SAN DIEGO, Calif. (NNS) - The USS Cleveland (LPD 7) deployed from its homeport in San Diego, Calif., kicking off Pacific Partnership 2011, March 21. The origins for Pacific Partnership are rooted in the 2004 U.S. response to the Indian Ocean tsunami that devastated parts of Indonesia and other...

PACIFIC OCEAN - Ships of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived off the northeast coast of Honshu, Japan, March 20 to provide humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) in support of Operation Tomodachi. Shortly after...

OKINAWA, Japan (NNS) - Five Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133 at Camp Shields in Okinawa, Japan, traveled to mainland Japan March 12 to join the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force and Commander Task Force 76. Four of the Seabees will work as subject matter experts...

YOKOSUKA, Japan (March 21, 2011) - USS George Washington (CVN 73) got underway from Yokosuka today to assure she can sustain a state of readiness in the long term for the defense of Japan. The forward deployed carrier is scheduled to remain in the local waters off Japan. Moving USS George...

PACIFIC OCEAN - USS McCampbell (DDG 85) continued Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief operations off the east coast of the Iwate Prefecture March 19. A week after Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, the crew of McCampbell worked to provide as much assistance as possible to...

USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea (March 21, 2011) - A total of 12,750 personnel, 20 ships, and 140 aircraft of U.S. 7th Fleet are continuing to participate in Operation Tomodachi. Today, utilizing 14 helicopters, the fleet delivered more than 47 tons of relief supplies bringing the total of aid delivered to...

PACIFIC OCEAN - Sailors and Marines aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) collected donations on March 19 to supply displaced Japanese citizens with essential goods for survival. Ronald Reagan is currently off the northeast coast of Japan's Honshu island to provide assistance to...

USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea (March 20, 2011) - Seventh Fleet forces continued sustainment of life efforts in support of Operation Tomodachi. A total of 12,750 personnel, 20 ships, and 140 aircraft are participating in Operation Tomodachi. Seventh Fleet forces have delivered more than 126 tons of relief...

USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea - Despite cold weather and aftershocks as strong as 6.1 in magnitude, 7th Fleet forces continued sustainment of life efforts in support of Operation Tomodachi. A total of 12,750 personnel, 20 ships, and 140 aircraft are participating in Operation Tomodachi. Seventh Fleet...

HACHINOHE, Japan (NNS) - U.S. 7th Fleet's salvage officer visited Japanese coast guard members and port authority officials in Hachinohe, Japan, March 18. Lt. Cmdr. Derek Peterson met with the officials to discuss the salvage capabilities the U.S. Navy can provide in support of Operation...

SEA OF JAPAN - Ships of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) arrived off the west coast of mainland Japan March 18 in preparation to provide humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) support to the nation. Shortly after arriving, helicopters from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU),...

USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea (March 18, 2011) - At 2:46 this afternoon, U.S. Seventh Fleet personnel embarked on the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) along with Japan Self Defense Forces personnel throughout Japan, observed a moment of silence marking one week since that a 9.0 mega-earthquake struck off the...

SAN DIEGO (NNS) - The amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7) departs San Diego March 21 for its final deployment in support of Pacific Partnership 2011. Pacific Partnership is an annual deployment of forces from the Pacific Fleet, in cooperation with regional governments and...

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) - The U.S. Navy provided five high-capacity pumping systems to Japan's Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Group Nuclear Asset Management Department to assist in the efforts to cool the core of the damaged No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant March...

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) - USS McCampbell (DDG 85) was among the first U.S. Navy ships to move into position and offer assistance to Japanese citizens March 11, after the nation was struck by an earthquake and tsunami. Within hours of the disaster striking, McCampbell moved northeast along the coast of...

USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea (March 17, 2011) - U.S. 7th Fleet ships, aircraft and personnel continue to provide assistance to the people of Japan following the devastating earthquake that struck six days ago, while repositioning and posturing forces to better support disaster relief operations. USS...

EAST CHINA SEA (NNS) - - The mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian (MCM 5) started their patrol of the 7th Fleet area of responsibility on Feb. 28, after participating in the exercise Foal Eagle. Guardian was one of two Navy mine countermeasures ship that participated in the exercise, along with...

USS ESSEX, Philippine Sea (NNS) - The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) on-loaded humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) supplies March 15 during a replenishment at sea in preparation for aiding Japan after it was hit by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and...

TOMAKOMAI KO, Japan - Sailors aboard USS Tortuga (LSD 46) and soldiers from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Northern Army loaded vehicles and trailers pierside in Tomakomai Ko, March 15, in support of earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. Tortuga’s crew loaded 13 jeeps, 10 utility...

MISAWA, Japan - More than 70 crewmembers of Patrol Squadron 4, currently on deployment in Okinawa, Japan, arrived at Naval Air Facility Misawa (NAFM), March 16, to better assist with Japanese relief efforts. The squadron repositioned their relief efforts in the wake of the recent 9.0-magnitude...