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Bataan Begins Participation in Hurricane Relief Efforts

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050901-16
Release Date: 9/1/2005 1:37:00 PM

By Journalist Seaman Joanne De Vera, USS Bataan Public Affairs

GULF OF MEXICO (NNS) -- The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) began service Aug. 30 as the Maritime Disaster Service Coordinator for the U.S. Navy’s role in the Hurricane Katrina search and rescue efforts in the immediate New Orleans area.

Embarked helicopter squadrons have moved over 200 stranded personnel in two days of flying.

Crew members from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, based out of Naval Station Norfolk, and Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15, based out of Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, launched three MH-53 Sea Dragons and two MH-60 KnightHawks Aug. 30 and 31 to help out where needed.

“Our first mission was to provide food and water and to take some people to a safer haven and to help with the levee by providing sandbags,” said Aviation Systems Operator 2nd Class (AW/NAC) Johnny Ramirez, an air crewman with HM-15.

A crew from HM-15 assisted with lifting numerous stranded citizens in a very short period of time. “My crew and I airlifted nearly 100 people from the roof of a building and onto a field where ambulances and buses were waiting for them,” said Lt. Cmdr. David Hopper, detachment Officer in Charge of HM-15. “Ten of those who we rescued couldn’t even walk; my crewmen had to carry them.”

“It’s rewarding to help our fellow Americans,” Hopper said. “The crew knows that these people don’t have a home to go back to. That is our motivation.”

One of the missions of the MH-60 aircraft is search and rescue. HSC-28 personnel have rescued 71 people in their first two days of operations. HSC-28 has three crews and two aircraft and is alternating flight and crew rest time.

Commander, Joint Task Force Katrina, Lt. Gen. Russell Honore, embarked Bataan Wednesday for a few hours to survey the ship’s capabilities.

“We have jumped in feet first to provide as much assistance as we can,” said Capt. Nora Tyson, Bataan’s commanding officer. “Every Sailor on this ship will do everything they can do to help.”

Bataan’s involvement in the humanitarian assistance operations is an effort led by the Department of Defense in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).