Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
From The Spanish Flu To The Current Pandemic: A History Of The USNS Mercy
The USNS Mercy after it arrived at the Port of L.A. on March 27. (Carolyn Cole/AFP via Getty Images)
()
The USNS Mercy docked in Los Angeles at the end of March to relieve area hospitals.
It's not taking patients with COVID-19 symptoms because, well, hospital ships like the Mercy aren’t designed to treat viral diseases, says Sal Mercogliano, a professor of history at Campbell University and a former merchant mariner.
“The issue with doing that onboard a hospital ship is fairly significant because hospital ships are basically floating communities -- they produce their own water, they produce their own air, they produce everything they need onboard the vessel to be self-contained so they can operate far from land.”
“They’re actually designed to keep diseases out, so that should there be a chemical or a radiological attack they don’t get anything inside.”
Support for LAist comes from
Some things to know about the USNS Mercy:
- The one now in LA is actually the third iteration of the ship.
- The first one was used during World War I and during the outbreak of The Spanish Flu in 1918.
- The second Mercy was built in Los Angeles where the current ship is currently docked, and it was used during World War II to bring soldiers back from the battlefield.
- The deployment of the USNS Mercy is open-ended and not restricted to Los Angeles, should the number of cases dip here and jump somewhere else.
“One of things that makes these ships so useful and so versatile is that they can throw off lines, fire up the boilers and head down to another port should they need them, " says Mercogliano. "The great utility is their mobility to steam at 17-and-a-half knots and all of the sudden leave Los Angeles and be in San Francisco the next day, or seattle two days from then.”
Listen to the full interview on our local news show Take Two, which airs on 89.3 KPCC:
Support for LAist comes from
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist