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Bataan Continues Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050905-05
Release Date: 9/5/2005 5:27:00 PM

By Journalist Seaman Joanne De Vera, USS Bataan Public Affairs

ABOARD USS BATAAN, Gulf of Mexico (NNS) -- The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) completed its seventh day of Hurricane Katrina humanitarian relief efforts in the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast region Sept. 5.

Four MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters from Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15, based out of Corpus Christi, Texas, five MH-60 Seahawks from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, based out of Norfolk, Va., and Bataan’s air department have conducted flight operations almost around the clock to assist in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

“We’ve been extremely busy this past week with more tasks than there are hours in a day,” said Cmdr. Jeffrey Bocchicchio, Bataan’s air boss. “The shortest day the department has had was 16 hours long, but they understand that everything we do is critical to the mission.”

“All of the divisions and Combat Cargo working together allows the ship to have a 24-hour flight deck with the manning for 10-hour days,” said Bocchicchio.

To date, the two squadrons have transported 1,613 displaced people and delivered more than 100,000 pounds of cargo.

Bataan also provided 8,000 gallons of fresh drinking water to the ravished Gulfport, Miss., area. Sailors filled eight 500-gallon water bladders with the ship’s potable water and HM-15’s MH-53 helicopters transported them from Bataan to shore.

The ship also demonstrated its sea power when a landing craft unit from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 2, based out of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va., traveled up the Mississippi River to conduct a survey of the river just days after the hurricane ripped through the area. The LCU was gone for three days before returning to the ship’s welldeck.

“Besides looking for navigational aids, our secondary mission was to help evacuate people and help the first responders, such as the Coast Guardsmen and police,” said Chief Warrant Officer William Fish, ACU 2 detachment officer in charge.

With all of the injured and ill evacuees strewn throughout the Gulf Coast, medical personnel are in short supply. A team of 84 medical professionals from the Navy’s Casualty Receiving and Treatment Ship Team (CRTS) 8, based out of Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Fla., embarked Bataan Sept. 2 to assist in hurricane relief medical operations. Sept. 3-4, 56 members of CRTS 8 left Bataan to provide medical support to Hurricane Katrina survivors at the New Orleans Convention Center, New Orleans International Airport and Biloxi High School in Mississippi.

In coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies, Navy and Marine Corps assets are continuing to provide assistance to displaced persons, medical aid for affected people, mobility and logistics support, as well as assistance in restoring other critical infrastructure and civil services.

Additionally, in light of communications difficulties created by Hurricane Katrina, the Navy has established a 24-hour help line for Sailors and their family members to call for information. The phone number is (877) 414-5358. The line is staffed by volunteers with connectivity to FEMA and other government agencies.