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RTN Rear Adm. Tawewuth Pongsapipatt, Commander of Frigate Squadron 2, shakes hands with U.S. Navy Capt. Lothrop S. “Buzz” Little, Commander of Destroyer Squadron One and the CARAT Task Group, following the closing ceremony of CARAT Thailand 2004.
Photo by JOC Melinda Larson, USNR |
Closing Ceremony
About 140 Thai Marines and RTN personnel, including the commanding officers of seven RTN ships, and U.S. Navy and Coast Guard personnel attended the closing ceremony for Exercise CARAT Thailand 2004. RTN Rear Adm. Tawewuth Pongsapipatt, Commander of Frigate Squadron 2, told attendees, “The success of this year’s exercise is clearly derived from the cooperation between Royal Thai Navy and U.S. forces. The cooperation is aimed to enhance both individuals’ abilities and tactics in order to be able to work together in all levels of military combined operations,” he said. “Furthermore, it also shows a good long lasting relationship between our two countries.”
Capt. Lothrop S. “Buzz” Little, Commander of Destroyer Squadron One and the U.S. Navy CARAT Task Group, told the attendees, “CARAT Thailand was a safe exercise and tremendous success thanks to the efforts of the U.S. and Royal Thai navies as well as the planning teams.” Capt. Little added, “Our true success was earmarked through at-sea exercises including, but not limited to USN and RTN aircrews safely deploying and minesweepers hunting down two MK 62 Quick Strike Mines, conducting amphibious evolutions culminating in a successful beach raid, and providing highly interactive diving and salvage operations.” He also pointed out that the highlight of the 10-day exercise was the underway phase, when a combined RTN/USN staff on the USS Russell (DDG 59) exercised command and control of the combined task group.
Concerning the at-sea portion of the exercise, Capt. Little said, “RTN and U.S. Coast Guard counterparts [aboard the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mellon] put their many hours of visit, board, search and seizure classroom instruction to the test in conducting a joint at-sea boarding of a 70-foot [20-meter] Thai fishing vessel. This training and execution demonstrates our navies’ commitment to not only sharing information and situational awareness, but also the common goal of securing international seas and channels of commerce.” Echoing Rear Adm. Tawewuth Pongsapipatt’s comments, Capt. Little also said, “It was the personal interactions, professionalism, and mutual respect that laid the groundwork for future generations of our navies’ to enhance joint training and seamless interoperability.”
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Thai Marines storm the beach after exiting a U.S. Navy Landing Craft, Air Cushion during an amphibious assault exercise.
Photo by JOC Joseph Krypel, USNR |
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