U.S. Pacific Fleet ships in the Western Pacific have convered on Japan to help those in areas damaged by the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
From U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs
They include the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which departed Southern California waters on March 5 for a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific and U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Reagan is the flagship of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, which includes USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and USS Preble (DDG 88). All three ships were headed to Honshu's east coast. It is too early to say what they will be tasked with once they arrive.
USS Essex (LHD 2), also forward deployed to Sasebo, had just arrived in Malaysia, but is getting ready to return to Japan to rendezvous with USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Germantown (LSD 42) off Tokyo to prepare for any humanitarian assistance/disaster relief duties.
USS Tortuga (LSD 46), a dock landing ship that carries helicopters and landing craft to support amphibious operations, left its forward deployed port of Sasebo in Southern Japan last evening to embark MH-53 heavy lift helicopters.
USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), the U.S. Seventh Fleet command ship, had arrived in Singapore yesterday for a port visit, but immediately changed its focus to loading humanitarian assistance/disaster relief equipment and preparing to return to Japan to provide support as directed.
"We obviously have huge sympathy for the people of Japan, and we are prepared to help them in any way we possibly can," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a statement. "It's obviously a very sophisticated country, but this is a huge disaster and we will do all, anything we are asked to do to help out."
TAKIHANA, Japan (March 13, 2011) An aerial view of tsunami damage in an area north of Sendai, Japan, taken from a U.S. Navy helicopter assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan is off the coast of Japan rendering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief following an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord/ Released)
PACIFIC OCEAN (Mar. 13, 2011) Capt. Jim Morgan, middle, commander of Destroyer Squadron 7, coordinates search and rescue efforts with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Capt. Iwasaki, commander of Escort Flotilla 1, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan is off the coastline of Japan to provide disaster relief and humanitarian assistance to Japan as directed in support of Operation Tomodachi. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin B. Gray/Released)
PACIFIC OCEAN (March 12, 2011) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) underway in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility. Ronald Reagan has been directed to Japan following a 8.9 earthquake and tsunami to render humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as directed. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord/Released)
SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 11, 2011) Hull Technician 2nd Class Seneca Jernigan, left, and Yeoman 3rd Class Steven Tai move pallets of humanitarian assistance supplies across the flight deck of the U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) during an underway replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204), not pictured. Blue Ridge is ensuring the crew is ready if directed to assist with earthquake and tsunami relief operations in Japan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron M. Pineda Released)
SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 11, 2011) Sailors and Marines aboard the U.S 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) watch an SH-60F Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Warlords of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light (HSL) 51 as it conducts a vertical replenishment with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204), not pictured. Blue Ridge is taking on humanitarian assistance supplies to ensure the crew is ready support earthquake and tsunami relief operations in Japan as directed. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron M. Pineda/Released)
TAKIHANA, Japan (March 13, 2011) Sailors assigned to the Black Knights of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), look out the starboard door as they prepare to deliver supplies during earthquake and tsunami relief efforts near Sendai, Japan. Ronald Reagan is off the coast of Japan rendering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief following an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord Released)
TAKIHANA, Japan (March 13, 2011) Lt. Cmdr. Albin Quinko, from San Diego, assigned to the Black Knights of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), hands over supplies to a Japanese aid worker during earthquake and tsunami relief efforts near Sendai, Japan. Ronald Reagan is off the coast of Japan rendering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief following an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord/ Released)
PACIFIC OCEAN (March 13, 2011) Sailors assigned the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) steer their rigid-hull inflatable boat alongside the ship after investigating several Japanese boats that appeared to be adrift after the recent earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Talley Reeve/Released)
PACIFIC OCEAN (March. 13, 2011) An HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Black Knights of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4 launches from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan is off the coast of Japan rendering humanitarian assistance following an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Anthony W. Johnson Released)
MISAWA, Japan (March 14, 2011) Masayoshi Sawaguchi, director of the Department of Policy and Finance for Misawa City, guides Sailors assigned to Naval Air Facility Misawa to an area at the Misawa Fishing Port in need of clean-up. More than 90 Sailors from Naval Air Facility Misawa volunteered to help Misawa City employees and members of the community begin to clean up after an earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released)
MISAWA, Japan (March 14, 2011) Mineman 2nd Class Cody Stone, from Phoenix, assigned to Naval Air Facility Misawa, recovers a spool of netting and returns it to a Japanese man during a volunteer cleanup at the Misawa Fishing Port. More than 90 Sailors from Naval Air Facility Misawa volunteered in the relief effort, assisting Misawa City employees and members of the community. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released)
MISAWA, Japan (March 14, 2011) Chief Naval Air Crewmen Kyle Wilkinson, right, from Baldwinsville, N.Y., assigned to Naval Air Facility Misawa, helps remove debris during a cleanup effort at the Misawa Fishing Port. More than 90 Sailors from Naval Air Facility Misawa volunteered to help Misawa City employees and members of the community begin to clean up after an earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released)
MISAWA, Japan (March 14, 2011) A Sailor assigned to Naval Air Facility Misawa (NAFM) hauls debris during a cleanup effort at the Misawa Fishing Port. More than 90 Sailors from Naval Air Facility Misawa volunteered to help Misawa City employees and members of the community begin to clean up after an earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released)
MISAWA, Japan (March 14, 2011) Aerographer's Mate 2nd Class John Dicola, from New York, and Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Shakir Briggs from Orlando, Fla., both assigned to Naval Air Facility Misawa, help a Japanese man remove debris from the Misawa Fishing Port during a volunteer cleanup. More than 90 Sailors from Naval Air Facility Misawa volunteered in the relief effort, assisting Misawa City employees and members of the community. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released)
MISAWA, Japan (March 14, 2011) Chief Construction Mechanic Michael Robb, from Port Hueneme, Calif., assigned to Naval Air Facility Misawa, hands out water to Sailors, Misawa city workers and civilian volunteers during a cleanup effort at the Misawa Fishing Port. More than 90 Sailors from Naval Air Facility Misawa volunteered to help Misawa City employees and members of the community begin to clean up after an earthquake and tsunami. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devon Dow/Released)
NAVAL AIR FACILITY MISAWA, Japan (March 13, 2011) Staff Sgt. Travis Lausier, right, and Spc. Jason Hayes, both assigned to the Japan District Veterinary Command, Misawa Branch, draw blood from "Lago," while his handler, Tim Dinges, comforts him. Dinges and Lago are with Virginia Task Force 1 of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, and arrived at Misawa Air Base to take part in search and rescue efforts in Sendai, Japan. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Daniel Sanford/Released)
Some more photos posted here.
In related news 17 in U.S. Navy Treated for Contamination
WASHINGTON — American Navy officials in Japan said early Monday that 17 military personnel who had been aboard three helicopters assisting in the earthquake relief effort had been exposed to low levels of contamination.
Cmdr. Jeff A. Davis, a spokesman for the American Seventh Fleet in Japan, said the Navy personnel — who apparently had flown through a radioactive plume from a damaged nuclear power plant — had been ordered to dispose of their uniforms and to undergo a decontamination scrub that had successfully removed radioactive particles.
“They received very, very low levels of contamination,” Commander Davis said in a telephone interview from Japan early Monday.
“It certainly is not cause for alarm,” he said. “It is something we have to watch very carefully and make sure we are able to monitor, and to mitigate against this environmental hazard.”