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Marines play key role at Operation Rising Thunder

Coordinated gunfire at Yakima Training Center

A Japanese soldier runs toward an objective during a live fire exercise at Yakima Training Center Sept. 18. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

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Capt. Thomas Liu stood out.

A Marine usually does.

Spc. Kyle Clark, Staff Sgt. Ono Akira, Maj. Jun Nakamura and Spc. Joshua Williams listened as Liu ran through a checklist before a live-fire exercise.

Behind us in the distance, two Washington Army National Guard Chinooks landed; approximately 120 soldiers assigned to the 12th Brigade Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force began a run up a long hill toward us.

Two Japanese AH1 Cobra helicopters circled low and often, providing cover as the JGSDF soldiers advanced.

Behind the tower that dominates the Multi-Purpose Range Complex (MPRC) at the Yakima Training Center, five Type 10 tanks began to move into positions several hundred yards off to our left and right.

A Cobra flew in to the left, stopped, hovered and fired a missile down range.

Off in the distance to the west, soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord's 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team prepared to roll out.

In the middle of this kinetic activity, Liu and his team of Marines calmly directed the live-fire exercise.

>>> Capt. Thomas Liu, 6th ANGLICO (Air, Naval, Gunfire Liaison Company) USMC, calls in firing coordinates while soldiers from the 12th Brigade, Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force and 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division coordinate actions during the live-fire exercise. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

Since the beginning of the month, Japanese and American soldiers have worked at a multi-echelon combined training exercise code named Rising Thunder.

"The focus of this exercise is to train combined arms in conjunction with maneuver and firepower," wrote Col. Takashi Goto, a JGSDF commander, in an earlier press release.

In yesterday's culminating exercise, there was plenty of maneuver and firepower.

Situated in the middle of it sat Liu and his small team of Marines.

"We're the 6th ANGLICO," said Liu as he juggled talking on two radios.

On the other side of a nearby dirt road, Lance Cpl. Scott Christian looked for targets and plotted coordinates.

"That's Air, Naval, Gunfire Liaison Company," Liu added with a smile.

>>> Staff Sgt. Ono Akira, 12th Brigade, Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, pauses during the concluding exercise of Operation Rising Thunder. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

ANGLICOs are fire support and liaison units of the United States Marine Corps, and their mission is to plan, coordinate and conduct terminal control of fires in support of joint, allied and coalition forces.

Not only do these Marines know how to coordinate fire support, manage field radio operations and direct air support and naval gunfire, they also receive airborne training and jump qualifications as well.

Moments later, shells from Japanese artillery began dropping in several thousand yards down range. 

The objective was to destroy the opposing forces' anti-aircraft abilities.

Liu had several of his Marines positioned well out in front of us, where they lased targets and called in coordinates.

As the JGSDF's formed a phase line and the artillery fire ended, five of the JGSDF's Mitsubishi built tanks took off like armored bats out of hell.

Reaching their positions, they began to engage targets.

Moments later, smoke and dust formed a line in the air.

Back on a berm overlooking the entire range, Liu and his Marines kept track of who was firing and when.

There were no worries; the coordination had been spot on.

And as quickly as it had begun, the firing ceased. 

>>> A Japanese AH1 Cobra dives below a ridgeline during the final exercise of Rising Thunder at the Yakima Training Center. Photo credit: J.M. Simpson

Soldiers and their Strykers from the 2nd SBCT had moved down from their start point and into position behind Liu and his mobile command post.

After a quick discussion between a JGSDF commander and a Stryker commander to coordinate the American movement, the training continued.

"This has been great training for all of us," Liu commented.

Operation Rising Thunder ends Saturday.

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