On 11 March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami ravaged northeastern Japan. Responding immediately, HSL-51 surged two detachment within 24 hours and within three days had a total of five detachments deployed, operating independently and as a part of the Ronald Reagan Strike Group in direct support of Operation Tomodachi. In a first for the HSL/HSM community, the entire squadron redeployed from its home base of NAF Atsugi to NAF Misawa with less than 18 hours' notice while Warlord families were simultaneously evacuated to safe havens in the continental United States. Three hundred and eighty-two hours and 118 sorties were flown delivering more than 100 tons of critical relief supplies.