Rob Williams - Orangejack

A U.S. military relief mission is underway in the tsunami-ravaged areas of southern Asia. Additional help is en route from military facilities in the region. Among the efforts:

• An aircraft carrier battle group off Sumatra is ferrying supplies to Banda Aceh.
• Supplies are being flown to Jakarta, Medan, and Banda Aceh. Surveillance aircraft are helping in search and rescue.
• Naval medical personnel are at work in Meulaboh.
• Military assessment teams in Sri Lanka, Thailand Indonesia are assisting those nations in getting supplies to the areas in greatest need.

By the numbers
U.S. military resources involved in the disaster relief effort:

• Personnel: 12,600
• Ships: 21
• Aircraft: 80
• Humanitarian aid: 430,000 pounds of food, supplies and equipment, including 76,800 daily rations to Medan and 32,000 rations to the Maldives.

In transit

• A group of seven ships, including an amphibious assault ship and helicopters, is headed from Guam to Sri Lanka.
• Seven ships with the capacity to produce 90,000 gallons of fresh water per day are sailing from Diego Garcia and Guam.
• A field hospital ship in Guam may be ordered to the area, depending on need and the findings of assessment teams.

Sources: Department of Defense, Associated Press
Graphic reporting by Brady MacDonald