Stars and StripesPacific edition, Sunday, February 1, 2009
TORII STATION, Okinawa — All water activities just south of Torii Station will be prohibited briefly on Thursday while the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force detonates a 450-pound mine discovered in the water off Toguchi Beach.
An area within about two miles of the beach will be cordoned off between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. while the ordnance is destroyed, 1st Lt. Sakae Kamikubo, commander of the disposal unit, said Friday.
The mine is expected to be detonated at 10:30 a.m., he said.
The mine was discovered by a local diver Dec. 18 about 550 yards offshore and in 15 feet of water. It was later identified as a World War II-era Japanese anti-ship mine. The area was part of the main landing beaches for the U.S. invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Kamikubo said his unit recovers an average of 3 tons of old bombs and mines from Okinawan waters every year.
13th MEU to train on Guam for six days
The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit is scheduled to train on Guam from Saturday through Thursday before heading to the Central Command area of operations for a scheduled six-month deployment, according to a release Friday.
The unit, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., is training on Guam because the terrain and training sites of Guam are unfamiliar to the unit’s 2,200 Marines and sailors, according to the release.
Operating in an unfamiliar area will "maximize training opportunities," the release said.
Training during the six-day period will include offloading more than 80 vehicles and 649 tons of equipment as well as patrolling, explosive ordnance disposal training and parachuting with water landings.
Before heading out of Guam on the Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group, Marines and sailors will be allowed on-shore liberty.
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