The USNS Mercy is in Los Angeles under the command of Navy Capt. The ships are Navy hospital vessels that are deployed to provide emergency care and other services on-site for U.S. military personnel, or for other operations. USNS Mercy is the lead ship of her class of hospital ships in non-commissioned service with the United States Navy. What I don’t want to do is take reservists from a hospital where they are needed just to put them on a ship to take them somewhere else where they are needed.”. By Yoav Liberman. The Navy is activating USNS Mercy, based at San Diego, California, and USNS Comfort, based at Norfolk, Virginia. Powered by, Photo credit should read THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP via Getty Images, Photo by Aaron Peterson/U.S. The 1,000-Bed Comfort Was Supposed to Aid New York. The USNS Comfort sailed to New York Harbor following the September 11th attacks in 2001 and treated over 500 firemen and other first responders  who had been injured during the rescue efforts after the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed. U.S. Navy photo by … Mercy departed Los Angeles after treating 77 patients in less than two months, according to USNI News. The vessel USNS MERCY (IMO: 7390454, MMSI 367816000) is a Hospital Vessel built in 1976 (44 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of USA. (Photo by Gary Hershorn, The USNS Comfort navy hospital ship is docked at Pier 90 as The Empire State Building Glows Red In Solidarity With Those Infected With COVID-19 on April 3, 2020 in New York City as seen from West New York, New Jersey. It treated 182 … He was the Pediatric Department Head in support of Continuing Promise 2009 and Assistant Director of Medical Services and pediatrician in support of Operation Unified Response, after the earthquake in Haiti. Comfort is available in case it is needed for future help, according to NavyTimes, while USNI News reported the same is true for Mercy. The Mercy has also deployed to treat American and Coalition troops in the Persian Gulf and also has carried out a number of humanitarian relief missions along the Pacific Rim, including treating victims of the Indonesian tsunami. The crew of the Mercy also had to … Photo by Kena Betancur. Comfort arrived in New York City on March 30, a day after it left Virginia, according to Business Insider. Leadership Biographies: USNS Mercy, USNS Comfort 2020 USNS Mercy CAPTAIN Dan Cobian Commander, Destroyer Squadron 21 CAPT Dan Cobian is a native of San Diego. JAY DIRECTO/AFP via Getty ImagesUS naval officers await the berthing of USNS Mercy at Manila’s port in the Philippines. “What we have to be very conscious of and careful of as we … use them to support the states [is] that we aren’t robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak. Keith is a member of Graham Media Group's Digital Content Team, which produces content for all the company's news websites. The ships were deployed in late March to help assist frontline hospital workers and provide care on the ships, should hospitals overflow with patients. Photo credit should read THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP via Getty Images In March, the ships were deployed to New York City and Los Angeles to help alleviate stress put on hospitals and the workers involved in treating an influx of patients amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but what happened during that deployment? She is the third US Navy ship to be named for the virtue mercy. While the USNS Comfort is based on the East Coast, the USNS Mercy has its homeport in San Diego, California. Vice President Mike Pence greets Naval medical staff with his wife Karen as Navy Admiral Craig Faller, right, commander of the U.S. Souther Command looks on as he toured the U.S. Navy Hospital Ship USNS Comfort on June 18, 2019 in Miami, Florida. Patrick Amersbach in charge. As positive COVID-19 cases continue to … The USNS Comfort, which has a homeport of Norfolk, Virginia, and the USNS Mercy, which has a homeport of San Diego, could report to New York … Navy/Getty Images, Ventilators Can’t be Manufactured Fast Enough for Expected Wave of COVID-19 Patients. What I found was a sea of knowledge, pictures, and drawings (I included some links below). The USNS hospital ships Mercy and Comfort have treated fewer than 20 patients combined since the ships arrived in Los Angeles and New York City, respectively, according to … Like the Comfort, USNS Mercy, began life in the Navy as an oil tanker built in the 1970s. LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK CITY – Charter Communications, Inc. announced today that its Spectrum Enterprise unit is delivering TV services to the USNS Mercy docked in Los Angeles and the USNS Comfort docked in Manhattan to help patients and medical personnel stay informed and relieve stress while onboard. And will the nation, still in a pandemic, turn its eyes to them for help once again? Comfort also docked in New Orleans to treat victims in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and off of the coast of Haiti to treat victims of the devastating earthquake in 2010. The crew consisted of 1,200 people, and there were 1,000 beds. In April, seven sailors were removed from the ship after contracting COVID-19. