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Fitzgerald Sailors Visit Micronesia

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050922-22
Release Date: 9/23/2005 3:00:00 AM

By Photographer’s Mate Airman Adam York, USS Fitzgerald Public Affairs

POHNPEI, Federated States of Micronesia (NNS) -- Sailors of the permanently forward-deployed guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) helped the citizens of Pohnpei celebrate their 60th anniversary of liberation from the Japanese Sept. 11.

Fitzgerald, the first U.S. Navy ship to visit Pohnpei in more than five years, visited Sept. 8-13, and enjoyed numerous receptions, community service projects and sporting events.

The ship and its crew of 330 began with a Fitzgerald-sponsored reception at the U.S. embassy, where Sailors had the opportunity to eat dinner and talk with officials from around the islands, including American ambassador Suzanne Hale, the vice-president of Micronesia, and the vice-governor of Pohnpei.

“The reception was a great opportunity to meet the local dignitaries,” said Ensign Nick Hoffmann, Fitzgerald’s administrative officer. “It was also great to meet the American ambassador. We had a lot of fun.”

“The reception and the people were great,” said Fitzgerald supply officer Lt. Romeo O. Bautista. “We also had a lot of fun playing with the locals in all of the sports activities.”

Fitzgerald Sailors competed against the local residents in softball, basketball and volleyball, according to Fitzgerald’s Command Master Chief, CMDCM John G. Becker II.

“The people of Pohnpei and the ship’s players shared very good will,” he said. “Everybody displayed good sportsmanship even though they [the Pohnpei residents] beat us in almost everything. We had a great time, and they took us out to dinner afterward.”

Sailors not only participated in sporting events, but also found time for a number of community service projects. More than 60 Sailors devoted some of their liberty time to cleaning and painting three local elementary schools, according to Becker.

“We saw the kids when we arrived at the school. They were singing a song for us in the classroom with their teacher,” said Ship’s Serviceman Seaman (SW) Jean M. French, assigned to Fitzgerald’s retail division.

The Sailors spent four to five hours painting the outside of the school buildings, according to French.

“I think it was interesting for the school children who observed U.S. Sailors painting their school,” Becker said. “At lunchtime, the kids went home and all the school teachers got together and helped us paint and made us lunch. There was a great feeling of camaraderie between the people of Pohnpei and the U.S. Navy when we were painting the elementary schools together.”

“It was probably the hardest work I’ve done on a community service project,” French said.

With much enthusiasm among the crew and Pohnpei residents, many Sailors said they look forward to returning to the island.

“It’s not a port that Navy ships visit often," said Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) 3rd Class Brian Brannamand. "[Our visit] keeps us and our allies stronger."