Frank Cable visits Subic Bay during Indo-Asia-Pacific deployment

The submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) arrived in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines, Sept. 10, and the ships seventh port call during its deployment in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The Frank Cable team consisting of more than 500 sailors and civilian mariners is currently on deployment to provide vital flexibility to the fleet commanders, extending the range and impact of U.S. naval forces.

American submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS-40)

While in Subic Bay, Frank Cable's Repair Department will provide support services to the guided-missile submarine USS Greeneville (SSN 772), and her crew will participate in community outreach events and take advantage of various tours offered by Morale, Welfare and Recreation.

USS Frank Cable is one of two forward-deployed submarine tenders and is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to conduct maintenance and support of deployed U.S. naval force submarines and surface vessels in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

For more information on the USS Frank Cable, find us on Facebook at USS Frank Cable (AS 40), or http://www.csp.navy.mil/frankcable

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from USS Frank Cable (AS 40), visit www.navy.mil/local/as40/.

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US Navy submarine USS Key West visits Subic Bay

SUBIC BAY, Philippines (NNS) -- The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) arrived in Subic Bay for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific, Nov. 4.

"I'm incredibly proud of the crew and what we've accomplished over the past couple of months," said Cmdr. John Thompson, Key West's commanding officer. "Their hard work to prepare for deployment was validated through a very successful execution. Now we have a new mission at hand - to represent the United States while enjoying the sights and experiences that the Philippines has to offer."

Master Chief Electronics Technician Eric Baker, chief of the boat aboard Key West, expressed similar sentiments.

"This has been a very busy year for Key West and these men have worked very hard," said Baker. "They are ready for this well-deserved port visit after a successful deployment and are eager to explore and take in the culture and sights of Subic Bay."

After more than a month at sea, the crew of Key West was very much looking forward to its first stop in Subic Bay.

Electronics Technician 3rd Class Zachary Cenit looked forward to reconnect with his family.

"I haven't seen my relatives in four years," said Cenit. "I can't wait to see them and eat and celebrate together."

Other Sailors, such as Electronics Technician 1st Class Joel Ignalla were just eager to return home.

"I was raised in San Pedro Laguna until I was 14," said Ignalla. "For me, the Philippines represent my childhood."

"I've heard a lot of great things about Subic Bay," said Sonar Technician 1st Class Robert Hatton. "I'm excited for the diving, especially the wrecks regarding our shared history between the United States and the Philippines."

A second-flight 688 submarine, Key West is outfitted with four MK 67 torpedo tubes and 12 Tomahawk cruise missile vertical launch tubes. The 360-foot, 6,900-ton vessel remains one of the stealthiest, most formidable submarines in the world. Key West is able to conduct anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. (Lt. j.g. David Oh, USS Key West Public Affairs)

PHOTO
A tug boat helps position the US Navy submarine USS Key West while its crewmembers secure its moorings at the Alava Wharf after arrival in the Subic Bay Freeport for a routine port stop on Wednesday morning. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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Japan joins US-PH Humanitarian drills amid South China Sea dispute

SUBIC BAY –Japan has joined US-led maritime humanitarian exercises off the Philippines for the first time, as concerns mount among the three allies about China’s growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.

A Japanese navy replenishment ship was in Subic Bay, a former US naval base, to refuel a US Navy floating hospital en route to Vietnam for the seven-nation humanitarian mission.

It was the first time a Japanese navy ship has taken part in the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief drills from Subic Bay. Japan has participated in past Pacific Partnership missions in other areas.

A flotilla of Japanese training vessels, including a submarine, makes annual port calls in Manila.

Rear Admiral Charles Williams, commander of US Seventh Fleet’s Task Force 73, said humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises were becoming a regular component of military exercises in the Philippines.

“You are seeing in exercises ... a shift from strictly bilateral engagement to multilateral, which is why you see the Japanese here today,” Williams told journalists aboard USNS Mercy, one of two US hospital ships.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims. Japan and China also have conflicting claims in the East China Sea.

Williams said the presence of Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, head of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces, “speaks volumes about their commitment to the region and their commitment to being part of a multilateral engagement.”

Kawano met last week with his Philippine counterpart, General Hernando Iriberri, and Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Manila, where he expressed interest in holding joint amphibious landing exercises and operations with Philippine marines.

In a meeting with Gazmin, Kawano also expressed interest in sharing information in the South China Sea and capacity building, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Williams said humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations were “a great avenue towards increasing maritime stability and security in this region,” part of Washington’s rebalance to Asia policy.

