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Unified Assistance: Fort McHenry Surpasses 1 Million Pounds

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050208-22
Release Date: 2/9/2005 2:02:00 AM

By Lt. j.g. Nathan T. Van Schaik, USS Fort McHenry Public Affairs

ABOARD USS FORT MCHENRY, At Sea (NNS) -- Crew members aboard USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) marked delivery of more than 1 million pounds of relief supplies and equipment as part of Operation Unified Assistance, Jan. 31.

To date, Combined Support Force (CSF) 536 has delivered more than 21 million pounds of supplies and equipment. Fort McHenry alone has delivered over 450 pallets. Also included in the relief supplies delivery was more than 2,000 pounds of supplies donated by communities within Sasebo Fleet Activities, Jan. 30.

Coordination between the Navy and the Marine Corps woven with medical and dental staff, Beach Master Unit 1, detached Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 262 and Assault Craft Unit 5 has become a logistical and operational masterpiece.

"What makes this operation logistically unique is that with military operations, we are usually given advance notice to start the logistics train required for sustained operations," said Fort McHenry Supply Officer Lt. Tim Nicholls. "Unfortunately, our logistics train started cold with natural disasters."

Delivering supplies to the tsunami victims is not an easy task. Fort McHenry first receives Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) supplies from nearby U.S. supply ships via Navy helicopters. Pallets of HA/DR supplies are then immediately forklifted from the flight deck to the boat deck, where they are positioned near the ship's 60-ton crane. From there, crane operators hoist the pallets down deep within the well deck where three Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) are docked.

"CLZ (Craft Landing Zone) teams coordinate the offloading and onloading of equipment, supplies, and personnel from the LCAC both to and from the ship," explained Officer in Charge, Lt.j.g. George Baldwin of Beach Master Unit 1, Det. Delta.

Many Fort McHenry Sailors have volunteered their time to go ashore and assist in offloading supplies for the Indonesian community.

"To actually get my hands dirty and help the people means a great deal for me," said Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Gene Carroll. "It's not that much, but I will do whatever I can and if it makes a difference, I'll do it."

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 262, embarked on Fort McHenry, also assisted by delivering key personnel ashore. Among these personnel delivered by the CH-46D helicopters are medical and dental staff of the Third Force Service Support Group, stationed out of Okinawa, Japan. In all, medical care was provided to nearly 100 people and dental care was provided to more than 50.

Fort McHenry is a dock landing ship forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, and part of the Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group, currently operating off the coast of Indonesia in support of Operation Unified Assistance.