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Hawaii Guard readies relief flight for American Samoa

By Gregg K. Kakesako

POSTED: 09:52 a.m. HST, Sep 30, 2009

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Survivors of Tuesday's devastating earthquake and tsunami in America Samoa and Samoa need tents, cots, water, and medical supplies, says the Pacific Command's top enlisted soldier.

Command Sgt. Maj. Iuniasolua Savusa, who was born in American Samoa, is part of the nearly 100-member contingent of Hawaii Army Air and Army Guard medical, communication, and search and rescue specialists who are slated to leave for American Samoa this afternoon on a C-17 Globemaster cargo jet.

Savusa, 51, hasn't heard from his brothers and sisters in American Samoa since four large waves hit American Samoa.

"I remain hopeful and optimistic, said Savusa who arrived at Camp Smith last week to become the enlisted adviser to the Adm. Timothy Keating, who heads the Pacific Command.

His job during the next four days is "to see firsthand the damage that has occurred and to help assess the situation on the ground."

"I am hoping to feed back information as fast as I can," said Savusa who has served one combat tour in Iraq and three in Afghanistan during his 34 years in the military.

First Sgt. John Andoe, who is the ranking enlisted soldier in the Hawaii Army National Guard's 93rd Civil Support Team, said nine people from his unit will make "an initial assessment of hazardous material" on the island.

The Hawaii National Guard contingent spent the morning at Hickam Air Force Base loading the C-17 with pallets of water, power generators, bottle water and MREs. The flight was one of two scheduled to leave Hickam today for the nine-hour flight to Pago Pago, 2,700 miles south of Hawaii.

 

 


Survivors of Tuesday's devastating earthquake and tsunami in America Samoa and Samoa need tents, cots, water, and medical supplies, says the Pacific Command's top enlisted soldier.

Command Sgt. Maj. Iuniasolua Savusa, who was born in American Samoa, is part of the nearly 100-member contingent of Hawaii Army Air and Army Guard medical, communication, and search and rescue specialists who are slated to leave for American Samoa this afternoon on a C-17 Globemaster cargo jet.

Savusa, 51, hasn't heard from his brothers and sisters in American Samoa since four large waves hit American Samoa.

"I remain hopeful and optimistic, said Savusa who arrived at Camp Smith last week to become the enlisted adviser to the Adm. Timothy Keating, who heads the Pacific Command.

His job during the next four days is "to see firsthand the damage that has occurred and to help assess the situation on the ground."

"I am hoping to feed back information as fast as I can," said Savusa who has served one combat tour in Iraq and three in Afghanistan during his 34 years in the military.

First Sgt. John Andoe, who is the ranking enlisted soldier in the Hawaii Army National Guard's 93rd Civil Support Team, said nine people from his unit will make "an initial assessment of hazardous material" on the island.

The Hawaii National Guard contingent spent the morning at Hickam Air Force Base loading the C-17 with pallets of water, power generators, bottle water and MREs. The flight was one of two scheduled to leave Hickam today for the nine-hour flight to Pago Pago, 2,700 miles south of Hawaii.

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