Category: US Navy Pacific Fleet

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (July 17, 2024) Col. Astrophile Mwele, commander of the Vanuatu Mobile Force, presents possible human remains evidence to U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Asuncion, right, the Senior U.S. Official in Vanuatu, during a ceremonial exchange attended by representatives from the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu, the U.S. State Department, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Chairman of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council, USAID, and servicemembers assigned to Pacific Partnership 24-2 at the Efate Port Vila War Memorial in Port Vila, Vanuatu. July 17, 2024. The possible human remains evidence were recovered from a U.S. Navy PBY-5 Catalina that crashed in what is now the Republic of Vanuatu during World War II. The DPAA mission is to search for, find and account for missing Defense Department personnel from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War and other recent conflicts. More than 82,000 Americans remain missing from those conflicts, with 34,000 believed to be recoverable, according to DPAA. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan D. McLearnon.)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (July 17, 2024) Col. Astrophile Mwele, commander of the Vanuatu Mobile Force, renders a salute after presenting possible human remains evidence to U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Asuncion, right, the Senior U.S. Official in Vanuatu, during a ceremonial exchange attended by representatives from the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Chairman of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council, USAID, and servicemembers assigned to Pacific Partnership 24-2 at the Efate Port Vila War Memorial in Port Vila, Vanuatu. July 17, 2024. The possible human remains evidence were recovered from a U.S. Navy PBY-5 Catalina that crashed in what is now the Republic of Vanuatu during World War II. The DPAA mission is to search for, find and account for missing Defense Department personnel from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War and other recent conflicts. More than 82,000 Americans remain missing from those conflicts, with 34,000 believed to be recoverable, according to DPAA. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan D. McLearnon.)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (July 17, 2024) Chief August, left, Chairman of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council, speaks during a ceremonial exchange of possible human remains attended by U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Asuncion, right, the Senior U.S. Official in Vanuatu, representatives from the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu, The Vanuatu Mobile Force, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, USAID, and servicemembers assigned to Pacific Partnership 24-2 at the Efate Port Vila War Memorial in Port Vila, Vanuatu. July 17, 2024. The possible human remains evidence were recovered from a U.S. Navy PBY-5 Catalina that crashed in what is now the Republic of Vanuatu during World War II. The DPAA mission is to search for, find and account for missing Defense Department personnel from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War and other recent conflicts. More than 82,000 Americans remain missing from those conflicts, with 34,000 believed to be recoverable, according to DPAA. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan D. McLearnon.)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (July 17, 2024) U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Asuncion, right, the Senior U.S. Official in Vanuatu, shakes hands with Chief August, Chairman of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council, following a ceremonial exchange of possible human remains attended by representatives from the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu, The Vanuatu Mobile Force, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, and servicemembers assigned to Pacific Partnership 24-2 at the Efate Port Vila War Memorial in Port Vila, Vanuatu. July 17, 2024. The possible human remains evidence were recovered from a U.S. Navy PBY-5 Catalina that crashed in what is now the Republic of Vanuatu during World War II. The DPAA mission is to search for, find and account for missing Defense Department personnel from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War and other recent conflicts. More than 82,000 Americans remain missing from those conflicts, with 34,000 believed to be recoverable, according to DPAA. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan D. McLearnon.)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

U.S. Navy Divers from Mobile Diving and Salvage Company 1-5 (Commander, Task Group 73.6) led a robust diving and salvage exercise (DIVEX) as part of the 2024 Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) between the Bangladesh and United States Navies from April 22 to May 2. The event marked the 30th anniversary of the first iteration of CARAT exercises, an annual series which Bangladesh joined in 2010. This year’s DIVEX was hosted by the Special Warfare Diving and Salvage (SWADS) Division of the Bangladesh Navy at BNS Nirvik in Chattogram.
The purpose of CARAT exercises is to create an opportunity for regional navies to discuss shared maritime security concerns as well as enhance partnerships with regional navies. Diving units have historically used the CARAT exercises to increase mutual proficiency and improve interoperability. The exercise featured a range of diving engagements, demonstrating the ability for SWADS and CTG 73.6 to conduct advanced bilateral diving and salvage operations.
USN and Bangladesh Navy (BN) divers conducted multiple subject matter expert exchanges on diving operations over seven training days. Training covered a broad array of topics to include underwater searching procedures, handheld sonar systems, basic diving medicine and casualty assessment, and surface decompression techniques. Additionally, both groups gained valuable insight on salvage operations through sharing lessons learned from recent missions.
Navy Diver 2nd Class Samuel Harrison,Diving CTG 73.6, led three days of classroom and practical training on handheld sonar operations with 15 SWADS divers. Harrison discussed the potential benefits of a handheld sonar system with the Bangladeshi dive team prior to hands-on system familiarization during SCUBA dives in the SWADS aquatic center. The tool immediately sparked interest throughout SWADS, whose divers are accustomed to diving in near-zero visibility waters.
Navy Diver 1st Class Jason Wadsworth, CTG 73.6, supported three days dive medicine engagements with the SWADS divers, emphasizing the practical execution of neurological examinations and the emergency procedures for stricken divers. In exchange, the SWADS Diving Officer conducted training on the unit’s Portable Recompression Chamber (PRC), a man-portable emergency recompression chamber which is used to simulate the pressure of seawater on a person while on surface to prevent decompression sickness as well as treat diving-related casualties.
CARAT Bangladesh 2024 presented an excellent opportunity for USN and BN divers to extend their long-lasting friendship and professional respect.
“My team and I truly enjoyed our time working alongside SWADS.” said, Lt. Will Rittenhouse, CTG 73.6, “I think both sets of divers are coming out of this exercise more proficient and more knowledgeable than when we started.”
As the Honorable Peter Haas, U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, stated during the CARAT opening ceremony, “The security relationship between our two countries and in the region is an important one. Our militaries are finding more ways to expand their ability to work together to counter security threats and alleviate the impact of natural disasters.”
CTG 73.6 and SWADS successfully expanded interoperable capabilities while advancing the strong ties between the U.S. and Bangladesh Navies.

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)