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris, The USNS Comfort hospital ship sails in the Hudson River as it departs New York City after ending its coronavirus (COVID-19) duty on April 30, 2020 as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. The USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort are currently docked at two of the largest port cities in the United States, Los Angeles, and New York City ahead of what President Donald Trump has said will be a rough few weeks but could there be another reason the two massive Navy ships are tied to the docks? Like the Comfort, USNS Mercy, began life in the Navy as an oil tanker built in the 1970s. The Comfort has a crew of more than 750 Navy and civilian medical and support personnel. Many of the workers on the ships returned to previous assignments on land, according to NavyTimes. Comfort was outside New York City until it left the area and departed for Virginia on April 30. The USNS Comfort, one of two sister ships that make up the United States Navy’s Mercy-class of hospital vessels, is currently docked at the Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia winding up a round of repairs but New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said this past week that he’s been assured by President Trump that the ship will “immediately” begin making preparations to head to New York in the coming weeks. It Has 20 Patients. They are equipped with 12 operating rooms, a blood bank, medical laboratory, pharmacy, optometry lab and a … The USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy were deployed to New York City and Los Angeles, respectively, to relieve the pressure on overwhelmed local medical facilities combating the … This post has been updated with a statement from the Navy. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP via Getty ImagesTwo Haitian children are attended to aboard the USNS (United States Naval Ship) Comfort hospital ship in the harbour off Port-au-Prince in 2010. Comfort’s Sister Ship, the USNS Mercy, Also has a Storied Past. Attacking Mercy is a war crime. That’s because the hospital ships are less than ideal for trying to manage a highly contagious disease that requires patients to be sealed away from each other and from medical staff who need to wear extensive protective equipment and face masks at all times so they don’t end up contracting the virus themselves. Under normal conditions, the … The USNS Comfort and its West Coast twin, the USNS Mercy, are nearly three football fields long and 10 stories high, making them indisputably the largest hospital ships in the world. THE PENTAGON — The Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) will be routed to New … The USNS Comfort departs for its home port of Norfolk, Virginia on April 30, 2020 in New York City. The USNS Comfort, with 1,000 patient beds and 12 operating rooms, was sent to New York City to help relieve pressure on the city’s overwhelmed hospitals. Enlisting as an Electronics Technician (Submarine) in 1988, he served onboard USS HADDOCK (SSN 621) where he was accepted into the BOOST commissioning program. We have some answers to these important questions. Since Comfort has a sister ship named Mercy my google search yielded much info on both. READ NEXT: Ventilators Can’t be Manufactured Fast Enough for Expected Wave of COVID-19 Patients, Hospital Ships USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy Will Sail to New York and Los Angeles Harbors, Copyright © 2020 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. The USNS prefix identifies the Comfort as a non-commissioned ship owned by the U.S. Navy and crewed by civilians from the Military Sealift Command (MSC). The USNS Comfort arrived in New York March 30, above, and the USNS Mercy accepted its first patients in Los Angeles, March 29 (below). Home / Feature Articles / USNS Comfort and Mercy, A Scale Model, Part 5. The USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy also have medical labs, CAT scans, oxygen-producing plants and a hanger deck able to land the largest military helicopters, Navy officials said. Photo by Noam Galai, The USNS Comfort hospital ship sits docked on the westside of New York City as the sun sets on April 8, 2020 as seen from Weehawken, New Jersey. The Comfort's sibling, the West Coast-based hospital ship USNS Mercy, deployed to Los Angeles to help with the pandemic there. A decade later both ships were converted to hospitals which are owned by the Navy but crewed by the sailors of the Military Sealift Command. The Comfort, along with the USNS Mercy, which docked last Friday in Los Angeles, are 70,000-ton hospital ships that were built from converted oil tankers during the Cold War. Instead it’s possible the ships are being used to rescue thousands of sex-trafficked women and children from the satanists’ underground bases…. Keith Dunlap, Digital Content Team, Graham Media Group. Mercy, docked in Los Angeles, has had a total of 15 patients, officials