Operation Unified Response

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Medics from the US Army's 95th Civil Affairs Brigade deliver a baby during relief efforts. The mother named the female child "Samantha" after Uncle Sam.

Operation Unified Response was the United States military's response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.[1] It was conducted by Joint Task Force Haiti and commanded by United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Military Deputy Commander Lieutenant General Ken Keen, although the overall U.S. government response was headed by Rajiv Shah, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).[2]

The response included personnel from all branches of the military.[3] The U.S. Navy listed its resources in the area on 19 January as "17 ships, 48 helicopters and 12 fixed-wing aircraft" in addition to 10,000 sailors and Marines.[4] By 26 January, the U.S. military had 17,000 personnel in and around Haiti.[5] Between the beginning of refief efforts and 18 February the US Air Force had delivered nearly 6,000 support members and 19 million pounds of cargo while evacuating 15,000 American citizens and conducted aeromedical evacuations for 223 critical Haitian patients.[6]

Elements of the mission included flying in relief supplies, flying out evacuees, including medical evacuees, loading helicopters with supplies at the PAP airport, and then dropping supplies at various points around Port-au-Prince, airdropping supplies from fixed-wing aircraft, establishing a field hospital near the Port international de Port-au-Prince, repairing a pier at the port, providing imagery from satellite, Global Hawk, and U-2 assets.

Mission timeline

Air traffic control operations by USAF Special Operations Combat Controllers at Port-au-Prince airport.
Two United States Coast Guard Cutters off Port-au-Prince, Haiti. USCGC Forward is in the foreground.
  • On 15 January, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) arrived off the coast of Port-au-Prince to provide humanitarian aid, with its trained personnel, emergency supplies and 19 helicopters on deck.[12]
  • As of 21 January, approximately 10,500 people have been evacuated from Haiti to the US, including 8,300 US citizens.[25] Approximately 45,000 American citizens were thought to have been in Haiti at the time of the earthquake.

On this date the 260th Air Traffic Control Squadron (ATCS) in collaboration with the 248th and 258th ATCS took over air traffic control operations effectively increasing the arrival of aid and supplies over 200%

  • On 3 February, the Higgins ended its relief mission and has headed for its home port.[27]
  • On 8 February, the 24th MEU and Nassau amphibious ready group were ordered to resume their original deployment to the Middle East.[28]
  • On 12 February, the US relief force has been reduced from roughly 20,000 troops to roughly 13,000 troops.[29]
  • On 13 February, the Gundston Hall ended its relief mission and has headed back to its original mission.[30]
  • On 18 February, the Oak has left Haiti and arrived back at home port.[32]
  • On 1 March, Carter Hall was ordered home.[33]
  • On 8 March, Comfort had discharged its last patient,[33] and departed on 10 March.[34]
  • On 24 March, the 22nd MEU and ARG were released from their mission and sailed for home.[35][36]

International reactions

The United Nations expressed approval of the mission by United States and stated that the American troops would not stay long.[37][38]

Elements of the public of France expressed dissatisfaction with both the much larger size of the American relief operations compared to those of European nations and the commanding role U.S. forces took on the ground.[39] Reflecting these feelings the French Minister for the Francophonie, Alain Joyandet, characterized the United States as "occupying" Haiti, citing the take over of air traffic control in the country.[40]

In a statement the Italian government moved to distance itself from the Italian Civil Protection head, Guido Bertolaso, who asserted that the U.S. effort was badly lead and managed, lacking a "rapport" with aid organizations and local people.[41]

Several Latin American leaders accused the United States of militarily occupying Haiti. These socialist leaders, all long-time critics of the United States, included Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez[42][43] former Cuban President Fidel Castro,[44] Bolivian President Evo Morales[45] and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega.[46][47] Through its Department of State the United States rejected the allegations and pointed to the fact that US forces were there by the invitation of the Haitian government.[48] Despite this United States Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) opposed House of Representatives Resolution 1021,[49] citing concerns over "the possibility of an open-ended US military occupation of Haiti".[50][51]

Legacy

Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Antonio D. Travis was named one of the top 100 most influential people of 2010 by TIME Magazine for his role in Operation Unified Response. Chief Travis is a combat controller who deployed to Port-au-Prince just 30 hours after the earthquake. His team set up a card table to conduct air traffic control operations for Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport, and was recognized for orchestrating the largest single-runway operation in history. The combat control team ran the airport for 12 days before US Air Force air traffic controllers took over. During those 12 days the team oversaw more than 4,000 takeoffs and landings, an average of one every five minutes. Their efforts are credited for ensuring the safe delivery many humanitarian relief teams from around the world and thousands of tons of life saving supplies.[52][53][54][55]

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Numbers tell stories of horror, heroism in Haiti, CNN, 26 January 2010
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ US Coast Guard press release, 13 January 2010, http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/786/452059/
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ US Air Force press release, 13 January 2010, http://archive.is/20120728115515/http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123185581
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Fox 10, WALA TV/Associated Press, Mobile, AL, 14 Jan, http://www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/international/dozens-of-cargo-planes-arrive-in-haiti-
  12. ↑ US Navy, press release, 15 January 2010, http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=50545
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Hampton Roads, "The Carl Vinson departs Haiti", Lauren King, 1 February 2010 (accessed 2 February 2010)
  27. ↑ SignOn San Diego, "Navy destroyer to return after helping out in Haiti", Jeanette Steele, 3 February 2010 (accessed 3 February 2010)
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Agence France Presse, "US reduces troop numbers in Haiti", AFP, 13 February 2010 (accessed 18 February 2010)
  30. ↑ WVEC, "Little Creek-based USS Gunston Hall completes Haiti duty", US Navy, 15 February 2010 (accessed 16 February 2010)
  31. ↑ FOX 4 KC, "Kansas National Guard Returns From Haiti", Dave Dunn, 14 February 2010 (accessed 18 February 2010)
  32. ↑ The State, "SC-based cutter returns after helping in Haiti", Associated Press, 18 February 2010 (accessed 23 February 2010)
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Navy Times, "Navy’s Haiti duties winding down", Philip Ewing, 8 March 2010 (accessed 8 March 2010)
  34. ↑ Associated Press, "US hospital ship Comfort leaving Haiti", AP, 10 March 2010 (accessed 13 March 2010)
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Press TV, "US military evacuates 2,200 troops from Haiti", AGB/MB, 25 March 2010 (accessed 27 March 2010)
  37. ↑ CyberPresse.ca, "L'ONU défend l'engagement militaire du Canada en Haïti", Agence France-Presse, 2 February 2010 (accessed 3 February 2010) (French)
  38. ↑ Metropole Haiti, "Haiti : Les troupes Américaines se retireront", Radio Métropole Haïti, 2 February 2010 (accessed 3 February 2010) (French)
  39. ↑ (French) Le Figaro, "Haïti : le mariage forcé franco-américain", Alain Barluet, 22 January 2010 (accessed 30 January 2010)
  40. ↑ Digital Journal, "French minister accuses U.S. of 'occupying ' Haiti", Michael Krebs, 19 January 2010 (accessed 4 February 2010)
  41. ↑ Daily Mail (London), "U.S. criticised over Haiti relief effort as Italian disaster expert brands it 'badly managed'", David Williams, 26 January 2010 (accessed 4 February 2010)
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  45. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Text of USHOR Resolution 1021
  50. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  51. ↑ http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/01/ron-paul-dr-no-says-no-to-hait.html
  52. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  53. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  54. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  55. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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