China hit back on Monday at US criticism that it restricts navigation and overflights in the South China Sea. US Secretary of State John Kerry also said China’s construction of facilities on man-made islands for “military purposes” was raising tension and risked “militarization” by other claimant states. (Reuters)

PHOTO:
The USNS Mercy is sandwiched by the USS Pecos (right) and the Japanese Navy ship JDS Mashu (far left) all docked at the Alava Pier early August as participants of Pacific Partnership 2015. (RBB/MPD-SBMA)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/japan-joins-us-ph-humanitarian-drills-amid-south-china-sea-dispute

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Winning smiles aboard ‘USNS Mercy’

Inside a gymnasium filled with rubber matting, parents and children line up to await their turn to be screened. Some of the kids screamed their lungs out after their blood samples were drawn, while others were happy just to be around with other children for play.

All of them had one wish, though – for them to qualify for a free cleft lip and palate surgery courtesy of “Operation Smile.”

For years now, volunteer doctors and medical professionals join Operation Smile to offer themselves for the betterment of the lives of children born with the odd condition. They come together from different corners of the Earth with one mission – to allow a child the full freedom and happiness to smile.

These volunteer professionals have one goal in mind, to give children a reason to smile.

This year’s mission is particularly special for Operation Smile as it is being conducted until August 12 aboard the “USNS Mercy,” the 894-foot long US Navy hospital ship.

The multinational team of Operation Smile volunteer cleft care professionals from 13 countries arrived in Subic Bay Freeport last Wednesday and, since then, buckled down to a five-day free cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries for Filipinos aboard the USNS Mercy.

“Subic is our seventh international mission site this year and this shows just how serious we are at harnessing Operation Smile’s global resources to help eradicate the backlog of cleft cases in the Philippines,” said Operation Smile COO Wayne Zinn, a former US Marine who did a tour at the then Subic Naval Base from 1979 to 1980s.

The Philippines has a high prevalence of cleft births. Every year, an estimated one in every 500 live births or 5,000 babies are born with the deformity. (Jonas Reyes, Manila Bulletin)

PHOTO:
SMILING IN PAIN — A cleft-lipped child manages to smile in the comfort of his mother’s arms as he receives a shot in the arm during the recent screening of children hoping to get a free cleft-lip palate surgery courtesy of volunteer doctors of ‘Operation Smile’ inside the visiting ‘USNS Mercy,’ currently docked at Subic Bay Freeport. (Jonas Reyes)

http://www.mb.com.ph/winning-smiles-aboard-usns-mercy/

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US fast attack submarine USS Chicago also in Subic Bay

Only a day ahead of the floating hospital USNS Mercy that docked today (August 4), the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Chicago (SSN 721) is also in Subic Bay for a visit as part of its Western Pacific deployment.

The USS Chicago, returning to Subic Bay since it last came here in May last year, arrived Monday (August 3) and is seen docked at the Alava Pier along with the USNS Mercy.

With a crew of approximately 170 Sailors, Chicago has been conducting a multitude of missions to showcase the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet.

“It’s an outstanding feeling to see all the hard work the crew invested in maintaining this forward deployed warship rewarded with an outstanding port of call,” said Cmdr. Lance Thompson, Chicago’s commanding officer. “The crew looks forward to experiencing many of the diverse activities the Philippines has to offer.”

Chicago is the first fast-attack submarine to be built with a vertical launch system. This allows the Navy to maintain a constant forward presence capable of strategic action.

“The months leading up to our departure from Guam the crew worked hard to prepare for this underway and have performed well,” said Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Jamie Manzoeillo, the chief of the boat aboard Chicago. “We now look forward to the opportunity to be ambassadors of our great nation and enjoy some well-deserved liberty in one of the finest ports in the Pacific.

For many crew members, this was their first time visiting the Philippines.

“I can’t wait to breathe some fresh air and enjoy some awesome local food,” said Fire Control Technician 3rd Class Ethan Suttles.

Logistics Specialist 1st Class Allendale Basa, a native of the Philippines, was excited to visit family members.

“I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with my family in Olongapo City,” said Basa.

Measuring more than 360 feet long and weighing more than 7,000 tons when submerged, Chicago is one of the most advanced submarines in the world. This submarine is capable of supporting a multitude of missions including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, and strike.

