• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Mexican Ship Captains Visit Gunston Hall during Haiti Mission

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100201-01
Release Date: 2/1/2010 12:01:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW) John Stratton, USS Gunston Hall Public Affairs

KILLICK, Haiti (NNS) -- Commanding officers of the Mexican navy ships ARM Huasteco (AMP 01) and ARM Papaloapan (A 411), as well as the Mexican coordinator for humanitarian aid, visited USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) Jan. 27 to discuss contributions made by both navies to the Killick Haitian Coast Guard Base.

Gunston Hall Commanding Officer Cmdr. Fred Wilhelm greeted the Mexican ships' commanding officers and gave a tour of his ship. The three commanding officers then discussed the progress each ship had made in their relief efforts at Killick.

"It's rewarding to work with you," Wilhelm said to the commanding officers. "We have been able to reach and help more people by having our two navies work together."

"I appreciate all that you are doing here in Killick and the support you have given us in our endeavor to provide aid to the people of Haiti," Mexican Navy Cmdr. Gonzalo Escobar Montoya, commanding officer of Huasteco, said.

Wilhelm said both ships arrived swiftly and began a seamless integration with Sailors from Gunston Hall.

"The Mexican Navy not only provided humanitarian supplies, they also provided 34 medical professionals which augmented medical teams at the Killick Coast Guard Base," Wilhelm said. "That alone increased the number of patients we were able to treat each day."

Wilhelm also said personnel from both ships joined the humanitarian aid missions to the surrounding area.

Huasteco is a hospital ship, and Papaloapan, formerly USS Newport (LST 1179), is used to transport cargo and troops.

Gunston Hall, a Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock-landing ship, was originally scheduled for a deployment to Africa in support of Africa Partnership Station (APS) West. The ship was was diverted to assist Haitian relief operations as part of Operation Unified Response.

The ship recently completed a mid-life modernization availability. The work included major upgrades to the ship's control system, local area network and machinery control system, propulsion systems, HVAC, as well as replacement of the ship's boilers and evaporators with an all-electric services system.

Follow USS Gunston Hall on Twitter at www.twitter.com/USSGunstonHall.