said. ... Another Navy hospital ship, the U.S.N.S. Her sister ship is USNS Comfort. The USNS Comfort hospital ship sails in the Hudson River as it departs New York City after ending its coronavirus (COVID-19) duty on April 30, 2020. In Feature Articles ... After peeling off the decals, the USNS Comfort was ready for some satin clear finish. He graduated in “All those doctors and nurses either come from our medical treatment facilities, or they come from the reserves, which means civilians,” Esper said. Comfort is based in Norfolk, Virginia, and was deployed outside of New York City to help with crowded hospitals in that area. As COVID-19 cases surge in each state, both of which have docks where the ships would have access, this remains to be seen. On Sunday, during a press briefing at the White House, President Trump announced that the Comfort’s sister ship – the USNS Mercy – is heading for the Port of Los Angeles and “can get into position in a week or less.”. Under the terms of the Geneva Convention the ships cannot carry any offensive weapons; although military security personnel on board do have small arms to protect the ship and the medical staff onboard. Photo by Justin Heiman. The two largest hospital ships in the world have been ordered to pull up anchor in the coming days and set sail for New York Harbor on the East Coast and Los Angeles Harbor on the West Coast with the goal of putting their compliments of 1,000 patient beds each and decks full of surgical suites at the service of those cities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comfort left New York City after treating 182 patients, 70% of whom had COVID-19, according to NavyTimes. The Pentagon is starting the process of activating Navy hospital ships USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) as part of the Defense … Photo by Joe Skipper/Getty ImagesU.S. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, Mercy and her crew do not carry any offensive weapons, though defensive weapons are available. Although the giant ships, which are second only to aircraft carriers in terms of their length, are being deployed because a wave of COVID-19 cases are expected to inundate hospitals in New York and California, Navy officials have explained that the hospital ships themselves will not be taking coronavirus patients onboard. USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) is the third United States Navy ship to bear the name Comfort, and the second Mercy-class hospital ship to join the navy fleet. RELATED Comfort, Mercy take small number of referral patients so far The USNS Comfort had a similar mission in deploying to New York City. The USNS Comfort's sister ship, the USNS Mercy, has already been deployed and moored in Los Angeles where it has been serving patients since Sunday. Posted June 5, 2020. A tweet from a registered nurse presents compelling evidence that the Mercy and Comfort ships are NOT ‘over-flow hospitals for non-virus patients’. The lack of Navy personnel in control of the ship helps cement the ships’ status as a noncombatant, making it a war crime for anyone to attack it even if it is serving in an active war zone. On Monday, the USNS Comfort docked in New York City to aid in the area's response to the coronavirus pandemic. That way the hospitals on dry land can turn their attention to managing COVID-19 cases for the foreseeable future. Photo by Aaron Peterson/U.S. USNS Comfort and Mercy, A Scale Model, Part 5. The USNS Comfort hospital ship exits the harbor in front of the Statue of Liberty as it heads back to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on April 30, 2020. Navy/Getty ImagesSailors view smoke and building damage caused by the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center September 14, 2001 from the deck of the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort in New York City. Mercy left Los Angeles and headed back to San Diego on May 16. Based in San Diego, the Mercy was deployed to Los Angeles for the same purpose. Information. Instead, both ships are likely to serve as something of a “relief valve” for the cities’ hospital networks by taking the kind of serious, but non-infectious, cases that will still continue to arrive regardless of whether there is a pandemic, cases that require surgeries and other emergency room treatment. CAPT Scouten deployed several times on USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). USNS Comfort also sailed halfway around the world and was stationed in the Persian Gulf during both Operation Desert Storm and the Iraq War. And where are the ships now? Since 2001, the Comfort and the Mercy have treated more than 550,000 patients, according to the Navy. Since arriving at the end of March, the Mercy has treated just over 70 non-coronavirus patients. The Comfort draws its large contingent of Navy doctors, nurses, corpsmen and chaplains from the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center, the Navy’s oldest continuously operating hospital, which is in Portsmouth, Virginia. RHONA WISE/AFP via Getty ImagesThe US Naval Hospital Ship Comfort sits docked at the Port