USS McFaul Brings Aid to Batumi, Georgia

8/24/2008 -- BATUMI, Republic of Georgia (NNS) -- USS McFaul (DDG 74) pulled into the port of Batumi, Georgia, Aug. 24 to deliver humanitarian relief supplies to the country as part of the larger United States response to the government of Georgia request for humanitarian assistance.

Bottled water is loaded aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74): Nearly 55 tons of supplies were loaded as part of the humanitarian assistance for the Republic of Georgia following the conflict between Russian and Georgian forces. The assistance will aid in alleviating human suffering in the Republic of Georgia.

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This represents the first U.S. Navy ship to arrive and deliver humanitarian assistance to Georgia.

"Our job was to get the supplies to Georgia as quickly as possible," said Capt. John Moore, commodore of Combined Task Force 367. "The entire crew of this ship realizes the significance of their efforts in helping to provide comfort to the people of Georgia."

McFaul delivered 82 pallets with about 155,000 pounds of supplies donated by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), including hygiene items, baby food and care supplies, bottled water, and milk. Ships can carry much more cargo per mission than aircraft, which have a capacity of three to 12 pallets per sortie.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Dallas (WHEC 716) and USS Mount Whitney (LCC/JCC 20) have also on-loaded humanitarian supplies destined for Georgia. Dallas left Souda Bay, Crete on Thursday with more than 76,000 pounds of relief supplies and will arrive in Georgia within a week. U.S. Navy C-9, C-40 and C-130 aircraft have flown tens of thousands of hygiene kits into the country over the past week.

McFaul, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, is home ported in Norfolk, Va., and is on a regularly scheduled deployment in the Sixth Fleet area of responsibility.

Source: US Navy