Posted on: Sunday, January 2, 2005

Tsunami aid mission leaving O'ahu tomorrow

Advertiser Staff

A Coast Guard C-130 will take off from Barbers Point tomorrow to carry emergency supplies and personnel for humanitarian missions to help victims of the tsunami that hit South Asia.

Not far behind will be approximately 100 Marines and sailors and six helicopters that will deploy on another mercy mission to the region.

The U.S. Coast Guard will launch a C-130 airplane from Air Station Barbers Point tomorrow at 8 a.m. The primary cargo will consist of food, water, and emergency medical and shelter supplies.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel from the Coast Guard Pacific Area Strike Team from Alameda, Calif., will make initial assessments of hazardous materials and conditions in the vicinity of Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Maldives, Malaysia and Thailand. The team will make assessments of cleanup requirements and long-term support for operations in the region.

In addition to Hawai'i crews from Air Station Barbers Point, the Coast Guard will launch an additional C-130 airplane with strike team members and supplies attached to Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, Calif.

The Marines and sailors will deploy from Marine Corps Base Hawai'i. The helicopters are six CH-53D Sea Stallions from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, the "Ugly Angels."

The commanding officer is Lt. Col. Scott Minaldi. The helicopters will be airlifted via C-5 Galaxy cargo aircraft to the region, where they probably will be used to transport emergency relief supplies and help evacuate injured people.

The Marines and sailors are deploying from the squadron and from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 24, both assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24.

The length of their deployment and return date have not been determined.