Navy ships depart Hampton Roads for Gulf Coast

The Virginian-Pilot ^ | Aug 31, 2005 | Jim Washington

[SandRat]

NORFOLK – Three amphibious ships and a rescue and salvage vessel began leaving port today in a race to the areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina, bringing everything from baby formula to bulldozers to desperate Americans.

"We told the crews we’ve got a disaster of proportions that we’ve never seen before," Capt. Sinclair M. Harris, commodore of Amphibious Squadron Four, said in the pre-dawn darkness as his ships loaded relief supplies.

"We’ve got American citizens who have been harmed, and we just need to get there."

The amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima, the dock landing ship Tortuga, the amphibious transport dock Shreveport and the rescue and salvage ship Grapple will join the amphibious assault ship Bataan, which was already in the Gulf of Mexico for a weeks-long training exercise, Navy officials said.

The ships will be supported by six disaster relief teams as well as elements from a mobile diving salvage unit, an assault craft unit and a beach unit. Disaster relief teams include amphibious construction equipment, medical personnel and supplies.

Pallets of bottled water, food, medical supplies, tents and water purifiers were being loaded throughout the night aboard the Navy ships. It will take up to four days for them to reach the areas off Louisiana and Mississippi where the need is greatest, Harris said.

The amphibious ships are bringing a variety of landing craft and amphibious vehicles to reach shore. They also are prepared to treat injured aboard ship, or inland where tents will be set up for medical personnel.

"We will do search and rescue, I am sure, and provide water, whatever we can," Harris said.

How close the ships will be able to get to the shore depends on whether they are blocked by debris form oil rigs, sunken boats or floating structures.

"With all the oil rigs broken lose and debris right now, we don’t run the ship aground. But we will get there as fast as we can."

The Iwo Jima, the Shreveport and the Bataan are based at Norfolk Naval Station. The Tortuga and the Grapple are based at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach.

Coast Guard teams based in Portsmouth and Elizabeth City, as well as local firefighters and utility workers, are also traveling to the Gulf Coast to help.

[SandRat]

More help on the way!

[Alia]

Thank you, Troops. Thank YOU!

[Jeff Head]

Here are the amphibious ships the US Navy is sending (not including the hospital ship). They are impressive in their capabilities with large hospitals and lots of space for equipment and supplies plus the means to offload them to shore.

They will be a great help and relief and help to our striken citizens. God bless the US NAvy (and all our military personnel) and our president who has sent them to help.

The USS Iwo Jima, LHD-7, Wasp class.

The USS Tortuga, LSD-46, Whidbey ISland class

The USS Shreveport, LPD-12, Austin Class

[Brad’s Gramma]

Oh yeah! The NAVY's on the way!!!

:)

Thanks to all!!!

[Eastbound]

BTTT! Thanks for the post, Jeff.

[Jeff Head]

Somewhere around 5,000 US Navy and Marine personnel on those ships with lots of helicopters, air cushioned vehicles, equipment, supplies and hopsital accomodations.

[clintonh8r]

I recommend sending in a few Marine snipers to "discourage" looting....

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Nice pix - looks like the grown-ups are starting to take control of the situation.

[Eastbound]

Fox just started talking about it. GO NAVY and MARINES!

[Jeff Head]

Tonk, let me know which USCG cutters are helping down there in the Gulf and I will get their pics posted on this thread as well.

[JLO]

Jeff Head - thaaks for the photos.

I'd ping and bump everyone, except I somehow lost my ping list.

Please - for sure - let Tonk know!
He's working Coast Guard.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I personally know several former Station Coos Bay crew
that are in the path of destruction of Hurricane Katrina.

The Coast Guard has bases in these areas.

Coast Guard nationwide is sending supplies and crews also.

Also the Coast Guard Auxiliary in these areas are doing their part.

Local Coast Guard Member Helps Rescue Hurricane Victims
Tuesday was a day of dramatic rooftop rescues as U.S. Coast Guard helicopters plucked hundreds of stranded people to safety along the Gulf Coast.

http://www.thechamplainchannel.com/news/4918126/detail.html

Coast Guard Rescues 2 Women, Baby
An HH-65 Dolphin helicopter rescue crew airlifted two women and a baby in distress near the river in Belle Chasse, La., today. The helicopter rescue crew was conducting an over flight assessment of damage caused by Hurricane Katrina

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,uscg3_083005.00.html

Coast Guard Continues Katrina Rescues
Coast Guard crews assisted in the rescue of about 1,200 people stranded by the high water conditons in the New Orleans area Monday and thousands more were rescued this morning.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,uscg2_083005.00.html

Coast Guard to Send Units for Hurricane Relief
Crews and assets from across the Seventh Coast Guard District are mobilizing to assist in the hurricane relief efforts in those states affected by hurricane Katrina.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,uscg1_083005.00.html

Coast Guard Auxiliarists in in and around Foley, Alabama are scrambling to situate their families so they can assist the Coast Guard in its recovery efforts of other Hurricane Katrina victims.

http://www.auxpa.org/releases/auxaction/083005.html

Auxiliarists ready to join Hurricane Katrina relief effort

http://www.auxpa.org/releases/auxaction/082905.html

[petitfour]

We were just at a gas station, and a woman inside was saying there would be more ships leaving tomorrow. Of course, this is hearsay, but she was basing this on a young sailor who was busy doing his laundry and preparing to leave tomorrow. That's all the hearsay I heard.

[petitfour]

Hubby said that the sailor at the laundromat received the call while the sailor was actually doing his laundry. The woman said the sailor was visibly shaken at the suddenness of it all. They ship out in the morning.

[Jeff Head]

As I understand it, currently the US Coast Guard has helicopters and aircraft assisting direclty in the rescue efforts on the gulf coast and has had from the beginning.

Many people have been saved as a result of Coast Guard efforts already.

Several HH-65 Dauphin helicopters

HC-130 Hercules aircraft

This is not to mention the Coast Guard auxillary personnel and other Coast Guard personnel helping directly in the tragedy with communications, logistics and smaller craft.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I have several Brothers from Station Coos Bay that transfered to the Gulf States Stations.

2 are in Gulfport

[JLO]

Thanks Jeff Head.

Calling Mr. Silverback!

Dang, I can't find my poster - ping links.

Don't forget to tell Tonk!

[Jeff Head]

I've been watching a helicoptor video from near New Orleans all the way up to Biluxi. Unbelievable...complete devastation. Large highway bridges...saving a few pilons...completely gone. Dozens and dozens of complete neighborhoods...small towns...gone. Piles of rubble.

I will be surprized if the death toll is not in the thousands in Mississippi alone.

Ir emeber seeing pictures of Camille in 69. This is orders of magnitude worse. Clearly a huge and traumatic storm surge washed away whole areas.

You can't watch such a video...or see such pictures and not well up inside with comapssion for those people lost and those who survived and who are now without anything...shelter, fuel, good water, sewer, electricity, food...etc.

HERE's THE LINK where I have been watching.

[MinuteGal]

Blue of the seven seas
Gold of God's great sun
Let these our colors be
Till all of time be done

By Severn shore we learn
Navy's stern call
Faith, courage, service true
With honor over all

Until we meet once more, here's wishing you a happy voyage home

Godspeed, sailors!

Leni