The hospital ship USNS Mercy left Naval Station San Diego today to kick-off a four-and-a-half humanitarian mission to several Asian countries, according to the Department of Defense.

The crew of the USNS Mercy will help provide medical, dental, and veterinary assistance to people in need, and help with engineering projects in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

USNS Mercy's civil master servant Capt. Jonathan Olmsted is in charge of ...