Comfort (T AH 20) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 208 of the 1991 volume:

I This book chronicles the larger part of seven months for most of the crew of USNS COMFORT. It is hoped that this book will recall its sailors ' memories of the varied experiences — good and bad, by which each was challenged. Seared into memories forever is the day — Halloween — the IWO JIMA sailors were injured and then cared for on our ship. Ever remem- bered will be everyone ' s first mail call the first liberty port and Christmas liberty in Dubai where innumera- ble phone calls rang their way back to the U.S.A. No one will forget hearing the progress of Desert Storm as recounted by the ever literate BBC on short wave radio. No less gratifying was the moment at which CNN magically appeared on the mess deck t.v. screens. Nor will anyone soon forget the deathly, dark skies, off the coast of Kuwait with the ominously thick, choking smoke. One notes the encroaching hours of boredom offset by the many hours of drilling and drilling which paid off in the sharp readiness of COMFORT ' S crew to provide excellent mass casualty care. This readiness was tested not in war, but in the tense echoes of peace. The operative words were fre- quently those of waiting, patience, and adjusting to the known and the unknown. It is intended that this book serve as a reminder of the months in which USNS COMFORT and her Navy and MSC crews became one and lived a once in a lifetime experience of service to those in harm ' s way. LT Dendy Davis Editor TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 2-3 SHIP ' S HISTORY MISSION. 4-5 MTF COMMANDING OFFICER 6 SHIF ' SMASTER 7 MAP. 8-9 EXECUTIVE OFFICER W FIRST OFFICER 11 COMMAND MASTER CHIEF. 12 COMMAND MASTER CHIEF. 13 COMMAND CHAPLAIN. 14 CHAPLAINS. 15-16 CADRE CREW. 17 DEPARTURE. 18-19 DEDICATION. 20 SHIELD AND CREST. 21 GETTING SHIP READY. 22-23 HELICOPTER OPERATIONS. 24-25 TRAINING. 26-27 ROTA 28-29 NON CASUALTY PATIENT CARE. 30 MASS CASUALTY DRILLS. 31 SUEZ CANAL 32 MASS CASUALTY DRILLS. 33 HALLOWEEN. 34 VERTREP UNREP. 35-36 NAVY BIRTHDAY. THANKSGIVING. STEEL BEACH. HANUKKAH CHRISTMAS. MEDICAL EVACUATIONS. SUPPORT FROM HOME. BAHRAIN. ABUDHABL DUBAI. MARDIGRAS. AWARDS. ENTERTAINMENT. COMFORT MOMENTS. ;.... SPORTS. COMFORT MOMENTS. BLACK HISTORY MONTH. COMFORT MOMENTS. AUSTRALIAN TGMSE. COMFORT MOMENTS. MTFAND MSC CREWS. COMFORT MOMENTS. INMEMORIAM. COMFORT MOMENTS. RETURN. CREDITS. USS COMFORT AH-3 WORLD WAR I • ' ■S ' J USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) is the second Mercy Class hospital ship to the fleet. As a converted San Clemente class tanker she was delivered to the Navy December 1, 1987 and assigned to the Military Sealift Command for operation. COMFORT is the third hospital ship to bear that name. The previous COMFORTS (AH-3 and AH-6) served in World Wars I and II; in World War II with a Navy crew and Army medical personnel. For its service, AH-6 ' s crew was awarded two battle stars. Today ' s COMFORT (T-AH 20) is crewed by the Military Sealift Command ' s civilian sailors and its medical treatment fa- cility is staffed with medical and support active duty personnel. USS COMFORT AH-6 WORLD WAR II The primary mission of the USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) is to provide acute medical and surgical care in sup- port of amphibious task forces, Marine Corps, Army and Air Force elements, and forward deployed Navy ele- ments of the fleet and fleet activities located in areas where hostilities may be imminent. The ship has a sec- ondary mission, to provide a full hospital service asset available for use by other U.S. government agencies in support of disaster and humanitarian operations world- wide. CAPTAIN ROGER J. PENTZIEN, M.C., U.S. NAVY COMMANDING OFFICER, MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITY USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) Captain Roger J. Pentzien was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Medical Corps, United States Naval Reserve in 1974 upon his graduation from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine. He later completed three years residing in gener- al psychiatry at NRMC, Oakland. Captain Pent- zien served as Chief, Psychiatry Service, NRMC Bremerton. Subsequently, he received further postgraduate training in neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine. In 1985, he was appointed Head, Alcohol Rehabilitation Depart- ment and Staff Psychiatrist, Naval Hospital New- port. Upon Captain Pentzien ' s arrival in 1987 to National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, he was immediately appointed Head, Outpatient Division, Department of Psychiatry. In 