a.m.

The Nevada Army National Guard's 1864th Transportation Co., which headed to Egypt only days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, returned safely to Las Vegas at 4 a.m. Wednesday after two weeks supporting the war exercise Bright Star.

In the exercise, U.S. forces work with troops from 10 countries, involving more than 70,000 participants.

"You should be very proud of what you have accomplished here," Brig. Gen. David Kratzer told the company the night before their return.

Kratzer, the deputy commanding general of the 377th Theater Support Command, awarded Army Achievement medals to Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Baetz and Spc. Oscar Lewis, both of Las Vegas, and three General's Coins to Priv. Bernadette Basilio and Spc. Tabitha Kast of Las Vegas and Sgt. John Kramer of Winnemucca.

The Nevada soldiers said that they felt safe in Egypt militarily; in traffic, it was another matter for the truck-driving company.

"There are no traffic lights, no stop signs, no traffic laws to speak of, and you have vehicles and people coming at you from every which way," said convoy commander 2nd Lt. Michael Shearin of Sparks. "We did an amazing job, considering, and everyone returned safe and sound."

The drivers were not allowed to stop along their routes from Mubarak Military City to either the Port of Agami near Alexandria or a nearby airport, but they were able to observe life along the roadways.

"It was such an interesting experience, an odd mixture of the ancient and the modern," Spc. Ronald Pedroza of Carson City said. "At times I felt like a World War II war hero because the Egyptians watching the convoy pass would wave and show us the peace sign. I guess because of the terrorist attacks they were showing support. It is something that I will never forget."

In brief