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.

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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.

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