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Katrina and the US Navy

By Pinch

The Navy has a relatively large footprint and presence along the Gulf Coast, including such bases and facilities as Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Station Pascagoula, the Naval Air Station / Joint Reserve Base at New Orleans and numerous other installations along the entire gulf coast.

So when Katrina came a’visiting last year, the Navy had a rather significant vested interest in the region, not to mention having the capability and ships and infrastructure in the neighborhood to provide an impressive amount of support.

And what was the result of this vested interest and support?

- More than 9,790 Americas were rescued or evacuated by the 50+ Navy aircraft from deployed ships, as well as NAS Pensacola and Atlanta.
- 17 Navy ships on station including Iwo Jima, Bataan and USNS Comfort, which treated 1,000 patients.
More than 3,400 Seabees deployed to the region and helped clearing roads, disposing of debris and building shelters.
- Ship’s small boats performed 380 evacuations, 28 MEDEVACS and six rescues. They delivered 68,900 pound of food and 113,000 pounds of water. Onboard aircraft flew 1,730 sorties.
- The ships performed 380 evacuations, 28 MEDEVACS and six rescues. They delivered 68,900 pound of food and 113,000 pounds of water.
- The Navy took care of the more than 800 Navy families who lost everything.

USS IWO JIMA, pierside at downtown New Orleans (below), provided such tremendous support as a command center and a base of operations that during a tour of the ship, VADM Thad Allen, the senior federal officer on scene, said to Chief of Naval Operations ADM Mike Mullen: "Mike, you should consider renaming this ship The City of New Orleans.“

Bravo Zulu, Navy!

050910-N-8933S-001 New Orleans (Sept. 10, 2005) - The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) sits pier side in New Orleans in support of Hurricane Katrina humanitarian assistance operations. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Robert Jay Stratchko (RELEASED)

September 1, 2006 12:25 AM General Interest