Military families arrive at Sea-Tac from Japan

Hundreds of U.S. military family members fleeing Japan following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor troubles there arrived Saturday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where they awaited travel arrangements that would take them to homes around the country.

By GENE JOHNSON

Associated Press

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SEATTLE —

Hundreds of U.S. military family members fleeing Japan following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear reactor troubles there arrived Saturday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where they awaited travel arrangements that would take them to homes around the country.

Nearly 240 family members - including 190 children - landed after a 10-hour flight chartered by the Defense Department from Yokota Air Base, said Navy Region Northwest spokesman Sean Hughes. They're the first of what is expected to be thousands of military personnel and their families arriving at Sea-Tac over the next week or so.

The families evacuated voluntarily, many over concerns about radiation. The Defense Department paid travel costs and provided other emergency financial assistance.

"I thought it was in the best interest of my family," said Jennifer Hamuka, who was traveling home to St. Louis with her two teenage children. "The radiation risk isn't bad right now, but I didn't want to take the chance of there being a big risk in the near future."

The weary travelers spent much of the day waiting as USO volunteers helped them arrange housing, transportation and loans if necessary. Some sprawled out and tried to sleep, while others read or passed the time on laptops. A public information officer from Naval Base Kitsap sat in a circle with children and told stories.

Hamuka, a 40-year-old English teacher whose husband is stationed with the Air Force at Yakota, said she had been living in Japan for nearly three years and hoped to return within a month.

Officials were extremely helpful in assisting with paperwork before they left Japan, she said. Schools remained open so children could obtain their transcripts, she added, and the veterinarian on base stayed open to provide health certificates for people who wanted to bring their pets with them.

Nine pets made the trip, Hughes said.

Bryce Yazzie, 16, waited with his mother and brother to return to Salt Lake City. He said that depending on how long it takes for it to become safe to return to Japan, he and his brother might finish the school year in Utah, then return to Japan this summer. His father is in the Air Force, and they've been living in Japan for the past year and a half.

"With the nuclear reactor, the worst-case scenario could be bad, so my dad signed us up for the voluntary evacuation," Yazzie said. "My mom's pretty stressed out, but me and my brother don't mind as much. We're going with the flow."

The next evacuation flight was expected to arrive Monday at Sea-Tac.

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