USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) facts for kids
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USNS Comfort in Trinidad and Tobago waters in September 2019
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| History | |
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| Name |
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| Builder | National Steel and Shipbuilding |
| Laid down | 1 May 1975 (as Rose City MA-301) |
| Launched | 1 February 1976 |
| In service | 1 December 1987 (with the U.S. Navy) |
| Homeport | Naval Station Norfolk |
| Identification |
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| Status | Active |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Mercy-class hospital ship |
| Displacement | 69,360 tons (70,470 t) |
| Length | 894 ft (272 m) |
| Beam | 105 ft 7 in (32.18 m) |
| Draft | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Propulsion | Two boilers, two GE turbines, one shaft, 24,500 hp (18.3 MW) |
| Speed | 17.5 knots (20.1 mph; 32.4 km/h) |
| Capacity | 1,000 patient beds |
| Complement | 63 civilian, 956 naval hospital staff, 258 naval support staff |
| Time to activate | 5 days |
| Aviation facilities | A flight deck that can handle military helicopters (CH-53D, CH-53E, MH-53E, Mi-17, UH 60) |
The USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) is a special kind of ship called a hospital ship that belongs to the United States Navy. It's like a giant floating hospital!
The Comfort helps people by giving emergency medical care. It supports U.S. forces during wars or other operations. It also provides medical help during disasters or for humanitarian missions. The ship is run by civilians from the Military Sealift Command. It can quickly offer medical and surgical services to help soldiers, sailors, and airmen on land or at sea.
In 2020, the Comfort was sent to New York City to help with the coronavirus pandemic. It treated patients who did not have coronavirus, which helped free up beds in regular hospitals for those who did.
Contents
What is the Crew Like?
The letters "USNS" in front of Comfort mean it's a non-commissioned ship. This means it's owned by the U.S. Navy but has a crew of civilians from the Military Sealift Command (MSC) who operate it.
When the Comfort goes on a mission, a team of Navy medical staff comes aboard. This team includes doctors, dentists, nurses, and other medical helpers from the Navy. They also have support staff who help with things like administration and technology.
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The Comfort and its crew do not carry offensive weapons. This is because of rules called the Geneva Conventions. These rules say that hospital ships are neutral and should not be attacked. Attacking a hospital ship would be a war crime. The ship only carries weapons for self-defense.
How Was the Ship Built?
The Comfort was not built as a hospital ship at first. It started as an oil tanker named SS Rose City in 1976. It was built by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, California.
The U.S. Navy bought the ship on December 1, 1987. Then, it was changed into a hospital ship. The Comfort is the third U.S. Navy ship to have this name. It is also the second Mercy-class hospital ship, just like its sister ship, the USNS Mercy.
For many years, the Comfort was based in Baltimore, Maryland. But in 2013, its homeport moved to Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. This move helped the Navy save money because the ship was closer to its supplies and medical staff.
What Can the Ship Do?
The USNS Comfort is a very large ship, about 894 feet (272.6 meters) long. It can travel at a speed of 17.5 knots (about 20 miles per hour).
It has a huge medical facility inside. Here are some of its amazing features:
- Patient Beds: It has 1,000 beds for patients.
- 80 beds are for intensive care (for very sick patients).
- 20 beds are for recovery.
- 280 beds are for intermediate care.
- 120 beds are for light care.
- 500 beds are for limited care.
- Operating Rooms: It has 12 operating rooms for surgeries.
- Other Facilities:
- It has an Intensive care unit (ICU).
- It has X-ray services.
- It has a main laboratory and smaller labs.
- It has a pharmacy for medicines.
- It offers physical therapy and burn care.
- It has dental services.
- It can make its own drinking water from sea water, about 300,000 gallons (1.1 million liters) per day!
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The ship also has a flight deck. This means helicopters can land on it. This is important for bringing patients to the ship or moving supplies.
Important Missions
The USNS Comfort has been on many important missions around the world.
Gulf War (1990–1991)
The Comfort was called to action for the Gulf War in August 1990. It sailed to Kuwait, near Saudi Arabia. During this time, the ship saw over 8,000 outpatients and admitted 700 patients. Its medical team performed 337 surgeries. The ship also handled over 2,100 helicopter landings.
Helping Haitian Migrants (1994)
In 1994, the Comfort was used as a center to help Haitian migrants. It was the first time a ship was used this way. It took aboard many migrants and helped them. Later that year, it went to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to provide medical and surgical support to U.S. forces and injured Haitian citizens.
After 9/11 (2001)
After the terrible September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, the USNS Comfort was sent to Manhattan. It became a 250-bed hospital at Pier 92. The ship's clinic treated 561 relief workers for injuries like cuts and breathing problems. The Navy psychology team also gave 500 mental health consultations to help workers cope.
Iraq War (2002–2003)
In 2003, the Comfort sailed to the Persian Gulf to help during the Iraq War. It worked as a floating trauma center. The ship treated nearly 700 patients, including U.S. military personnel, Iraqi civilians, and even enemy prisoners of war. It performed 590 surgeries and transfused over 600 units of blood.
Hurricane Katrina (2005)
In September 2005, the USNS Comfort quickly deployed to help after Hurricane Katrina caused huge damage in the Gulf Coast. It went to Pascagoula, Mississippi and then to New Orleans. The ship's team saw 1,956 patients during this mission.
Partnership for the Americas (2007)
In 2007, the Comfort went on a humanitarian mission called "Partnership for the Americas." It visited 12 countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The medical crew gave free health care to over 98,000 patients and performed 1,100 surgeries. This mission helped train U.S. military personnel and showed goodwill in the region. Dentists on board treated 25,000 patients, and bio-medical experts fixed about a thousand pieces of medical equipment in local hospitals.
Operation Continuing Promise (2011)
In 2011, the ship deployed for five months on "Operation Continuing Promise." It provided medical and surgical services to nine countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, including Jamaica, Peru, and Haiti. The crew set up temporary medical clinics on land, offering primary care, dental, eye care, and more. On the ship, they performed specialized surgeries. This mission also included U.S. Army veterinarians, U.S. Air Force technicians, and Canadian Navy dental teams.
Hurricane Maria (2017)
After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, the Comfort sailed to the island. It arrived in early October. The ship's team worked with local groups and evaluated over 6,000 patients. They admitted 290 patients to the ship and performed 192 surgeries. The Comfort was very important because it had the only working oxygen-producing plant on the island, filling tanks for other hospitals. It also helped sterilize surgery kits for many hospitals, allowing them to keep working. The ship provided life-saving care, including dialysis, and even had two births on board!
Operation Enduring Promise (2018)
In October 2018, the Comfort went on an eleven-week mission to Latin America. Its main goal was to help countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Honduras that were receiving many refugees from the crisis in Venezuela. The ship provided care for almost 27,000 patients and performed 599 surgeries in five stops across four countries.
Awards and Honors
The USNS Comfort has received many awards for its important work:
- Combat Action Ribbon
- Joint Meritorious Unit Award
- Navy Unit Commendation
- Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Southwest Asia Service Medal
- Humanitarian Service Medal
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| 4th Row | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Humanitarian Service Medal w/3 service stars | Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) |
In 2008, the masters and crews of the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy were given special awards for their humanitarian missions.
- Naval Vessel Register entry for USNS Comfort
See also
In Spanish: USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) para niños
