US Army UH-60 helicopter makes historic landing on JMSDF destroyer

Courtesy Photo | Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members assist in the loading of a simulated patient aboard a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the U.S. Army Aviation Battalion Japan, during a natural disaster training exercise at Camp Zama, Japan, Sept. 1, 2013. The UH-60 transported the patient to an awaiting Japanese Navy destroyer JDS Murasame (DD 101) on station of Shizuoka Prefecture for treatment. (U.S. Army courtesy photo/Released)  

CAMP ZAMA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

09.01.2013

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Japan

CAMP ZAMA, Japan - A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from U.S. Army Aviation Battalion-Japan based at Camp Zama, Japan, took part in Shizuoka Prefecture’s national disaster training day Sept. 1.

The helicopter worked in concert with prefectural and local governments, military, and civilian agencies in response to a natural disaster.

This portion meant transporting a patient from triage to a treatment facility.

In this case, the training facility happened to be a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship sailing off Japan’s coastline.

The dummy patient was loaded aboard the helicopter by Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members for airlifting.

This was the first time that a U.S. Army helicopter has landed aboard a JMSDF ship and marked the progression in training and bilateral cooperation since the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011.

Once aboard the ship, JMSDF medical personnel continued in what would have been stabilizing and continued treatment of the patient in a real-world scenario.

• Date Taken: 09.01.2013
• Date Posted: 09.04.2013 22:06
• Story ID: 113092
• Location: CAMP ZAMA, KANAGAWA, JP