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TWO US Marine Corps jets have been forced to drop four unarmed bombs on the Great Barrier Reef. The two AV-8B Harrier jets each dropped two 226kg bombs on the world heritage-listed reef in an emergency jettison during a training mission on Tuesday. The incident came ahead of Exercise Talisman Saber, a biennial training operation between Australian and US forces based at Shoalwater Bay on the central Queensland coast. The dropped bombs had not detonated and a US official has reportedly said the chance of any of them exploding is "extremely remote". A Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority spokeswoman...

Marine Corps News Nov. 10, 2006; Submitted on: 11/14/2006 02:20:20 AM ; Story ID#: 2006111422020 By Lance Cpl. Kamran Sadaghiani, 31st MEU ABOARD THE USS ESSEX (Nov. 10, 2006) -- Since the United States Marine Corps' establishment in 1775, Marines across the globe celebrate the Marine Corps' birthday, whether if they are on a Marine base or in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan. For more than a thousand Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit the Corps' 231st birthday was celebrated aboard an amphibious assault ship Nov. 10. The ceremony begin in the ship's hangar bay and included a...

GUINSAUGON, Philippines (AFP) - The US military said it was committing up to 3,000 troops to help after a huge landslide in the Philippines, as the hunt for survivors became a grim search for bodies instead. Foreign and local teams battled bad weather in the continuing search following Friday's tragedy, picking their way carefully through dangerous mud under which some 1,400 people are feared buried. Rescuers Monday located the site of a school believed to contain some 200 students and 40 teachers in the village of Guinsaugon on Leyte island. "They have discovered a trace of the school building,"...

Marines and sailors of the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit boarded three ships of the Sasebo, Japan- based USS Essex Amphibious Readiness Group and began their voyage home from the Middle East on Monday. The trip back to Okinawa will take about four weeks, according to a 31st MEU news release. The MEU’s 2,200 members served in Iraq from last September to February, when the unit was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. It was responsible primarily for conducting security and stabilization operations in the 33,000-square-mile U.S. area of operation in the Al Anbar province. It...

December 31, 2004 Release Number: 04-12-71 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 31ST MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT SEIZES WEAPONS CACHE IN SA'DAHCAMP RIPPER, Iraq -- Elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit seized three weapons caches during sweeping operations Thursday, Dec. 30 in southern Sa'dah. The Marines used intelligence from a previous weapons seizure to conduct cordon and sweep operations that resulted in the uncovering of 150 120mm mortar rounds and numerous small arms. Meanwhile, one insurgent was killed while attempting to fire a rocket-propelled grenade at Marines manning an observation post near Husaybah. There were no US casualties. The 31st MEU continues to...

NEWS RELEASE HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND 7115 South Boundary Boulevard MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101 Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894 December 29, 2004 Release Number: 04-12-63 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 31ST MEU ATTACKED FROM MOSQUE; FOILS INSURGENTS' IED PLANS CAMP RIPPER, Iraq — In a continuing effort to disrupt insurgent activities in the Al Anbar Province, elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit located and destroyed numerous improvised explosive devices placed near the towns of Sa’dah and Karabilah Sunday. As the ordnance disposal detachment was reducing the improvised explosive devices, three incoming rounds exploded near their location...

AAVs take the high, low, wet roadSubmitted by: 31st MEUStory Identification #: 20041012193312Story by Lance Cpl. Willard J. Lathrop CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait (Oct. 6, 2004) -- The Amphibious Assault Vehicle platoon, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Bn., 3rd Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, has been gearing up for action in the scorching sands of Kuwait for almost a month. The Marines of the AAV platoon have been participating in vehicle and personnel readiness training since mid September, according to Sgt. Patrick Scanlon, vehicle commander, AAV platoon. The AAVs “splashed” into the Northern Arabian Gulf, Sep. 11, from the USS Harper’s...

MARINE CORPS TRAINING AREA BELLOWS — The 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines hit the beach yesterday with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Big troop-carrying CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters roared overhead, swaying Ironwoods below. Amphibious assault vehicles surged out of the sea with Marines in camouflage face paint, followed by 87-foot fan-driven hovercraft that disgorged Humvee after Humvee. It was part of Rim of the Pacific 2004 war games, but the possibility of going to war in Iraq or Afghanistan for Hawai'i Marines is all too real. "What is the possibility? I think if you're asking me (about 3rd Marines) going to...