A naval air crewman assigned to Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron Light 43 embarked aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) provides fuel to a Japanese man for his kerosene heater. Preble is conducting humanitarian assistance operations in support of Operation Tomodachi. Photo by: Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin MacDonald

At 2:46 this afternoon, U.S. Seventh Fleet personnel embarked on the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) along with Japan Self Defense Forces personnel throughout Japan, observed a moment of silence marking one week since that a 9.0 mega-earthquake struck off the eastern shore of Honshu. The moment of silence also marked a transition in mission as Japan ended rescue efforts and took on a new mission of sustaining life. Seventh Fleet remains committed to this relief effort, with 12,750 personnel, 20 ships, and 140 aircraft participating in Operation Tomodachi. Seventh Fleet forces have delivered a total of 81 tons of relief supplies to date.

After offloading Japan Ground Self Defense Force personnel and vehicles in Ominato, USS Tortuga (LSD 46) departed en route the vicinity of Hachinohe where she will serve as an afloat forward service base for helicopter operations. CH-53 Sea Stallion aircraft from HM-14 attached to Tortuga delivered 13 tons of humanitarian aid cargo, including 5000 pounds of water and 5000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), to Yamada Station, 80 miles south of Misawa.

USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Germantown (LSD 42) with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived off the coast of Akita prefecture this afternoon. Marines of the 31st MEU continue have established a Forward Control Element (FCE) in Matsushima in order to coordinate disaster aid planning with officials already on scene. They will move to Sendai tomorrow.

The USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group to include the cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), the destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88), and the combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10) along with the guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS McCampbell (DDG 85), USS Mustin (89) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) continue Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief operations off the east coast of Iwate Prefecture. Three U.S. Navy liaison officers are on JS Hyuga to coordinate U.S. operations with Japan Maritime Self Defense force leadership.

Helicopters from HS-4 and HSL-43 with the USS Ronald Reagan strike group, and HSL-51 from Carrier Airwing Five in Atsugi, delivered 28 tons of food, water, clothes, medicine, toiletries, baby supplies, and much needed kerosene to displaced persons at fifteen relief sites ashore. For two of the relief sites serviced today, it was the first humanitarian aid they have received since the tsunami a week ago. Eight of the sites serviced made requests for specific aid, including a need for a medical professional.

Carrier Airwing Five (CVW-5) completed the relocation of 14 rotary-wing aircraft normally assigned to USS George Washington from Naval Air Faculty (NAF) Atsugi to Misawa Air Base in northern Honshu. The aircraft are now positioned for quick response to humanitarian mission in northeastern Honshu. Additionally, CVW-5 tactical aircraft which are non-essential to the relief mission have been relocated to bases in Okinawa and Guam in order to open ramp space at Atsugi.

USS Cowpens (CG-63) continued its northerly track to rendezvous with the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group. Cowpens is expected to join the Strike Group overnight. USS Shiloh (CG-67) got underway from Yokosuka to deliver relief supplies to the Strike Group.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), flagship for the United States Seventh Fleet, remained in the vicinity of Okinawa to conduct transfers of supplies and additional personnel to augment the staff.

All Seventh Fleet ships, including USS George Washington and USS Lassen which are currently conducting maintenance in Yokosuka, are increasing their readiness posture in order to be prepared to conduct any tasking ordered. This includes the recall of personnel and the cancellation of leave.

Two P-3 Orion aircraft from Patrol Squadron Four (VP-4) conducted two aerial survey missions or ports and airfields in northern Honshu today. CTF-72 embarked two liaison officers from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force on each mission. Aerial imagery captured on these missions is shared with Japan. VP-4 has established a detachment in Misawa with two aircraft and four aircrews.