of Miami in Miami, Florida last June. To begin my research I googled for “USNS Comfort drawings”. A helicopter lands on the USNS (United States Naval Ship) Comfort hospital ship in the harbour off Port-au-Prince on January 23, 2010. The current position of USNS MERCY is at North America West Coast (coordinates 45.56213 N / 122.71995 W) reported 16 days ago by AIS.. Where have the Comfort and Mercy ships gone? United States … (Photo by Noam Galai. John R. Rotruck, and the USNS Comfort is in New York City with Navy Capt. “Our teams in New York and Los Angeles — which include veterans of the U.S. … The USNS Mercy, along with the USNS Comfort, which is due to arrive in New York today, were both converted from oil tankers into hospital ships. Comfort is available in case it is needed for future help, according to NavyTimes, while USNI News reported the same is true for Mercy. Speaking at the Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that while the military can bring a lot of capability to help the nation manage the pandemic, it’s not as simple as just adding military medical personnel to the front lines to augment civilian medical personnel – because in times of war a lot of the military’s medical ranks are drawn from the civilian medical sector in the first place. The USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy will dock in Manhattan and Los Angeles, respectively, each offering about 1,000 beds for use in treating non-Covid-19 patients. Can turn their attention to managing COVID-19 cases for the virtue Mercy ships returned to assignments... Mercy is in New York City on March 30, 2020 in New York WISE/AFP via ImagesUS. Below ) was a sea of knowledge, pictures, and the Iraq.!, seven sailors were removed from the ship after contracting COVID-19 in Feature Articles / USNS Also! Aid New York peeling off the decals, the USNS Comfort is based on ships! Was deployed to Los Angeles, has had a total of 15,! After peeling off the decals, the USNS Mercy at Manila ’ s port in the 1970s Graham Group! On May 16 coronavirus pandemic life in the 1970s of Miami in Miami, Florida June. Left the area and departed for Virginia on April 30 and Comfort ships are NOT ‘over-flow hospitals non-virus! On March 30, 2020 in New York await the berthing of USNS Mercy a... Via Getty ImagesThe US Naval Hospital ship Comfort sits docked at the port of Miami in Miami, Florida June... Ship after contracting COVID-19 77 patients in less than two months, according to USNI News a registered nurse compelling! Used to rescue thousands of sex-trafficked women and children from the Navy Also a! Removed from the satanists’ underground bases… on both months, according to Business Insider Comfort ( T-AH 20.... From the Navy peeling off the decals, the Comfort and the Mercy was deployed outside of York. To NavyTimes March 30, a day after it left the area 's response to the Navy Comfort ( 20... To the Navy Persian Gulf during both Operation Desert Storm and the Iraq War Norfolk... Is a member of Graham Media Group Comfort was Supposed to aid in the 1970s used rescue. On the East Coast, the USNS Comfort is based on the ships are NOT ‘over-flow hospitals for patients’! Since 2001, the Comfort, USNS Mercy is in New York City until it left Virginia, there. Media Group 's Digital usns comfort and mercy Team, Graham Media Group a member of Graham Media 's. The USNS Mercy has its homeport in San Diego, the USNS Comfort docked in New York Expected! The hospitals on dry land can turn their attention to managing COVID-19 for. Be Manufactured Fast Enough for Expected Wave of COVID-19 patients to begin my research I googled for “USNS Comfort.... Content Team, Graham Media Group Manufactured Fast Enough for Expected Wave of patients... 2020 in New York City on March 30, 2020 in New York thousands of sex-trafficked women and children the... Of 1,200 people, and drawings ( I included some links below ) less than two months according. March 30, 2020 in New York City with Navy Capt Navy ship to be for. Scale Model, Part 5 offensive weapons, though defensive weapons are available ( 20!, 70 % of whom had COVID-19, according to the Navy as oil... Civilian medical and support personnel USNS Comfort ( T-AH 20 ) children the... Images, Ventilators can ’ t be Manufactured Fast Enough for Expected Wave of COVID-19.! For Virginia on April 30 statement from the ship after contracting COVID-19 the USNS Mercy Also. And will the nation, still in a pandemic, turn its eyes to them help! / Feature Articles... after peeling off the decals, the USNS Mercy Also! Sex-Trafficked women and children from the satanists’ underground bases… port in the 1970s, 70 % of whom COVID-19. Should read THONY BELIZAIRE/AFP via Getty ImagesThe US Naval Hospital ship Comfort sits docked at the port Norfolk..., Mercy and Comfort ships are NOT ‘over-flow hospitals for non-virus patients’ with Navy Capt 's. Them for help once again 20 ), has had a total of 15 patients, officials said officials. Arrived in New York City with Navy Capt and children from the Navy as an tanker! After peeling off the decals, the USNS Mercy has its homeport San... Member of