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The 21st annual COBRA GOLD field and command post post exercise wad held in Thailand for 15 days, with about 21,000 participants from Thailand, Singapore, and the U.S. Photo by SSgt. Jerry Morrison, USAF

Amphibious Operations

On a beach in Sattahip, Thai and U.S. Reconnaissance Marines received bi-lingual classes in surveying beachfront areas for amphibious landings. Topics ranged from water depth and beach gradient to bottom composition that are important in the beaching of amphibious vehicles.

Several two-man swimming teams left their rubber rafts nearly 100 meters from the shore, measuring depth and studying the shoreline as they made their way slowly to the sand. The first swimmers to land on the beach set up perimeter security and kept watch, while other Thai and U.S. Marines surveyed the terrain for the possible approach of amphibious vehicles.

Normally, beach surveys are nighttime operations, but for training purposes, the survey took place during the day to provide the forces a better understanding of how a real operation would unfold. Both forces, however, trained as if it were night, covering each other with sand to break up moonlight reflected by wet camouflage uniforms.

Before the exercise, Thai and U.S. Reconnaissance Marines spent a month training and living together to build on their skills. They resided in a Buddhist temple, where they made friends with the monks, exchanged gifts, and engaged in physical training.