Japan Dads

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Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on March 17, 2011 at 11:49am

7th Fleet Relief Support Update (March 17)
From U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

OMINATO, Japan (March 17, 2011) Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) salute Cmdr. Adrian Ragland, commanding officer of USS Tortuga (LSD 46) and Capt. Salvador Aguilera, 7th Fleet chaplain as they depart Tortuga’s well deck on their way to offer support to Japanese military personnel. Tortuga loaded more than 80 JGSDF vehicles onto their ship to transport from Tomakomai Ko to Ominato. Tortuga is currently in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility in support of Operation Tomodachi. (U. S. Navy photo by Lt. K. Madison Carter)

USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea (March 17, 2011) - U.S. 7th Fleet ships, aircraft and personnel continue to provide assistance to the people of Japan following the devastating earthquake that struck six days ago, while repositioning and posturing forces to better support disaster relief operations.

USS Tortuga (LSD 46) anchored early this morning in Ominato in northern Honshu, delivering 93 vehicles and 273 Japan Ground Self Defense Force ashore via Landing Craft Unit (LCU) transfer. The ship transported the soldiers and their vehicles from Tomakomai, Hokkaido, to assist with the disaster recovery efforts. The ship will also transport 5,000 bottles of water and 5,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) to Misawa for further distribution to people in need.

USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Germantown (LSD 42) with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are in the Sea of Japan and will arrive off the coast of Akita prefecture tomorrow morning to await further tasking. Marines of the 31st MEU have established a Forward Control Element (FCE) in Yamagata. The west coast of Honshu affords greater access to undamaged ports and roads, fewer navigational hazards, and prevailing winds that are upwind of the Fukushima power plant.

The USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group to include the cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), the destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88), and the combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10) along with the guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS McCampbell (DDG 85), USS Mustin (89) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) continue Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief operations off the east coast of Iwate Prefecture.

Snow and poor visibility continued to limit helicopter operations today. Helicopters from the USS Ronald Reagan strike group and Carrier Airwing Five in Atsugi conducted 10 helicopter sorties today, delivering 10 tons of food and water to relief sites ashore. A total of 40 tons of aid has been delivered to date. Aircraft and surface ships also continued to conduct coastal search and rescue operations at sea and along the Miyagi and Iwate coasts.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), flagship for the United States Seventh Fleet, conducted personnel and supply transfers in the vicinity of Okinawa this morning and is continuing north.

All Seventh Fleet ships, including USS George Washington and USS Lassen which are currently conducting maintenance in Yokosuka, are increasing their readiness posture in order to be prepared to conduct any tasking ordered. This includes the recall of personnel and the cancellation of leave.

Carrier Airwing Five (CVW-5) began the relocation of more than 50 tactical fixed-wing aircraft normally assigned to USS George Washington from Naval Air Faculty (NAF) Atsugi to bases in Okinawa and Guam in order to free up more ramp space at Atsugi that might be need to support ongoing operations.

Helicopters from CVW-5 not currently deployed on ships will be moved in the coming days from Atsugi to Misawa Air Base in northern Honshu to place them in a position to respond more quickly to humanitarian missions.

Two P-3 Orion aircraft conducted aerial survey missions today in northern Honshu. CTF-72 completed a relocation today of these two aircraft and four aircrews from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa to Misawa Air Base.

100 Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) firefighting suits and masks were delivered from the USS George Washington to the Government of Japan this morning for use at the Fukushima power plant.

Five high-pressure water pumps from Sasebo were delivered to the Government of Japan for employment at the Fukushima power plant.

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on March 17, 2011 at 11:45am

as an aside, I'm trying to keep the Navy News group populated with the latest new releases from the Navy...these do not include FB posts, but they are the latest official press items the Navy has selected to hi-lite....click for the group

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on March 17, 2011 at 10:47am

After 5 days of supporting the relief effort, Reagan Strike Group has delivered 75,450 lbs of supplies, food and water to sites ashore.

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on March 17, 2011 at 9:58am

interesting time-lapse video of the aftershocks:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42037498/ns/world_news-asia-pacific/

 

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on March 17, 2011 at 7:58am

From Helicopter AntiSubmarine Squadron 4: Today the BLACK KNIGHTS did some good work. We found a village that had not been serviced yet, and was able to report it to the Japanese government. We delivered over 5000lbs of relief supplies (food, water, blankets, etc) and two teddy bears. The smiles and relief on the faces of the people we help make this all worthwhile. -CO

Comment by Brandon S. on March 17, 2011 at 5:01am

Mark, this site has been a bastion of strength for many of us who not only follow our loved ones but have an immense pride in our country. No matter where our sailor's end up, this site will continue and I for one hope that we can all continue to be here to support each other. It sounds from what I have been hearing that they are clearing out of Japan. Oh...and Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!

Comment by Tom Devitt on March 16, 2011 at 7:28pm

I just spoke to my son who is on the GW in Yokosuka, they will be underway sometime this weekend, no later than Monday. To Guam and then on to San Diego is what he has been told. The ships reactor is still down so they will be tugged until the reactor is operational.

Comment by Brandon S. on March 16, 2011 at 5:40pm

Brad, Mark~~ thanks for the encouraging words. I am sure your sons, as mine, has their fingers in the pulse of what is really happening over there. We are continuing to see what is going on with these reactors and it is getting very ugly, very fast. Knowing how close Atsugi, Yokuska etc are to these hotbeds, the fear is that if they blow, there will not be enough time for our sailors to avoid contamination. I guess all we can do is wait, watch, and pray.

Comment by Brad on March 16, 2011 at 4:47pm

I just spoke with my son for about 45 min during my lunch hour. He is stationed at Atsugi, very close to Yokosuka. He is Aircrew and after every flight they have detectors scan them and the helo's for contamination. All aircrew have been fine, and only one helo had very low levels and was washed down. They carry devices in the helos and he reports they have not registered anything out of normal acceptance ranges during flights, confirming they are not flying our boys into danger. He also said everyone on base has had recent briefings on what to do as things change regarding the radiation threats. He said they have been issued a 14 day supply of potassium iodine pills but STRESSED they are NOT even close to this stage. He knows some contingency plans are being drawn up for possible evacuations, but again stressed that it was preliminary and NOT close to being needed. Good to know back up plans are being developed. He stated that he is TOTALLY confident by the actions he has seen and participated in, and that the leadership has all of their safety paramount in mind. An example was a mission cancelled at the last second with aircrew on the tarmac boarding when leadership caught word of possible changing radiation levels close to the planned locations and called off the mission. I am now confident they are acting with the best interests of our sons and daughters. I hope no one overreacts to my post, but gains comfort in the actions being taken. I am sure that equal precautions are being taken at Yokosuka.  

Comment by Brandon S. on March 16, 2011 at 3:45pm

Good afternoon all. I have been reading and listening to the news reports daily regarding the situation over in Japan. It is apparent by all accounts that the nuclear catastrophe they are experiencing is reaching break point and that many countries are pulling their people out for fear of contamination. I am just wondering what is being done to insure that our sailors and loved ones have a contingency plan for evacuation. My son is based in Yokosuna and like many parents, we receive vague accounts on where these things stand. I am so proud of him for participating in the undertaking of of such a heart wrenching humanitarian effort, but I am also concerned for my only son. Has anyone heard anything you can share? Wishing all of our family peace, love and support during this time of crisis.

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