Home » Articles

[ Back to Articles ]

March 25, 2010

By Corinne Reilly
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 25, 2010

After two and a half months in Haiti – longer than any other Navy ship deployed in support of the U.S. military’s relief mission there – the Norfolk-based Bataan has begun its journey home.

The Bataan, an amphibious assault ship carrying roughly 2,000 sailors and Marines, arrived off Haiti’s coast Jan. 18, six days after the country’s devastating earthquake. It remained there until Wednesday night.

It will take the Bataan at least a week and a half to make its way back to Hampton Roads, said the ship’s public affairs officer, Chief Petty Officer Tony Sisti. Its crew will make at least two stops  – one off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to conduct a wash-down of its equipment, and another in Morehead City, N.C., to offload  the 900 Marines still on board.

“I think everyone feels very proud of the work we did here,” Sisti said. “Morale has stayed high, but we’re also looking forward to coming home.”

With the ship’s departure, roughly 3,500 American service members remain in Haiti, down from 20,000 at the height of the U.S. relief mission. The Bataan is bringing home the last major local contingent; a handful of small Hampton Roads-based units continue to work in Haiti.

The Bataan’s crew carried out a wide range of missions in the 10 weeks the ship spent anchored off the island nation’s coast, just west of Port-au-Prince. Besides delivering food, water and other relief supplies, the ship took on dozens of earthquake casualties for treatment in its onboard hospital. The Bataan’s helicopter squadrons transported patients and supplies and flew reconnaissance missions.

Its Marines provided security at food distribution points; its sailors adopted entire villages, where they cleared rubble and helped begin the rebuilding process.

In its last few weeks there, the Bataan worked to transition its relief efforts to Haitian officials and local aid agencies. “The most important thing is making sure someone’s continuing where we’re leaving off,” Sisti said.

Once it’s home, the Bataan is slated to spend at least four months ported for maintenance.

Corinne Reilly, (757) 446-2949,  corinne.reilly@pilotonline.com