US Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) paddle toward the well deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20) on the waters of the East China Sea from combat rubber raiding craft (CRRC).
These boats are small and fast reconnaissance vehicles often called “Cricks” by Sailors and Marines and used by the U.S. military for reconnaissance and waterborne insertions ashore.
On the ship, three teams of line handlers in rubber boots stand in water over their ankles preparing to catch the line, to tow them back to the ship’s well deck ramp, until safely docked. Sailors and Marines call the act of launching and recovering the CRRCs from and to the well deck as “splash and recovery” operations.
Recovering the CRRC is just one piece of preparing the 31st MEU and the ships of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHRESG). The evolution was part of the larger amphibious training plan called amphibious integration training (AIT).
And after six days of well deck operations and flight operations, Green Bay’s crew successfully integrated Marines into all mission areas.
During CRRC operations, Sailors assisted the Marines in safely deploying and recovering the craft from the ship.
Green Bay is assigned to BHRESG with USS Bonhomme Richard, USS Ashland (LSD 48), USS Preble (DDG 88), and embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and is on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.
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Image: US Navy