Everything you need to know about the hospital ship USNS Comfort deployed to N.Y.

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times - Wednesday, March 18, 2020

The two military hospital ships now being sent to help communities grapple with the coronavirus outbreak have provided care to more than 500,000 patients since they were both brought into the fleet more than 30 years ago.

President Trump has authorized the deployment of one of the ships, the USNS Comfort, to New York City to back up the local hospital system.

The USNS Comfort and its sister ship, the USNS Mercy, are some of the most unique vessels in the Navy. They are converted super tankers and crewed by a combination of U.S. Navy personnel and civilian mariners. They are noteworthy for their completely white color scheme and red crosses.

On Wednesday, President Trump said it hasn’t been decided where the West Coast-based USNS Mercy will be sent. The ships are normally kept in what military officials call a “reduced operating status” in Norfolk, Va. and San Diego, Calif. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told the Navy he wanted them to “lean forward” to get the ships seaworthy. The process normally takes about five days.

The two hospital ships can care for 1,000 patients and feature 12 fully equipped operating rooms. The USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy also have medical labs, CAT scans, oxygen-producing plants and a hanger deck able to land the largest military helicopters, Navy officials said.

Since most military medicine is geared toward trauma, Secretary Esper on Tuesday suggested the hospital ships might best be employed to help with emergency cases and allow the local authorities to concentrate on dealing with the coronavirus.

One of the biggest challenges to activating a hospital ship is securing sufficient medical personnel.

“What I don’t want to do is take reservists from where they are needed just to put them on a ship to take them somewhere else where they are needed,” Mr. Esper said.

When fully operational, the crew is normally about 71 civilian mariners and 1,200 military medical and support personnel.

“The precise crew composition and size varies by mission type. During humanitarian assistance missions, the crew often includes representatives from other U.S. services, foreign militaries and nongovernmental organizations,” Navy officials said in a statement.

The San Diego-based USNS Mercy was activated in August 1990 to support the military’s effort during the Gulf War. During a six month deployment to the region, medical personnel on the ship cared over 600 patients and performed almost 300 surgeries.