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"I am the type to sit in front of the television and cry," said Algarin, "and that is what I did. It hurt and I wanted to get involved so bad. When I heard them asking for help, I said we'll take it."
Algarin is a Lead Petty Officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve and after hearing about the need for volunteers in the tsunami relief effort he was eager to jump on board directing a group of 15 men and women from Fort Dix, New Jersey, in "Operation Unified Assistance."
On Jan 10, Algarin and his unit were sent to the largest shipping port in the world located in Sembawang, Singapore, where they loaded three ship-based aircraft a day with food and medical supplies to be transported to victims throughout southern Asia.
"Thailand is a beautiful country," said Algarin, who visited the now devastated country nearly 20 years ago. "The people are so beautiful over there as well, so there was a sense of urgency to get this done. There was a need for people to go out and support this effort."
Algarin didn't just volunteer to go over, leaving nothing behind. The seven-year resident of Cochranville, who has been working at Country Chrysler in Oxford since November, left behind his job and his family to go over seas for nearly a month, not to return until Feb 7.
"I have to thank the dealership for letting me do this after only being there a few months," said Algarin. "They are very patriotic and they understood my need to serve my country enough to let me go do my duty."
As for his family, "They were upset but they understood. They are always very supportive," said Algarin. While serving in Singapore he left behind his wife Rosa; his daughter Evelyn; and two sons, Sam and Jose Jr.
The first thing Algarin's unit did in Singapore was load palates of water onto aircraft.
"There wasn't even a need for instruction," said Algarin. "Everyone knew what needed to be done and they did it. It was an amazing effort."
A typical workday for Algarin was an 8-9 hour day loading the aircraft, which would later be shipped out on an aircraft carrier to provide relief in all of the devastated areas. Some days would even stretch to well over 12 hours. Algarin's unit even spent a day loading the U.S.S. Mercy, a huge hospital ship.
"There were three cranes loading supplies simultaneously, because the ship was so big," said Algarin, whose crew also spent a great deal of time loading the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
While in Singapore, Algarin was impressed with many of the aspects of the foreign country.
"It is a very strict country, but a very beautiful country," said Algarin. "You will get fined for spitting on the ground over there. They have a great deal of respect for the cleanliness of the country."
Another aspect of the country that impressed Algarin was its transportation system.
"You can take the bus, train or taxi with the same metro card," said Algarin. "Their transportation system is something we need to look at."
Algarin joined the Navy in 1978 and after six-years of active duty left to pursue other interests. In 1996 Algarin joined the Naval Reserves and has served ever since. During his tour of duty he has been to Japan, Italy, Naples, Thailand, and many other locations around the world.
"You have got to get out there," said Algarin, who loves his Naval career. "The world is a beautiful place. It has definitely been worth serving. It is a career I'm still in, and I'm going to finish it."
Algarin plans on serving in the Navy until he has 20 years of service, at which time he can decide to retire or serve for another five years.
