BATON ROUGE- Over 100 Navy sailors said goodbye to Baton Rouge General Hospital Friday as their mission to make up for a lack of medical professionals has come to an end.

Hospital staff members were joined by Governor John Bel Edwards and Mayor Sharon Weston Broome to say farewell to 104 members of the Navy who were stationed in Baton Rouge to help handle the influx of COVID-19 cases last month. The same personnel also helped with the coronavirus response in New Orleans before coming to Baton Rouge.

HAPPENING NOW: Baton Rouge General Mid City is holding a send off for 104 navy personnel that came in April 1st to help with COVID19. Their send off includes a second line and a farewell from many guests including @LouisianaGov. @WBRZ pic.twitter.com/M06UTwvYie

— Nadeen Abusada (@NadeenAbusada) May 29, 2020

The sailors were celebrated and sent on their way back to Jacksonville Florida in traditional south Louisiana fashion; a second line.

"There is not a better set of doctors and nurses and professionals to come in and help with the staffing situation than the 104 members that we got from the US Navy, so thank you very much," Governor John Bel Edwards said at the send-off.

To help hospitals during the surge of COVID cases, the Navy staffed 60 bed-units and joined the ICU. After receiving the help, the hospital staff discharged 300 survivors.

"The last several weeks have been an incredible example of teamwork," President and CEO of BRG, Edgardo Tenreiro said.

Mid City's medical staff joined hand and hand, thanking these heroes for their courage and bravery.

Nadine Barksdale is one of the Navy sailors who has not seen her family in weeks as she has fought on the frontlines throughout the pandemic.

"It's always an honor because you sign up to be in the Navy, you sign up to travel, you sign up as a doctor to go and save lives, and that is what we do," Barksdale said.

For Barksdale and her fellow comrades, it was a mission worth fighting for. 

The US Navy medical personnel will go back to their station in Jacksonville and will return to Baton Rouge if needed.