Chicago is home ported in Guam, where it remains in a forward deployed state of readiness. The ship has finished extensive and continuous maintenance availability, tactical readiness review and recently completed its second mission vital to national security in 2015. (SNL)

PHOTO:
Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Chicago (SSN 721). (Photo file from the US Embassy)

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USNS Mercy docks today (August 4) in Subic Port [VIDEO]

The long wait for the floating hospital ship is over. The USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) has docked here at the Alava Pier to undertake a series of missions.

According to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), a cleft-lip and palate surgical mission will be done aboard the USNS Mercy, sponsored by Operation Smile and the Kapampangan Development Foundation (KDF) in cooperation with Rotary International District 3790.

In line with this, the SBMA Office of the Deputy Administrator for Public Health will be facilitating the screening of potential patients who require cleft-lip and palate surgery at the Subic Gym on August 5, from 7:00 a.m. onwards.

Potential patients should weigh at least 10 kilograms, not undernourished, and free from colds, cough, or fever at the time of the screening, the SBMA ODA for Public Health said.

Interested parties may call or text Mr. Raul Peralta at 0914-888-4545, or the Office of the Deputy Administrator for Public Health and Safety at (047)252-4924/4307.

The surgical mission is as part of Pacific Partnership 2015 (PP15), the largest annual multi-lateral humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The ship’s crew will also conduct Fundamentals of Disaster Management Course on August 5 at the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital and Basic Life Support Training with personnel from the Philippine Heart Center on August 6 at the Harbor Terminal, Subic Bay.

The USNS Mercy crew will be in Subic Bay until August 12 for the continuing Pacific Partnership expert-exchange events and community relations projects while the ship undergoes routine maintenance at the Subic port.

USNS Mercy last docked here in July 2012. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

VIDEO:
The USNS Mercy docks at the Alava Pier in Subic Bay Freeport (DMS/MPD-SBMA)

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Hospital ship to bring more smiles to residents of Subic community (UPDATED)

The floating hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) is set to arrive in Subic Bay Freeport on August 4 to undertake a cleft-lip and palate surgical mission as part of Pacific Partnership 2015 (PP15), the largest annual multi-lateral humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

According to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), the surgical mission will be done aboard the USNS Mercy and will be sponsored by Operation Smile and the Kapampangan Development Foundation (KDF) in cooperation with Rotary International District 3790.

The Pacific Partnership 2015 also provides real-world medical care to thousands of patients, veterinary services, and critical infrastructure development to host nations through multiple engineering projects.

In line with this, the SBMA Office of the Deputy Administrator for Public Health will be facilitating the screening of potential patients who require cleft-lip and palate surgery.

The screening will be held at the Subic Gym on August 5, from 7:00 a.m. onwards.

Potential patients should weigh at least 10 kilograms, not undernourished, and free from colds, cough, or fever at the time of the screening, the SBMA ODA for Public Health said.

Interested parties may call or text Mr. Raul Peralta at 0917-888-4545, or the Office of the Deputy Administrator for Public Health and Safety at (047)252-4924/4307.

The USNS Mercy will arrive in Subic Bay from Roxas City on August 5 to continue is humanitarian mission in the Philippines. It will dock at the Alava Wharf here.

The ship’s crew will also conduct Fundamentals of Disaster Management Course on August 5 at the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital and Basic Life Support Training with personnel from the Philippine Heart Center on August 6 at the Harbor Terminal, Subic Bay.

The USNS Mercy crew will be in Subic Bay until August 12 for the continuing Pacific Partnership expert-exchange events and community relations projects while the ship undergoes routine maintenance at the Subic port.

Now in its tenth year, the Pacific Partnership missions have provided medical care to approximately 270,000 patients and veterinary services to more than 38,000 animals.

Additionally, the mission has provided critical infrastructure developments to host nations through the completion of more than 180 engineering projects. (RFD/MPD-SBMA)

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USNS Mercy in Subic Bay on Aug. 5 for Pacific Partnership 2015

The hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) will be in Subic Bay Freeport on August 5-14 for the second leg of its mission stop in the Philippines for Pacific Partnership 2015 (PP15).

The Mercy crew is now in Roxas City for the first half of its visit to the country, performing surgical procedures and hosting community health engagements.

Mercy will depart Roxas City on Aug. 4, and transit to Subic Bay to continue its mission in exchanging events and community relations projects. While in Subic Bay, the ship will also undergo routine maintenance.