1988, he became Assistant Chairman and Director of Residency Training. In January 1989, Captain Pentzien became Director of Medical Services as well as maintaining his appointment as Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of Health Services, F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine. He continued as Psychiatric Consultant to the U.S. Naval Academy and to the Attending Physician ' s Office, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. On February 5, 1990, Captain Pentzien was appointed as Commanding Officer of the Medical Treatment Facility, USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20), a 1,000 bed hospital ship with a full operating status crew of 1,162. Captain Pentzien is a Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Neurology, and Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. His previous awards include the Humanitarian Service Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Outstanding Service Awards as Chief Resident, nomination as a Falk Fellow to the American Psychi- atric Association and two U.S. Navy Letters of Commendation, In March 1989, he received a Special Service Award from the Washington Psychiatric Society and the American Psychiatric Association. Captain Pentzien is currently collaborating on research examining the risk factors for hepatitis associated with disulfiram therapy — a clinical investigation program study between the National Naval Medical Center and the Johns Hopkins University. His wife Evelyn is a graduate of the Danville School of Nursing. The couple has one daughter and four sons. CAPTAIN THOMAS J. FINGER MASTER USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) Captain Thomas Finger graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. in 1978. Following that, he worked on commercial ships until November 1978, when he joined the Navy ' s Military Sealift Command. Captain Finger has served as Ship ' s Master of the following ships since 1983: USNS FURNAM; USNS BARTLETT; USNS VEGA; USNS VINDICATOR; USNS MARSHFIELD; USNS WACAMAW; USNS TRUCKEE; and USNS JOHN LENTHALL. He served as Military Sealift Command Atlantic ' s Port Captain from August 1987 until September 1988. As such, he was responsible for all Deck Officer assignments, served as Technical Advisor to the Commodore and Operations Officer, and adminis- tered special programs. During the same period. Captain Finger coordinated USNS comfort ' s initial trip to Baltimore and saw that adequate facilities were available to support COMFORT on her arrival. Prior to becoming Master of USNS COMFORT, Captain Finger became master of one of the MSC ' s largest and newest class of fleet oilers, USNS JOHN LENTHALL. Captain Finger has taken part in a number of contingency operations including the Iran hostage crisis in 1980-81 and Eastern Mediterranean contingency operations in 1982 and 1989. Among his awards are the 1986 Mariner Award of Excellence, three Smart Ship awards, one Vice Admiral Gano Award and two Sustained Superior Performance Awards. USNS COMFORT (TAH-20) August 1990- Aprill991 i jf ATOJir New York • Nor f Olk Lr, . ... ,|, Oiarleston kki ijii 1 PACIFIC OCEAN EQUATOR •. Baharpas 9 - « . ,jiH.HONDURAS • ' •- GUATF ' ULA r- ' CARIBBEAN COSTA RICA . SEA Do .„i V ' - VENEZUELA Panama r - r Galapagos COLUMBIA _Gua vaq u!l « A ' ECUADOR -.y T SOUTH AMERICA BRAZIL TUAMOTU ARCH oTahiti Tropir fjf Capricorn CN Riiciios Airt-s Strait ol Magellan K Kalkl.iiui Islands 0rr CAPE HORN ANTARCTIC CIRCLE ' 1984 MARINE PHOTO i PUBLISHING CO PO BOX 4?5 SPRING VALLEY CA 9?077 ■;r DESERT SHIELD DESERT STORM Janeiro MA ■ ;asy rep. l-u . Cape I own ort Klizabeth ngitude West of Greenwich Longitude East of Greenwich COMMANDER RALPH A. LOCKHART, M.S.C., U.S. NAVY EXECUTIVE OFFICER MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITY USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) Commander Lockhart enlisted in the Navy in 1961. After completing three tours in a stateside hospital and on board ships, he was selected for the Associate Degree Completion Program. He earned an AA degree in Business Administration at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas, and was then commissioned as an Ensign in the Medical Service Corps in 1972. Naval Hospital, Annapolis was Commander Lockhart ' s first duty station as a Commissioned Officer. Following that, he earned a BS degree in Hospital Administration at George Washington University as a student at the Naval School of Health Care Administration at Bethesda. Tours of duty subsequent to that include Assistant Head, Manpower Division at Naval Hospital, Pensacola and then Administrative Officer, Branch Clinic, NAS. Commander