Operation tropic refuge: the East Wood rescue

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued 525 Chinese nationals and ten Indonesian crewmen from the disabled motor vessel East Wood. They were participating in a human smuggling operation. Subjected to a trying ordeal at sea, these individuals were at great risk to life and health but survived remarkably well because of their good health, age, and mutual cooperation. The U.S. military organized the joint task force, Operation Provide Refuge, to provide humanitarian aid. The task force rapidly mobilized resources to support camp development on Kwajalein Island and provide nutrition and health care to the stranded travelers. Preventive Medicine personnel, called in at the beginning of the operation, helped develop a healthy campsite, which contributed to a relatively uneventful refugee experience. Close liaison with the local medical resources on Kwajalein was essential to the success of the operation.