Thai and American helicopters lead a mock
amphibious assault with South Korean marines Feb. 13 at Prince Jetsada
Camp in Sattahip.
Staff Reporters
Military forces from Thailand, the United States and
four other countries wrapped up annual Cobra Gold exercises that saw
troops storm beaches, thwart biochemical attacks, launch helicopter
assaults and even drink cobra blood.
Soldiers, sailors and marines from the U.S., Japan,
Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia joined their Thai counterparts in the
Feb. 8-18 war games. Observers from nine other nations also attended.
Most of this year’s activities were based in Chiang Mai, but marine and
amphibious exercises took place, as usual, off the Sattahip coast. The
U.S. Navy this year contributed 5,900 personnel.
The showcase operations drill played out Feb. 13 at
Prince Jetsada Camp in Sattahip where Thai and American helicopters led
a mock amphibious assault with South Korean marines.
Japanese forces take time out for a commemorative photo during the Feb
12 evacuation drill.
The Royal Thai Navy contributed the HTMS Surin and
Mannok while the U.S. brought in four ships, the USS Germantown, Essex,
Stockdale and Denver.
Two CH 53 Helicopters, and six CH 46 helicopters
carrying 24 Thai and 92 U.S. personnel led attacks on targets to
suppress the enemy before special forces from both countries rappelled
down to mop up stragglers and rescue hostages. It was a quick assault
meant to work equally well in wooded and mountainous areas.
Rescue also played a role in the Feb. 12 operation,
which stressed the evacuation of non-combatants in war zones. Thai Gen.
Pong Sa-nganet, Japanese Ambassador Kyoji Komachi and U.S. regional
security officer Randall Bennett observed as forces re-enacted the
humanitarian evacuation of a disaster area.
Thai, Japanese and U.S. personnel play-acted as
patients and medical personnel while forces set up an “evacuation
control center,” and organized air support. The ECC focused on medical
treatment, weapons and drug searches, and transportation. Each unit had
to visualize a real situation and resolve the challenges faced.
Japanese commander Capt. Ucha Iamsuro said after
military forces seize an area and establish a beachhead, the task is to
get victims out of harm’s way by moving them via helicopter to ships
offshore. By breaking the mission into parts, each group can visualize
the situation better and conquer the delicate, yet complicated,
logistics challenges inherent in evacuations, he said.
A
Royal Thai Navy Marine, left, from the Royal Thai Engineer Battalion,
and U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nicolette Hawkins apply stucco to a new
building at Baan Pong Wua School in Chantaburi, as part of Exercise
Cobra Gold. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patricia D.
Lockhart/Released)
Planning is also at the heart of military efforts to
prevent nuclear and biochemical attacks, the focus of Cobra Gold’s Feb.
15 exercise.
Royal Thai Navy and Air Force personnel joined 35
U.S. Navy sailors at the Royal Thai Fleet’s Amphibious Battalion in
Plutaluang for the drill organized by the Air Force’s Research and
Science Center.
Operations re-enacted the process of locating nuclear
and biochemical substances in a battle situation. A Thai navy science
operations team cooperated to clear out toxic substances discovered
during the drill.
The benefits of joint military operations aside,
officials from all sides agreed exercises like Cobra Gold help to
increase cultural understanding.
That was never more apparent than on Feb. 15 when,
during wilderness training, Thai naval personnel demonstrated killing a
cobra in the wild then having U.S. personnel drink its blood.
The macho-sounding adventure stems from ancient Thai
beliefs that cobra blood improves circulation, eliminates allergies and
even increases sexual potency. While science doesn’t back up the Thai
superstition, the manly forces assembled didn’t shirk the challenge,
mixing up the cobra blood with some Thai liquor and washing it down
after exercises were done for the day.
The 10-day exercises weren’t all war games, however,
as many military personnel also took part in community relations
projects, building and refurbishing schools in rural areas, and donating
much needed supplies.
Troops re-enact the process of locating nuclear and biochemical
substances in a battle situation.
Troops drink cobra blood as part of their wilderness training.
After finding and disposing of the chemical weapons, soldiers are
disinfected to ensure no after effects.
Soldiers dig in, ready for the assault at Prince Jetsada Camp in
Sattahip.
