The USS Trenton, the USS Whidbey Island and a chartered vessel called the Rahma were in line to bring out up to 4,200 people from Beirut over the course of the day Friday, said Colonel Gary Keck.

The State Department said 2,278 people had boarded vessels on Friday.

Keck said the USS Iwo Jima, a helicopter carrier that also carries the bulk of a 2,200-strong marine expeditionary unit, also has arrived in the Mediterranean to assist in the evacuation.

So far, 3,700 people have been taken out of Lebanon in the ten days since hostilities broke out between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, he said.

"I'm not aware of any incidents other than what I've seen reported that obviously the heat is a factor, close quarters, and obviously this is a departure that requires people to have some patience," Keck said.

They have been taken to Cyprus to put on flights to Baltimore and Philadelphia.

The Ramah, a 1,400 passenger Saudi owned ship, will take evacuees to the Turkish port of Mersin, however. Once there, they will be taken to an air base at Incirlik, Turkey for flights back to the United States.

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