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AtheistCrusader

(33,982 posts)
14. The USNS Comfort has a 33 foot draft. San Juan port has a channel depth of 34.7 feet.
Fri Sep 29, 2017, 01:22 PM
Sep 2017

Under ideal conditions, it can be very carefully docked and then it is quite useful. These are not ideal conditions. The port was opened Thursday for limited sized ships, and daylight hours only. The coast guard is working to define and clear the channel.

It is also difficult to tie up to, because it's an old oil tanker, and rolls heavily in any sort of seas. It has a single, small helipad with no hangar.

The Kearsarge has six operating rooms and 513 beds, with contingency room for more, plus a deck that can launch/retrieve up to 7 helicopters at once, PLUS amphibious transports and a wet deck for internal docking. Kearsarge was there (and the Oak Hill) before the hurricane even arrived. It's half the Comfort, medically speaking (with the best of the Navy, as far as doctors go) but with the ability to get lots of people on and off the ship under just about any conditions.

The Comfort was in Costa Rica in 2011, for 11 days and triaged 8,376 patients. To do that, it must dock. The Kearsarge and Oak Hill don't need to, that's why the DoD had no intent to send Comfort for this specific disaster. It's also holding the Iwo Jima and New York at the ready, which would double the capabilities of the Kearsarge. (I don't know why they haven't sent it, they should, really I think. But it's being re-loaded after being utilized in the Keys.)


The DOD said why it wasn't sending the Comfort on Monday. Political pressure has changed that, but that still doesn't mean it will be able to dock.

How many days were allowed to pass without action? truthisfreedom Sep 2017 #1
The were US Marines & Sailors on the island the morning after the hurricane Lurks Often Sep 2017 #8
I've been watching the cargo planes out of Tyndall Air Base Stryst Sep 2017 #2
And that was a huge service, Stryst. Thank you! pnwmom Sep 2017 #3
Military rescuers are like uniformed angels peacebuzzard Sep 2017 #6
Thank you Stryst & all currently serving! nt appal_jack Sep 2017 #9
Why the fuck has the USNS Comfort hospital ship been sitting in Norfolk all this time? SunSeeker Sep 2017 #4
Because it's inferior to the USS Kearsarge and can't dock in Puerto Rico right now. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #11
Link? And even if it can't dock, small boats can bring patients to it. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #13
The USNS Comfort has a 33 foot draft. San Juan port has a channel depth of 34.7 feet. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #14
I see you have no link. It CAN anchor offshore, with smaller boats bringing patients to it. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #15
The Kearsarge is a hospital. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #18
None of that disputes that it can anchor offshore, with smaller boats bringing patients to it. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #21
IT IS AN OIL TANKER. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #23
It is a hospital ship. Trump should have sent it and every other one we had available. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #29
Why? AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #30
What part of 3.5 million Americans with no food, power or hospitals do you not understand? SunSeeker Sep 2017 #35
It is 'moving big things around' if the big thing isn't able to aid them. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #37
The Comfort would aid people. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #39
It does create a bottleneck. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #40
Saving 1500 lives is not a "rounding error." SunSeeker Sep 2017 #41
But 5000 national guard in place before the hurricane hit is a "mealy mouthed response". AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #43
The two are not comparable. 5K Natl Guard IS "mealy mouthed." SunSeeker Sep 2017 #44
Not at all. First of all, the president doesn't activate the national guard in this manner. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #52
WRONG. The President does not need to be "king" to activate US troops in emergencies. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #56
You continued attempt to re-cast pointing out reality as 'defending trump' is noxious and part AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #58
You were not "pointing out reality." You wrongly suggested he couldn't call out more NG. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #61
No, that's how you insisted on reading it. AtheistCrusader Oct 2017 #62
Instead of spending 9 paragraphs trying to redefine one sentence... SunSeeker Oct 2017 #63
It only reads that way if you pretend I said words I didn't say. AtheistCrusader Oct 2017 #64
It is you who wants to add words that were not there, 9 paragraphs of them. nt SunSeeker Oct 2017 #65
Elaboration isn't adding. You attempted to twist the meaning, not me. AtheistCrusader Oct 2017 #66
LOL I didn't "twist" anything. SunSeeker Oct 2017 #67
You did. My original post is still there in context for everyone to see. AtheistCrusader Oct 2017 #68
Everyone can indeed see that you suggested he couldn't do it. SunSeeker Oct 2017 #69
Doesn't ! Couldn't. AtheistCrusader Oct 2017 #70
I'm not being "dishonest." You wrongly implied Trump couldn't order more NG. SunSeeker Oct 2017 #71
You're free to keep saying it, but that's not what the post says. AtheistCrusader Oct 2017 #72
I'm not "confused" nor "dishonest." I call 'em as I see 'em. SunSeeker Oct 2017 #73
Then why did you misconstrue '9 paragraphs'. AtheistCrusader Oct 2017 #74
I did not misconstrue your 9 paragraphs. It was obvious why you posted them. SunSeeker Oct 2017 #75
Houston got 12K from the TX National Guard TexasBushwhacker Sep 2017 #60
The Kearsarge isn't a hospital...it's an amphibious assault ship Docreed2003 Sep 2017 #51
It currently does. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #54
But again... Docreed2003 Sep 2017 #55
Frankly, all the Wasp class ships are genius designs. I think they are fantastic. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #59
Thank you for your review of our capabilities - very educational. KY_EnviroGuy Sep 2017 #46
Thanks for trying. flying rabbit Sep 2017 #57
It's used in many places where it can't dock. It stands offshore with transport to it. SharonAnn Sep 2017 #49
And there is a history of how many many people it can handle when docked versus at anchor. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #53
It left VA a few days ago. Article posted on du. I do not know when it will arrive in PR. riversedge Oct 2017 #76
Yes, I know. But no one can explain why it took so long for it to leave for PR. SunSeeker Oct 2017 #77
Pathetic, the repeated use of the word 'sortie' in this context ... who WROTE this? mr_lebowski Sep 2017 #5
oh for pete's sake. "Sortie" can be used to describe any mission. 7962 Sep 2017 #7
Yes they are sorties hack89 Sep 2017 #10
Pogey bait sorties sarisataka Sep 2017 #16
Only when the auto-dog was down. nt hack89 Sep 2017 #20
Auto-dog? DashOneBravo Sep 2017 #47
Visualize chocolate soft serve ice cream. hack89 Sep 2017 #50
I always had pogey bait DashOneBravo Sep 2017 #48
Someone who speaks english. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #12
Perhaps the 'mission' part of the definition... discntnt_irny_srcsm Sep 2017 #45
You are correct. It is indeed odd to call rescue flights "sorties." SunSeeker Sep 2017 #17
Merriam Webster Dictionary. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #19
Webster's confirms what I am saying. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #22
IT'S A MILITARY NEWS SITE. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #24
Chill dude. And yes, Trump's incompetence has everything to do with this. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #25
Play games with someone else. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #26
YOU'RE the one who followed me to this subthread. nt SunSeeker Sep 2017 #27
Excuse me, I posted in this subthread before you even showed up. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #28
I was responding to Mr Lebowski. You butted in. nt SunSeeker Sep 2017 #31
Look one post higher in the subthread. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #32
I was not responding to you. Yet you felt compelled to attack me. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #33
I responded to post 17 in the manner appropriate to its content. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #34
I was not talking to you, so you were not "responding" to me, you were butting in. SunSeeker Sep 2017 #36
I can keep hitting reply if you can. AtheistCrusader Sep 2017 #38
Sounds like they need more troops, though. Ilsa Sep 2017 #42
K&R stonecutter357 Oct 2017 #78
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