Lockhart also served as Brigade Administrative and Supply Officer as well as Company Commander, Company A, 3rd Medical Battalion, for the First Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Following that, he became Staff Officer and Medical Planner for Logistics Command Pacific, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Commander Lockhart returned to Pensacola as Officer in Charge of Branch Clinic, Naval Air Station. During that time period, he completed a MS degree in Management from Troy State University. Commander Lockhart ' s most recent assignment prior to reporting the COMFORT, was as the General Medical Officer Assignment Officer at Naval Military Personnel Command, Washington, D.C. He detached there in July 1990. Commander Lockhart ' s personal decorations include the Navy Commendation and Navy Achieve- ment medals. Commander Lockhart and his wife, Gloria, reside in Arlington, Virginia. They have 2 adult sons. 10 CHARLES CHIP ZULAUF FIRST OFFICER USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) First Officer Charles Zulauf attended and graduated from the Harry Lundeburg School of Seamanship. His first following assignment was to the SS WORTH (which ironically is the current USNS MERCY (T-AH 19). The ship made an around-the-world voyage that included a visit to Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates to load oil. Mr. Zulauf spent the next 14 years sailing on commercial ships in various assignments. He had experienced duty on nearly every type of merchant vessel and was ready to expand his professional horizons. Thus, he decided to switch from the commercial shipping industry to the Military Sealift Command as he felt it would be very interesting to work with the military. In 1989, he applied to the MSC. At the moment in which he was being told the MSC was not then hiring Officers and definitely not First Officers, a MSC official noted his Baltimore address and informed him that MSC was in need of a Relief Officer from Balti- more on the COMFORT. Subsequently, he was promoted to Second Officer for a different ship assignment, returned to USNS COMFORT and then was promoted to First Officer (Chief Mate) for another assignment. He thus returned to the COMFORT as First Officer with all this occurring in the space of a year. Five weeks later in August 1990, COMFORT was activated. First Officer Zulauf sees his role on this ship as primarily being Second in Command and Deck Department Head. His other duties are multiple and varied, including: Damage Con- trol Officer; Safety Officer; Training Officer; and Physical Security Officer. Mr. Zulauf is no stranger to naval conflict. He found himself in close proximity to a little publicized war in 1980 between Peru and Equador, having been involved in commercially shipping cargo into Peru and out of Equador. A more recent experience was the Persian Gulf tanker war of 1987-1988. He was the Second Mate on a tanker carrying jet fuel from Bahrain to worldwide military bases. He notes his current cargo of 1200 plus MTF and MSC crew plus their patients to be the most important he has ever had responsibility for as an MSC Officer. n HMCM JERRY ROBINSON, USN Command Master Chief Jerry Robinson completed bootcamp in 1961 and was assigned to his first duty station at Naval Hospital Newport, Rhode Island Post Hospital Corps School. In 1963, he completed Neuro-Psychology C-School and returned to Naval Hospital Newport. HMCM Robinson was then assigned to duty in Vietnam where he served on a river patrol boat serving the Ma- rines in 1968. He later reported to duty at Headquarters and Support Battalion FMF Pacific at Headquarters Pearl Harbor from which he later went to COMNAVLOGPAC Pearl Harbor. In the late 1970 ' s, HMCM Robinson was assigned to COMNAVSER MIDPAC acting as Special Assistant to the Medical Department Representative. He advanced to Master Chief in 1980 and became a Command Master Chief in 1982 on assignment to a helo squad- ron at NAS, North Island, San Diego, California. Following that, he became Command Master Chief at NAS Adak, Alaska. HMCM Robinson was transferred to NNMC Bethesda in 1987 and select- ed Command Master Chief in 1988. He became Command Master Chief of USNS COMFORT in August 1990 on the ship ' s deploy- ment. HMCM Robinson was awarded many personal medals and com- mendations throughout his long, distinguished 30 year naval ca- reer. 12 HMCM JOHN KELSEY, USN USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) Command Master Chief John Kelsey en- listed in the Navy in 1961. His first duty station as a Hospital Corpsman was in a dispensary in the shipyard at Pearl Harbor. HMCM Kelsey served