Cobra Gold 2002 challenges MTMC transporters.

A ship fire and a tropical storm were among the challenges faced by transporters with the 599th Transportation Group in Exercise Cobra Gold 2002.

The flexibility and cross training of deployment support team members were critical, said Col. Peter Gitto, Commander, of the Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii, unit.

"Distance and unique geographic requirements challenged leaders to maximize the use of limited resources and ensure effective command and control," said Gitto, of the joint-combined U.S.-Thailand training exercise.

"Continuous communication and accurate reporting was essential for mission success."

The MTMC unit's mission was to perform single port management, port operator and cargo documentation functions for the exercise which involved 14,000 U.S. service members in the Pacific.

In all, MTMC deployment support team members worked a total of five vessels at seven different sites that included Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Naha, Okinawa; Thung Prong and Chuk Samet, in Thailand; Iwakuni and Tengan, in Japan; and Apra, Guam.

The engine room ship fire took place aboard the MV Cape Horn, a rollon/roll-off vessel operated by the Navy's Military Sealift Command. Two crewmembers died in the fire which took place at sea 800 miles east of Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Cape Horn was towed to Pearl Harbor. Members of the 599th Transportation Group quickly moved the Cobra Gold cargo onto USNS Seay, a Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off vessel which was called in as a replacement.

"We were able to lend and sharpen our port operations skills and at the same time get the job done to put the cargo back on track," said Sgt. 1st Class Duane Davis, who lead the seven-member team.

An act of nature presented another challenge during redeployment.

Tropical Storm Chata'an's fury hit Apra, Guam, forcing the island's inner and outer harbor to close.

The MV Green Cove, redeploying Cobra Gold's equipment and supplies, was left without access to the harbor for discharge and was redirected to Japan.

Transporters from the 836th Transportation Battalion, Yokohama, Japan, discharged the Green Cove when the vessel arrived at North Dock. Later, the cargo was transshipped to Guam by commercial sealift aboard the MV Asian Hibiscus and arrived safely Aug 12.

"Effective leadership and technical expertise resulted in the successful completion of both the deployment and redeployment phases of the exercise," said Gitto.

The 599th soldiers remained one step ahead, he said, in planning, coordinating, and executing port operations within the vast Asia-Pacific sea routes.

By Terri Kojima Command Affairs Officer 599th Transportation Group