Operation Unified Assistance

Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance logo

Operation Unified Assistance is the name of the United States military's response to the tsunami of 2004.

Contents

Overview

On 28 December, the first elements of the Combined Support Force (CSF-536) were deployed to Utapao, Thailand following that country's approval of the use of that base.

More than 12,600 Department of Defense personnel were involved in the relief effort.

The United States offered assistance from its troops stationed in Japan.

The United States military participated in the Combined Coordination Center.

Aircraft

Sri Lankan relief workers unload vegetables from an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter during an Operation Unified Assistance mission.

The United States has dispatched numerous C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifters and ten C-130 Hercules tactical airlifters containing disaster supplies, nine P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft for search and rescue support, and several teams from the Departments of State and Defense to coordinate additional assistance. They are using Utapao Naval Air Base in Thailand as their regional hub. The deployment of the 615th Air Mobility Operations Group from Travis Air Force Base, California, established a tanker airlift control element where personnel assisted with the safe movement of 6,685 passengers, 5,444 cargo tons of relief supplies and medical aid on 817 airlift missions.

Ships

Carrier Strike Group Nine, led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, which was in port in Hong Kong, was dispatched to the coast of Sumatra to provide support to the Indonesian province of Aceh. Other ships in the group were the guided-missile cruiser Shiloh; the guided-missile destroyers Shoup and Benfold, and the fast combat support ship Rainier.

In addition, an Expeditionary Strike Group led by the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, scheduled for a port call in Guam, was dispatched to render assistance. A total of 48 Navy and Marine Corps helicopters were involved. Each ship could produce around 90,000 US gallons of fresh water per day. Other ships in the group were amphibious transport dock Duluth, the guided-missile destroyer Milius, the dock landing ship Rushmore, the guided-missile frigate Thach, the nuclear-powered submarine Pasadena, guided-missile cruiser Bunker Hill, and the coast guard cutter Munro.

The US Navy also deployed the Mercy, a 1,000-bed hospital ship (initially staffed to support 250 patient beds).

Other logistics ships were also employed such as the combat stores ships San Jose and Niagara Falls.

In January 2005, 24 Navy ships and one Coast Guard vessel were in the area. Among those ships was the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) with helicopter detachments from helicopter squadrons HM-15 and HC-5. The last ship, Mercy, departed the region in April 2005.

Effect

Indonesian public opinion of the United States markedly improved in the year after the tsunami, jumping from 15% in 2003 to 38% in 2005, going against the general trend of less favorable attitudes towards America in that time period.[1] Many Indonesians surveyed indicated that American relief efforts generally improved their view of the United States.[2]

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Operation Unified Resolve — is an air and ground operation to flush out and trap al Qaeda fighters hiding in the eastern Afghanistan provinces. Launched on 23 June 2003, Operation Unified Resolve is a joint operation between Pakistan, United States, and Afghanistan. Over… …   Wikipedia

  • Opération réponse unifiée — Réunion du président des États Unis dans la Situation Room, à la Maison Blanche à la suite du tremblement de terre L opération Réponse unifiée (Operation Unified R …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Operation Hestia — CC 177 departing from Montreal International Airport after having repatriated Haitian Canadians Operation Hestia is the name of the Canadian Forces humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January, 2010.… …   Wikipedia

  • Operation Searchlight — Part of Bangladesh Liberation War Date March 26, 1971 – May 25, 1971.[1] Location …   Wikipedia

  • Operation Lam Son 719 — Part of the Vietnam War Map showing fire support bases and movement of forces …   Wikipedia

  • Operation Provide Relief — was part of United Nations (UN) endorsed effort called The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) to secure and facilitate humanitarian relief for the people of Somalia, an effort that was assisted by the UN UNOSOM I mission beginning in 1991 in light of a… …   Wikipedia

  • Operation Sinbad — Part of the Iraq War Date September 27, 2006 February 18, 2007 Location Basra, Iraq Res …   Wikipedia

  • Unified Task Force — For the organisation in Doctor Who, see UNIT. War in Somalia Part of the Somali Civil War …   Wikipedia

  • Operation der Vereinten Nationen in Somalia II — UNOSOM II Einsatzgebiet: Somalia Deutsche Bezeichnung: Operation der Vereinten Nationen in Somalia II Englische Bezeichnung: United Nations Operation in …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Operation Storm — This article is about the 1995 Croatian Army operation. For the 1979 Soviet Army operation in Afghanistan, see Operation Storm 333. For the Polish Second World War partisan operation, see Operation Tempest. Operation Storm Part of the Croatian… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”