Marines, sailors coordinate humanitarian assistance center in Sendai

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Leo Salinas | A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 265, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) prepares to land here March 18. The helicopter unloaded communication equipment for III MEF (Fwd) personnel who created a humanitarian assistance center here to assist the Japanese government with recovery efforts after an earthquake and tsunami struck the region.  

AICHI, JAPAN

03.18.2011

Story by Gunnery Sgt. Leo Salinas 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

SENDAI, Japan – Marines and sailors with III Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) and soldiers with U.S. Army Japan (Forward) delivered water to two distribution points here March 16 as part of Operation Tomodachi.

U.S. personnel offloaded 25,000 bottles of water from a U.S. Air Force MC-130T with 353rd Special Operations Group, Special Operations Command. In addition, a U.S. humanitarian assistance survey team arrived with the water at Matsushima Air Base here to assist with the recovery and relief efforts in the region.

The water was then loaded onto Japan Ground Self-Defense Force trucks with U.S. service members onboard for delivery to Kisennuma City and Takata City for distribution.

“If the United States was in trouble, the Japanese people would help us,” said Lt. Col. Karl Rohr, III MEF (Fwd) operations officer. “It’s a mutual relationship that has grown over the last six decades that is just improving every year. We are just here to help to allow the Japanese government to focus where the need is most and in a supporting role to the people for what they are asking for.”

Additional aid is planned to be flown in from the surrounding airports to include Matshushima, Yamagata, Atsugi airports, and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.

Personnel with III MEF traveled here from Yokota Air Base March 14 to develop and coordinate a humanitarian assistance center for Operation Tomodachi.

III MEF is assisting the Japanese government and JGSDF in providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for the citizens affected by March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Col. Craig Timberlake, acting-commanding general III MEF (Fwd) Command Element met with Northeast Army leadership to discuss the relief and recovery plan.

“We look forward to assisting. Everything that we can do to help the Japanese people and this nation to recover, we will do,” said Timberlake.

Additionally, an Army unit from U.S. Army Japan (Fwd), based out of Camp Zama, Japan, provided communications, engineer, and medical assessment capability.

The U.S. military forces in Japan are also working with the Japanese counterparts to provide support as requested by the Government of Japan to provide logistical support that includes helicopter and vehicle assets.

• Date Taken: 03.18.2011
• Date Posted: 03.19.2011 01:37
• Story ID: 67334
• Location: AICHI, JP