The HH60 Pave Hawk helicopters flew from RAF Lakenheath in Norfolk to a base
in Sicily and from there to the USS Ponce, an amphibious assault ship with
300 Marines on board.
The two American aircraft, manned by two pilots, door gunners and a
specialised rescue crew, will be deployed to Libya
if aircraft are shot down by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.
They recently saw service in Afghanistan but will now be based on the USS
Ponce.
"If one of the coalition aircraft were to crash those search and rescue
folks would go and find the pilot," said Commander Etta Jones, the
captain of the ship, one of five US Navy surface vessels in the area.
The US Navy vessel is equipped with dozens of Hummer trucks, landing craft and
armoured bulldozers, but Cdr Jones insisted that the ship was not preparing
to land on Libyan soil – in line with the repeated insistence of Western
governments.
"Our role is to stand by for humanitarian assistance. We can take people
on board. It's not exactly a five-star hotel but it's safe and it comes with
hot food and plumbing."
"If there's a civilian refugee mission, we will be an asset. If it's
standing room only, we can take 1,000 people on board but 800 is more
comfortable. We can provide humanitarian aid to Libyans or whoever else
needs it."
The Daily Telegraph was flown to the ship by helicopter from Sigonella, an
American-Italian airbase in eastern Sicily, in the first batch of
journalists to witness the naval build-up in the Mediterranean.
At least half a dozen coalition vessels could be seen on the horizon.
Britain's HMS Cumberland and HMS Westminster were deployed further south,
closer to the Libyan coast, according to the Americans.
The USS Ponce, one of the oldest ships in the US Navy, left the United States
eight months ago and has since been on exercise with Kenyan forces and
providing humanitarian assistance to Pakistan after the country's
devastating floods.
"Nobody could have guessed we'd be in Libya when we deployed back in
August," said Lt Sean Hurley.
While the ship's 350 crew prepare for a possible humanitarian mission off
Libya, the 300 Marines on board pump iron, practise their martial arts
skills below deck and await their orders.
They have history in this part of the world – in the early 19th century
American marines and sailors battled Barbary pirates who were holding
European shipping to ransom.
The Marine Corps' hymn still includes the line "From the halls of
Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli, we fight our country's battles, in the
air, on land and sea."
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