FRIDAY FOTO (May 13, 2011)

Muddy Buddy

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Patricia D. Lockhart

Despite such high tech developments as missile-firing drones, bomb-disarming robots and cyberwarfare, U.S. military officials say there’s still a need for boots on the ground and butts in the mud — especially in small wars and counter insurgencies.

One place Marines can learn the needed skills is on the northern end of the island of Okinawa, Japan, at Camp Gonsalves, home of the U.S. Marine Corps Jungle Warfare Training Center. At the JWTC, they have helicopter landing zones, a rocky beach to land on, simulated Third World villages, densely canopied jungle to navigate and lots and lots of mud.

In this photo, a Marine wriggles through that mud beneath barbed wire as part of the six-day endurance course designed to familiarize Marines with fighting in a dense jungle environment.

The camp is named for Pfc. Harold Gonsalves, who was killed on Okinawa during World War II and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery.

For more photos of the jungle training course, click here.