with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division in the Vietnam con- flict. He was wounded three times and was awarded three Purple Hearts and also received the Silver Star. After completing Advanced Hospital Corps School, HMCM Kelsey was assigned to USS SANDOBAL (LPH- 194). He later served a tour at Camp David, the Presidential retreat from 1971-1977 at the time serving President ' s Nixon, Carter, and Ford. He was awarded a Presidential Service Badge and a Navy Achievement Medal, while aboard USS INCHON (LPH-12). Senior Chief Kelsey then made Master Chief and was selected Command Master Chief. During the time he was assigned at CINCPACFLT Pear Harbor as the Enlisted Advisor to Fleet Surgeon, he was awarded the Meritorious Ser- vice Medal. HMCM Kelsey was awarded a second Navy Commendation Medal while assigned in 1987-1989 as Special Assistant to the Director of Hospital Administration. In 1990, he was assigned to USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) as the Command Master Chief. 13 CDR GREGORY S. POKLADOWSKI CHAPLAIN, U.S. NAVY COMMAND CHAPLAIN, USNS COMFORT Chaplain Greg Pokladowski was commissioned as an Ensign in the Chaplain Corps of the U.S. Navy in 1970 in the Ensign Theological School Program. He was ordained as a Roman Catholic Priest in 1973 in the Archdiocese of Chicago after completing Saint Mary of the Lake Seminary. CDR Pokladowski reported on active duty in June 1976 to Fleet Religious Support Activity, Atlantic Fleet, in Mayport, Florida for squadron chaplain duty. Subsequent duty stations have been at the United States Coast Guard Training Center, Alameda, California and then at Commander Service Group ONE, Oakland, California. Additionally, he served with Marine Aircraft Group 15, Iwakuni, Japan 1983-1984 with two deployments in that period to Korea, the latter being for Team Spirit ' 84. CDR Pokladowski assumed duty as a Chaplain at Naval Hospital, San Diego until 1989. In December 1990, he was assigned as Command Chaplain on USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) as part of OPERATION DESERT SHIELD DESERT STORM. As for his participation in these operations, CDR Pokladowski says that serving as Command Chaplain onboard COMFORT is for him, the pinnacle of his experience with Navy Medicine, of which he is very proud. u KELVIN C. JAMES CHAPLAIN, U.S. NAVY Chaplain Kelvin James was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Naval Re- serve Theological Student Program and in 1982, received an appointment to ac- tive duty as a LTJG. He is a Baptist Minister of the American Baptist Church. His first active duty station was at the Fleet Religion Support Activity 104 in Philadel- phia in 1980. Subsequent assignments have been as Chaplain at 1st Force Service Support Group, Fleet Marine Force Pacific, Camp Pendleton. In 1986, Chaplain James reported to duty at Naval Air Station, Alameda, California. He then joined Amphibious Squadron Light, Norfolk. In 1986, he was selected for duty under instruction completing a Theological Master ' s Degree at Princton Theological Seminary in 1988. Chaplain James ' current permanent duty station is NNMC Bethesda to which he reported in 1988 and is presently deployed from TAD to USNS COMFORT. His duties on COMFORT include leading religious services, providing in-service training, and offering individual counseling. 15 LT THOMAS E. WEBB CHAPLAIN, U.S. NAVY LT Webb served as a Naval reservist from 1984-1988. After ap- plying for a call to active duty in 1989, he came to National Naval Medical Center Bethesda for his Hrst duty station. Chaplain Webb ' s duties at Bethesda included pastoral patient care and worship ser- vices. His main focal areas were oncology, TRISARD, and psychia- try, as well as offering general patient and staff support. Upon reporting to Bethesda, Chaplain Webb was assigned to USNS COMFORT and was thereafter deployed in August 1990 with the first wave of MTF staff. His duties on COMFORT include pasto- ral care in the Burn ICU, PACU, psychiatric ward and combat stress center and also functioning as a Chaplain member of the casualty receiving team. In addition, he performs worship services; bible study classes; choir practices; coordination of Red Cross messages and assists in individual counseling. He relates that his first feelings about his deployment left him with a sense of a call to duty. 16 CADRE CREW The Cadre Crew of the USNS COMFORT includes personnel assigned to the ship as a PCS duty station. The crew ' s mission is to maintain the ship in a state of readiness and to be able to deploy within 5 days notice. The crew consists of 40 personnel - six being officers and 34 being enlisted. The Officer in Charge is a Commander. The