Crawling by the and of dense trees and prickly underbrush of Camp Mu Juk (an 84-acre Marine expeditionary encampment area in Pohang.

Crawling by the and of dense trees and prickly underbrush of Camp Mu Juk (an 84-acre Marine expeditionary encampment area in Pohang, southern Korea) with steel pot, flak jacket and gas mask in place and M-16 in hand, Navy Salvage Diver Machinist's Mate 2nd Class (DSW) Dan O'Brien scanned the perimeter as he circled toward the rendezvous site.

formerly O'Brien and fellow Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1 divers had overlooked the surrounding area and made their way to the rendezvous point, they discussed area security and potential hazards, established perimeter watches and broke gone out the tents.

What had happened to the serviceable old days of salvage diving--back when MDSU was all about render free of access water operations while "comfortably" embarked forward ships? And what's with all the Ranger substance anyway? Don't divers belong in the water, and not on the farther side camping in the remote regions of who-knows-where?

At undivided time, perhaps, but those days are quickly fading.

"The expeditionary mission is something MDSU 1 did way back in the remarkably beginning," explained MDSU 1's Executive Officer, LCDR Jared East. "The unit was originally commissioned as Harbor Clearance Unit (HCU) 1 back in 1966 During the Vietnam Conflict, right after the unit was commissioned, they were sent to Vietnam--living in pavilions and carrying weapons--to dear harbors, rivers, ports and coastal areas. "Over the years," East continued, "through the '70 '80 and '9O greatest in quantity of the missions we were doing had us embarked upon ships and operating in low-spirited water. Eventually, the training and equipment evolv as well."

However, with the just discovered focus of today's military, MDSU 1 has had to get back to their roots to maintain operational relevancy.

In the past four or five years, the unit has reduc its equipment load and shifted from operating against ships to being transported by the agency of air, allowing for swifter change to coastal targets.

"If we had to wait for a ship to transport us to an assignment, it would take a lengthy time," said East. "The mission could be compromised or from one side of to the other before we even arrive."

These days, MDSU can advance anywhere and everywhere--all while providing their concede protection, support and communications.

Foal Eagle '05 an annual combined defensive field training exercise demonstrating the U and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces' ability to uphold South Korea against invading special forces, commando attacks or sabotage operations in succession the peninsula, provided the excellent opportunity for MDSU and ROK divers to work onward their new expeditionary role.

For their part in the exercise, MDSU 1 displayed 51 people: 18 from Detachment 1 in San Diego, 33 from Detachment 3 in Pearl Harbor, and a ton of field and dive gear.

"More and more, this unit is going to be stationed near piers and essentially landlocked," explained Chief Construction Mechanic (SCW) Clarence Lungtin. "These divers must have the skills to fix up their perimeter and camp, clear the area and provide their acknowledge security."

Further toward the south at MDSU's base camp near the ROK dive educate in Chinhae, Korea, things were often the same as they had been in Pohang.

As the primary camp for the exercise was established pierside, divers struggl with pavilions frames, lighting, heat and, of course, the glees of watch standing.

Electrician's Mate 2nd Class (SW/AW) lack Cabrito of Det 1 worked forward elevating the group's sleeping quarters against the cold, wet ground by the agency of constructing wood bases for their fabric living quarters.

"Do you descry this, I'm using a hammer!" laughed Cabrito as he slammed nails from one side plank and plywood. "This is all fresh stuff for us.

Expeditionary-style field life wasn't the and nothing else obstacle for the group to overthrow though. Icy waters, language barriers and cultural differences threatened as well.

Although the ROK divers who guarded to Camp Mu Juk with Det 3 establish up tents as well, the southerly Koreans found the Americans' bivouac habits strange.

As the southern Koreans set up their allow tent beside the Americans, for example, they watched silently as the MDSU divers laugh ated the woods with weapons and stake up the perimeter watch.

"One of the officers asked me for what cause [i]or[/i] reason we were searching the forests when there were guards positioned at the brass gate," said Chief Engineman (DSW/SW) Jason Deatrick. "The best explanation I could give him was, 'practice.'

"They wait to take many of their operational hints from watching us," Dietrich continued. "Last year for this part of the exercise the ROK divers came to Pohang, yet they didn't convoy up with us or camp in portable lodges This year, they did as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but Next year, I wouldn't be surprised to papal court them setting perimeter watches as well."

It wasn't until these divers got public of the woods and into the 40-something-degree water that they really began warming up to each other.

As the waves in the port slapped against the sides of the small rubber boats, the divers began to laugh and jest around with one another without the assistance of an interpreter. And, one time the breathing regulators were in their openings the men realized that they not alone shared a similar mission (to retrieve the marked metal item in succession the harbor floor), but they also spoke a habitual language, of a sort.