Story highlights The USS Wasp was the first Navy ship to arrive in the US Virgin Islands

Irma is a Category 5 storm churning in the Atlantic with 175 mph sustained winds

Washington (CNN) The US military began supporting relief operations for Hurricane Irma on Thursday as helicopters deployed from the USS Wasp amphibious warship started assisting with damage assessment and medical evacuations for critical care patients from St. Thomas to St. Croix, according to US Northern Command.

The USS Wasp was the first Navy ship to arrive in the US Virgin Islands and is providing medium and heavy lift helicopters to transport people and supplies, the service said in a statement.

An F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter lands on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp

Irma -- a Category 5 storm churning in the Atlantic with 175 mph sustained winds -- killed at least six people on Wednesday as it devastated small northeastern Caribbean islands such as Barbuda and left hundreds of thousands of customers in Puerto Rico without power.

The Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas are bracing for the massive hurricane and Florida's governor is warning everyone in his state to be ready to take shelter.

Even with active military service members continuing to support missions in Texas following the widespread flooding caused by Tropical Storm Harvey, the Pentagon is mobilizing a variety of resources to assist FEMA in its Irma response effort.

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