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Tsunami Survivors Mob U.S. Aid Copters
AP ^ | 01/01/05 | DENIS D. GRAY

Posted on 01/01/2005 1:59:30 PM PST by Pikamax

Tsunami Survivors Mob U.S. Aid Copters

38 minutes ago World - AP Asia

By DENIS D. GRAY, Associated Press Writer

ABOARD THE USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN - Desperate, homeless villagers on the tsunami-ravaged island of Sumatra mobbed American helicopters carrying aid Saturday as the U.S. military launched its largest operation in the region since the Vietnam War, ferrying food and other emergency relief to survivors across the disaster zone.

From dawn until sunset on New Year's Day, 12 Seahawk helicopters shuttled supplies and advance teams from offshore naval vessels while reconnaissance aircraft brought back stark images of wave-wrecked coastal landscapes and their hungry, traumatized inhabitants.

"They came from all directions, crawling under the craft, knocking on the pilot's door, pushing to get into the cabin," said Petty Officer First Class Brennan Zwack. "But when they saw we had no more food inside, they backed away, saying `Thank you, thank you.'"

"The mob decided how we distributed the food. There were so many hands outstretched I don't think any package touched the ground," added Zwack, of Sioux Falls, S.D.

The helicopters took off from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, staged in calm waters about three miles off the Indonesian province of Aceh along with four other vessels to launch the sprawling U.S. military operation.

More than a dozen other ships were en route to southern Asian waters, with the USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault vessel carrying Marines, headed for Sri Lanka, which along with Indonesia was the worst-hit area. The mission involves thousands of sailors and Marines, along with some 1,000 land-based troops.

Governments and global organizations have pledged about $2 billion in tsunami disaster relief, the United Nations (news - web sites) said Saturday. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi raised Japan's offer to $500 million from $30 million, topping President Bush (news - web sites)'s pledge Friday of $350 million.

Thailand's Vietnam War-era air base of Utapao has become the airlift hub for the region. C-130 transport planes were already conducting sorties to Jakarta and the Sumatran cities of Medan and Banda Aceh, according to a statement Saturday by the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta.

U.S. Navy (news - web sites) medical staff are also on the ground in Meulaboh, a decimated fishing village where several thousand bodies have been recovered. The Navy is considering a request from Jakarta to establish a field hospital there.

As many as 100,000 people are feared dead on Sumatra, which was closest to the epicenter of last Sunday's catastrophic quake and tsunami. Although aid has been piling up in regional airports, officials have had trouble getting it out to the areas in need and the U.S. military was expected to ease the bottleneck.

The Lincoln's operations officer, Cmdr. Matthew J. Faletti, said the New Year's Day effort off Sumatra was focused on ferrying emergency relief, including biscuits, energy drinks and instant noodles, to communities along the 120-mile stretch of seacoast south of the city of Banda Aceh.

Most of the 25,000 pounds of aid supplies delivered Saturday were picked up from Australian and other foreign shipments at Banda Aceh and then rushed by the helicopters to coastal town, where tens of thousands were killed by the giant wall of water.

U.S. military medical and damage assessment teams were also landed with helicopters flying in heavy winds, rain and low clouds. Supplies had to be dropped from craft hovering over some water-logged areas where landing proved impossible.

"There is nothing left to speak of at these coastal areas," said Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Vorce, a pilot from San Diego, California. The tsunami left a swath of destruction as deep as two miles inland, with trees mowed down like grass and the only evidence of buildings in many communities the bare foundations, pilots said.

Many residents were camped out on high ground, either afraid to return to the seacoast or having nothing to return to.

The town of Meuloboh, where some 50,000 people had once lived, was about 80 percent destroyed, Faletti estimated.

The pilots encountered a number of foreign and Indonesian aid workers but distribution of supplies was difficult since the vital coastal road, most bridges and two small airports near Meuloboh had been washed away. "It looks like the sheer force of the water buckled the road from underneath," Vorce said.

Officers said information was being gathered on how best American resources could be used including the skills of machinists, masons, carpenters, divers and general laborers among the more than 6,000 crew members on the giant carrier.

"Everyone is champing at the bit to go out and help," said Vorce. "Today wasn't about a paycheck."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: humanitarianrelief; sumatraquake; tsunami; usmilitary; usn; ussabrahamlincoln; ussbonhommerichard
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To: Pikamax

bttt


61 posted on 01/01/2005 5:27:31 PM PST by shield (The Greatest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God!!!! by Dr. H. Ross, Astrophysicist)
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To: Peach
Its funny, there was an early on prediction that it would reach 1000 today. And there were also predictions it would get yanked. When it got pulled I was in the middle of trying to say that the troublesome posters were ranting about how lowering the flag was some insult to servicemen, yet none of them to my knowledge had any service experience themselves, nor did I see a single posting from any servicemen who were offended by it (I could have missed it though). As a 25 year vet, I know I was not offended by the flag lowering in any way.

Happy New Year to you and yours.

62 posted on 01/01/2005 5:30:52 PM PST by Magnum44 (Terrorism is a disease, precise application of superior force is the ONLY cure)
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To: Magnum44

Well it reached well over 1,000 before it got yanked. I just wish I'd saved a few freeper's comments for posterity.

Thank you for your past service and Godspeed.

And all the blessings of the New Year. It was fun chatting on that now dead thread :-)


63 posted on 01/01/2005 5:34:14 PM PST by Peach
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To: Pikamax
"Everyone is champing at the bit to go out and help," said Vorce. "Today wasn't about a paycheck."

