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David Guttenfelder / AP
Japanese military unload food aid from a U.S. helicopter, that was dispatched from the the USS George Washington, as it lands near a shelter in the earthquake and tsunami-hit town of Minamisanriku, Friday, March 18.
AP photojournalist David Guttenfelder shares his experience covering the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
I was inside a shelter on a hill above the leveled city of Minamisanriku. I heard a helicopter from the USS Ronald Reagan approaching outside. Several Japanese troops and I ran out into a muddy field where it landed. One of the U.S. crew members pantomimed to the Japanese that there were boxes of food on board and they began lifting cans of beans, dried foods, and powdered milk and stacking them outside. An American crew member approached me and, shouting over the thump of the chopper blades, he asked "Do you speak English? What do these people need? Medicine? Food?' I'd just arrived and didn't know. I glanced inside the makeshift hospital and saw they had medicine, so I shouted back that I guessed they needed food. After that, I found a Japanese soldier and a medic and told them to make a list of what they needed and give it to the chopper when they came back. They wrote on a Post-it note that they needed more food and especially cooking and heating gas. An hour later, the scene replayed. We heard another chopper coming in, this time from the USS George Washington. After food was unloaded, a crew member came up to me and shouted "Do you speak English? What do these people need?"
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More Post-IT Notes?
omg I laughed my coffee through my nose..humor does have it's place in times of unbelievable tragedy.
I have a feeling that the article was cut short or something. We must not have the entire column. I think we're doing one heck of a job and am glad. I feel very sorry for these people. They are so quiet, yet courageous. If that happened here, roving bands of looters would be breaking into and stealing whatever they could. Remember Katrina?
There is absolutely nothing left around them; nothing. I have no idea how they'll begin to clean up this horrible mess and find the missing. Unbelievable.
So what is the point of this story ? Yes, we know most Americans do not speak Japanese, no news there. Yes we know they just had an earthquake and tsunami and have lost almost everything, yes we know things are confused and not well planned, we know communication is a problem. So what is the big deal about two different US chopper crews asking the Japanese what they need ? Looks like someone trying to make a story where none exists.
It is plain enough the US crew is w a mission to fly in some food aids, n it is out of good intentions, n wanting to help appropriately that a question was asked. Perhaps, it is an American w Asian features, n asking a question when u hve a doubt is not a sin.
Not so much about making a story or questioning the the story board. The line is HOW MAY WE HELP U, Japanese friends, whom just went through the traumas n tragedies of multiple disaster..w the Nuke Plant in Fukushima Daichi on the verge of melting point...
I am glad some of the relieved aids have already made it into Japan. W some 80 other nations who also offered help. Pointing a finger and being quick to judge at the slightest speck in the eye does not offer very much help really. Each n everyone out there, r concerned n wished to contribute n help in ways that r within their means, wealth n capabilities. N all r welcome no matter how small or big a contribution.
MM84.....Boy, you are one "happy person". Do you bitch about everything? Does anything please you or make you smile? Maybe if you did something good for someone, it would make you feel better.
here we go again with lack of communication.
Hey...stupid: FYI: The USS Ronald Regan is about 100 miles NORTH of the relief area, anchored at sea. The USS George Washington is docked at the fleet's base, about 250 SOUTH of the relief theater. The helo from the the GW was IN THE AIR, in order to reach the area in question. Unless you KNOW.....SHUT UP
God Bless these troops. If only our congressmen and Senators had as much heart and served as well as our troops.
I think the point of this post is to show that the US is ready and willing to bring aid to people that need it in Japan. The second helicopter team KNEW that there had already been a previous helicopter; however, they were still ready to listen and see if they needed anything further. The 2nd team could have just taken off after they were finished bringing the supplies. Instead, they offered to bring more. But that's just me, reading between the lines.
...just a story to for 2 idiots to make jokes, i suppose, instead of the point of the story, from the POV of the folks in the photo. but since you two idiots probably never served in the Armed Forces, of course you'd be dumb enough to make jokes...
