U.S. military forces are working alongside their Japanese counterparts to provide aid as the country digs out in the aftermath of the massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck March 11.
|
“Because of the longstanding and close working relationship between the U.S. military and its Japanese counterparts on a daily basis, the United States military has humanitarian assistance capabilities positioned in the affected regions that are ready to support emergency relief efforts and minimize human suffering,” U.S. Ambassador to Japan John V. Roos said in a statement to the media yesterday.
Dubbed Operation Tomodachi — Japanese for “friendship” — U.S. military assets mobilizing in the area include a wide range of equipment, air, sea, and ground capability and expertise.
“We have units from all of our services, with a multitude of capabilities, from medical to communications to civil engineering, poised and ready to support where needed,” Roos said.
Yokota Air Base in Japan was instrumental in recovering airline traffic in the hours immediately following the earthquake, Roos said. Also, Yokota is being used as an alternate airfield for planes that cannot land at Tokyo’s Narita Airport. The air base is also providing food and shelter for displaced Japanese, according to reports.
U.S. Air Force and Marine helicopter and transport aircraft were moved from Okinawa to the U.S. military bases on Honshu.
Two SH-60 Seahawk helicopters from the U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi have already delivered 1,500 pounds of rice and bread to people in the town of Shiroishi, in one of the worst-hit parts of Japan, according to reports.
Marines and sailors from III Marine Expeditionary Force are supporting relief operations and its subordinate units are providing command and control, aviation and logistics support, according to Marine Corps officials.
The troops are capable of providing food, water, transportation and other relief su