The Navy Is Coming

Over the last few days there's been a lot written about the involvement of the regular Army and Guardsmen in Katrina relief work but I hadn't seen anything on Navy involvement which I thought strange given that the devestation is coastal and the worst problem is flooding. So a quick mail to UPC resident guru on military deployments, Fester, gave me a link to chase and yes - the squids are on their way.

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.

"They’ve got helicopters to help with search and rescue, food and water and medical people if need be," said 2nd Fleet spokesman Chief Petty Officer Jerry Sekerak.

The ships were given a standby order on Monday and their sailing orders on Tuesday. It takes three to four days to sail from Hampton Roads to New Orleans so they should be on station today. They should be joined off the Gulf Coast by Baltimore-based hospital ship Comfort and the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman and dock landing ship Whidbey Island which were ordered into the area on Wednesday.

The amphibeous group is probably the ideal response unit as far as the current New Orleans crisis is concerned being plentifully supplied with 'copters, landing craft designed for shallow water operations and two massive hovercraft each capable of carrying up to 60 tons of supplies. The assault carrier, aircraft carrier and hospital ship will provide an excellent communications and command centre for relief efforts as well as three state-of-the-art medical facilities a short helicopter ride away from the devastated coast and the landing ships will put ashore heavy equipment such as bulldozers to help in salvage and rescue operations. The squadron also has a whole bunch of Marines on board who can help with rescue and security operations.

Go Navy!

(Now let's hope we can avoid intra-service rivalries to add to the other fuckups that have already plagued the relief effort! Personally I would think that just because of the command/control facillities offered by the big ships - nevermind they quite probably have more training and experience in this kind of thing - the Navy, although last to arrive, should be lead service.)