ABOARD USS CLEVELAND, At Sea – Seaman William Harcourt, son of Margaret Clarke, a resident of Richmond N.Y. is serving aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland in support of Pacific Partnership 2011.
Cleveland is the lead vessel for Pacific Partnership 2011. Pacific Partnership is the Pacific Fleet’s annual mission to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands to engage in partnerships with host nations by improving dialogue, effecting a lasting, positive change, and employing subject matter expert exchanges in order to improve the capabilities and interoperability of the U.S. and partner nations when dealing with natural and man-made disasters.
“Pacific Partnership is a great idea because it provides medical, dental and engineering projects to some much needed folks in the South Pacific,” said Harcourt. “That is a good thing.”
Cleveland completed its mission in Tonga and will continue in Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the Federated States of Micronesia, and the military group will be accompanied by non-government organizations like Project HOPE, Vets Without Borders, and the University of California, San Diego Pre-Dental Society.
“I fully support this effort and am happy to be a part of this mission,” said Harcourt.
Pacific Partnership developed as a mission following the tsunami in 2004 which devastated Indonesia and much of the South Pacific. Since 2006, Pacific Partnership has treated 150,000 patients in 15 countries, and is supported by all U.S. uniformed services and partner nations that include Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. Other nations providing teams include Canada, Spain, Malaysia, and France.
Harcourt graduated from Hillcrest High School in Jamaica Estates, N.Y. and received an Associates Degree from Laguardia Community College in New York, N.Y.
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