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USS Reagan Headed To Help Tsunami Victims In Japan.
KPBS ^ | March 11, 2011 | Alison St John

Posted on 03/11/2011 3:13:41 PM PST by americanophile

A San Diego-based, nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, is headed toward Japan today to stand ready to assist victims of the earthquake and tsunami.

Commander Greg Hicks of the Navy in San Diego said the Reagan was already in the Western Pacific. The Reagan belongs to the San Diego-based 3rd Fleet, but was scheduled to join the Navy’s 7th fleet in Japan as part of her routine deployment.

Hicks added that the hospital ship, the USS Mercy, is currently in San Diego Bay undergoing maintenance, but that she could be activated if necessary.

Lt. Cmmdr. John Perkins of Pacific Fleet headquarters said the aircraft carrier and her crew of 5,000 should arrive off the northeast coast of Japan around midday Saturday (U.S. time). He said aircraft carriers are uniquely equipped to help in disasters like these because they can produce thousands of gallons of potable water a day.

(Excerpt) Read more at kpbs.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Japan; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: japan; ussronaldreagan
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To: humblegunner

Will do! We’re always willing to help those less fortunate than we are and continually learn to live with less in order to do that. Funny thing is, the more we give the happier we are and the more that seems to come our way. We give joyfully and live simply.

I wasn’t giving permission. Sorry it came off that way.


21 posted on 03/11/2011 4:27:50 PM PST by samiam1972 ("It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."-Mother Teresa)
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To: samiam1972; humblegunner

I realize that didn’t sound the way I meant, either. I’m not trying to be snarky.


22 posted on 03/11/2011 4:29:10 PM PST by samiam1972 ("It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."-Mother Teresa)
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To: americanophile

berry intrustin’a post from PBS


23 posted on 03/11/2011 4:33:36 PM PST by Foolsgold (L I B Lacking in Brains)
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To: americanophile

15 September 2005

Japan Proves Truly "A Friend Indeed" After Hurricane Katrina

Japanese government, companies, individuals send assistance to victims

Source: www.america.gov.

Washington -- If the saying "a friend in need is a friend indeed" is true, Japan is one of the best friends the United States ever could have to provide support while so many Americans are suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Japanese private citizens and the government alike have sent a virtual tsunami of assistance to the victims of Katrina, which devastated 90,000 square miles along the U.S. Gulf Coast in August.  Hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes and hundreds lost their lives.

Japan has pledged more than $1.5 million in private donations. The government of Japan has donated $200,000 in cash to the American Red Cross and some $800,000 in relief supplies -- from blankets to generators -- already are arriving to aid the most needy. Japanese firms with operations in the United States have donated some $12 million in total, including Honda Motor Corporation ($5 million), Hitachi ($1 million) and Nissan (more than $750,000). 

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was overwhelmed by the generosity of one Japanese individual -- Takashi Endo -- who donated $1 million from his personal funds to Katrina relief efforts.  Endo said he was moved when, during a business trip to London, he saw a televised report about a mother separated from her children in the chaos of the flooding in New Orleans.  The story so disturbed him he could not sleep that night; the next morning he resolved to do something to help.

Yuji Takahashi, president and chief executive officer of the Japan Petroleum Exploration Company Ltd., which has operations off the coast of Louisiana, donated $100,000 to U.S. federal government hurricane relief efforts.  Takahashi said that when he learned of the destruction caused by the hurricane, he felt as if his own family had been affected.

In a note accompanying the donation, Takahashi said:  "I have no doubt that your people will stand in the face of difficulties and rebuild their lives in the near future."

Private citizens have sent the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo more than $2,000, and the embassy's Web site and telephone operators have directed hundreds of inquirers to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund Web site as well as the American Red Cross, the Japanese Red Cross Society and Peace Winds donation sites.

Mayors from cities all over Japan have donated tens of thousands of dollars. Governor Hirohiko Izumida of Niigata Prefecture, for example, provided a donation of roughly $9,000 while stressing the ties of mutual friendship and gratitude that link the people of Niigata and the United States.  Niigata suffered a devastating earthquake in December 2004 and received substantial U.S. aid, including logistical and material assistance from the American military.

