Cowpens wraps up Hong Kong port visit
7th Fleet Release
Release Date: 8/26/2003
Ensign Kristin Dahlgren, USS Cowpens public affairs
ABOARD USS COWPENS AT SEA -- USS Cowpens (CG 63) got underway Aug. 22 after a two-day port visit to Hong Kong.
Cowpens' crewmembers eagerly took in the sights as liberty boats began departing for Fenwick Pier. The Servicemen's Guides Association on the pier provided Sailors with not only diplomatic and tourist information, but availability to other amenities, including shops, lockers and a 24-hour lounge with an Internet café.
In return, several crewmembers volunteered to paint the roofs of the Fenwick Pier Library. The group battled intermittent rain showers throughout the day, but they still enjoyed being outside to help maintain the pier during the visit.
In the days before the visit, Sailors signed up for a variety of tours through the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) program.
Ensign Michael Meador, Cowpens' MWR officer, said he was "amazed" at how much MWR had to offer in Hong Kong.
"They were very helpful in setting up tours and hotel reservations for the crew," he said.
Quartermaster 3rd Class (SW) Esmerelda San Miguel was in Hong Kong with Cowpens in February 2002 and said she had a good idea of the sights she planned to see.
"I plan on going to Ocean Park again," San Miguel said. "I had a real nice time there, especially on the sky tram."
MWR offered tours to Lantau Island, home to the largest outdoor statue of Buddha, and Aberdeen, where many of the citizens live on boats.
According to Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SW) Michael Kuzniar, the Hong Kong Island tour provided great shopping and a good idea of what Hong Kong is all about.
"They took us up to [Victoria] Peak and that was really cool," Kuzniar said. "We also went to Stanley Market - you can buy pretty much anything you want there. The tour gave me a good feel for Hong Kong."
A long-standing tradition with residents of Hong Kong is families hosting Sailors for a home-cooked meal. Linda Keller, a Hong Kong resident, matches host families with Sailors from the ship that wish to participate.
Keller said she wanted to give something back to the Sailors when she volunteered to coordinate such dinners.
"I wanted to host Sailors because it is a very small way to say, 'thank you,' to you all that do so much for us and the world," Keller said. "Plus, so many are so young and remind me of my son who is 17," she said.
While Keller organized the families in Hong Kong, Cowpens' Chaplain (Lt.) Fred Holcombe worked to coordinate the approximately 90 Cowpens' Sailors who signed up for a hospitality dinner with one of the 26 families who signed up.
Gunner's Mate 1st Class (SW/AW) Tony Blankenship has been to Hong Kong previously and decided to experience the family dinner for a second time.
"What made this one better than the rest was that this was the first group the couple had over and they were very excited," Blankenship said. "The food was outstanding and they made us feel right at home."
Another dinner host, Yvonne Fitzsimmons, has been hosting Sailors since 1993 and said she enjoyed having Cowpens' Sailors over for dinner.
"They were bright, intelligent, enthusiastic and excellent examples of the U.S. military," Fitzsimmons said. "Each had the understanding that they were ambassadors."
Cowpens commanding officer, Capt. Charles Dixon, said Hong Kong never fails to satisfy Sailors as a liberty port.
"Hong Kong remains one of the great liberty ports for Sailors. We'll set our sights on getting back again at the first opportunity," he said.
Cowpens is a Ticonderoga-class Aegis guided-missile cruiser and a multi-mission platform capable of supporting anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare. The 9,600-ton warship can support carrier strike groups, amphibious forces or can operate independently. Cowpens is permanently forward deployed to the western pacific and operates out of Yokosuka, Japan.
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