WASHINGTON (USTCNS) --- February 17 was well on it's way to being a typical day at sea for the crew of the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command's USNS Dahl.

The large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ship was in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean transiting from Charleston, S.C., to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean by way of the Cape of Good Hope.

Then the call came in.

At 1:30 p.m., Rescue Coordination Center Norfolk contacted Dahl to alert the crew of an emergency aboard Greek tanker MV Astro Beta sailing about 140 nautical miles south of the LMSR's position.

Pumpman Theodoros Mavromanolakis had suffered a serious laceration to his throat when a grinding wheel disc that he was using in the Beta Astro's machine shop disintegrated, cutting his neck and throat with disc fragments.

Through the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, MV Astro Beta's ship operating company had contacted Rescue Coordination Center Pireaus which contacted Rescue Coordination Center Falmouth, U.K.

Falmouth then relayed the information to Rescue Coordination Center Norfolk, the closest rescue coordination center to the headquarters of Dahl's operating company, Maersk Line, Limited.

Dahl is a Military Sealift Command ship operated by Maersk-employed civilian mariners for the Navy command. Military Sealift Command is the ocean transportation provider for the Department of Defense.

The rescue coordination centers identified Dahl as the closest ship to Astro Beta via Dahl's movement reports to the U.S. Navy's tracking system and the U.S. Coast Guard's Automated Mutual Assist Vessel Rescue System.

Before leaving port, Dahl filed a report with the Navy detailing where the ship was headed, at what speed, at what course and when she was scheduled to arrive at Diego Garcia.

Once Dahl started steaming, she sent in updates detailing her current position, course and speed to the Navy and the Automated Mutual Assist Vessel Rescue System.

Upon receiving the call from Norfolk, Capt. Mike Burke, master of USNS Dahl, immediately changed the ship's course to rendezvous with MV Astro Beta.

Four-and-a-half hours later, Dahl reached the tanker and launched the LMSR's rigid-hull, inflatable boat crewed by Chief Mate Chris Larkin, Third Assistant Engineer Mark Pisch and Bosun Terry Armas in seven- to eight-foot seas.

The three men boarded Astro Beta with medical supplies and examined Mavromanolakis.

The two ships' masters discussed the best course of action and decided to transfer the patient to Dahl.

Mavromanolakis injury was within two inches of his carotid artery-making safety of critical importance.

Astro Beta was fully-loaded, making her draft 68 feet and her max sustainable speed about 12 knots. This meant that Dahl-a significantly faster ship-could get Mavromanolakis to Georgetown, Ascension-an island in the Atlantic Ocean between Brazil and Africa-faster than the Greek ship.

Once the injured man arrived at Ascension, his operating company would then be able to get him professional medical attention.

Larkin, Pisch and Armas carefully transported Mavromanolakis via the RHIB to Dahl. Once aboard the ship, Chief Mate Larkin and Third Mate Will Bentley attended to the injured man in the ship's hospital.

"The first aid training these men received at Seafarer's International Union's Piney Point Training Facility, at the American Maritime Officer's training center and at Military Sealift Command's training center paid off," said Capt. Burke. "I was extremely proud of my crew-particularly Chief Mate Larkin, Third Mate Bentley, third assistant engineer Pisch and Bosun Armas."

Via satellite phone, Larkin and Bentley consulted with a doctor from the Medical Advisory Service-a service that provides a direct satellite phone connection with a doctor in Bethesda, Md., 24 hours a day to all ships who subscribe to the service. Many U.S.-flagged ships subscribe to this service.

While conferring with the doctor, Larkin and Bentley carefully cleaned and dressed the wound. The doctor advised against stitching the wound for fear of renewed hemorrhage. The bridge standby-the deck watchman on roving patrol-then stood constant watch on Mavromanolakis throughout the night.

"The unsung heroes of the incident are Dahl's engineers who got the most out of our engines as we made a high speed run to Ascension Island to deliver the injured man to professional care," said Capt. Burke.

Dahl arrived at anchorage at Georgetown, Ascension Island, the morning after transferring the patient to a launch.

Having successfully answered the call for help, the ship's crew continued the voyage across the Atlantic, around the Cape of Good Hope and to Diego Garcia where the 950-foot cargo ship prepositions U.S. Army equipment and supplies.

For more information about USNS Dahl or Military Sealift Command, see the command homepage at www.msc.navy.mil. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).