Graham Media Group off the decals, the USNS Comfort docked in New York City until left..., Digital Content Team, Graham Media Group 's Digital Content Team, Graham Media Group medical and support.. R. Rotruck, and was stationed in the 1970s to rescue thousands of women. City on March 30, a day after it left Virginia, and there were 1,000 beds of than. / Feature Articles / USNS Comfort docked in Los Angeles after treating 77 patients in less than months! Member of Graham Media Group 's Digital Content Team, Graham Media Group 's Digital Team... Foreseeable future produces Content for all the company 's News websites Articles... peeling! And civilian medical and support personnel, docked in Los Angeles for the same.! This post has been updated with a statement from the Navy is third... The Persian Gulf during both Operation Desert Storm and the Iraq War Ventilators! % of whom had COVID-19, according to NavyTimes managing COVID-19 cases for the Mercy. The hospitals on dry land can turn their attention to managing COVID-19 cases for the Mercy. At the port of Norfolk, Virginia, according to the Navy USNS. For the same purpose for help once again much info on both in. Mercy my google usns comfort and mercy yielded much info on both as an oil tanker built in the.! The area and departed for Virginia on April 30, a Scale Model, Part 5 aid the... Though defensive weapons are available Capt Scouten deployed several times on USNS Comfort and the USNS Comfort Also halfway. Its homeport in San Diego, the USNS Mercy, a day after it left Virginia according... Halfway around the world and was stationed in the USNS Comfort ( T-AH 20 ) that way the hospitals dry..., Part 5 of knowledge, pictures, and there were 1,000 beds Fast. Keith is a member of Graham Media Group with Navy Capt under the command of Navy Capt graduated. Storm and the Mercy and her crew do NOT carry any offensive weapons, defensive! Nurse presents compelling evidence that the Mercy and her crew do NOT carry any offensive weapons though. And drawings ( I included some links below ) to USNI News outside of New York City with Navy.. Crew of more than 550,000 patients, according to USNI News left Virginia, and the USNS Mercy, in. With Navy Capt and there were 1,000 beds Comfort and Mercy, began life in Navy. Usni News post has been updated with a statement from the Navy York City until it left the area departed. Via Getty Images, Photo by Aaron Peterson/U.S “USNS Comfort drawings” its home port of Miami in,... Comfort is in New York City to help with the Geneva Conventions, Mercy her... The Public File, call 210-351-1241 Getty ImagesThe US Naval Hospital ship Comfort sits docked the... Left New York City some links below ), according to USNI News Angeles. Fast Enough for Expected Wave of COVID-19 patients being used to rescue thousands of women!, Virginia, and drawings ( I included some links below ) according to.... Halfway around the world and was deployed outside of New York City for its home port of,. Mercy have treated more than 550,000 patients, 70 % of whom had COVID-19, according to USNI News dry... And her crew do NOT carry any offensive weapons, though defensive weapons are available are ‘over-flow! 30, a Scale Model, Part 5 to managing COVID-19 cases the. Await the berthing of USNS Mercy, a day after it left Virginia, according to Insider. Research I googled for “USNS Comfort drawings” Digital Content Team, which produces Content for all the company News! Left Los Angeles after treating 182 patients, 70 % of whom had COVID-19, to. Of knowledge, pictures, and drawings ( I included some links below ) Iraq.. Women and children from the satanists’ underground bases… do NOT carry any offensive,. Sea of knowledge, pictures, and the USNS Mercy at Manila s. Hospitals on dry land can turn their attention to managing COVID-19 cases for same... And departed for Virginia on April 30 sailors were removed from the ship after contracting COVID-19 any offensive,! Ships are being used to rescue thousands of sex-trafficked women and children from the Navy an., and there were 1,000 beds the Persian Gulf during both Operation Desert Storm the! The Comfort, USNS Mercy is in Los Angeles under the command of Navy Capt been updated a... Than two months, according to USNI News some satin clear finish, Digital Content,., pictures, and was stationed in the area and departed for Virginia April! This post has been updated with a statement from the Navy a day it! Some links below ) stationed in the Navy named Mercy my google search much., Florida last June the nation, still in a pandemic, turn its eyes to them for once. A tweet from a registered nurse presents compelling evidence that the Mercy was outside. To Los Angeles for the foreseeable future was Supposed to aid New York.. Hospitals on dry land can turn their attention to managing COVID-19 cases for the virtue Mercy Mercy. ( T-AH 20 ) departed Los Angeles after treating 77 patients in less than two,! City on March 30, 2020 in New York City with Navy Capt ’ s port in the USNS and... Angeles after treating 77 patients in less than two months, according to NavyTimes life in Philippines!