USNS Mercy and the Pacific Partnership 2010 at The Sihanoukville Port. Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

USNS Mercy

USNS Mercy

In June 2010, the USNS Mercy came to SihanoukVille, Cambodia as part of the Pacific Partnership 2010. Supporting U.S. disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide, the Mercy, along with it's crew of U.S. Navy, Army, Military personnel from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, and The United Kingdom, and a host of NGO's from throughout the land came to Cambodia, only to help. Operation Smile, who have been here before were also on hand.

If you took a trip to the local public hospital, The SihanoukVille Hospital, you would have thought there was an invasion in town. Except all the thousands of patients swarming around the hospital, coming from all over Cambodia, were so happy to be in Sunny SihanoukVille! The local patients checked in to the hospital before going on the Mercy for surgery, and many problems were taken care of right on the spot. The Japanese ship JDS Kunisaki accompanied the Mercy to SihanoukVille, and provided an instant surgery room inside a truck, as well as providing many other medical services.

The USNS Mercy started life as an oil supertanker, and ended up as one of the top hospitals in the world. A first for Cambodia!

Thanks to everyone participating in the Pacific Partnership 2010 for helping us out here in Cambodia.
Much appreciated.

The USNS Mercy Hospital Ship

Guard duty can be hot in Cambodia, but it's always fun.

The American Ambassador to Cambodia, at the opening ceremony for the Pacific Partnership 2010 in SihanoukVille, Cambodia.

At the opening ceremony for the Pacific Partnership 2010 in Cambodia

Opening Ceremony, Pacific Partnership 2010 Commander Lisa Franchetti

The Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia at the Pacific Partnership 2010 Opening Ceremony

Captain of the JDS Kunisaki, at the opening ceremony of the Pacific Partnership 2010 in Cambodia

Commodore Veasna of the Cambodian Navy, along with his American Counterpart

The USNS Mercy is the BIG ship in this picture

Thank You Obama

Looking for a Tuk Tuk ride into SihanoukVille?

Opening ceremony of the Pacific Partnership 2010 in SihanoukVille, Cambodia

It's not an opening ceremony, without the band. Turn it up!

Welcome USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) to Sunny SihanoukVille, Cambodia. Please drop by anytime

Captain of the JDS Kunisaki

A trip to the big boat

The Japanese Navy stood guard for the USNS Mercy

Tuk Tuk drivers in SihanoukVille, looking for a week's pay. (or maybe a month)

Audience for the Pacific Partnership 2010 ceremony in SihanoukVille, Cambodia

Lots of white hats in attendence
Lots of white hats in attendance

At the SihanoukVille Port, on the pier.

The Bandaid II ferry ship for the USNS Mercy

Medical room inside the Mercy

The Mercy's crew at work

They help, they care.... Thank you!
They help, they care.... Thank you!

Medical room on the Mercy

Cambodia and America. Working together
Cambodia and America. Working together.

A gaggle of reporters on the USNS Mercy

America. Best snacks in the world
America. Best snacks in the world

Please, DO NOT touch the thumbtacks on the map. (you might set the ship off course) Thank You.

Prepared for any emergency. Stretchers line many walls in the ship.
Prepared for any emergency. Stretchers line many walls in the ship.

Micronesia looks like a nice place too.

A few of the former Captains of the USNS Mercy

Australia came to the rescue too

Operating room on the USNS Mercy

Nobody at in the mess, 'cause they were busy working at the SihanoukVille Hospital.

So the cooks could stand around waving to us.

Navigator?

USNS Mercy Ship's Cockpit
USNS Mercy Ship's Bridge

The ship probably is 6 stories high

Fire!..... Not for long on the Mercy

Danger. Biomedical Equipment Technician inside
Danger. Biomedical Equipment Technician inside

If you have a hospital ship, you gotta have drugs. (and people who know how to use them)

Engine Team 2005. And they're still going.
Engine Team 2005. It was a good year.

They appear to be bicycle locks

The Engineering Team strikes again (does that say "We Bail water"?)

Some U.S. Mercy Navy crew on shore leave in Sunny SihanoukVille, who made me promise to put their picture on this website.

Many more pictures of the Pacific Partnership 2010 at the SihanoukVille Hospital website, and on this website on the JDS Kunisaki. Also, some good work done at the Goodwill School in SihanoukVille.

And finally, the finale. Here's some pictures of the closing ceremony for the Pacific Partnership 2010 in Cambodia. And the pre-closing party aboard the JDS Kunisake.