June 16, 2007

 

USS Peleliu Arrives Off Cotabato to Begin Goodwill Mission in Philippines

 

The multi-mission amphibious ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) arrived off of Cotabato June 15 to begin a multi-country goodwill mission called “Pacific Partnership.”  In conjunction with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the USS Peleliu will deliver donated goods such as clothes, toys, food, and medical supplies; provide free health clinics for citizens in poor or remote communities; and conduct engineering projects to construct and improve schools and public buildings.

 

While off the coast of Cotabato, helicopters from Peleliu flew medical personnel ashore to Cotabato City.  On June 16, helicopters and landing craft from the ship delivered more medical personnel, engineers, and supplies to Jolo. 

 

Pacific Partnership is a unique humanitarian mission that brings together U.S. Military personnel not only with host nation military medical personnel, but also with medical and engineering specialists from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), private charitable groups, and third-country military medical personnel.  These military and civilian volunteers will offer humanitarian-assistance programs ashore and afloat in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

 

“This is a once in a life-time opportunity for myself and the majority of the crew,” said Lt. Greg Jennings, officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7.  “The crew is excited to be a part of this mission; it’s something similar to what we train for at homeport, so this is their chance to show what they’ve learned.”

 

Peleliu’s arrival off Cotabato begins the Southern Philippines segment of the four-month humanitarian-assistance Pacific Partnership mission, which will be carried out in close coordination and partnership with local governments and other partners, including the AFP. 

 

“We will be out there working with the host nation Philippine seabees and learn from each other,” said Lt.J.G. Francis Tay, assistant OIC for Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1.  “This is a real honor for our Sailors to be able to get this type of opportunity to be out there and help people that are less fortunate.”

 

More volunteers from Aloha Medical Mission, Project HOPE, and the University of California at San Diego Pre-Dental Society are joining Peleliu in Manila, as are a contingent of medical specialists from the U.S., Canadian, South Korean, Malaysian and Japanese militaries.

 

For this deployment, Peleliu has been configured with special medical equipment and a robust multi-specialized medical team of uniformed and civilian health care providers to provide a range of services ashore, as well as aboard the ship.

 

Like all U.S. naval vessels, Peleliu is able to respond to a wide range of situations on short notice.  Peleliu is deploying with its ship’s company augmented by military medical personnel from the United States and abroad; Seabee detachments from NMCB 7 and ACB 1, Amphibious Assault Craft Units 1 and 5, Tactical Control Squadron 11, Helicopter Minecountermeasures Squadron 14 “Vanguard,” Fleet Surgical Team 1, Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit 6 and the Marine Forces Pacific Band.

 

The ship left its San Diego homeport May 23.

 

For more information about the Pacific Partnership deployment, visit the Internet at http://www.cpf.navy.mil/news_images/Peleliu/index.html.

 

# # #