NYHC wants to take the opportunity to remember the 50 veterans that reportedly died in the Long Island nursing home. To date, there are more than 1000 veterans in VA health system sites that have been lost due to Covid-19 infections. Along with the veterans who are not getting the proper ceremonial honors at their burials due to Covid-19. However, hundreds of other veterans were lost in the state-run homes.  We ask, how many of these veterans would still be alive today if they were fast-tracked to USNS Comfort.  And for those who would have succumbed to the infection, how many would have been happier spending their final hours on the military hospital ship?  Of course, these are tough questions.

On this Memorial Day Observance, NYHC is honored to have Congressman and veteran Max Rose offer words of thanks to the crew of USNS Comfort.  A purple heart recipient, Max Rose served as a platoon leader in Afghanistan and was wounded there in 2013.  In addition to his representation of the 11th Congressional District from Brooklyn and Staten Island, he currently is attached to the New York Army National Guard for active duty.

NYHC is proud to have found men and women of distinction to help tell our Covid-19 New York story.  The time span of the documentary is from March 7th (the first covid deaths in NYC) to April 30th (when Comfort leaves NYC).   The key focal characters are Rachel Hartley, who answered the call for ICU nurses, sailing her temporary residence into New York Harbor and USNS Comfort’s Chaplain, Lt. Johnny Bravo.  There is a strong spirituality between the two, told from their respective ships.  The working New York Harbor personnel is represented by the Sandy Hook Pilot, Captain Tim Ferrie, who navigated Comfort into its NYC pier.  USNS Comfort’s Commander Amersbach offers his precise detail of the Hospital ship operations.

New York Harbor is in lock down for all passenger ship traffic.  The cruise ship industry ties NY waters to the oceans of the world.  We also touch on Erika Butters’ plight stuck on a Cruise Ship stranded in the Atlantic Ocean.   As Covid-19 tears apart careers and industries, Erika’s 56 day saga offers a musical therapy as she records a consistent daily post on Facebook from her ship.  Erika’s music offers uplifting melodies under our visual footage.  NYHC has taken the best of our interviews over the past two months to piece together this unique story.

Governor Cuomo and President Trump provide the Covid-19 reality as well as the backstory as to why Comfort was in NYC for only 30 days.  The hospital ship only treated 182 Covid patients over a mere 14 day period.  Despite the political tension that permeates the atmosphere, Comfort does exhibit its  marvelous medical deployment and staff acumen.  Not a single Covid-19 patient treated on-board was lost.

We conclude with shout outs from New Yorkers including one from  Congressman Max Rose.  With Comfort’s return to the Norfolk Naval Station, one missing element remains… a Mission Name.  We invite everybody who was touched both physically and spiritually to offer a name for the Navy Command to consider.  NYHC has chosen ‘Operation Gentle Shadow’ as its reach in dark times has brought calm and compassion to the waters of New York Harbor.

After USNS Comfort sailed out of New York Harbor, the torch had been passed to a visiting nurse from Lynchburg, Virginia and the hundreds of other healthcare workers like Rachel Hartley.  Of course, we cannot forget about the thousands of healthcare workers who started this battle when Covid-19 first entered the NYC hospital system back in February.  Departure day for the Comfort marked a significant Turning Point for New York.  The number of Covid-19 cases was slowly, but steadily on the decline.

NYHC wishes to take this opportunity to personally thank the men and women of the USNS Comfort for their service to the nation   The ship exemplified professionalism.  What’s more, the hospital ship also served as a ambassador.  It was indeed a Gentle Shadow that spread compassion from the waterfront to all the New York and New Jersey front line workers.   As you sailed out of the harbor, you took your excellence with you to serve on another mission.  For New York, Operation Gentile Shadow will live on as a shining light that helped bring us out of the unknown darkness.  We wish you fair winds and following seas!

For more in depth articles and interviews found in New York Harbor Channel, please click below

Commander Amersbach

Captain Tim Ferrie

Erika Monet Butters

Nurse Rachel Hartley

Chaplain Johnny Bravo

The post Memorial Day Thank You from New York Harbor to the Comfort Community appeared first on New York Harbor Channel.

Thousands of New Yorkers peered out their windows, ran to their backyards, opened their front doors or some brave souls even went to the piers to witness the amazing tribute to first responders from the Air Forces’s Thunderbirds and Navy’s Blue Angels.  It has been three years since the Armed Forces Demonstration teams organized together.  The twelve fighter jet formation was assembled to honor healthcare workers across the nation.  “We’re excited to fly over cities across America as our way of saying thanks to the healthcare workers, first responders and all the people who selflessly run into the breach working to keep America strong.” said Air Force Chief of Staff General David L. Goldfein. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday added, “This is also our way of showing that we are all in this together and that America’s spirit will prevail.”

The multi-city tour is promoted with the slogan, ‘Operation America Strong’.

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are based and train in Pensacola, Florida while the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are based in Nellis, Nevada.  Both demonstration teams are known for their aerobic maneuvers, but the flyover was designed as a simple salute to the healthcare workers. The flight formation started at The George Washington Bridge following the Hudson River down past Pier 90 where the USNS Comfort is presently stationed. It then looped over New Jersey, Long Island, and finally making its way over Queens and Brooklyn before finishing at the Verrazzano Bridge.

Featured in this article is our video, courtesy of native NY/NJ civilians which shows the flyover from various vantage points around the NYC-NJ area.

Afterwards, the formation flew over Trenton and Philadelphia following the NYC flyover.  The schedule will continue for the next two weeks and the flyover will target cities who are experiencing the most severe cases of Covid-19.

As a reminder to all who are taking advantage of the marvelous weather, please be sure to wear your masks when you do go outside.  Not only is it courteous to protect your neighbors, let alone yourselves, it is the law.  The waterfront was filled with spectators watching the flyover.  Approximately fifteen to twenty percent of the attendees did not have masks.  Be stylish!  Many small manufacturers are busy creating personalized face coverings that are cool to add to your sporting attire.

The Blue Angel Pilots wear their new blue and gold face masks as it has been added to their official uniform for photos.  The Pensacola Mask Sewers, who produced them, are donating the fashionable protective gear to hospitals.

The next event that will draw a nice sized crowd to the New York Harbor waterfront will be the departure of the USNS Comfort that was rumored to leave Pier 90 on Thursday, April 30th.  As of this moment, there is no official sailing date but NYHC will post the date when it becomes available from the U.S. Navy.

The post America Strong Flies Over A Wounded New York City appeared first on New York Harbor Channel.