US Hospital Ship Out Of Mindanao After Attack On Copter

A photo released to the Mindanao Examiner by the US Embassy on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 shows the USNS Mercy hospital ship followed by a smaller vessel and a helicopter.

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 11, 2008) – A US medical mission in the southern Philippines was halted after an attack on one of its helicopter while ferrying patients near Cotabato City.

The American Embassy in Manila on Wednesday confirmed the attack, a day after the US Navy announced it suspended the humanitarian mission of the USNS Mercy hospital ship in the southern Philippines.

“On June 9, while on a routine flight supporting the humanitarian assistance efforts, one of Mercy’s four MH-60S Knight Hawk support helicopters sustained damage from what appears to be a bullet. As a consequence, the aircraft is currently out of service while the cause of the damage is investigated. The grounding resulted in the cancellation of one medical assistance activity June 10,” the US Embassy said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

The helicopter returned to deck with two bullet holes in the tail rotor. The crew had been unaware of the bullet strikes during the flight. The attack on the aircraft prompted the USNS Mercy to suspend humanitarian operations, the US Navy said.

"The holes appear to be an entry and exit point from a single bullet," said Cmdr. Jeff A. Davis, a US Navy spokesman.

There were no reports of injuries and the US Navy did not know when the shots were fired at the helicopter which returned to the ship after picking up 11 passengers from a site 50 miles near Cotabato City.

The US Embassy said the hospital ship will leave Cotabato and sail to Samar province in the central Philippines on Thursday for a series of medical missions and then to Manila by Sunday.

No groups or individuals claimed responsibility for the attack, but several rebel groups, such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and New People's Army, are operating in Mindanao.

The MILF on Tuesday condemned the attack and said it would investigate the incident. "We condemn the attack. The helicopter is on a humanitarian mission benefiting thousands of Muslims, including MILF patients and we will help authorities determine who is behind the attack on the helicopter," Eid Kabalu, a rebel spokesman, said in an interview.

He said many armed groups are operating in areas where the USNS Mercy is holding humanitarian missions.

The USNS Mercy, which arrived May 29, is on a two-week medical mission in the restive southern region of Mindanao, where where Filipino troops are battling Abu Sayyaf militants and communist insurgents. Both groups have previously attacked US targets in the southern Philippines.

The USNS Mercy has already conducted more than 311 medical procedures aboard ship, including surgery, optometry screenings, burn care, preventative medicine, and dental screenings and treatment.

Teams of US and Philippine medical practitioners and volunteers have also provided free medical treatment to almost 10,000 patients and free dental care to more than 2,000 people, including free veterinary care to some 2,000 animals.

Engineering teams from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the US military have completed renovation of two health clinics, in Broce and in Datu Piang town in Maguindanao.

It was the first time the USNS Mercy sailed to Mindanao. In June 2006, the 272-meter-long hospital ship also held a month-long series of medical missions in Zamboanga City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces.

The USNS Mercy was also in the Philippines in 1986 during a humanitarian mission. (With reports from Mark Navales)

US Helicopter Attacked In Southern Philippines

A US helicopter maneuvers on the deck of the USNS Mercy on Monday, June 9, 2008 as it brings patients from Cotabato City near Maguindanao province. The US Navy says the helicopter was attacked after it found two bullet holes on the MH-6o chopper as it returned to the ship's deck. (Mindanao Examiner Photo/Mark Navales)

COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 10, 2008) – A US MH-60 helicopter was fired at while on a humanitarian mission in the southern Philippines, reports said Tuesday.

The chopper, operating from the USNS Mercy hospital ship anchored off Maguindanao province, returned to deck with two bullet holes in the tail rotor, according to CNN, which quoted a US Navy report.

The crew had been unaware of the bullet strikes during the flight. The attack on the aircraft prompted the USNS Mercy to suspend humanitarian operations.

“The holes appear to be an entry and exit point from a single bullet,” said Cmdr. Jeff A. Davis, a US Navy spokesman.

There were no reports of injuries and the US Navy did not know when the shots were fired at the helicopter which returned to the ship after picking up 11 passengers from a site 50 miles near Cotabato City.

An MH-60 helicopter operating from USNS Mercy hospital ship had gone to pick up 11 passengers about 50 miles inland, and two bullet holes were found when the aircraft returned to the ship with the passengers.

US and Philippine military officials in the Philippines did not issue any statement about the attack. American and Filipino military commanders in the southern Philippines usually keep secret such incidents to the local media. In 2001, rebels in Basilan island also attacked a US helicopter transporting American soldiers training local troops in anti-terrorism warfare.

No groups or individuals claimed responsibility for the attack, but several rebel groups, such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and New People’s Army, are operating in Mindanao.

