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Whidbey Island Sailors Hit the Beach in Support of Katrina Relief

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050911-06
Release Date: 9/11/2005 9:45:00 PM

By Journalist 3rd Class Chris Gethings, U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs Detachment, Gulfport

BILOXI, Miss. (NNS) -- In direct support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, Sailors from USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) hit the beach Sept. 8 to assist the organizations already involved in the humanitarian mission.

Whidbey Island Sailors have been transiting from their ship in the Gulf of Mexico, where it is supporting the humanitarian relief effort at sea via Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) to provide relief support such as distribution of food, water and other necessities; door-to-door search and rescue; and security enforcement in devastated areas.

One hundred fifty Whidbey Island Sailors have gone ashore to provide whatever support is needed.

"Some of us went as far as Gulfport to help the Salvation Army distribute supplies directly to the people yesterday," said Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Trevor Boykin, of Whidbey Island's Deck Department. "This is the first time I've seen organizations like the Salvation Army in action during a crisis situation, and I now have a lot more respect for what they do and are capable of doing."

Boykin, an Atlanta, Ga., native, said his first view of the devastated area was pretty saddening. "Once I saw everyone banding together to help these people, it made me feel a lot better about the whole scene. This is the first time I've seen anything like this," he added.

Most of Whidbey Island Sailors shared similar feelings about the hurricane-stricken areas.

"My father's shared stories from similar work he did while he was in the Army," said Lt. j.g. Peter Buryk, division officer for Deck Department's first division. "This is the closest I've ever come to such a horrible scene."

Buryk spent all night providing security with countless other law-enforcement organizations, including state troopers from as far away as Indiana.

"I really wanted to get the chance to come to the beach to work hands in this humanitarian relief effort," said Buryk. "I wanted to see more than just what I saw on the news, and I'm seeing many signs of progress all of these organizations are making with this place - it's just phenomenal."

Seaman Zeke Lott of Whidbey Island's Deck Department is from - and still has family in - Pascagoula, Miss., which is about 20 miles from Biloxi.

"I'm ecstatic our ship got the opportunity to come and help out in this relief effort," Lott said. "I'm even more ecstatic about getting to come to the beach to work side-by-side with these organizations to help these people out firsthand."

Whidbey Island heard about its part in hurricane Katrina's humanitarian mission before pulling into homeport during a three-week underway period. The ship hit homeport, pulled out the next day and headed to North Carolina, where they picked up Marines and their equipment. From there, Whidbey Island went straight to the Gulf of Mexico, where it immediately started unloading Marines and supplies to the shores of affected areas.

"I think our response time was impeccable," said Buryk, a Fayetteville, N.C., native. "Despite coming off of a three-week underway period, the Sailors all seemed to feel this was what their country needed most, and shrugged off not staying at home to come help their fellow citizens in their greatest time of need."