Military

U.S. Marines depart Pohang in High Speed Vessel

Pohang, Republic of Korea (June 24) - More than 500 U.S. Marines from 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, III Marine Expeditionary Force departed today for their base in Okinawa, Japan, and will make the transit in less than 24 hours using the High Speed Vessel after concluding the Korean Incremental Training Program with 1st Republic of Korea Marine Division in training areas north of the Han River.

"This transit is significant," said Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Donovan, commander of U.S. Marine Forces Korea. "Today's demonstration shows the enhanced capability of the U.S. to rapidly deploy military forces to the Korean Peninsula from other locations in the Pacific."

The HSV is capable of transporting approximately 1,000 passengers in comfortable reclining seats, along with more than 400 tons of cargo. The cargo deck can easily hold the numerous supplies, trucks, combat vehicles, tractor-trailers, water tankers, and other equipment needed by a Marine unit.

According to Marine Lt. Col. Kenneth R. Martin, III Marine Expeditionary Force HSV Project Officer, the HSV is a transformation from how the Marine Corps has traveled in the past. The normal transit to or from Okinawa aboard ferry or amphibious shipping would take two to three days. Moving a Marine infantry battalion by air would take up to 17 days. "With use of the HSV, a battalion-sized unit with all associated vehicles and equipment can travel to its destination in one HSV run and arrive within 22-31 hours throughout most ports in the Area of Responsibility," said Martin.

During 2002 the HSV was deployed for 270 days transporting 18,007 passengers, 1,705 vehicles, 31 helicopters, and 1,895 containers, with a total of 12,830 short tons of equipment transported. Excluding weather delays, the HSV enjoyed a 99 percent underway reliability factor.

According to Donovan, the HSV is an example of the U.S. military's force transformation. "As the Republic of Korea and the United States of America look to the next 50 years of our alliance, transformation will be key to enhancing and improving readiness."

"We are responsible for maintaining the capability of rapidly deploying Marines to Korea with robust air and ground elements in response to any type of emergency," said Lt. Gen. Wallace C. Gregson, Commanding General of III MEF and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Japan, from his headquarters in Okinawa. "The HSV significantly improves our ability to do that and has achieved recognition across the Department of Defense."

The Japan-based III MEF Marines are continuously training across the Pacific. "We participate in approximately 70 exercises a year. The HSV enables III MEF to deploy to more places, in a shorter amount of time and costs us less than other forms of transportation," said Gregson. "We can deploy with our equipment to places as far away as Australia and be ready to operate when we get there. Nobody moves faster than III MEF," Gregson added.

Korean Incremental Training Program 2003 lasted approximately three weeks and included small-unit combat training designed to increase the mutual readiness and interoperability of the U.S. and ROK units.