Petty Officer 3rd Class Justin Stordahl of MOMAU-15 stands near MK-6 training mines. Image courtesy of U.S. Navy
The Navy is relocating a highly specialized mine warfare team to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station as part of the government’s realignment and closure of military bases.
Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 15 (MOMAU-15) will begin moving to Seal Beach next summer, giving the base two units that provide training mines to the fleet. Seal Beach already is home to MOMAU-1.
“They (15) do largely the same thing as MOMAU-1, which makes them a good fit, but they are also tasked with the support of the mine countermeasures ships based in Ingleside (Texas),” says Gregg Smith, a base spokesman. “Those ships are scheduled to move to San Diego.”
MOMAU teams train others in the fleet, and U.S. allies, to identify and deploy mines. Such mines can be planted by seaborne teams and can be dropped from aircraft.
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We met Justin Stordahl about 5 years ago in Austin, Texas and again in Corpus Christi, Texas. We lost touch a couple of years later. We have recently returned home from Iraq, addresses have changed, phone numbers have changed, and would like to reach him again. If anyone has any information as to how we can get in touch with Justin again, please let us know.
Thank You!