The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
Navy divers and salvage experts are ready to deploy to Haiti, while evacuees are returning.
Members of Underwater Construction Team 1, Detachment Alpha and Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit Two from Little Creek Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story expect to leave within two days, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeff Barone said Saturday.
"Our goal is to... open that port up and get humanitarian aid in," Barone said.
As of Saturday morning, more than 50 sailors were expected to be part of the first team to deploy. The underwater construction team will inspect piers in Port-au-Prince to try and get them open as soon as possible.
The mobile team will remove obstructions from the waterway. The divers and salvage team members are part of thousands of local Navy personnel who are helping out in Haiti.
They include the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson. It left Norfolk last week for its new homeport in San Diego and has arrived off Haiti.
More than 100 personnel from Portsmouth Naval Medical Center were due to leave Baltimore on Saturday aboard the hospital ship Comfort.
The amphibious assault ship Bataan and the dock landing ships Fort McHenry and Gunston Hall are en route.
About 1,300 Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., boarded the Bataan in Morehead City.
About two dozen Norfolk-based helicopters are aboard Vinson and Bataan. Helicopters from the Vinson helped evacuate two injured Americans, according to the Navy.
Others, however, have returned to the United States.
Jonna Knappenberger, 23, and her boyfriend, Landon Yarrington, 24, had been in Haiti since Dec. 28.
Knappenberger, who recently finished her coursework at the College of William and Mary, was there for the first time, learning Creole. It was Yarrington's second trip, and he was researching youth groups around the country.
The couple was interviewing two friends in a Port-au-Prince street when the earthquake struck, Knappenberger said.
"Our friends lifted their hands and just started saying, 'God, God, God' while it was happening," Knappenberger said.
People ran through the streets as buildings crumbled. Yarrington warned them in Creole not to go into the building. He eventually set up a site on a field off the street for the wounded to gather in one place so emergency responders could find them.
Several people died in his arms.
The couple eventually made it separately to the United Nations headquarters. They were able to get on a private flight chartered by a doctor flying supplies and workers into the country, Knappenberger said.
They returned to the United States on Thursday.
Staff editor Meredith Kruse contributed to this report.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 222-5119, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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Slight correction, Jen!
I agree with the gentleman that has posted so far on this story; the Navy has responded unbelievably quick and is a force to behold! I hope the people of Haiti will remember the gray ships pulling into port to assist.
My correction is dealing with the first responders. As of today, the US Army's 544th Engineer Dive Team from Ft. Eustis, VA. will be arriving in Haiti to assist in port restoration. They are on board the USNS Grasp and were on mission in Belize when they were given the orders to head to Haiti.
The dive family extends from the Navy to the Army and back again. They work like a cohesive unit and most of these men have known each other for most of their careers.
I wish to recognize the Army divers because they rarely receive any. People usually have the same perception, "The Army has divers?" But, they are there, and will be selflessly serving for as long as necessary; just as the Navy divers will be.
Thank you to the crew of the Grasp for taking care of our men! We wish safe homecoming for each diver!
Thanks
hiswife1, thanks for the acknowledgment. The Army does have divers on that ship, and they usually don't get a whole lot of credit. My son is an Army diver on that ship. Lets hope that ALL of our military return home safe and sound!!!
NAVY !
The U.S. Navy was one of the first to respond to this crisis. Ships at sea, destined for other places, were immediately diverted. Many more Navy units were alerted and ordered to prepare to go - and are, soonest.
This is a catastrophe of epic proportions; damaged port, damaged airfield, and impassable routes in a country that was broken well before the disaster struck. Still, the Navy and the United States will press forward and do everything they can. It's our way.
Is it too much to hope that the news media will consider any of this as so-called celebrity reporters (and wannabe's) grandstand in front of the cameras and squeal "WHERE IS THE AID ?, IT'S BEEN DAYS ! !". This crisis is about as much about you as everyone else, media-types. Be careful, we know and we're watching . . .