Jim Thomas, Master Chief Machinist Mate aboard the USS Bataan, is proud of his crew. When Operation Unified Response was launched, to help the people of Haiti, Thomas and his crew of 60 put the “cold” ship back together and fired up the 2 high pressure steam boilers. An operation that usually would have taken a day or two was done in ten hours. His engineering crew maintains and operates the boilers that provide for water, electricity and propulsion to the ship. The steam is vital when at sea.  It turns the shaft connected to the propellers, runs electrical generators and is used to make fresh water through two huge evaporators.

On January 16th 2010 the ship-loaded with over 2200 US Marines and Navy personnel and hundreds of tons of supplies-left port in Morehead City, NC bound for the coast of Haiti. The ship plays a vital role in delivering relief supplies, Humvee, heavy equipment and personnel used by the US military to help rebuild Haiti. Watch the video below to learn more about the engineering crew of the USS Bataan.

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