RELIEF EFFORTS FOR HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA
Hurricane Katrina was the most destructive hurricane ever to strike the United States. It first struck southern Florida on 25 August 2005 as a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. It quickly reintensified once it moved west into the warm Gulf waters. Katrina continued to strengthen as it turned toward the northwest and eventually north toward Louisiana and Mississippi.
Katrina's sustained winds reached 175 mph. The storm's intensity diminished slightly as it approached the central Gulf Coast, but Katrina remained a strong Category 4 storm until landfall along the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts on August 29. Although its intensity at landfall was less than that of Hurricane Camille, which devastated coastal Mississippi in August 1969, the size of Katrina, with hurricane force winds extending 120 miles from its center, was much larger and the destruction more widespread than Camille.
The associated storm surge reached as far east as Mobile, Alabama. The combination of strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge led to breaks in the earthen levee system that separates New Orleans from surrounding lakes and canals, leaving large parts of New Orleans under 20 feet of water
Following less than a month after Hurricane Katrina devastated large parts of the central Gulf Coast region; Hurricane Rita was the second hurricane of the season to reach Category 5 status in the Gulf of Mexico. This marked the first time on record that two hurricanes reached Category 5 strength in the Gulf of Mexico in the same season.
Weakening occurred during the 36 hours prior to landfall Hurricane Rita made landfall with wind speeds of 120 mph along the Texas and Louisiana border early on 24 September 2005. Although the region was well prepared for the storm, the devastation across the Louisiana and Texas border region was widespread. There were few reports of injuries or deaths as a direct result of the storm, unlike the large loss of life from, a massive evacuation effort likely saved much loss of life.
"The 82d has been like a godsend. They have been able to get us whatever we need to complete our mission."
Melissa Bowers, a civilian volunteer from Bremerton, Wash
The 82d Airborne Division deployed on 3 September 2005 to provide search and rescue, evacuation, humanitarian assistance and presence patrols in New Orleans and Southwest Louisiana. Within six hours of notification, the Division was en route to New Orleans. Shortly upon arrival, the Division’s units secured the New Orleans Convention Center and the Superdome. They began rescue missions and evacuated the displaced.
The Division was the core element of Task Force All American, which later became Joint Task Force All American. This Joint and Interagency Task Force was made up of more than 6,900 soldiers that included 3,600 Paratroopers from Fort Bragg. Other elements came from the National Guard, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Air Force, Drug Enforcement Agency, EMS, state, and local police. Additionally, two Military Police companies from the California and Puerto Rico National Guard were placed under the Division’s operational direction so that they always had “embedded” National Guard troops in all of the patrols and movements to perform police functions if required.
As Hurricane Rita made landfall, the Division moved units to areas outside of New Orleans. After landfall, Joint Task Force All American forces rapidly deployed back into city and deployed to South West Louisiana to Cameron, Calcasieu, Iberia and Vermilion Parishes. The Task Force then conducted search and rescue missions and rescued 30 people, 47 pets and 1 dolphin from the flooded areas. After the conclusion of the operation, the Division redeployed back to Fort Bragg with the last ground convoys back at Fort Bragg on 8 October 2005.
Task Organization
HHC, 82d Airborne Division
82d Signal Battalion
313th Military Intelligence Battalion
3rd Brigade, 82d Airborne Division
2-505th Infantry
3-505th Infantry
307th Engineer Battalion
82d Military Police Company
82d Airborne Division Divisional Artillery
1st Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion
2d Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion
82d Aviation Brigade
2-82d Aviation
82d Airborne Division Support Command
782d Support Battalion
1st Corps Support Command
