:Operation Sahayogi Haat

A magnitude M_W 7.8 earthquake struck the region of Kathmandu in Nepal on April 25, 2015. Operation Sahayogi Haat (Nepali: "helping hands"){{efn-ua|"U.S. military earthquake relief efforts in Nepal led by Joint Task Force 505 have been named “Operation Sahayogi Haat,” which means “Helping Hand” in Nepali, by U.S. Pacific Command based out of Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii."{{cite press release|url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/id/128776/ |title=Nepal Earthquake Relief Effort Named 'Operation Sahayogi Haat' |publisher=Joint Task Force 505 |type=News Release |location=Kathmandu, Nepal |date=May 10, 2015 |access-date=May 30, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/sahayogi-haat.htm |title=Operation Sahayogi Haat / Helping Hand |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org |access-date=May 31, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://nepalforeignaffairs.com/nepal-earthquake-relief-effort-named-operation-sahayogi-haat/ |title=Nepal Earthquake Relief Effort Named 'Operation Sahayogi Haat' |work=Nepal Foreign Affairs |date=May 10, 2015 |access-date=May 31, 2015}}}} for humanitarian relief operations was put into action by Joint Task Force 505 on May 6. {{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/id/128744/ |title=Joint Task Force Activates for Nepal Earthquake Relief |author= |date=May 6, 2015 |website=Marine Corps Forces Pacific News Release |publisher=U.S. Department of Defense |access-date=May 29, 2015 }} This task force was put into operation to organize the humanitarian relief efforts to limit further loss of life and suffering. The task force provided the U.S. military response to additionally support Nepal’s government. It joined the efforts that were already going by the Joint Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team and the U.S. Agency for International Development and Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance Response Team. These humanitarian services along with urban search and rescue teams were already delivered to Nepal by the U.S. Air Force. A statement from the U.S. Department of Defense says that their fast response relief efforts in Nepal likely reduced the scale of further disaster following the earthquake.

{{cite web |url= https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/id/128868/ |title=Official says DoD likely lessened Nepal Quake's effects |author= |date=May 21, 2015 |newspaper=DoD News |publisher=U.S. Department of Defense |access-date=May 29, 2015 }}

Another earthquake on May 12 of M_W 7.3 struck the same general region of Kathmandu on the same fault as the April earthquake. Humanitarian relief efforts were immediately deployed.{{cn|date=June 2015}}

A U.S. Marine Corps Bell UH-1Y "Venom" Huey, BuNo 168792, 'SE-08',{{cite news|url=http://www.helis.com/database/accidents/|title=Helicopter Accidents – Helicopter Database|newspaper=helis.com}} of Camp Pendleton-based HMLA-469 "Vengeance" was declared missing on May 12 while supporting the relief operations in the Charikot Region of the Himalaya Mountains.{{cite web |url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/05/12/us-marine-helicopter-missing-in-nepal-earthquake-aid-mission/27180137/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin= |title= PACOM: Missing Marine helicopter in Nepal not spotted|author= |date=May 13, 2015 |newspaper=Marine Corps Times |publisher=U.S. Marine Corps |access-date=May 29, 2015 }} {{cite web |url=http://news.usni.org/2015/05/12/marine-uh-1y-helicopter-missing-in-nepal |title=Updated: Marine UH-1Y Helicopter Missing in Nepal, Aerial Search to Begin at Daybreak |author= |date=May 12, 2015 |newspaper=USNI News |publisher=U.S. Naval Institute |access-date=May 29, 2015 }} The Nepalese Army discovered the crash site on Friday, May 15.{{cite web |url=http://www.oafnation.com/news-1/2015/5/17/nepal-helo-crash-officials-identify-marines-and-soldiers-involved |title=Nepal Helo Crash: Officials Identify Marines and Soldiers involved |author= |date=May 17, 2015 |website=NEWS |publisher=OAF Nation |access-date=May 29, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150711080244/http://www.oafnation.com/news-1/2015/5/17/nepal-helo-crash-officials-identify-marines-and-soldiers-involved |archive-date=July 11, 2015 |df=mdy-all }} All eight service members aboard perished. The six U.S. Marines are: Capt Dustin R. Lukasiewicz, Capt Christopher L. Norgen, Sgt Ward M. Johnson IV, Sgt Eric M. Seaman, Cpl Sara A. Medina and LCpl Jacob A. Hug. The two Nepalese soldiers are: Tapendra Rawal and Basanta Titara.

On May 15 an "Open Letter" from the People of Nepal remembering the Marines was published. It was thereafter replied to by Peter W. Bodde, Ambassador of the United States of America to Nepal.{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@amrit_sharma/open-letter-to-the-us-marines-from-the-people-of-nepal-ea9eaa68ad07 |first1=Amrit |last1=Sharma |title=Open Letter To The US Marines From The People of Nepal |date=May 15, 2015 |access-date=May 31, 2015}}

File:JTF 505 supplies onto heliocopter.jpg

There were a total of about 900 U.S. military personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps that contributed to the relief effort under Joint Task Force 505 management. There were about 300 in Nepal, 320 in the main headquarters in Japan, and 280 at the Intermediate Staging Base in Thailand. The U.S. military contributed three Marine Corps UH-1Y Huey helicopters, four Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, four Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, four Air Force C-130 Hercules and four Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules aircraft to the relief effort.

