A Thai air force officer was shot in the arm when robbers snatched his camera in San Francisco on Aug 25.
Air force spokesman ACM Monthon Satchukorn said on Monday that the wounded man was among 45 air force personnel who took part in the Red Flag-Alaska air combat exercise in Alaska from Aug 6 to 23.
The Thai air force had participated in the drill biennially since 1999.
After the exercise was completed the Thai air force C130 transport aircraft underwent maintenance at Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco on Aug 24 and 25, and the 45 personnel were allowed two days leisure time, ACM Monthon said.
About noon on Aug 25, the injured officer's camera was snatched. When he tried to catch the thief an accomplice in a nearby vehicle shot him. The officer was wounded in the arm and was treated and discharged at a local hospital. The two robbers had been arrested by local police.
All 45 men who took part in the military exercise were scheduled to arrive back at Wing 6 in Bangkok on Tuesday, the air force spokesman said. He did not identify the injured officer.