In the Caribbean Sea just 15 minutes by helicopter from Boscobel Aerodrome Ocho Rios rests the United States Navy Multipurpose Amphibious Assault Ship WASP (LHD 1). The USS WASP is the newest and most advanced class of multi-purpose amphibious assault ships. The ships key mission is to load, transport and land troops and their equipment in support of the amphibious operations anywhere in the world.

So what is the ship doing here?

TEENage, along with Pat Attkinson Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy, and Fern White, acting media co-ordinator at the US Embassy, travelled to Reynolds Pier, where the members of the US Navy and the Mandeville Rotary Club combined their efforts in unloading the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) of 65 pallets of goods.

The pallets are said to contain school supplies and toys, which will be delivered to Fern Grove Basic School, 140 backpacks filled with goodies, computers and medical supplies to the St Ann’s Bay Hospital. The crew also plans to paint the Perry Town Basic School before leaving to Belize and Panama with another 134 pallets of supplies.

All of this goodwill is part of the Theatre Security Programme, which is geared towards building partnerships, learning from each other and working together as one unit. Two Ford F450 trucks were also donated and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) 50 calibre machine guns were repaired and cleaned.

The United States plans to strength enthe bi-national relationship between the US and Jamaica and will continue to help develop Jamaica.

More about the WASP (LHD 1)

The WASP is specifically designed to accommodate landing crafts, air cushion for fast troop movement over the beach and Harrier II (AV-8B) Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing jets which provide close-in air support for the assault force. The WASP, which is 844 feet long with a beam of 106 feet, also accommodates the full range of navy and marine corps helicopters, conventional landing craft, and amphibious vehicles.

The WASP has medical and dental facilities capable of providing intensive medical assistance to 600 casualties, whether combat-incurred or brought aboard the ship during charitable missions. The major medical facilities include four main and two emergency operating rooms, four dental operating rooms, x-ray rooms, a blood bank, laboratories, and patient wards. In addition, three battle dressing stations are located throughout the ship, as well as a casualty collecting area at the flight deck level.

The WASP’s equipped onboard recreational facilities, include a state-of-the-art library, multi-media resource centre with Internet access, a weight room, arcade machines and satellite television for the comfort of the 1,075 crew members and 1,600 embarked troops.

After a tour of the vessel, TEENage stopped by the Buckfield football field to watch the Irie-FM crew beat some members of the Navy, 3-0 in, a friendly game of football.

Word of encouragement for the US WASP to the TEENs of Jamaica: “Anytime you serve it’s an honour and a great opportunity, it’s a great way to give back not only to your country but other nations, as well. Life is a great challenge, but if you want to be successful, always remember what you put in is what you will get out.”

BY Gavin Plowright

Observer TEENage writer

MTI