The MILF on Tuesday condemned the attack and said it would investigate the incident. “We condemn the attack. The helicopter is on a humanitarian mission benefiting thousands of Muslims, including MILF patients and we will help authorities determine who is behind the attack on the helicopter,” Eid Kabalu, a rebel spokesman, told the Mindanao Examiner.

He said many armed groups are operating in areas where the USNS Mercy is holding humanitarian missions. “There are many armed groups in the area, from private armies of politicians to criminal gangs,” he said.

The USNS Mercy, which arrived last month, is on a two-week medical mission in the restive southern region of Mindanao, where where Filipino troops are battling Abu Sayyaf militants and communist insurgents. Both groups have previously attacked US targets in the southern Philippines.

Aside from the medical missions, the USNS Mercy is also supporting dental, veterinary, and construction assistance programs ashore at select locations in Mindanao. US and Filipino soldiers will also work together to build schools and roads as part of engineering civic action program.

It is the first time the USNS Mercy sailed to Mindanao. In June 2006, the 272.5-meter-long USNS Mercy also held a month-long series of medical missions in Zamboanga City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces. The USNS Mercy was also in the Philippines in 1986 during a humanitarian mission. At least 25 percent of the ship's crew members are Filipino-Americans. (Mindanao Examiner)

USNS Mercy Begins Humanitarian Mission In Southern RP

Medical teams from the USNS hospital ship Mercy during a humanitarian mission in Cotabato City in southern Philippines. The USNS Mercy humanitarian assistance program includes medical and dental services, optometry screening, general medicine, pharmacy, minor surgery and engineering civic action. The medical mission which started May 31, 2008 benefited more than 2,000 people. (Mindanao Examiner Photo/Mark Navales)

RP Troops Secure Visiting US Navy Hospital Ship In Mindanao

MAGUINDANAO, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 27, 2008) – Philippine soldiers have been deployed to secure the arrival of the United States Navy hospital ship Mercy in the strife-torn island of Mindanao.

The USNS Mercy is expected to arrive on Thursday for a two-week medical mission, said Lt. Col. Julieto Ando, spokesman for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division in Maguindanao province.

“We have deployed our soldiers to secure the USNS Mercy and its crew. We don’t want anything that will disrupt the conduct of this medical mission,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.

He said the medical mission, which will be joined by the Philippine military and other government agencies, is expected to draw tens of thousands of poor Filipinos, mostly from the Muslim autonomous region.

“We are looking at tens of thousands of patients here, or even a couple of hundreds of thousands. There will be on-board medical operations and humanitarians missions in the provinces under the Muslim autonomous region. This is something we look forward to do in two weeks time,” Ando said.

He said teams of US and Filipino military doctors and volunteers would conduct medical outreach programs in the provinces of Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, Shariff Aguak, Cotabato City among other places in central Mindanao.

“This is an opportunity for us to help a lot of poor people and spread the message of peace and hope and all for the sake of humanity,” Ando said.
Ando said aside from the medical missions, the USNS Mercy will also support dental, veterinary, and construction assistance programs ashore at select locations in Mindanao.

“US and Filipino soldiers will also work together to build schools and roads as part of engineering civic action program,” he said.

Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, of the Muslim autonomous region, said he is supporting US humanitarian efforts in Mindanao and thanked President George Bush for sending American troops to help in various civic action programs in the provinces.

It will be the first time the USNS Mercy will sail to central Mindanao, where Filipino troops are battling Abu Sayyaf militants and communist insurgents. Both groups have previously attacked US targets in the southern Philippines.

In June 2006, the 272.5-meter-long USNS Mercy also held a month-long series of medical missions in Zamboanga City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces. The USNS Mercy was joined by volunteers from the US Public Health Service, Aloha Medical Mission, Project Hope and the Pre-Dental Society of the University of California along with a contingent of medical specialists from the U.S. and Canadian militaries.

Together, they provided medical and surgical services to patients in the ship’s on-board facilities and at hospitals and medical centers on shore with the help of the Taiwanese Tzu Chi Foundation, ACDI/VOCA, Save the Children and the Philippine Red Cross.

Shariff Ibrahim Ajibul Mohammad Pulalun, of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo, has in the past thanked Washington for sending the USNS Mercy to the southern Philippines.

Pulalun, a staunch US supporter, urged the US to send more humanitarian assistance to Sulu and Tawi-Tawi islands and other Muslim areas in Mindanao to benefit the poor. He was also behind a big pro-US rally in Sulu in 2006 where more than 1,000 Muslims gathered to welcome American soldiers on the island for a series of humanitarian missions and trained Filipino troops in anti-terrorism warfare under the so-called Balikatan, an annual joint military exercise between the two countries.