The Korean Residents' Union in Japan, known as Mindan, donated more than $50,000. Mindan's president, Jae Sook Kim, said upon presenting the check to Ambassador Thomas Schieffer that Koreans felt a deep sense of appreciation to the United States, which "has fought by Korea's side for 60 years of freedom and democracy."

Kim noted that the United States has accepted millions of Korean immigrants.  When America hurts, Kim said, "Koreans feel the same pain."

The Youth for Understanding Japan Foundation has pledged $45,000, and the Chiba Lotte Marines professional baseball team has started what will be an ongoing campaign to raise funds from fans to help victims of Katrina as well as the recent Typhoon No. 14 in Japan.

NHK-TV, Japan's leading national broadcaster, has partnered with the Japanese Red Cross for a nationwide fundraising drive.  NHK is running regular public service announcements instructing viewers how to donate via bank transfer or in person at any NHK or Red Cross office throughout the country.  The campaign will run for one month, from September 6 to October 6.  Fuji TV network is running a similar campaign.

A number of Japanese jazz greats and other leaders of the music and entertainment industries have banded together for a major "Hurricane Aid Japan" campaign running through December.  Donations will be solicited at numerous concerts nationwide. Record companies and others will put banners on their Web sites and individual artists will collect donations.  There is already a Japanese-language Web site up and running, with an English version to follow soon.

One of Japan's leading nationwide retailers, the AEON group, has started to collect donations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina at some 700 stores throughout Japan. The campaign will run September 3-20.  During this same period, the chain also will donate 1 percent of all sales proceeds for customers using the popular members' discount cards.

The Japanese Red Cross Society, in addition to acting as a major conduit for individual and corporate donations to Katrina relief, announced it would donate $200,000 of its own funds to support hurricane relief activities of its sister organization, the American Red Cross.

All three Japanese international air carriers (ANA, JAL, NCA) have offered free use of empty cargo capacity to transport relief supplies to the United States.

J. Thomas Schieffer, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, has been kept very busy acknowledging all of Japan's generous donors; many have and will receive his personal thanks.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed her "heartfelt thanks" September 2 for the "warm and passionate response" from the international community. (See related article.)

And President Bush, in a September 14 address to more than 160 leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, observed that the "awesome power of nature" has unleashed "the greater power of human compassion."  (See related article.)

Addressing Japan and the more than 115 countries that have come to the aid of Hurricane Katrina's victims, Bush said:  "I offer the thanks of my nation…. (T)he world is more compassionate and hopeful when we act together."

For more information on the storm and its aftermath, see Hurricane Katrina.

See also the Web sites for the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund (English language), the American Red Cross (English language), the Japanese Red Cross Society (Japanese language), Peace Winds (Japanese language) and Hurricane Aid Japan (Japanese language).

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Source: www.america.gov.

24 posted on 03/11/2011 4:33:44 PM PST by snowsislander
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To: humblegunner

What sets the United States apart from other so called nations on this planet is that we are there to help those in need. We are that friend who can be counted in those bad times. I am reminded of that country song Find out who your Friends are. We have a Christian duty to help.


25 posted on 03/11/2011 4:34:44 PM PST by archivist007
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To: humblegunner

How many MILLIONS have Japan loaned us in the last 2 years????? Not to mention N Korea might be looking at this as an opportunity for mayham. And I think maybe you should do some research on their help for Katrina..


26 posted on 03/11/2011 4:36:55 PM PST by Jewels1091
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To: Always Independent

Good idea! Write to your senator!


27 posted on 03/11/2011 4:37:54 PM PST by Jewels1091
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To: americanophile

Actually a damned good idea.


28 posted on 03/11/2011 4:39:31 PM PST by txhurl
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To: archivist007
We have a Christian duty to help.

Go help then.

I should be forced to help because you think it's an admirable ideal?

29 posted on 03/11/2011 4:42:05 PM PST by humblegunner (Blogger Overlord)
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To: Always Independent
Maybe we should take one of our carriers slated for retirement and convert it to a crisis response ship full time and leave our combat assets alone. Then let those in the world complain.

Funny I was thing something similar about being a mobile Powerplant

Back in the 20's the USS Lexington that was a turbine-electric drive was used as an short term power plant for Tacoma, Washington, when this city suffered a power outage

Right now the first of the nuclear carriers the USS Enterprise is getting ready to retire...