Capt. Melanie Merrick, commanding officer of the medical treatment facility on board Mercy said, PP15 is such a wonderful opportunity for their medical teams because they get the chance to work side-by-side with the Philippine medical community. "We learn so much from each other and this collaboration strengthens our international partnership and better prepares us to respond to natural disasters throughout the region,” Merrick said.

In addition, the Mercy crew will host partnership events such as a multilateral leadership forum on gender and development, partnered training with Barangay health workers, biomedical repair exchanges, and a disaster risk reduction forum intended to enhance international response to natural disasters.

PP15 participants on the ship and on the ground include personnel from the United States, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, and New Zealand. The hospital ship arrived with more than 900 personnel, including volunteers from non-governmental organizations. In addition, several PP15 events will be led by the United States Coast Guard. All PP15 personnel will work together with the Philippine government and local community on various medical, dental, veterinary and civic action projects.

Now in its tenth iteration, Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific Region. While training for crisis conditions, Pacific Partnership missions have provided medical care to approximately 270,000 patients and veterinary services to more than 38,000 animals. Additionally, the mission has provided critical infrastructure developments to host nations through the completion of more than 180 engineering projects.

“We value the knowledge and best practices we will exchange in the coming weeks and also the friendships we will undoubtedly make,” said Capt. Christopher Engdahl, Pacific Partnership 2015 mission commander. “Preparing for natural disasters before they happen is vital to the stability of the Pacific region. PP15 allows our nations to better prepare now so that we are able to respond and seamlessly integrate during future relief efforts.”

Additional information on the Pacific Partnership mission is available on the U.S. Pacific Fleet Pacific Partnership website at www.cpf.navy.mil/pacific-partnership/2015/.

PHOTO:
USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) is the lead ship of her class of hospital ships in the United States Navy. (wikipedia.org)

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/170326/usns-mercy-arrives-roxas-city-philippines-pacific-partnership#.Va8N5KSqqko

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USS Shiloh arrives in Subic Bay

USS Shiloh (CG-67) arrived in Subic Bay over the weekend for a port visit as part of an ongoing patrol in the Pacific theater.

The USS Shiloh is part of the forward-deployed Naval Forces of the U.S. 7th Fleet — the U.S. Department of Defense unified combatant command responsible for the overall stability of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The routinely scheduled port visit will permit the ship to replenish supplies, strengthen people-to-people ties through community outreach and will afford the approximately 360-person crew of which 31 are Filipino-American, the opportunity to briefly experience Filipino culture, which is reflective of strong historic, community, and military connections.

The USS Shiloh, commissioned July 18, 1992, is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser and serves as a multi-role warship capable of facing and defeating threats in the air, on sea, or ashore.

The warship is also capable of employing two SH-60 Seahawk multi-purpose helicopters, used primarily for anti-submarine warfare.

The USS Shiloh, named in remembrance of the American Civil War battle operates out of its homeport in Yokosuka, Japan and is commanded by Captain Kurush F Morris.

PHOTO:
The guided missile cruiser ship USS Shiloh (CG-67) is seen docked for supply replenishment at the Alava pier of Subic Bay Freeport zone Friday afternoon (May 29). The US ship is equipped with guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons and also carries two multi-purpose helicopters for anti-submarine warfare. (AMD/MPD-SBMA)

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USS Peleliu and Germantown in Subic Bay for Amphibious Landing Exercise 15

The USS Peleliu (LHA 5), an amphibious assault ship, and the USS Germantown (LSD 42), an amphibious dock landing ship of the U.S. 7th Fleet, arrived in Subic Bay Freeport today (Sept. 27) to participate in this year’s Amphibious Landing Exercise 15.

PHIBLEX 15, a bilateral annual military exercise, will take place throughout Luzon and Palawan from September 29 to October 10. During the exercise, the Peleliu and Germantown will support Philippine and U.S. troops in amphibious-operations training designed to strengthen military responses to regional issues, humanitarian disasters, and maritime-security needs within the Asia-Pacific region.

The USS Peleliu, commanded by Capt. Paul Spedero, is manned by more than 1,100 sailors. The USS Germantown, commanded by Capt. Marvin Thompson, is manned by more than 350 sailors. Both ships have elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is commanded by Col. Romin Dasmalchi and based out of Okinawa, Japan, and can have up to 2,200 Marines. (US Embassy Public Affairs)




PHOTOS:
[1] The primary mission of the USS Peleliu is to embark and deploy combat-ready Marines, along with their equipment and supplies needed to conduct a variety of missions including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, and land them ashore by rotary-wing aircraft and amphibious craft. The USS Peleliu is named after the island in the Pacific where the historic World War II battle took place. The Battle of Peleliu was one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific with eight Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients.

