7 May 2012

First group of US Marines due to arrive in CNMI

12:59 pm on 7 May 2012

About half of the estimated 200 United States Marines from Japan are set to arrive in Tinian in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas this Wednesday for a military exercise.

It's expected to be the first major military training exercise of its kind on Tinian in a decade and possibly the start of the US military's permanent presence on the island.

CNMI historian Don Farrell says the first high-speed vessel carrying about 100 Marines will arrive on Wednesday, when they will head to Tinian's historic North Field to set up their barracks.

The vessel will head back to Japan and return with the rest of the 200 Marines when full-scale operations will begin.