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Fitzgerald Visits Kagoshima

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS051104-06
Release Date: 11/4/2005 4:40:00 PM

From USS Kitty Hawk Strike Group Public Affairs

USS FITZGERALD (NNS) -- USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) got underway Oct. 16 following a goodwill visit to the city of Kagoshima on the southern island of Kyushu, Japan. The four-day port visit included a press conference, multiple tours and community service projects.

Immediately following Fitzgerald’s arrival Oct. 13, commanding officer Cmdr. David Hughes hosted a pierside press conference with local and national news organizations.

“I deeply enjoyed the press conference,” said Hughes. “The questions were beyond the mainstream ‘Are you happy to be here?’ and showed the people of Kagoshima have a true interest in security and [the Japanese-American] alliance.”

The press conference ended with a ship tour and visits by Hughes to the Kagoshima Prefectural Government Building, 10th Regional Headquarters of the Maritime Self Defense Force, and the chairman of Kagoshima’s Chamber of Commerce.

Fitzgerald held two tours Oct. 15 for local dignitaries. The tours were hosted by the executive officer and commanding officer, while later that day 26 crew members participated in a community service project, helping repaint several walls of a local orphanage.

Community service projects are the most popular aspect of every Fitzgerald port visit, and the sign-up sheet was filled within hours of being posted outside of Command Master Chief (SW) John Becker’s door.

“We had to turn away Sailors due to transportation restraints,” said Becker. “I feel the number one reason we fill up our [community service] projects so fast is due to the fact that we have been blessed with outstanding Sailors who come from great families that are obviously caring and very generous about volunteering time.

“I also feel [that] here on Fitzgerald, we don’t have leadership just talking about how it’s good to attend [these projects]; khaki leadership is also attending our projects,” he continued.

Fitzgerald projects sea power as a member of Carrier Strike Group 5 in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. The officers and crew are currently under way in the Philippine Sea preparing to participate in collateral exercises this fall.