The Washington-based destroyer Shoup was floating in the Pacific Friday afternoon, 1,000 miles away from anything in the Pacific on Friday afternoon when one of its sailors began suffereding from a health emergency.
Destroyers have highly trained independent duty corpsmen assigned and the medical staff did the best they could, but the medical issue was serious and demanded a doctor and a hospital patient needed a doctor, according to a Navy official familiar with the incident. he official could not specify the sailor's health issue, citing privacy concerns.
So With a sailor in dire straits, Shoup called U.S. 3rd Fleet and requested informed them they needed a MEDEVAC. It was about 2:15 p.m. and the Coast Guard didn't have an available unit. Time was of the essence. Third Fleet dispatched the destroyer Michael Murphy from its berth in Pearl Harbor, with a doctor aboard. Their instructions: Get the Shoup within helicopter range as fast as possible and get the sick sailor aboard. -based embarked a doctor and set out as fast as possible to get within helicopter range of the Shoup.
"While Michael Murphy made best speed to close within helicopter range of Shoup, the medical team aboard Shoup worked to keep the Sailor stable," a Navy release said.
Early on Saturday morning, the Murphy was within range and Shoup launched an MH-60R Seahawk from the embarked Maritime Strike Squadron 35 to race to transfer the sick sailor, whose identity and condition officials withheld out of privacy concerns.
"Once safely on board, Michael Murphy headed back to Hawaii and transferred the Sailor and embarked doctor to Tripler Army Medical Center as soon as the ship was within helicopter range," the release said.
The sailor is stable but remains under close medical supervision, Navy spokesman Lt. Loren Terry said Tuesday.
Third Fleet boss Vice Adm. Nora Tyson thanked the crews of Murphy and Shoup for their teamwork and fast response.
"While our thoughts and prayers remain with the young Sailor who is fighting through this medical emergency, we could not be more proud of the extraordinary team effort from USS Shoup, USS Michael Murphy and the medical teams ashore," Tyson said, according to the release. "There is nothing more important to us than the health and safety of our Sailors and that was on display during every facet of this emergency response."
David B. Larter was the naval warfare reporter for Defense News.
