The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716) and the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) transit through the Black Sea en route to the Republic of Georgia to deliver humanitarian relief supplies. Dallas is carrying more than 76,000 pounds of supplies, including soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, baby wipes, toilet paper and other necessities. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Lauren Jorgensen/Released)

We had the opportunity to interview the Captain of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas in today’s Bloggers’ Roundtable. Capt. Robert Wagner talked about his mission to bring aid to Georgia.

Dallas was loaded with 80 pallets of supplies at Souda Bay, Crete. Dallas is not a freight vessel so a dockside crane was used to load the 76,000 pounds of assistance. She had already obtained permission from the Turks to transit the Straits for other purposes so sailing into the Black Sea was not an issue.

Dallas rendezvoused with the USS McFaul just outside Georgian territorial waters to take the task force commander, Capt. John Moore, commodore, Combined Task Force 367, and other personnel aboard. They were met by Georgian Coast Guard vessels as they entered Georgian waters and escorted to the port of Batumi.

A Georgian forklift driver drives toward a pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies being crane lifted from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716). Dallas arrived with more than 76,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to be delivered to the people of Georgia in response to the request of the government of the Republic of Georgia. Dallas is part of Combined Task Force 367, the maritime element of the U.S. humanitarian assistance mission to Georgia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eddie Harrison/Released)

The Georgians were prepared and a barge crane was used to unload the aid supplies. Unloading took about four hours.

A pallet of humanitarian assistance supplies is offloaded from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716). Dallas arrived with more than 76,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to be delivered to the people of Georgia in response to the request of the government of the Republic of Georgia. Dallas is part of Combined Task Force 367, the maritime element of the U.S. humanitarian assistance mission to Georgia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eddie Harrison/Released)

Captain Wagner described the greeting from the Georgians as an “amazingly warm welcome”. He said it was “a proud day to be an American”. A crowd of about a thousand people greeted the ship, waving American flags and Georgian flags.

Local Georgians greet Capt. John Moore, commodore, Combined Task Force 367, shortly after the arrival of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716). Dallas arrived with more than 76,000 pounds of humanitarian assistance supplies to be given to the people of Georgia in response to the request of the government of the Republic of Georgia. Dallas is part of Combined Task Force 367, the maritime element of the U.S. humanitarian assistance mission to Georgia. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Eddie Harrison/Released)

Dallas left port before sunset on Wednesday, August 27, mission accomplished. She rendezvoused with the USS McFaul just outside Georgian territorial waters to return the Commodore and other personnel, and then continued with her originally assigned duties.

During the aid mission, Dallas saw only one Russian vessel, a Krivak class frigate. Their behavior was “professional” and Captain Wagner felt no threats to his vessel during the mission.

John Donovan reminds us that he is carrying reports from Georgia at his site.

Walking the Walk – 1
Walking the Walk – 2

The Bloggers’ Roundtable this morning interviewed Mr. Michael Ritchie, Director of the Command Interagency Engagement Group (CIEG), that is coordinating the US relief efforts to Georgia.

Operation “Assured Delivery” is the military mission to assist the hundreds of thousands of Georgians affected by the recent Russian invasion. For a detailed account of the events leading up to the invasion, please see Michael Totten’s piece, reported from Georgia. It will surprise you.

Mr. Ritchie was asked to address reports out of Georgia that the USS Dallas, the large Coast Guard cutter, was turned away from the Georgian port of Poti by the Russians.

He was able to confirm that no ships had been scheduled to dock in Poti, due to damage at the port and to the Russian roadblocks surrounding the city. The decision was made to be prudent and route naval vessels to the southern port of Batumi. The McFaul is there and has been off loaded with dispatch and without problem. We are not assisting the Georgians with infrastructure at the port. They are handling the aid shipments easily.

There is an assessment team in Poti, according to Ritchie.

I asked about the C-9 that had been flying in supplies. Ritchie denied that the United States was using that aircraft for medical evacuations and stated that we were not engaged in any medical evacuations from Georgia.

Mr. Ritchie discussed the significant number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in the relief effort. USAID, the European Command, the State Department and the NGOs are working in partnership to assist the Georgians.

Transcript [PDF]