FRIDAY FOTO (January 27, 2017)

Muscle Power.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Donato Maffin).

Sometimes, even in the 21st Century, you just gotta get out and push. These Marines, with  Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, are pushing and pulling a floodlight through the mud during exercise Kamoshika Wrath 17-1 at the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Haramura Maneuver Area in Hiroshima, Japan.  The bi-annual training exercise is primarily focused on establishing a forward operating base and providing airfield operation services.

The photo was taken January 22, 2017.

FRIDAY FOTO (January 6, 2017)

Herculean View.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Elizabeth Baker)
This aircrew aboard a C-130 Hercules circling over a remote island in Micronesia last month appear to have the have the best seat in the house. Assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron,  the crew was practicing airdrop procedures December 5, 2016 during Operation Christmas Drop. Each year Operation Christmas Drop provides tools, food, clothing and toys to over 30,000 islanders in the Pacific.

In addition to highlighting the complicated cockpit technology — with the heavenly view — we thought this photo and the operation it illustrates  was a suitable holiday season subject for today, January 6 — Three Kings Day. Also known as the feast of the Magi or Epiphany, the holiday is also celebrated in many countries as the last day of the Christmas season (the 12th Day of Christmas, as in the song).

FRIDAY FOTO (on Saturday: July 7, 2014)

Incoming.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Will Gaskill

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Brooks Graham (left) directs a landing craft air cushion (LCAC) into the well deck of the amphibious assault ship  USS Peleliu following a training exercise in the Pacific Ocean, June 25, 2014.

The Peleliu was on its way to Hawaii to participate in the multi-national sea-and-air exercise, Rim of the Pacific 2014. Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel participated in what is billed as the world’s largest maritime exercise — commonly known as RIMPAC — in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

To see more photos of RIMPAC 2014, click here.

Video of an LCAC in action

EDITOR’S NOTE:

4GWAR’s FRIDAY FOTO feature didn’t take a day off for the Fourth of July holiday. A summer storm in the Washington, DC area Thursday afternoon (July 3) caused a power outage at 4GWAR “World Headquarters” knocking out our cable/internet access until today. We apologize to our visitors for the delay.

FRIDAY FOTO (December 27, 2013)

Santa Flight

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Marianique Santos

Some of Santa’s helpers discus flight plans over the Pacific Ocean during Operation Christmas Drop.

Maj. John Chrampanis, a C-130 Hercules aircraft commander with the 36th Airlift Squadron speaks with Capt. Michael Kelly, a C-130 pilot with the 36th AS. Both pilots are stationed at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

This year marked the 61st anniversary of the holiday mission delivering gifts and supplies to more than 30,000 islanders on Chuuk, Palau, Yap, the Marshall Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Airman for the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as well as family members, local volunteers and airmen from the 36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota, kicked off the mission December 11. Packages of toys, clothing, fishing equipment, sporting goods, food items, tools and other items were airdropped from C-130 Hercules aircraft to 54 islands.

To see more photos of the holiday mission, click here.

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FRIDAY FOTO May 25, 2012

Beach Party, Thailand

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Robert Clowney

O.K., so it’s not the kind of beach “party” you’d expect to see in a Thai travel brochure or website. This week’s photo shows Thai and U.S. Marines participating in a simulated amphibious assault during Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2012 in Hat Yao, Thailand on May 23.

About 3,500 Thai and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel participated in the niner-day exercise, which ended today (May 25). CARAT is a series of annual bilateral naval exercises that the U.S. has conducted with counterparts in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore. See CARAT Facebook page.

If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can get a good look at the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) used to transport the Marines and Thai troops from the amphibious landing dock ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) to the beach. Note the AAVs coming ashore in the background. As we have noted in the past (July 22, 2011) the Marines are looking for a replacement to the ageing AAVs, which have been around since the 1970s.

The Marines in this week’s FRIFO are assigned to Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. To see more photos of this exercise, click here.