{{cite web |url=http://www.marines.mil/News/NewsDisplay/tabid/3258/Article/589642/jtf-505-deactivates-after-operation-sahayogi-haat.aspx |title=JTF 505 deactivates after Operation Sahayogi Haat |author= |date=May 26, 2015 |website=Marines |publisher=U.S. Marine Corps|access-date= May 29, 2015}}

Between arrival on May 5 and through May 18, working with the Nepalese army, 42 Airmen{{efn-ua|"The 36th CRG, under Joint Task Force 505, is a 42-person team that represents more than 20 Air Force career fields needed to extend air mobility in support of disaster relief missions in nearly any type of environment."}} from the 36th Contingency Response Group offloaded more than {{convert|4|e6lb|t}} of cargo from 80 aircraft at the Tribhuvan International Airport. According to Capt. Brint Ingersoll, Operations Officer, this "is the most cargo the 36th CRG has downloaded in one disaster relief operation."{{efn-ua|In two weeks, they "cut the download time for most aircraft in half, averaging 974 pounds of cargo downloaded every minute." Once downloaded, humanitarian aid was dispatched the same day, "thereby avoiding any congestion at the airfield."{{cite news |url=http://www.mybaseguide.com/News/97-386/andersen_afb_operation_sahayogi_haat_cargo_download_passes_4_million_pounds |newspaper=My Base Guide |publisher=Andersen Air Force Base |title=Operation Sahayogi Haat cargo download passes 4 million pounds |date=May 18, 2015 |first1=Maj. Ashley |last1=Conner |location=Kathmandu, Nepal |access-date=May 30, 2015}}}}

The American task force acted in concert with over 60 other nations in relief operations. The Royal Thai Navy materially assisted relief efforts.{{cite news |url=http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/thai-and-usa-forces-combine-to-help-earthquake-victims-in-nepal-47436 |title=Thai and USA forces combine to help earthquake victims in Nepal |date=May 29, 2015 |first1=Staff Sgt. Alexander |last1=Martinez |newspaper=Pattaya Mail |access-date=May 31, 2015}} The Nepal Army continued its Operation Sankat Mochan to aid the affected population along with the Indian Army and delivered several tons of relief materials, and rescued stranded people.{{cite news|title=Operation Maitri by Indian Army continues after 12 May Earthquake|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2015/05/operation-maitri-by-indian-army-continues-after-12-may-earthquake/|access-date=May 12, 2015|publisher=news.biharprabha.com|date=May 12, 2015}} The China International Search and Rescue Team deployed 68 of its members, as well as six search and rescue dogs, to Nepal via chartered plane in the early morning of April 26, Beijing time.{{cite news|script-title=zh:中国国际救援队出发 尼泊尔驻华大使感叹患难之交|language=Chinese|url=http://gb.cri.cn/42071/2015/04/26/6351s4943191.htm|access-date=April 28, 2015|work=CRI|date=April 26, 2015|archive-date=December 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226113643/http://news.cri.cn/gb/42071/2015/04/26/6351s4943191.htm|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|script-title=zh:中国国际救援队飞赴尼泊尔震区 精选6条搜救犬|language=Chinese|url=http://video.sina.com.cn/p/news/c/v/2015-04-26/074764879167.html?opsubject_id=top1|publisher=CCTV|date=April 26, 2015}}

The task force was deactivated on May 26, 2015. During the operation the United States Marine Corps reported about {{convert|120|ST}} of relief supplies had been deployed. That included shelter kits with blankets, medical supplies, and emergency supplemental food supplies including water. They also reported the transportation of 553 personnel rescues and 69 casualty evacuations that were carried out since the operation began. {{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/id/128906/ |title=Nepal Earthquake Response Task Force Deactivates |author= |date=May 26, 2015 |website=DoD News |publisher=U.S. Department of Defense |access-date=May 29, 2015 }}

• Operation Sankat Mochan, the Nepal Army earthquake relief operation
• Operation Maitri, the Indian Armed Forces earthquake relief operation
• Humanitarian response to the 2015 Nepal earthquake

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• [https://www.defense.gov/home/features/2015/0415_nepal-earthquake/ Operation Sahayogi Haat, Nepal Earthquake Relief], US Department of Defense
• [https://www.dvidshub.net/video/405235/general-wisslers-remarks-press-conference-operation-sahayogi-haat-may-20 General Wissler's Remarks: Press Conference Operation Sahayogi Haat May 20]

{{2015 Nepal earthquake|state=collapsed}}

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Operation Sahayogi Haat

Operation Sahayogi Haat

Category:Humanitarian military operations

Operation Sahayogi Haat

peration Sahayogi Haat

Category:Non-combat military operations involving Nepal

Category:Non-combat military operations involving the United States