U.S. Marines drive Light Armored Vehicles off of a U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion on the beach near Hat Yai, Thailand, during an amphibious assault on May 21, 1997. The Landing Craft Air Cushion, or LCAC as it is more commonly known, is carrying a cargo of vehicles and troops from offshore ships as part of Exercise Cobra Gold '97. Cobra Gold '97 is the latest in a continuing series of U.S. /Thai military exercises designed to ensure regional peace and strengthen the ability of the Royal Thai Armed Forces to defend Thailand. The training includes joint combined air, land and sea operations. Cobra Gold is the largest strategic mobility exercise involving the U.S. Pacific Command forces this year. The Marines are from the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Camp Pendleton, Calif.