E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Steve Helber / AP
A LCAC loaded with artillery and trucks approaches the well deck during operations aboard the Amphibious Assault Ship USS Wasp in support of Operation Bold Alligator off the coast of Jacksonville, N.C. on Feb. 4, 2012. Thousands of Marines are storming U.S. shores to train for a more modern version of the well-known beach assaults conducted during World War II.
The Associated Press reports aboard the USS WASP:
Gregory N. Juday / U.S. Navy via Reuters
Amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) from the amphibious transport dock ship USS Oak Hill make their way toward the shore near Camp Lejeune on Feb. 6, 2012.
A small group of Marines trudged onto the beach sands in pitch-black night with an armada of U.S. Navy warships sailing just off the shore. Their mission: root out insurgents that threatened to attack another American force to the south.
The careful operation under cover of darkness wasn't an assault in the Middle East or Asia. It was a training exercise on the coast of Virginia and North Carolina, designed to return thousands of Marines to their amphibious roots and train for a more modern version of the well-known beach assaults conducted during World War II.
Military officials say the operation being conducted in Virginia and North Carolina is the largest amphibious training exercise they've attempted in at least a decade. Read the full story.
Paul J. Richards / AFP - Getty Images
Flight Deck Division Officer Victor Lange looks out the flight tower window as weather stops flight operations aboard the USS Wasp (LHD-1) on Feb. 5, 2012.
Paul J. Richards / AFP - Getty Images
US Marines march to board two board Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion Iron Horse helicopters aboard the USS Wasp on Feb. 4, 2012.
Steve Helber / AP
Marines help dig out an artillery piece that was stuck in the sand as it was unloaded from a Navy LCAC on Feb. 6, 2012.
Leave a Comment:
OORAH
Doin' what they do best! Semper Fidelis.
Coming soon to an Iranian shoreline near you!
Let's hope not, the only candidate that will prevent such a thing is Ron Paul.
Yes, that would be nice to see him get elected into office and actually carry out his promises of REAL troop withdrawals and putting a stop to all of the idiotic amounts of money we throw away every year on foreign aid. Unfortunately, I think the election is going to come down to Romney Or Gingrich vs Obama and it won't matter who wins b/c we all lose in that scenario as absolutely nothing would change.
Yup.
The Marines are getting ready to go to War with Iran if Israel is attacked, or Israel attacks them first.
The US has a stake in this Nuclear War from Iran as well. They will be coming to get the US soon as well.. That is also in Iran's plan.
President Obama is experiencing his future first time in office, issuing a US declared War on Iran. Just wait and see---he can no longer avoid the extension of bldg. Nuclear Warheads, or Nuclear Facilities in Iran.
Hope the Marines stay safe. Ahdinemajad/Khomeni are pains in the you know whats.
The entire Middle East would feel the fallout from a Nuclear Bomb--
Yes, Pope Ron Paul is our only hope. If he became commander-in-cheif he could go by Admiral Ron Paul Jones. Ron Paul 2012 / his running mate in 2013 !
HURRY UP and------OH _hit!
Son of a ... beach!
Well done!
You'd think they wouldn't put the artillery piece stuck in the sand just off the boat as a promotion for their big beach invasion. Oh well.
Good to see we're at least practicing these things.
That's the whole purpose for practice right!
Semper Fi .....God Bless
God bless those crazy bastards. Man, I miss the military.
You cant truely understand the meaning of "Diplomacy" until there is a Marine Air Ground Task Force and Carrier floating off of your coastline..........peace by force....ooohhh rahhhhh!
Azrancher - keeping support for the military-industrial complex alive!
All of you armchair generals had better keep one thing in mind: An invasion of Iran ain't gonna be COD or like a documentary on the Military Channel. It's not going to be a cakewalk like the invasion of Iraq was either. It's gonna be UGLY. Lots of men and equipment lost.
AND...I would not be at all surprised to see some sort of attacks happen in our homeland as well.
Think about that before you make flippant remarks about invading Iran.
Obama may get to the point where he sees the invasion of Iran as being necessary. But I trust him to exhaust all other possibilities first...unlike certain politicians from the other party.
Steven Douglas - well said.
What I'm wondering is what happened to the old saying, "loose lips sink ships"? Why are we posting pictures that show what we've got and what we can do...do we think our enemies aren't looking at these pictures and analyzing what we're doing and figuring out ways to counteract it? It's possible I've missed something along the way; however, I thought the whole point of being prepared for battle was that your opponent doesn't know what you've got.
Do we, as the public, really have to know all this stuff? I keep thinking of the one retired military general who questioned the publicity surrounding SEAL Team Six and his contention that all the publicity is going to provide enemies with enough info to be waiting for the next team that stages a rescue or an attack. Doesn't that same general principle apply to stories and pictures such as these?