Sailors on the Iwo Jima have been conducting constant helicopter
operations since Sept. 5 in support of Hurricane Katrina and
flooding relief operations as part of Joint Task Force (JTF)
Katrina.
As the command-and-control center for JTF Gulf Coast, LHD 7 has
become a floating air terminal, lending organization and direction
to the myriad relief missions flown daily. A fleet of Army, Navy,
Air Force, Marine, Coast Guard and civilian helicopters touch down
and take off around the clock, flying cargo, personnel and
hurricane victims to and from the ship.
“When we first got here, we saw no less than 40
helicopters flying around, like gnats on a hot summer day,”
said Lt. Troy Brown, Iwo Jima’s Assistant Air Officer. The
ship inherited a good deal of that air traffic.
“Sixty hits a day is probably average,” Brown
said.
“We provide a tremendous asset, and we’re definitely
willing to do all we possibly can to help the people of New
Orleans.”
According to Brown, Iwo Jima’s flight deck has received
numerous high-level JTF officials, particularly since Commander,
JTF Katrina Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honore has used the ship as the
nerve center of planning and policy.
Each “hit”
comprises a takeoff and landing. According to Aviation
Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Second Class (AW) Courtney
Godfrey, every hit constitutes an isolated flight operation, so
personnel on deck have worked an average of 120 events per day,
bringing the total in JTF Katrina to almost 1,000.
“We’ve been flying non-stop,” said
Godfrey.
“We’ve been sending out water and vertically
replenishing food and medical supplies. We even transported a
couple of casualties here a few days ago to get them medical
help.”
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Daniel
Galey said he was eager to help from the outset, and said he feels
gratified for playing a small, yet integral part in the JTF. Citing
one such example, Galey said he was heartbroken by the citizens he
saw climbing out of helicopters seeking refuge aboard Iwo Jima.
“A couple of days ago, a helicopter landed to bring some
people that had been rescued, and they looked terrible,” he
recalled. “Two Sailors and I had a couple of sandwiches and a
few oranges, so we passed them out. It wasn’t enough to feed
everybody there, but hopefully they could divide it and give them
each something.
“That was the best part of it," said Galey.
"Knowing I actually helped someone on a personal level.”
[ANN Thanks Journalist 3rd Class (SW) John Stevens, USS Iwo Jima
Public Affairs]