From: NAVNEWS@nctamslant.navy.mil (Navy News Service)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: Navy News Service - 31 Aug 92
Date: 2 Sep 92 20:26:43 GMT
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

NAVY NEWS SERVICE - 31 AUG 92 - NAVNEWS 039/92
    This Navy News Service message follows NavNews 038/92, DTG   
272300Z.  NavNews 039/92 is being released as a means of providing   
more timely information to the fleet; we will release news when it   
is news.    
                               -USN-  
NNS 21.   Navy ships steam toward Miami 
WASHINGTON (NNS) --  In what some are calling "Operation Help from the 
Sea," destroyer tender USS Sierra (AD 16), one of five ships assigned to 
Navy Task Force 28, arrived in Miami at daybreak today, bringing much- 
needed food and supplies in support of south Florida relief efforts. 
     Three other Navy ships will arrive later in the day, and a fifth is 
expected to arrive Sept. 1. 
     The ships will deliver more than 2,500 tons of food and relief 
supplies.  In addition, they will serve as specialized repair facilities, 
capable of providing welding equipment, machine tooling, electronic 
repair, and a wide range of services.  Navy and civilian employees have 
worked around the clock loading the ships to bring "help from the sea." 
     Hurricane Andrew left about 180,000 people without shelter and 
caused damage estimated as high as $20 billion.  Officials said at least 
63,000 homes were destroyed and more than 600,000 people still had no 
power. 
     Task Force 28 includes: 
     -- The men and women of USS Sierra (AD 16) will deliver tons of food 
and supplies, and provide a wide range of specialized repair services as 
well as more than 15 tons of assorted tools. 
     -- USS Hunley (AS 31) crewmembers will bring more than 112 tons of 
frozen and chilled food, 84 tons of dried food, and 182 tons of various 
relief supplies, including paper products, plywood, heavy plastics, chain 
saws and linens. 
     -- USS Ponce (LPD 15) crewmembers loaded the ship with 22 tons of 
frozen and chilled food, as well as 21 tons of dried food in addition to 
relief supplies.  An amphibious construction battalion (SeaBees) 
consisting of 120 men and women along with a detachment of helicopters 
will be able to provide an over-the-shore heavy lift capability for 
construction vehicles.   
     -- USS Sylvania (AFS 2) will serve as one of the central Defense 
supply depots in the area, and its personnel will bring more than 490 
tons of frozen and chilled food, 530 tons of dried food, and more than 
300 tons of relief supplies into the area. 
     -- USS Opportune (ARS 41) sailors will provide a wide range of 
salvage capabilities, including portable pumps and generators, air 
compressors and assorted hydraulic tools.  The ship also has divers on 
board for conducting underwater repairs.  Opportune is scheduled to 
arrive in the Miami area Sept. 1.    
     Hurricane relief update: 
     Construction Battalion Units (CBU 410 and CBU 420) conducted surveys 
of the damage to Naval Security Group Activity Homestead.  Salvage 
operations continue, and mission capability could be partially recovered 
within a few days. 
     The Naval Training Center Orlando community is serving as a 
hurricane evacuation site and has welcomed 427 military personnel, 
families and civil servants from Homestead Air Force Base.   
     NTC Orlando people are providing access to a wide range of services, 
including medical assistance at Naval Hospital Orlando; counseling 
services at the Navy Family Service Center; emergency financial 
assistance provided by the Orlando auxiliary of the Navy-Marine Corps 
Relief Society; religious services and counseling by NTC Orlando 
chaplains; recreation activities and limited child care services 
organized by the NTC Morale, Welfare and Recreation Committee.  In 
addition, members of Naval Construction Battalion unit 419 delivered 
water and supplies to Coast Guard housing in Miami. 
     One hundred homeless civilians are being housed at the Naval Reserve 
Center in North Miami.  Elements of the Florida National Guard are also 
billeted at the reserve center. 
     Headquarters, Navy Recruiting District Miami is serving as command 
post for Navy relief efforts. 
     A Navy C-9 aircraft crew from Naval Reserve Squadron VR 58 based at 
NAS Jacksonville delivered over 74,000 donated items for distribution to 
south Florida.  The goods were donated by sailors and their families from 
Jacksonville, Mayport and Cecil Field. 
     Wives club members from USS Enterprise (CVN 65) have organized a 
collection of food and clothing for hurricane victims. 
     Calls went out to recall base military personnel in Guantanamo Bay, 
Cuba to begin palletizing emergency relief supplies and equipment, and 
the response was immediate and enthusiastic.  Gtmo was responsible for 
sending some of the first military humanitarian supplies to hurricane 
victims.  Personnel from AIMD, admin, air ops, VC-10, weapons, supply, 
security, OMD, GEMD, JTF, public works, supply, port services and others 
worked throughout the weekend to organize and load supplies. 
     Gtmo personnel were also directly responsible for helping loved ones 
in Key West communicate -- watchstanders at Anti-Air Warfare Center 
(AAWC) Guantanamo Bay took information via teletype link and relayed it 
by phone lines to worried family members throughout the United States.  
More than 100 families have been contacted. 
                                  -USN-