[2] An MH-60S Seahawk approaches the flight deck of the dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42). The USS Germantown is the second ship to bear the name of the historical Pennsylvania district of Germantown, famous for being the site of an important battle of the American Revolution. The amphibious assault ship's mission is to project power ashore by transporting and launching amphibious craft and vehicles loaded with embarked Marines in support of amphibious operations.

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US vessel arrives in Subic for port call

The United States Embassy in Manila said that another one of its navy ships, USS Guardian, arrived on Sunday for a routine fuel stop.

In a statement, the embassy said that the USS Guardian, a US Navy Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, arrived in Subic Bay.

“This visit will allow the ship to replenish supplies as well as give the crew an opportunity for rest and relaxation,” the embassy said.

After an overnight visit in Subic, the ship will proceed to Puerto Princesa City in Palawan “for another brief visit.”

The USS Guardian is assigned to the US Navy’s seventh fleet and is forward deployed to Sasebo in Japan.

The vessel’s crew of some 80 officers and enlisted personnel includes eight Filipino Americans.

Notably, the ship’s highest-ranking enlisted sailor on board is a Filipino-American originally from Olongapo City.

Vessels of the US Navy have made over a dozen port calls to the Philippines since 2012.

Reports have indicated that the unusual number of port calls by the United States to the Philippines was influenced largely by the Obama administration’s Pacific Rim repivot.

The repivot is the United States refocus on the Asia-Pacific region after it has been preoccupied on its war against terrorism campaign in the Middle East for over a decade.

This strategy comes amid China’s increasingly enormous political, economic and military power in the region.

China and the Philippines are currently embroiled in territorial disputes over the resource-rich West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) islands. (Bernice Camille V. Bauzon, The Manila Times)

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Hospital ship USNS Mercy docks in Subic Bay

The US naval ship Mercy (T-AH-19), a floating hospital on a four-month Asian tour, docked on Monday at the Alava Pier here for a six-day humanitarian mission, as well as rest and relaxation for its crew.

In a statement, the US Embassy in Manila said that USNS Mercy is in Subic Bay as part of the Philippine leg of Pacific Partnership 2012, a U.S. Pacific Fleet humanitarian and civic assistance program held annually.

The Pacific Partnership program brings together U.S. military personnel, host and partner nations, non-government organizations and international agencies to build stronger relationships and develop disaster response capabilities throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

US Navy Capt. James Morgan, mission commanding officer of Pacific Partnership 2012, clarified that the arrival of USNS Mercy in the Philippines does not have anything to do with the issues on Panatag Shoal in the Western Philippine Sea.

“It’s a scheduled mission. We’ve been planning this Pacific Partnership 2012 for over a year now and it has been in docket for a long time at the invitations of the government of the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia,” Morgan said.

Before going to Subic, USNS Mercy also conducted humanitarian and civic action missions in Northern and Western Samar, including the towns of San Isidro and Calbayog and the city of Catbalogan.

Meanwhile, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia welcomed the arrival of USNS Mercy here, saying the agency would like to help in missions such as this in any way it can.

He said the presence of USNS Mercy in Subic for both humanitarian and civic activities “will surely benefit the residents in the surrounding communities of the Freeport.”

“We are very grateful that Subic is playing a major role as host port for the hospital ship USNS Mercy for its humanitarian and medical mission,” he added.

Meanwhile, US Navy officers noted that Subic Bay is one of the best ports as far as logistics and relaxation are concerned.

“I think everybody has relaxation on their mind, and it is much needed. We’ve been working very hard and rigorously practically every day for the last month,” said US Navy Capt. Timothy Hinman, the commanding officer of the medical treatment facility for the USNS Mercy.

The hospital ship has a 1,000-bed capacity and is ready to respond to natural disasters or other contingencies in times of conflict. “This means anytime that we would receive a call,” Hinman added.

USNS Mercy has about 850 medical personnel and a total complement of 1,200 people who work as support staff in medical, engineering, construction and maintenance, and other related activities. (RAV/MPD-SBMA))

PHOTO:
Crew members of the hospital ship USNS Mercy man the rail as the ship sails into Subic Bay on Monday afternoon for a five-day replenishing of supplies and rest and recreation for its crew. The ship is participating in a medical and humanitarian mission in the Asia-Pacific region.

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