3 U.S. vessels to arrive in the Philippines for routine port calls

From InterAksyon (Mar 22): 3 U.S. vessels to arrive in the Philippines for routine port calls

Three United States Navy vessels will arrive in the Philippines on Friday for "routine port calls," the U.S. Embassy in Manila announced. 

Docking in Subic is the submarine USS Ohio, in Manila, the destroyer USS Decatur and in Cebu, the submarine tender USS Frank Cable. The three will undergo "routine maintenance, replenishment of supplies, rest and recreation and community assistance and outreach activities," the U.S. embassy said. 

USS Decatur (DDG 73) is a 505-foot long destroyer named after Commodore Stephen Decatur, a U.S. naval hero during the U.S.-Britain war of 1812. The Arleigh-Burke class destroyer was commissioned in 1998 with over 300 crew and soldiers, several of whom were Filipinos.

Meanwhile, the USS Frank Cable (AS 40) has a crew of about 1,500 and serves as the 7th Fleet's mobile repair and support platform. USS Frank already visited Subic last year and will dock in Cebu this time.

The USS Ohio (SSGN 726) is the lead ship of the Ohio-class submarines of the U.S. This 560-foot long submarine will dock in Subic and has a crew of about 150 officers and sailors. It is the fourth vessel to bear the name of the U.S. state.

The visit of the three ships will "highlight the strong historic, community and military relations" between the U.S. and the Philippines, according to the embassy.

The visit comes amid the continuing efforts to salvage U.S. Navy minesweeper USS Guardian, which ran aground on Tubbataha Reef in Sulu Sea on January 17.

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas said investigation on the cause of the grounding remains ongoing. He, however, declined to disclose any updates at this time. He reiterated U.S. apology over the incident.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/57699/3-u-s--vessels-to-arrive-in-the-philippines-for-routine-port-calls