Pascagoula Ships Sortie to Evade Hurricane Katrina

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050828-O-0000X-001 Gulf of Mexico (Aug. 28, 2005) � GOES-12 Satellite image provided by NASA Goddard, Space Flight Center, Md., showing the status of Hurricane Katrina, at 1200Z or 7am, EST. The storm crossed South Florida Thursday and headed back to sea in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm's wind has now increased to 160 mph, a category 5 storm. Only three Category 5 hurricanes � the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale � have hit the United States since record keeping began. The last was 1992's Hurricane Andrew, which leveled parts of South Florida, killed 43 people and caused $31 billion in damage. The other two were the 1935 Labor Day hurricane that hit the Florida Keys and killed 600 people and Hurricane Camille, which devastated the Mississippi coast in 1969, killing 256. Katrina was over the Gulf of Mexico, about 250 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi river at 7 a.m. local time, according to an advisory posted on the U.S. National Hurricane Center's Web site. The storm was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 mph. NASA photo (RELEASED)

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Pascagoula Ships Sortie to Evade Hurricane Katrina
Story Number: NNS050826-12
Release Date: 8/26/2005 9:41:00 PM

From Naval Station Pascagoula Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The frigates USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG 29) and USS John L. Hall (FFG 32) got underway from Naval Station Pascagoula, Miss., Aug. 26 in order to evade approaching Hurricane Katrina.

The decision to sortie Stephen W. Groves and John L. Hall from Pascagoula was based on concerns for the safety of Sailors and preservation of the ships and associated equipment.

Navy vessels can remain safe at sea by maneuvering to avoid storms altogether. Additionally, having ships underway ensures they are ready to respond to any national tasking, if required.

For more information about Pascagoula-based ships, please contact the Naval Station Pascagoula Public Affairs Office at 228-761-2019.

For related news, visit the Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/c2f/.

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