If this photo journalist is trying to make a point about poor communication between the crews aboard the USS George Washington and the USS Ronald Reagan, he should be ashamed. He obviously has no idea what it takes for these humanitarian aid missions take to plan out. If the second helo arrived an hour later, the second helo was already loaded and ready to take off prior to the first helo landing back on the Reagan. How is this person judging the communication when he doesn't understand how these missions work. It is a disgrace. Those men are away from their families trying to help our allies...praise them, don't write degrading comments about poor communication.
Strange story, a serious lack of information, and a misleading title...
May God Bless Japan and its courageous and wonderful People to overcome this hardtime.
The Both Japan and USA nations always live together in good time and hard times! MayGod Bless Japan and its People to reduce their suffering caused by 3 great disasters at the same time!
We love Japanese the Greatest and most Wonderful People in this world.
I get the point. Americans are always willing to help out in every way possible. Even after they have given them everything they asked for, they ask them again if there is anything else they need. And they will probably ask them again and again. That is the way we are. Not everyone in the world is like that. That is one of the things that makes us a great country.
Thinker has it right. The journalist is illustrating our help doesn't end with one chopper of help. This was not at all about the communication between crews.
Pity those with such a cynical takeaway.
thanks for telling us what the facts mean again.
I ribbit you this:
This question would probably come up at any chopper delivery in a combat zone. No point in delivering useless items, like say spatulas, when you need ammo, or ammo when you need food. I'm quite certain it is what is called Protocol.
Ribbit. Phrog over and out.
The second chopper came, they handed them the sticky note after they asked what they needed, which said..."food, cooking and heating gas, and a compassionate heart for the world"...
I totally agree with you!
US Navy is there; US Navy is helping; US Navy is doing what Japanese Navy is not doing; Eternal Father Strong to Save; God Bless US Navy.
I so agree with those who see the military as heroes, not just in war but also in peace. They deserve our thank, gratiude and respect...And maybe we should remember "One nation under God' not Gods.
Your last sentence has nothing whatsoever to do with this; keep your proselitizing (sp?) to yourself. It does not help here and will only cause bickering (we've seen that often enough).
I also believe that the point of this story was to show how eager Americans are to help and how careful they are to try to help appropriately (as was pointed out, giving food where food was needed and medicine where medicine was needed, not the other way around).
I am proud of our military working so hard to help relieve this overwhelming suffering. May they be safe in their duties, and may they find strength to continue.
Point of story? One of two problematic conclusions:
communication and planning among American military is not operative in this situation
or
Japanese have given U.S. military so few ways to help that all ships respond to the slightest hint of need.
those two (and others like them) in the world. are why the words, pathetic & loser were combined saddest thing is they dont even know
let those people have all the help they can give'm..it could be us...
"it could be us" and nobody would do a damn thing to help! why do we?
I also don't quite see the point of the story? They were just trying to fill their needs.
For those who don't get it, this is a real-time story describing what it's like to be on the front lines offering aid and yet not knowing what kinds of supplies are needed. The resources are plentifull (off shore) and the communications are not.
A journalist writing about a moment in time. These people are desperate for food, heat and medication. Horror stories coming out about the elderly in these shelters. Imagine being old without your medication, homeless, freezing to death and ill with no food. Imagine a child in diapers with no diapers available, no running toilets, cold and hungry. What is so hard to understand? We are there to help. We want to get the people what they need ASAP. It's an emergency.
Hey...stupid: FYI: The USS Ronald Regan is about 100 miles NORTH of the relief area, anchored at sea. The USS George Washington is docked at the fleet's base, about 250 SOUTH of the relief theater. The helo from the the GW was IN THE AIR, in order to reach the area in question. Unless you KNOW.....SHUT UP
Thank God...somebody gets it!
Thank God...somebody gets it!
Thank U very much