USS Kidd Continues Search For Missing Airliner

U.S. Navy Ensign Brooke E. Schaffer, serving with the 7th Fleet, offers the below piece:

INDIAN OCEAN, Mar. 17, 2014 - The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Kidd and its crew are stepping up search efforts for the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean with round-the-clock coverage.

The USS Kidd has been searching for six days, and the additional measures taken during its mission are apparent both above and below decks. Extra lookouts have been posted for 24-hour coverage topside and the two MH-60R helicopters from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78 are flying additional sorties each day. The ship's engineers have rigged additional lighting to aid in the search and are maintaining the engineering plant to its highest efficiency to ensure the ship is able to meet her mission.

"The crew has responded to everything that has been asked of them," senior watch officer Navy Lt. Cmdr. Melissa J. Szurovy said. "Additional lookout watches are being stood by non-traditional watch standers, and sailors of their own volition are helping topside in our search for any sign of the aircraft. It is a true testament to the crew's fortitude to find this airliner."

The air department, comprised of seven pilots, three rescue swimmers, and 18 enlisted maintainers has divided into day and night teams consisting of 12-hour shifts to support round-the-clock flight operations.

"Our maintenance teams work long hours to ensure our helicopters are operationally ready at all times to meet the mission," HSM-78 air operations officer Lt. Andrew Hoffman said. "This allows us to constantly have our helicopters in the air to continue our search for the missing airliner. Further, our team is able to configure our helicopters to provide more space for this specific mission set, which allows us to remain in a continued state of readiness for any sign of the aircraft."

The responsibility of the safe launching, recovering and flight of the two MH-60R helicopters involves sailors not only from the air department, but from a variety of other departments from the ship as well.

Boatswain's mates, medical personnel, and engineers are among the many sailors involved in the helicopter operations to provide refueling, firefighting support, emergent repairs, assistance and supervision of all personnel and equipment to ensure the helicopters are able to safely remain in the air to continue the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

Note: The above photos were released by the U.S. Navy.

Defense Secretary Commends U.S. Navy Team That Rescued Iranian Fishing Vessel From Pirates

The below was released by the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet yesterday:

From a U.S. 5th Fleet News Release

ARABIAN SEA, Jan. 6, 2012, Jan. 6, 2012 - Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta today made a congratulatory phone call to the commander of a U.S. strike group that rescued 13 Iranian sailors from suspected pirates yesterday in the northern Arabian Sea.
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Panetta called the USS John C. Stennis this afternoon and spoke to Navy Rear Adm. Craig S. Faller, commander of Strike Group 3.

The secretary congratulated Faller and the entire team, saying it was a "well executed effort," adding that the team did exactly the right thing and that he's proud of what they were able to do.

"When we get a distress signal, we're going to respond," he said. "That's the nature of what our country is all about."

At about 12:30 p.m. local time yesterday, an SH-60S Seahawk from the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd detected a suspected pirate skiff alongside the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai. Simultaneously, a distress call was received from the master of the Al Molai claiming he was being held captive by pirates.

A visit, board, search and seizure team from the Kidd boarded the Al Molai and detained 15 suspected pirates who had been holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for several weeks. The Al Molai had been pirated and used as a "mother ship" for pirate operations throughout the Persian Gulf, members of the Iranian vessel's crew reported.

The pirates did not resist the boarding and surrendered quickly, officials said.

"The Al Molai had been taken over by pirates for roughly the last 40 to 45 days," said Josh Schminky, a Naval Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. "They were held hostage with limited rations, and we believe [they] were forced against their will to assist the pirates with other piracy operations."

Members of the Kidd boarding party reported that the Iranian crew said they were forced by the pirates to live in harsh conditions, under the threat of violence with limited supplies and medical aid.

"When we boarded, we gave them food, water and medical care," Schminky said. "They had been through a lot. We went out of our way to treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect.

"After securing the ship and ensuring the safety of all persons on board," he continued, "we began distributing food and water to both the crew and the suspected criminals, as is our standard practice in Ccounterpiracy operations."

The pirates were detained on the Al Molai by the Kidd boarding party until this morning, when they could be transferred to the USS John C. Stennis, where the matter will be reviewed for prosecution. The pirates remain on the Stennis.

"The captain of the Al Molai expressed his sincere gratitude that we came to assist them," Schminky said. "He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months."

Piracy is an international problem that requires an international solution and is a threat to all mariners, U.S. 5th Fleet officials said, and the presence of U.S. Navy ships in the region promotes freedom of navigation and protects the safety of those who transit the sea.

The John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group is conducting maritime security operations in the 5th Fleet area of operations while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

The above Defense Department photo shows the USS Kidd alongside the Iranian fishing vessel.