Officers and men of the
The cruiser arrived at the Alava Pier in the Subic Bay Freeport Monday afternoon after more than two weeks of humanitarian operation in Tacloban,
Some 40 of the 340 ship crews presented toys, some food items, balls for basketball and other gifts to the children at the
Not only the kids enjoyed the gift-giving but even the American sailors when the children kissed their hands after receiving the presents.
"Thank you to the officers and men of USS Cowpens, especially to our townmate Jeruel Simsuangco, for making the Christmas of children a happy one,” town mayor Gila Garcia said.
Simsuangco, who is from Barangay Burgos in this town, is senior chief of the American cruiser and has been with the US Navy for 17 years.
“Never in my wildest dreams that I’ll be here with my ship,” he said.
Simsuangco has visited his town only once in the last 20 years he was away.
Former Dinalupihan Councilor Noli Soriano, event coordinator, said the ship crew decided to spend their holiday in the former American Naval Base, now the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, after serving in
"While on holiday, the ship crew through townmate Simsuangco decided to give Christmas gifts to the children and at the same time, have some talks with the people here," Soriano said.
Cruiser’s Command Master Chief Gabriel Keeton said being in Dinalupihan afford them a rare chance to see more parts of the Philippines after two weeks of stay in Tacloban and Leyte province.
“Our ship is the first American ship and the last ship in Tacloban,” the master chief said.
Keeton said they were sent to Tacloban as part of the U.S aid mission after super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck.
There are 40 officers and 300 men in the cruiser with 20 of them are Filipinos.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=599715
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