These people are why we have the finest military on the planet. God Bless them all!

64 posted on 01/01/2005 5:52:54 PM PST by SuziQ (It's the most wonderful time of the year!)
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To: Mr. Mojo
If you look at the chronology of the event, the President pledged 15 million immediately, even before the first reports of destruction came in. When it became obvious, in the first 36 hours, that the loss of life was great, and growing, the President upped the offer to $35 million. At that point, more countries started publicly stating how much they'd donate. After the 5th day, when the toll topped 100,000, the President bumped it to $350 million.

Pres. Bush has been on top of this situation since it happened, and though the MSM won't say it, he had been in contact with the leaders of those countries since the first news of the earthquake, and the tsunamis that followed it. He was offering help, and issuing orders based on what the countries needed. He didn't have to convene a committee to decide what needed doing. I know this because he would not have been able to stand up and say all that was being done without it's having been put in place long before the press conference.

65 posted on 01/01/2005 6:02:25 PM PST by SuziQ (It's the most wonderful time of the year!)
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To: Pikamax

Well Done to the Crew of the Abe Lincoln !!!



66 posted on 01/01/2005 6:40:14 PM PST by Red Sea Swimmer (Tisha5765Bav)
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To: norton

I hope I'm on the good list. :-)


67 posted on 01/01/2005 6:44:21 PM PST by Howlin
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To: Conservababe
"I am sick and tired of giving to those who dance in the streets when our military or civilians are killed and then whine when help is not on the way instantly from us when disaster strikes..."

Are you talking about the editorial board of the NY Times?

68 posted on 01/01/2005 6:45:58 PM PST by Radix (This Tag Line strives to not be redundant, nor to repeat itself!)
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To: The KG9 Kid
She agreed, but reminded me that "per capita, we're not the biggest contributors when compared to the Europeans".

She is dead wrong.

69 posted on 01/01/2005 6:46:49 PM PST by Howlin
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To: radiohead
I saw an interview w/one anquished man who cried out, "We need help. Where are the Americans?"

OMG......just OMG.

70 posted on 01/01/2005 6:50:19 PM PST by Howlin
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To: oceanview

CNN has been doing a great job with their coverage; much as I hate to say it.


71 posted on 01/01/2005 6:53:35 PM PST by Howlin
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To: The KG9 Kid
The moral of this story is to never make any statement that can be even slightly construed to be America-bashing in the vicinity of where The KG9 Kid has been drinkin'.

LOL!! Good for you!

I got into a discussion with some folks, at a party just after Christmas, about the President's plans for reform of Social Security. One of the guys laughed and said to me, "He's your guy, isn't he?". I said "You're dang right he is!"

A couple of them said that they weren't sure the privatization was a good idea, and I asked them if they had put away any money for retirement BESIDES their Social Security, so that they wouldn't have to have a subsistence income like so many old folks have now. When they said they had, I asked if they wouldn't prefer it had come from their 'before tax' money rather than their 'after tax' money. I also asked if they were interested in their kids having any Social Security AT ALL when it came time for them to retire. Most of them were nodding in agreement before it was done.

72 posted on 01/01/2005 7:05:21 PM PST by SuziQ (It's the most wonderful time of the year!)
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To: Magnum44

Hey, I was the one who sent you the picture of Sela Ward!


73 posted on 01/01/2005 7:08:50 PM PST by Miss Marple
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To: Howlin

Funny I remember the Haitians saying they didn't want the French back in Haiti. They wanted the Americans *lol*


74 posted on 01/01/2005 7:10:05 PM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: Miss Marple
LOL, Well, what are you waiting for? I barely got to enjoy it before the whole days entertainment got erased.

I'll consider it my New Years gift if you post it again!

75 posted on 01/01/2005 7:20:41 PM PST by Magnum44 (Terrorism is a disease, precise application of superior force is the ONLY cure)
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To: Magnum44

Happy New Year!

76 posted on 01/01/2005 7:26:22 PM PST by Miss Marple
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To: The KG9 Kid
Another point that I bought up and neglected to post is that I mentioned that the Marines and sailors heading the relief effort are largely 'backwards red state hillbillys' that 'haven't got passports' and have 'no understanding of the outside world'.

Ouch, that must have left a mark! ;o)

77 posted on 01/01/2005 7:28:48 PM PST by SuziQ (It's the most wonderful time of the year!)
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To: Pikamax

God bless our service people who are helping in the relief effort. We're certainly very proud of them.


78 posted on 01/01/2005 7:32:20 PM PST by Ciexyz (I use the term Blue Cities, not Blue States. PA is red except for Philly, Pgh & Erie)
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To: Miss Marple
Now that's the way to start out the new year!

Happy New Year to you and yours as well!

79 posted on 01/01/2005 7:44:30 PM PST by Magnum44 (Terrorism is a disease, precise application of superior force is the ONLY cure)
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To: Howlin
CNN has been doing a great job with their coverage; much as I hate to say it.

I know what you mean.

I've also been looking at the Scandinavian press and listening to the web radio to get their perspective. A lot of those people are angry that their governments didn't get help, whether it be doctors or a plane out, fast enough. There seems to be a lot of finger pointing. It is amazing to think that it is quite possible that every Swede will either be affected, or know somone affected, by this tragedy.

80 posted on 01/01/2005 7:49:26 PM PST by radiohead
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