Photo By Sgt. Cedric Haller | U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Jon Wissler, 3rd from left, speaks to civilian media about Ssang...... read more read more
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POHANG, Republic of Korea—Republic of Korea, U.S. and Australian armed forces demonstrated combined amphibious landing capabilities during Ssang Yong 2014 in Pohang, Republic of Korea.
Ssang Yong 14 incorporates more than 13,600 U.S. and ROK Navy-Marine and Australian Army forces, and effectively demonstrates the unique abilities of forward-deployed Marine air-ground task forces with allied partners.
“This is a combined exercise that we began planning for many months ago and we’ve worked very hard with our ROK Marine partners,” said U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. John Wissler, commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force. “It began with the academics of studying the art of amphibious techniques.”
The day’s exercise began with simulated explosives rounds detonating a few feet from the shoreline as U.S. Marine AV-8B Harriers and MV-22 Ospreys provided air support. As wave after wave of amphibious assault vehicles approached the beach, a thick smoke screen was deployed to conceal the exact scale of the oncoming force. Waiting to engage the Marines on the beach were Marines, both U.S. and ROK, acting as the opposition force to add intense realism to the training, which commanders view as vital to mission readiness.
Ssang Yong 14 exercises the interoperability and combined capability of ROK, U.S. Marine Corps and Australian forces, strengthening the alliances.
The full scale of the force behind the exercise consists of more than 20 U.S. and ROK Navy ships, and approximately 13,000 military personnel. Air assets included CH-53 Super Stallions, UH-1Y Hueys, AH-1E Super Cobras circled overhead bringing troops inland and providing close air support for the landing forces.
“The timing of this exercise was based on the availability of the unique forces that could come together for this operation,” said Wissler. “Two Marine expeditionary units, one ROK battalion landing team and also our Australian partners participated in this training. I believe we were very successful.”
Three beach landings took place simultaneously at Dokseok-ri, Hwajin and Dogue, and as that was happening, Ospreys dropped off Marines for vertical assaults at an inland objective miles away, Suesong-ri range. Marine combined forcible entry operations at these varied locations proved the capability of the combined U.S., ROK and Australian forces.
The exercise is a tribute to the maturity of the ROK-U.S. relationship, refined and developed over years of training together. The combined ability to operate across the range of military operations — from disaster relief to complex, expeditionary operations — contributes to the security and stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as the entire Asia-Pacific region.
All of the operations for this massive exercise were controlled from the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, which demonstrated the ROK and U.S. Marine Corps’ combined command and control from a sea-based platform.
“I feel it is necessary for U.S. Marines to come and train with us. This was a good opportunity to bridge our capabilities,” said ROK Marine Staff Sgt. Park Jong Kil, a squad leader with Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st ROK Marine Division. “I worked with U.S. Marines during Cobra Gold 14 and now I’m working with U.S. Marines again for Ssang Yong 14 and I’ve learned a lot of things from them on both occasions.”
The U.S. Marine Corps and Navy team are committed to the ROK-U.S. alliance and conduct exercises regularly to ensure interoperability and maintain strong working relationships.
“We’ve been training with the ROK Marines for a few days, learning how they do things,” said U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas A. Hinz, a rifleman with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, assigned to 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade for the exercise. “I’ve trained with a few different countries, but the ROK’s have stuck out in my mind. I’ve learned some new tactics from them. They’ve got a different way of operating than we do. We’ve taught them a few things and they’ve taught us a few things, so this was a real learning experience.”
The Navy and Marine Corps team provides sustainable maneuver warfare from the sea without need for air or sea ports, effectively projecting power in the event of any crisis.
“After 10 years of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan… there may be people out there that say that returning to our amphibious roots will be too hard and assume it will take us a generation of Marines to re-learn how to do this. I say we will do it in the blink of an eye,” said U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy, commanding general of 3rd MEB, III MEF, deputy commanding general of III MEF, and overall Ssang Yong exercise commander. “We are going to prove to the world that the United States Marine Corps has not forgotten how to fight off these decks.”
| Date Taken: | 03.31.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2014 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 123289 |
| Location: | POHANG, BUSAN GWANG'YEOGSI [PUSAN-KWANGYOKSHI], KR |
| Web Views: | 681 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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