other officer cadre personnel are two Nurse Corps Officers, (one as the ship ' s N.C. Officer and one as the ship ' s O.R. Nurse), one Supply Corps Officer and two Medical Service Corps Officers. The enlisted personnel give ship ' s tours, maintain cleanliness of the vessel, and maintain inventory of equipment as well as maintaining the equipment. Many of the crew members live in Annapolis in base housing as well as the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area. The Cadre Crew performed their mission of operational readiness in an outstanding manner having gotten ready to deploy from Baltimore in August 1990 within five days. COMFORT FACTS About as long as 3 football fields Its structure is equal to a 10 story building Galley can feed up to 2,500 people in 2 hours, 3 times per day Mess deck seats 500 people at once Helo deck can accommodate largest helicopter the military uses Each arm of the 7 red crosses on the ship is 27 feet across Distilling plants turn 300,000 gallons of sea H2O into fresh HjO per day Laundry facility can clean 56 tons of laundry per week Ship carries 10 lifeboats (2 can evacuate 105 people, 8-112 people) Eighty-four liferafts can evacuate 25 people each VITAL STATISTICS OVERALL LENGTH - 894 feet BEAM - 105 feet, 9 inches DRAFT, FULL LOAD - 32 feet, 9 inches FULL LOAD DISPLACEMENT - 69,360 long tons ENDURANCE - 13,420 nautical miles CRUISING SPEED - 17.5 knots MAIN PROPULSION TYPE - single screw, geared steam turbine CREW SIZE -62 FULL MEDICAL MILITARY DETACHMENT - 1,162 Converted by National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, CA 1987 Ship Sponsor - Mrs. William Narva Naming Ceremony 15 August 1987 17 « - ; Leavetaking of Baltimore by USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) after a high speed 5 days of supplying the ship and bringing her to full operating status was accom- plished with pride along with the poi- gnant tears and gestures of love between crew members and their families. Ever present was the knowledge of a future homecoming with the same sense of pride and an overwhelming feeling of joy. . ' 19 DEDICATION To OUR FELLOW SERVICE MEMBERS around the world who share with us our commitment and pride in serving our nation AND To OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS who have demonstrated unbounded love and support during our mission in OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD, DESERT STORM 20 OPERATIONAL STATUS: USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) operates in 2 distinct statuses. Normally she is in reduced operating status (ROS). In ROS she is at layberth and maintained by a small nucleus crew of civilian mariners. The cadre crew of forty medical and non medical Navy members under command of an OIC maintains readiness of the MTF. COMFORT can transition to full operating status (FOS) in 5 days. The Military Sealift Command crew increases to 62 while the MTF staff goes to 1,162. Augmenting Navy personnel are provided by the Naval Medical Command from its National Capital Region activities in the Balti- more-Washington area and from Navy medical facilities in the Middle Atlantic region along the east coast as well as from other Navy medical facilities. INSIDE THE SHIP The COMFORT is steam turbine powered — producing 24 thousand shaft horsepower to a single screw designed to minimize vibration. Three diesel generators produce up to 6,000 kilowatts of power while a single emergency generator is able to provide 1,500 kilowatts. The ship is maintained at an equitable temperature by 3 — 400 ton air conditioning units. The 1,000 bed MTF includes 50 trauma stations in a casualty receiving area; twelve operating rooms; a 20 bed recovery room; 80 ICU beds; and 16 intermediate, light, and limited care wards. Sophisticated radiology, lab and pharmacy services include computerized tomography (the 1st aboard any hospital ship in the world); a blood band and intravenous additive mixtures. Support services on the COMFORT consist of one of the largest galleys afloat to feed crew and patients, a liquid 01 producing plant for 02 used in patient care areas plus supply operations to support medical and ship operations. Other services include lens fabrication capabilities, comprehensive den- tal care; burn treatment; and physical therapy. The MTF offers a broad range of medical surgical capabilities in support of its mission. USNS COMFORT MTF is one of the largest U.S. trauma facilities. It includes 9 elevators for patient movement and extensive ramping wide passageways. Patients arrive aboard by helicopter or small boat or by patient lift and are taken to a casualty reception area for assessing medical treatment. They then