CHUK SAMET, Thailand (USTCNS) --- It has been a long time since MV Cape Hudson sailed. Too long, but for this year's Exercise Cobra Gold 2001, the 749 foot 8 inch, roll on roll off, load on, load off ship is the lead equipment transport.

Sailing from homeport at San Francisco she made her way to Alaska and Washington State to take on U. S. Army equipment cargoes; sailed to Hawaii to receive more and on to Okinawa to take on U. S. Marine ammunition.

The dawn had barely broken when Cape Hudson, under the skilled master Captain Gerard Carroll, came along side the Royal Thai Navy Thung Prong ammunition pier. Military Sealift Command Naval Reserve Unit Japan 111 of Oklahoma City representatives were there to support, greet and brief Carroll and his crew.

Cape Hudson had on her decks 21 containers of ammunition for use in the upcoming exercise. Just two of the containers made the long journey; 19 came for Marines from Okinawa.

Safety is always paramount; Cobra Gold is no different. Members for the U. S. Army's Military Transportation Movement Command from Okinawa briefed all on pier and offload safety. Interrupters briefed the Royal Thai Navy Stevedores and truck drivers.

Slowly, one container at a time the Cape Hudson's crane lowered each container to the waiting flat bed truck. When the container was securely mounted to the flatbed the truck pulled away and another pulled into place on the double 'T' pier.

Exercise Cobra Gold ༽, now in its 20th year, is a regularly scheduled joint/combined exercise and is the latest in the continuing series of U. S. -Thai military exercises designed to ensure regional peace and strengthen the ability of the Royal Thai Armed Forces and defend Thailand or respond to regional contingencies.

Cobra Gold ༽ is one of the largest exercises involving U. S. Forces in the Pacific Command this year.

This year's exercise will focus the participants on peace enforcement operations and will include the planning and execution of a noncombatant evacuation operation, as these types of military operations are increasingly called for in today's world and are more likely than a major theater war.

As in all previous Cobra Gold Exercises, this exercise will include joint-combined land and air operations, combined naval operations, amphibious operations, maritime operations and special operations.

The exercise will also assist the people of Thailand through combined Thai-U.S. medical and civil affairs projects.

Approximately 14,000 U. S. Forces will participate, including elements of U. S. Army, Pacific; U. S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific; U. S. Pacific Fleet and Military Sealift Command, Far East; as well as special operations Command Pacific, air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command and reserve element from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

Participating Thai Forces will number approximately 5,000 and will include elements of the Royal Thai Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

During the past year MSC Far East reserves have trained for this exercise or a real world event by using a special reserve Mobile Sealift Operations Center or MSOC.

Designed and built at MSC Far East based in Yokohama, the MSOC was shipped to the United States and then to each reserve unit to be used for training. Because of this year long training Japan 111 reserves were ready to unlock the MSOC after offload and go to work immediately.

The MSOC and reserves set up commutations between ship and shore, MSC Far East headquarters, transmitted and maintained messages.

Cape Hudson finished her ammo operations and set sail for the Royal Thai Navy Pier Chuk Samet at Sattahip, Thailand.

Colors sounded and a fury of movement began: Thai stevedores began the total offload of Cape Hudson. Ro/Ro and Lo/Lo were the plan of the day; trucks and flatbeds moved containers and Thai and American drivers moved vehicles of all sorts

In all 678 pieces were offloaded. This included containers, rolling stock and nine Army helicopters.

The parade of equipment was continues. Truck, forklifts, fuel trucks, HUMVEEs, radars, cranes, commutations vans, five ton trucks, four CH-47 Chinooks helicopters and five UH-60 Blackhawk Medivac equipped helicopters rolled down the Cape Hudson rear ramp. Containers were offloaded amidships one by one.

During the offload Japan 111 reservists maintain day to liaison with the ship's master and provided invaluable support in solving problems while the mean temperatures rose to 126 degrees on the pier.

The Exercise Cobra Gold ༽ was still days for from start. Equipment was moved to staging areas and onward to exercising units. Cape Hudson pulled away from Chuk Samet. MSC Far East locks the MSOC. Mission complete. Exercise Cobra Gold again had its equipment at the right place at the right time. The exercise is in the hands of those exercising, MSC reserves completed their real world job. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND FAR EAST PUBLIC AFFAIRS).