Consider that you have a floating nuclear powerplant that you can move and plug in to the electric grid along any coast in the world ... add in that it has fresh water plant a giant helipad and will now have empty hanger bay space that could be converted in to a fulltime hospital and food/kitchen

The nice thing is as a powerplant it could be added as a part of the normal US grid and make money to cover it being avable for emergence's

30 posted on 03/11/2011 4:46:55 PM PST by tophat9000 (.............................. BP + BO = BS ...........................Formula for a disaster...)
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To: Jewels1091
How many MILLIONS have Japan loaned us in the last 2 years????? Not to mention N Korea might be looking at this as an opportunity for mayham. And I think maybe you should do some research on their help for Katrina.

The Japanese government currently owns just over $1 trillion dollars worth of U.S. government debt, roughly the same amount as Red China.

Source: Japanese Ministry of Finance

31 posted on 03/11/2011 4:48:25 PM PST by snowsislander
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To: americanophile

Just heard that. My nephew is the commander of that strike carrier group.


32 posted on 03/11/2011 4:49:09 PM PST by Exit148
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To: snowsislander

Thank you for that post.


33 posted on 03/11/2011 4:50:22 PM PST by Stonewall Jackson (Democrats: "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.")
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To: humblegunner

If we helped everyone on the planet, we really are going to be broke.

Japan’s an ally, and it only takes a snub like not sending emergency supplies or something like it to send em to China’s camp, and we don’t need another round of “why are you guys here” coming from their anti-war groups.

That said, I haven’t heard anything about 7th Fleet assets currently in Japan doing much. And one of the JSDF’s missions is disaster response and is quite capable in that regard. So...what exactly is a carrier from San Diego (let alone one from 3d Fleet) would do? It’d reach Japan next week I guess. Rather use our forces there and assist the JSDF...sending the Ronald Reagan seems to be a publicity call.


34 posted on 03/11/2011 5:11:57 PM PST by Jusu
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To: americanophile

Thanks all! I was thinking that with the size of one of our carriers, it be equipped not only with power generation and a source for clean water, but it is also large enough to carry construction equipment, a large medical facility and a component for providing security services. Lots of possibilites.

Maybe I will write, But living in CA, I wouldn’t want to go to my current senators. I’d rather hit myself in the head with a hammer.


35 posted on 03/11/2011 5:56:25 PM PST by Always Independent
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To: humblegunner
Go help then. I should be forced to help because you think it's an admirable ideal? Hopefully nothing bad happens to you or you should need help with anything. To stand on principle, you should refuse help if any one tries to help you for anything.
36 posted on 03/11/2011 6:18:36 PM PST by archivist007
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To: Jewels1091
Congressman McKeon, first let me express my appreciation for having you as our representative in congress. You have served us well since your days on the Santa Clarita city council.

The reason I am writing you is that in light of many of the countries troubles, I see that with this latest of horrific natural disasters affecting our world and our countries always selfless commitment to coming to those needing aid. I see that again we going to put additional strain on our limited military resources to provide this aid. As a person that has worked in the defense industry for nearly thirty years, I know what it means to provide for the nations defense and do so diligently with resources provided by our government. This has lead me to an idea that I would like to submit to you for consideration.

I would like to see one or two of our nuclear powered aircraft carriers slated for retirment be converted to dedicated crisis response vessels. These ships currently have the capability to not only generate electricity, but also clean water. Because of these ships size, they could also be configured to carry construction equipment and supplies, large medical facilities and security services with necessary equipment. Creating these vessels would of course be costly and manning them would need to be considered by our Naval command. I think a possible source of funding for this endeavor should come from the funds committed for stimulus of our economy. I can't of a better use or display to the world of our commitment to the worlds welfare. Nor can I think of anyone on the other side of the aisle that would be willing to deny the undertaking of such a noble endeavor and alleviate some of the strain on our precious combat assets.

37 posted on 03/11/2011 6:57:49 PM PST by Always Independent
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To: Always Independent

Very good.

Now send it to Oliver North.


38 posted on 03/11/2011 7:21:23 PM PST by txhurl
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To: Always Independent

they could be used in tandom with the Medical ships!


39 posted on 03/11/2011 7:46:18 PM PST by Jewels1091
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