USN Rescue/Recovery Support in Japan

From the Stars and Stripes, here's an overview of U.S. Navy support operations responding to the tsunami disaster in Japan.

USS Essex (LHD-2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49), and USS Germantown (LSD-42) with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are in the Sea of Japan and were to arrive Friday morning off Akita prefecture to await tasking.

Marines of the 31st MEU have established a Forward Control Element in Matsushima.

The west coast of Honshu affords greater access to undamaged ports and roads, fewer navigational hazards, and prevailing winds that are upwind of the Fukushima power plant.

The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) Carrier Strike Group to include the cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG-62), the destroyer USS Preble (DDG-88), and the combat support ship USNS Bridge (AOE-10) along with the guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), USS McCampbell (DDG-85), USS Mustin (DDG-89) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) continue relief operations off the east coast of Iwate.

Snow and poor visibility continue to limit helicopter operations; however, helicopters from the Reagan strike group and Carrier Airwing Five (CVW-5) in Atsugi conducted 10 sorties on Thursday, delivering 10 tons of food and water to relief sites.

Aircraft and surface ships also continued to conduct coastal search and rescue operations at sea and along the Miyagi and Iwate coasts.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), flagship for the United States 7th Fleet, remained near Okinawa on Friday, continuing north.

All 7th Fleet ships, including USS George Washington (CVN-73) and USS Lassen (DDG-82) which are conducting maintenance in Yokosuka, are preparing for tasks. This includes the recall of personnel and the cancellation of leave.

CVW-5 on Thursday began the relocation of more than 50 tactical fixed-wing aircraft normally assigned to the George Washington from NAF Atsugi to bases in Okinawa and Guam in order to free up more ramp space at Atsugi that might be need to support ongoing operations.

Helicopters from CVW-5 not currently on ships will be moved from Atsugi to Misawa Air Base in northern Honshu to better position them for humanitarian missions. [Note: Hull designations added by ed.]

The USN is also supplying food, water, firefighting equipment and high-pressure water pumps.