U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

Lt. j.g. Nadia Brouillette, an HH-60H Sea Hawk pilot assigned to the Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS 4) embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), speaks with a Japanese citizen during tsunami relief efforts. HS-4 is delivering humanitarian supplies to areas affected by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Ships and aircraft from the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group are conducting search and rescue operations and re-supply missions as directed in support of Operation Tomodachi throughout northern Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin B. Gray

U.S. 7th Fleet ships, aircraft and personnel continue to provide assistance to the people of Japan following the devastating earthquake that struck six days ago, while repositioning and posturing forces to better support disaster relief operations.

USS Tortuga (LSD 46) anchored early this morning in Ominato in northern Honshu, delivering 93 vehicles and 273 Japan Ground Self Defense Force ashore via Landing Craft Unit (LCU) transfer. The ship transported the soldiers and their vehicles from Tomakomai, Hokkaido, to assist with the disaster recovery efforts. The ship will also transport 5,000 bottles of water and 5,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) to Misawa for further distribution to people in need.

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 will arrive off the coast of Akita prefecture tomorrow morning to await further tasking. Marines of the 31st MEU have established a Forward Control Element (FCE) in Yamagata. 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 Carrier Strike Group to include the cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), the destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88), and the combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10) along with the guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS McCampbell (DDG 85), USS Mustin (89) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) continue Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief operations off the east coast of Iwate Prefecture.

Snow and poor visibility continued to limit helicopter operations today. Helicopters from the USS Ronald Reagan strike group and Carrier Airwing Five in Atsugi conducted 10 helicopter sorties today, delivering 10 tons of food and water to relief sites ashore. A total of 40 tons of aid has been delivered to date. 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 Seventh Fleet, conducted personnel and supply transfers in the vicinity of Okinawa this morning and is continuing north.

All Seventh Fleet ships, including USS George Washington and USS Lassen which are currently conducting maintenance in Yokosuka, are increasing their readiness posture in order to be prepared to conduct any tasking ordered. This includes the recall of personnel and the cancellation of leave.

Carrier Airwing Five (CVW-5) began the relocation of more than 50 tactical fixed-wing aircraft normally assigned to USS George Washington from Naval Air Faculty (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 deployed on ships will be moved in the coming days from Atsugi to Misawa Air Base in northern Honshu to place them in a position to respond more quickly to humanitarian missions.

Two P-3 Orion aircraft conducted aerial survey missions today in northern Honshu. CTF-72 completed a relocation today of these two aircraft and four aircrews from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa to Misawa Air Base.

100 Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) firefighting suits and masks were delivered from the USS George Washington to the Government of Japan this morning for use at the Fukushima power plant.

Five high-pressure water pumps from Sasebo were delivered to the Government of Japan for employment at the Fukushima power plant.

US Seventh Fleet on Facebook

A convoy of supply trucks and buses wind their way south from Misawa Air Base to deliver search-and-rescue crews and their equipment to tsunami-ravaged Ofunato, Japan, March 14. The 35th Fighter Wing service members provided logistical and transportation support to U.S. and United Kingdom-based search-and-rescue teams. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Bradley

TOMOKAMAI KO, Japan (March 16, 2011) – Japan Ground Self-Defense Force vehicles line the well deck of USS Tortuga (LSD 46) after being delivered by Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1627. This is the first time in history that a U.S. warship has carried Japanese military assets. Tortuga is operating in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility to support Operation Tomodachi. (U. S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Scott Bourque/Released)

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

The cruiser USS Cowpens cancelled its scheduled return to Yokosuka and instead transited north to rendezvous with the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.

USS Ronald Reagan conducted three helicopter sorties today delivering some seven tons of food and water. Helicopters from other ships in the strike group were also able to fly 12 total sorties, delivering more than eight tons of supplies including food, bottled water, milk, juice, Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), fruits, clothing, medical supplies, and blankets. A total of 40 tons of aid has been delivered to date.

USS Tortuga (LSD 46), in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, had to suspend onload operations overnight due to visibility concerns but was able to resume around this morning. Throughout the day personnel loaded 93 vehicles and 273 Japan Ground Self Defense Force troops and equipment for delivery in Onimato tomorrow.

USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Germantown (LSD 42) with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit entered the Sea of Japan. In the coming days they will take position off the coast of Sakata on the western coast of Honshu to begin conducting disaster response operations. The west coast affords greater access to undamaged ports and roads, fewer navigational hazards, and prevailing winds that are upwind of the Fukushima power plant. Once on station, one of the ARG/MEU’s primary missions will be to assist in the reopening of Sendai airport for operation.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), flagship for the United States Seventh Fleet, continued to steam north and will arrive in the vicinity of Okinawa tomorrow. It will remain there for a few days so that reserve and other augmenting personnel can embark via helicopter.

High-pressure water pumps were offloaded from USNS Safeguard in Yokosuka last night and delivered to Yokota Air Force Base for further transfer to the Government of Japan for employment at the Fukushima power plant. Four additional pumps were delivered from Sasebo this afternoon.

Seventh Fleet on Facebook

Japanese firefighters in Fukushima examine the control systems on a fire truck March 15, 2011, delivered to them from Yokota Air Base, Japan. The truck will be used to assist with recovery efforts in northern Japan following the earthquake and tsunami March 11. U.S. Air Force/Airman 1st Class Andrea Salazar

A team of five Airmen and two Japanese nationals drove through the night March 15, to deliver a fire truck to firefighters in the city of Fukushima. The convoy, consisting of three Yokota vehicles and a police escort, departed the base at 1 a.m. enroute to a training site, 50 kilometers from the power plant.

After more than seven hours of traveling, the team delivered the P-22 fire truck to six Japanese firefighters, standing by. After delivering the fire truck, Nobuhito Takeda, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron firefighter, instructed those receiving the truck on how to operate it properly. Once training was complete, the Japanese firefighters thanked the team from Yokota for their help in delivering the truck and they began their journey home.

The request for assistance came from Japanese authorities and it was to aide in the recovery efforts following the earthquake and tsunami March 11.

by 2nd Lt. Christopher Love
374 Airlift Wing/ Public Affairs
Yokota Air Base

An SH-60B helicopter assigned to the Chargers of Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (HS) 14 flies over the city of Sendai to deliver more than 1,500 pounds of food to survivors of the 8.9 earthquake and tsunami.

The USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, to include the cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), the destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88), and the combat support ship USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10), along with the guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS McCampbell (DDG 85) and USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) continue operations off the east coast of Honshu. An additional destroyer, USS Mustin (DDG 89), is at sea south of the disaster site.

In the coming days, USS Ronald Reagan will serve as an afloat platform for refueling helicopters from the Japan Self Defense Force, Japan Coast Guard, fire and police and other civilian authorities involved in rescue and recovery efforts ashore.

7th Fleet repositioned its ships and aircraft away from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant yesterday after detecting low level contamination in the air and on its aircraft operating in the area. As a precautionary measure, U.S. 7th Fleet ships conducting disaster response operations in the area moved out of the downwind direction from the site. Relief operations have since resumed north of Sendai. We will watch the winds closely in the coming days and move our ships and aircraft as necessary to avoid the windline from Fukushima.

Air operations today included 10 helicopters from Naval Air Facility Atsugi and USS Ronald Reagan identifying several groups of people in need of assistance in the vicinity of Minato, and delivering water, blankets and food. Additional helicopters conducted surveys of the at-sea debris field, and conducted search and rescue missions along the coastline.

USS Tortuga (LSD 46) with two heavy-lift MH-53 helicopters embarked, is steaming towards Tomokomai on the eastern coast of Hokkaido, where it will arrive tomorrow. There it will onload about 300 Japan Ground Self Defense Force personnel, and 90 vehicles, and deliver them to Aomori, on the northern end of Honshu.

USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), USS Essex (LHD 2), with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Germantown (LSD 42) are transiting to the area from Southeast Asia. They are expected to begin arriving March 16.

U.S. Navy P-3 “Orion” aircraft from VP-4 in Kadena AFB, Okinawa, flew two missions to survey and assess the debris field at sea.

Seventh Fleet