proceed to either surgery or another treatment area to eventually be admitted to one of the 16 wards or to an ICU. 21 GETTING THE SHIP READY The first wave faced the monumental task of unpacking box after box of medical sup- plies. In addition they placed thousands of surgical instruments into sets for operative cases. On the first night of sailing crew members were up well into the early hours of the new day moving pallets off the flight deck to preserve them from weather dam- age. Finally the huge job of cleaning layer on layer of coal dust was repeated until the ship shone. Even after the second wave came onboard cleaning and unpacking of supplies was a continual ritual. Assembly and placement of medical equipment contin- ued until the ship was in a ready status for casualties. 22 HELO OPS 25 Training on the COMFORT | — I 26 27 ROTA This Spanish city offered the first sight of land for the COMFORT ' S crew after steaming from Norfolk while af- fording arriving second wavers a dazed and tired respite from a gruel- ing air trip before boarding the COM- FORT. Rota provided a good look at the Navy base there as well as a sam- pling of the city ' s seaside cuisine and culture. The hospitality of fellow sail- ors and townspeople there will not be soon forgotten. h rf 28 COMFORT CARE 30 MEDICAL TRIVIA: 1. At any given time — COMFORT carries $4.5 million in medical supplies. 2. Over 20,000 medical instruments are carried on COMFORT — from tiny arterial clamps to operating microscopes. 3. Unroll all the gauze bandaging onboard and it would be about 7 miles long. 4. The blood bank onboard can store 3,000 units of frozen blood. 31 SUEZ CANA Passage through the Suez Canal al- lowed a faraway glimpse of the Egyp- tian culture plus our first look at the devastating and vast emptiness of the Middle East desert landscape. View- ing the green and irrigated Egyptian fields and then swinging to the barren Sinai desert side provided a stunning contrast. 32 PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT — DRILL AND DRILL HALLOWEEN COMFORTEERS The revelry and cos- tumery of Halloween on the COMFORT yielded way somewhat to the overshadowing presence of the preceding night ' s loss of our 8 casualties — the sailors from the IWO JIMA tragedy. Yet, it seemed fitting that the Burn ICU be transferred into the Intensive Scare Unit and provided tricks, treats and all the horrors of Halloween as a testa- ment to the COMFORT ' S moving forward, yet re- membering. 34 lf UNDERWAY VERTICAL REPLENISHMENT The COMFORT definitely doesn ' t run on batteries, so every 13,000 nautical miles she refuels. The Navy method for refueling ships which do not see much port time is called underway replen- ishment, or un-rep. The replenishment may also refer to supplies as taken aboard vertically or horizontally i.e. by helicopter or ship to ship. The COMFORT is equipped with two sliding pad eyes located on the 01 level portside for the passing of supplies. Forward and aft fueling stations are located at 2-68-6 and 2-83-6. Be- cause of the COMFORT ' S length only one refueling station can pump at one time. Underway and verti- cal replenishment are vital to the COMFORT ' S mission of providing medical care, therefore the MSC, MTF and flight deck members taking part in these ma- neuvers are intensely fo- cused for hours at a time on these replenishments. 35 m NAVY BIRTHDAY The COMFORT observed the U.S. Navy birthday in a two part manner — the day itself with a cake cutting ceremony and the next day — a steel beach day — with a memorable display of Naval aviation skills by jets on training missions plus a quick visit by the passing aircraft carrier INDE- PENDENCE. COMFORT AND INDY THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE COMFORT ' S first major holiday was spent enjoying a few of the traditions of the USA on Thanksgiving such as the Hrst and last Thanksgiv- ing Day Parade on the flight deck. Also in evidence were the traditional culinary de- lights of turkey, pumpkin pie, dressing and cranberry sauce as cheerfully served by the Nurse Corps Middle Man- agers. Detailers from Wash- ington, D.C. brought their own brand of Thanksgiving greetings from home as well as being treated to an unusu- al holiday. 