Flying In Manpower And Supplies
The USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Carrier Strike Group (CSG)
began providing logistical support Jan. 1 to disaster victims in
the Indonesian province of Aceh for the first time since
earthquakes and tsunamis ravaged Southern Asia Dec. 26.
A US 7th Fleet spokesman said the Navy is determined to
alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe resulting from the recent
natural disaster, and that forward deployed sea and air units of
the US 7th Fleet train for humanitarian assistance missions to
rapidly respond to support relief efforts.
"For the first time in this tragic situation, six SH-60F Seahawk
helicopters from Lincoln are actively ferrying food and medical
supplies from collection points in the Indonesian town of Banda
Aceh to affected locations in Indonesia," said Lt. Cmdr. John
Daniels, USS Abraham Lincoln CSG public affairs officer.
"Additionally, these helicopters will take injured and otherwise
affected people back to Banda Aceh, where they will receive
necessary medical and humanitarian attention."
US Navy officials expect additional naval support in the area
within seven to ten days. In addition to Lincoln CSG ships already
in the area, including USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Shiloh (CG 67), USS
Benfold (DDG 65) and USNS Ranier (T-AOE 7), the amphibious assault
ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)will provide aid to the region
along with elements from its expeditionary strike group, including
USS Duluth (LPD 6), USS Milius (DDG 69), USS Rushmore (LSD 47), USS
Bunker Hill (CG 52), USS Thach (FFG 43), and USCGC Munro (WHEC
724).
In addition, six US maritime pre-positioning ships - large cargo
ships loaded with stocks of food, fresh water and other relief
supplies - from Guam and Korea will enter the region and begin
contributing their resources to the humanitarian effort. The ships
are laden with enough equipment and supplies to support 15,000
Marines for one month. They are equipped with water purification
machines and evaporators capable of producing more than 100,000
gallons of potable water per day and pumping it to shore from up to
two miles away, road-making supplies, electrical power generators
and a host of other emergency supplies and equipment.
The Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit No. 6 from
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is set to join the humanitarian effort in
Southern Asia Jan. 2 by sending 43 medical professionals into the
area to administer a range of medical assistance, including disease
assessment and treatment, water-quality and food-quality testing,
mosquito and insect assessment, and chemical analysis.
US Navy officials said the 7th Fleet is proud to be the first to
provide US naval logistical support to the tsunami victims of
Indonesia, and has pledged continued support to humanitarian relief
efforts in Southern Asia with additional naval assets to enter the
region soon.
(ANN salutes Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Patrick Dille,
Seventh Fleet Public Affairs)
NTSB Prelim: Piper PA-23
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