US Marines Aid Philippines in Typhoon Disaster Relief

The United States Marine Corps has been dispatched to assist in disaster relief efforts in the Philippines following the havoc caused by Typhoon Krathon. The typhoon, locally referred to as Julian, struck the northernmost islands of the Philippines on September 30, causing widespread destruction and displacing hundreds of families. In response, the United States has mobilized its forces, as part of a request from the Philippine government, to aid local relief efforts.

According to a statement from the Marine Corps, two aircraft departed from Okinawa, Japan, to Manila on Saturday, carrying tarps, shelter kits, food packets, and other essential supplies. The operation involves units such as the III Marine Expeditionary Force, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA), which have recently commenced exercises in the country.

The Marine units are transporting supplies via air, operating in conjunction with regional military units to ensure efficient distribution. The KC-130 aircraft used in the mission belong to the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Col. Stuart Glenn, commander of MRF-SEA, noted that over two dozen Marines were involved, loading nearly 100,000 pounds of relief materials for delivery.

Alongside them, the amphibious assault ship Boxer, part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, is also present in the region. The ship has been active since July, following repairs to its rudder, and is now participating in distributing relief supplies to remote island areas. Col. Sean Dynan stated, “The primary focus of our mission is helping the people of the Philippines recover as quickly and safely as possible.” He highlighted the collaboration with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in these efforts.

The operations are part of a broader commitment from the U.S. military to provide humanitarian assistance in regions struck by natural disasters. In a previous mission, the III Marine Expeditionary Force coordinated the delivery of nearly 60,000 pounds of aid following severe mudslides in the Philippines, underlining the ongoing partnership between the two nations.

Military.com reached out to Marine Corps headquarters for further details about the current number of Marines involved in the relief mission, the quantity of support delivered, and other specifics. However, no response was available at this time. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had earlier authorized the deployment of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific to support USAID’s relief operations on the request of the Philippine government.