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3 amphibs leave Virginia for Haiti

The amphibious assault ship Bataan and dock landing ships Fort McHenry and Carter Hall got underway Thursday afternoon from Hampton Roads to conduct humanitarian relief exercises in preparation for Haiti relief efforts, Navy officials said.

Together with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, the force will total more than 3,600 sailors and Marines.

Bataan is homeported at Naval Station Norfolk. Fort McHenry and Carter Hall are homeported at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va.

The carrier Carl Vinson and its crew of about 3,200 sailors left Norfolk on Tuesday en route to their new homeport in San Diego. It was rerouted Wednesday and was expected to arrive off the coast of Haiti on Thursday. It will load equipment and supplies in preparation for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The Norfolk-based cruiser Normandy and Mayport, Fla.-based frigate Underwood departed Wednesday, officials said. The Military Sealift Command hospital ship Comfort is expected to get underway from Baltimore by Saturday. The hospital ship can carry 650 medical professionals and their equipment to the region, which has reported the destruction of numerous hospitals. Last summer, Comfort conducted a four-month deployment as part of Continuing Promise 2009. The ship visited Antigua, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Panama. Each visit lasted about 10 to 12 days.

Vinson, which is commanded by Capt. Bruce Lindsey, is joined by Carrier Air Wing 17. As flagship of the newly established Carrier Strike Group 1, Vinson was to provide maritime security as it circumnavigates South America and provide humanitarian assistance or disaster relief, if required.

That call came only hours later when a magnitude-7.0 quake devastated the impoverished nation Tuesday afternoon, leveling thousands of structures and leaving an untold number trapped in the ruins. Death tolls are expected in the thousands, and International Red Cross spokesman Paul Conneally said 3 million people, one-third of Haiti’s population, may need emergency aid.

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