FORT EUSTIS, Virginia — On a small, tucked away pier just off the James River, the sounds of Lee Greenwood and Toby Keith blared over the water as soldiers hugged their kids and spouses and the gantry of a large Army landing ship slowly began to close behind them.
The soldiers were all part of the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary) — 7th TBX, for short — and they were getting ready to man four transportation ships that set sail Tuesday morning bound for Gaza, where months of the Israel-Hamas war have pushed the civilian population to the brink of starvation.
The brigade is set to play a key role in relieving a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza that has sparked deep concerns around the world. Soldiers with the 7th TBX have been tasked with building a literal bridge across the water to deliver food aid to the Palestinians trapped in the ongoing violence since October.
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“We have transported personnel supplies across many waters around the world, and this is no different,” their commander, Col. Samuel Miller, told reporters assembled pierside to watch the deployment. “We understand the importance of this mission. … We will forge across the water to deliver humanitarian assistance.”
The four ships — the Logistics Support Vessel SP4 James A. Loux and Landing Craft Utility Wilson Wharf, Matamoros, and Monterrey — are the…