The USNS Mercy was also in the Philippines in 1986 during a humanitarian mission. At least 25 percent of the ship's crew members are Filipino-Americans. (Mindanao Examiner)

US Navy Sees Mercy Missions Helping Image: AP

In this image released by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Navy Admiral Robert F. Willard, right, accepts a gift after a ceremony attended by Republic of Marshall Islands President Kessai Note, second right, and First Lady Mary N. Note, marking the visit of USS Peleliu in Majuro, Marshall Islands on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. Such humanitarian missions are becoming a core part of the Navy's operations. Commanders say they contribute to security by strengthening U.S. ties with other countries and helping weak, impoverished nations. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Matthew Jackson)

MAJURO, Marshall Islands — Hellenty Phillips' 6-year-old daughter Marian had a piercing earache, but her family couldn't afford to pay $5 for her to see a doctor.

So Phillips turned to doctors and nurses visiting her tiny Pacific island nation on a 10-day humanitarian mission organized by the U.S. Navy. For free, they diagnosed Marian's ear infection and gave her ear drops and Tylenol.

Such scenes are being repeated across the Pacific and Latin America this year as the Navy deploys two ships to nearly 20 poor nations to treat ailments and repair infrastructure.

Behind the bandages and new school roofs is the hope patients and nations receiving care will become better friends of the United States.

Military commanders also hope the assistance will bolster weaker nations plagued by poverty and unemployment, preventing them from becoming breeding grounds for extremist ideologies and terrorists.

"It's part of raising the bar throughout the region, raising the prosperity," said Adm. Robert F. Willard, Pacific Fleet commander, during a visit to the Marshalls, a former U.S. territory, to see the work on the ground. "There are real strategic benefits to what we're doing."

Willard told sailors such missions would become an annual event for the Pacific Fleet and a core part of the Navy's operations in coming years. U.S. commanders in the Middle East and elsewhere also are considering using the humanitarian ships to help boost security in their regions.

On Majuro Atoll, Phillips and her daughter Marian visited a makeshift clinic that one of the USS Peleliu's medical teams set up under tents on a converted tennis court.

Chinilla T. Pedro, who interpreted for Phillips and others seeking care, said some learned of the services by word of mouth.

"At the beginning today, they were kind of shy. They were coming around asking us what is going on? Do we have to pay $5? We said no, treatment is free here, so slowly they started coming around," Pedro said.

Such clinics generally serve several hundred people per day. Those needing operations are referred to the Peleliu, where surgeons can repair hernias and perform cataract surgery.

The amphibious assault ship also has construction engineers on board to do infrastructure repairs. One team on the remote atoll of Arno Arno in Marshalls worked to replace the roof on a schoolhouse for 80 students in grades 1 through 8.

At the end of the Peleliu's five-nation tour this month, its 180 doctors, nurses and other professionals will have treated some 30,000 people.

Its infrastructure projects in the countries visited — the Philippines, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Marshalls — are expected to affect the lives of 100,000 people.

Navy sailors have long done community service in their various ports of call in both rich and poor countries. But sending ships on monthlong missions takes military humanitarian work to a new level.
The strategic potential of such deployments dramatically came to light when the U.S. Pacific Command sent ships and planes to deliver food, tents, and medical care for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

The assistance lifted U.S. approval ratings in predominantly Muslim Indonesia to 38 percent in 2005 from just 15 percent two years earlier, according to a poll by the Pew Global Attitudes Project.

Indonesian opinion of the U.S. declined again last year, with the Pew poll showing only 30 percent of respondents had a favorable view of the U.S. But the rate was still above its low.

The Pacific Fleet followed up last year by dispatching the USNS Mercy hospital back to Indonesia's tsunami-ravaged Aceh province.

The white-hulled vessel also stopped in places unaffected by the giant waves, like the southern Philippines, where U.S. forces are helping the Philippine Army fight insurgents linked to al-Qaida.

This year, the Navy sent the Atlantic Fleet's hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, on a four-month, 12-country voyage to Latin America.

The trip including stops in Colombia, Ecuador and Nicaragua. It's expected to treat some 85,000 patients with free vaccinations, eye care, surgeries and other procedures.

Willard said Central Command leaders — who oversee the U.S. military in the Middle East and Central Asia — want to run a similar mission in their area, as do officials at the European Command, which has responsibility for Europe and Africa. Each mission costs an average of $20 million, the admiral said.

"These aren't trivial missions and they're expensive. But we're willing to pay," Willard told several hundred USS Peleliu crew members as the ship sat anchored in a lagoon off the Marshallese capital.

The idea is expanding beyond the Navy.

The Pacific Command this summer tasked the Air Force with sending doctors, nurses and technicians to three remote Pacific island nations. A C-17 cargo jet flew down to Vanuatu, Kiribati and Nauru with 50 medical personnel for 10 days in late July.

"What better way to help improve our image, if you will, and to create friendships, than through aiding people with medical problems?" asked Lt. Gen. Loyd S. "Chip" Utterback, 13th Air Force commander. (Audrey McAvoy,AP)