AMO members among heroes at sea in year of crisis and catastrophe



AMO members among heroes at sea in year of crisis and catastrophe
By MICHAEL R. McKAY
A highlight of the annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea benefit in New York for United Seamen's Service is the presentation of AOTOS Mariners' Plaques and Mariners' Rosettes to civilian seafarers who performed courageously, even heroically, under difficult and dangerous on-the-job conditions during the year. This portion of the program celebrates the character and principle of everyone who lives and works at sea in the U.S.-flagged merchant fleet, and it is always gratifying to participate in. At this year's event Nov. 4, awards went to the officers and crews aboard the Ready Reserve Force ships Cape Kennedy and Cape Knox for keeping the ships safely at the dock as Hurricane Katrina ripped through and destroyed New Orleans, to the civil service complement aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy for going to the aid of Southeast Asian tsunami victims, to the captain and crew of the tug Sidney Foss for helping to rescue 20 of 26 crewmembers from a stricken foreign-flagged bulk carrier during a violent storm off the Alaskan coast, and to an able-bodied seaman aboard the container ship Lykes Motivator for the rescue of an asthma victim from a disabled Swedish fishing vessel during a storm off Bermuda. American Maritime Officers congratulates this year's seagoing AOTOS award recipients, who were not members of our union. These remarkable individuals brought lasting credit to all U.S. merchant mariners in all trades--foreign and domestic, commercial and military. But there are other stories to tell, stories that did not make it to the Admiral of the Ocean Sea awards dinner, stories involving the men and women I am privileged to represent in AMO: In January 2005, the roll-on/roll-off sealift ship Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham, manned in all licensed positions by AMO, "turned to" in support of the USS San Francisco, a nuclear submarine that had struck an uncharted underwater rock formation 300 miles south of Guam. One submariner was killed and 60 were injured, 23 of them seriously. The Stockham, operated under MSC charter, was tied up in Guam when it was asked to assist the USS San Francisco. The Stockham was underway in an amazing three hours and five minutes. On the scene, the officers and crew of the Stockham administered first aid to the injured crew of the USS San Francisco. The ship then escorted the submarine back to Guam. Commodore Brad Gehrke said the Stockham's officers and crew (members of the Seafarers International Union) showed "superb effort," doing their emergency work with "professionalism, dedication and fighting spirit." Admiral Walt Doran said the AMO-SIU team on the Stockham had eased the crisis with "can-do attitude and heroic efforts." Rear Admiral Paul Sullivan thanked the Stockham team for its "quick response and vigilant escort" of the USS San Francisco. "Stockham's superb execution and demonstrated professionalism provided critical logistical support in addition to essential comfort and solace to the crew of San Francisco," Rear Adm. Sullivan said. "Your efforts directly enabled urgently needed medical treatment to reach San Francisco. Your efforts were in keeping with the proud heritage of American brotherhood in our seagoing services. The crew should be justifiably proud of their essential contribution during this difficult period." In June 2005, the large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off sealift ship USNS Seay--manned under a new MSC charter by AMO officers and SIU crew--shielded a stricken sailboat from fierce winds during a storm off Virginia and helped rescue four of the vessel's five crewmembers. In a message to the USNS Seay, Vice Admiral David L. Brewer III, commander of Military Sealift Command, said: "Your superb performance while serving as on-scene commander and conducting search and rescue operations in heavy seas and winds was noteworthy. Your efforts saved four lives. Every member of USNS Seay's crew can be proud of this accomplishment under trying conditions." After Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans, the roll-on/roll-off fast sealift ship USNS Pollux was the principle source of diesel fuel in the Crescent City, powering generators at pumping stations, hospitals and fire departments, buses for evacuees, and military installations. The ship's officers and crew also worked with local health care professionals to establish an on-board emergency dialysis unit for New Orleans residents, using the ship's potable water system. The USNX Pollux also hosted emergency health care and relief workers for meals, showers and rest. Also in New Orleans for the Hurricane Katrina relief effort were the fast sealift ships USNS Altair, which replenished the USNS Pollux's diesel fuel supply, and USNS Bellatrix, which provided shelter and care for stray cats and dogs retrieved from the swamped streets of the Big Easy. The LMSR USNS Red Cloud delivered diesel generators and a crane from Spain to the Gulf Coast for use in Louisiana and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina. Some of the generators were used by hospitals in both states, while others were left with local governments for use at their discretion. The crane was used to help clear debris in Alabama. The Ready Reserve Force ships Wright, Diamond State and Equality State, the fast sealift ship USNS Algol, the LMSRs USNS Bob Hope and USNS Pillilau, and training vessels from state-operated maritime academies in Maine, New York and Texas participated in the Hurricane Katrina relief project in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Mississippi River paddlewheel cruise vessels Mississippi Queen and American Queen were in New Orleans, providing housing and meals for Hurricane Katrina relief workers. The pre-positioned roll-on/roll-off ships 1st Lt. Jack Lummus and 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman produced drinking water and pumped it ashore in the Republic of Maldives after the deadly and destructive tsunami struck the region. The Jones Act trailership Northern Lights, working under Military Sealift Command charter, delivered relief cargoes to Pakistan following the massive earthquake that struck that country. All of these events confirm the innate heroism and humanitarianism of the American merchant mariner, and I am especially pleased and proud to recognize the work of AMO members in these cases--and in so many others before them. In my book, they all are heroes.

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