39 STEEL BEACH 41 CHANNUKA CHRISTMAS ON THE COMFORT MEDICAL EVACUATIONS Evacuation of patients were a fact of life for the USNS COMFORT. A por- trait of this includes the usual helicopter flight plus the seldom seen transport on Air Force planes to Ger- many with its faraway sights of all the comforts of a good meal and a welcom- ing city street with its Christmas lights — all seen through the eyes of a COM- FORT Navy nurse. SUPPORT FROM HOME The mainstay of the morale of COM- FORT crewmembers was the ever sus- taining support of the families, friends, and strangers (yet, brothers and sisters) from the USA. Everyone will forever re- member their first mail call and what it meant to receive the first letter from that special person. All were gratified by the support of our fellow citizens through Any Servicemember letters and gifts which marked every holiday from Christmas to ST. Valentine ' s Day. And everyone was brightened by the in- triguing search for a personal message on the innumerable banners from home. To all those who supported us we simply say thank you . BAHRAIN Bahrain is an island of 586 square kilo- meters belonging to an archipelago of 33 islands. Its lush palm groves and gardens are supported as its water emerges from the ground in a number of springs bubbling up in clear pools. Bahrain ' s inhabitants have always made their homes around the shores where the land can be cultivated and Hsheries of the sea can be explored. In recent years an extensive program of land reclamation has taken place. Most signifi- cant of their land building skills has been construction of a causeway linking Bah- rain with Saudi Arabia. The first oil discov- ered in Arabia was in Bahrain in 1932. However, Bahrain wells were never big producers by Gulf standards. Yet, its refin- ery processes 2,400 barrels per day and also exploits large reserves of natural gas. Perhaps the most lasting and unique im- pression any visitor will take away of Bah- rain is its great fields of ancient burial mounds. BAHRAIN ABU DHABI Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. A city of six lane thorough- fares between cliffs of high rise buildings, it was all built up over the last 20 years. In 1966, Abu Dhabi was a small collection of houses. Today it has the cosmopolitan air of a substantial metropolis. Features which distinguish Abu Dhabi from any other modern city and firmly sets its Muslim character are the large number of mosques throughout the center of town. Frequently the mosques are set in public gardens — each enhancing the other. The landscape itself is lined with banks of flowing bougainvillea, eucalyptus, tamarisk and further covered with grass, palm trees and ornamental shrubs. The parks are ablaze with color from flower beds. One of the main centers of population and economic activity in the UAE, Abu Dhabi presents wonderful opportunities for any visi- tor. 50 ABU DHABI ABU DAHBI Abu Dhabi Candy Maker 53 THE PEOPLE OF DUBAI DUBAI: Only after the Federation of the United Arab Emirates came into being was a road linking the 160 kilometers between Abu Dhabi and Dubai built. Dubai today is the most cosmopolitan as well as prosperous city on the shores of the Per- sian Gulf. Dubai still reflects much of its lively and entrepreneurial past. Its people are energetic and ingenious merchants in international trade. Its large modern 37 berth Port Rashid handles bil- lions of dirhams worth of imports and exports ev- ery year. Dubai ' s creek is a hive of activity of local dhows (small wooden boats) moored 3 and 4 abreast. Goods piled on the wharves range from tires to building materials to pick-up trucks. Du- bai is well known for its souq (market place) alley which includes spice and gold souqs among others. The UAE is one of the most advantageous places in the world to buy gold. Dress material shops where all the exciting colors, sari lengths, raw silks and cottons of the Orient hang in profusion in windows or outside the stalls beckon many cus- tomers. Dubai truly provides varied and enticing opportunities for any visitor. 54 SHRnsnnsnu ■iiiimiUiiiliii I 56 DUBAI AT NIGHT The many faces of a bejeweled Dubai show forth at night, whether in a cosmopolitan, towering hotel or across the waters of a creek. Dubai provided a Middle Eastern night ' s entertainment to many of Comfort ' s crew in exotic restaurants and in various shops of glittering goods. 57 OFF TO THE RACES 3 i3 ' J:rs , -- .- A. . ' ■ S; ' % r iwm SHOPPING IN DUBAI ' Liberty in UAE 62 MARDI GRAS on the COMFORT Awards 65 Sea Service Awards and Promotions on the USNS COMFORT 66 Entertainment COMFORT Style 67 ENTERTAINMENT The variety of entertainment available on the COMFORT was due to the diversity of tal- ents among its large crew. The Ungratefully Deployed provid- ed songs from the funny bone while the Voices of Comfort — those from the soul. The operat- ing room hosted a sweat soaked Sock Hop while there were a number of talent shows, and a fashion show. The poignant ap- pearance of the National Sym- phony Orchestra ' s String Quar- tet offered a Christmas greeting from Washington, D.C. And don ' t forget the mail! 68 Training Perfect