ACCORDING to Capt. Rudy Lupton, USS Blue Ridge commanding officer, about 120 of the 650 sailors of the US command ship in the Pacific are Filipinos.
The USS Blue Ridge is the command ship of the US 7th Fleet and has control over 45 ships and area of responsibility from Hawaii to India. It is one of the most technologically-advanced ships in the world – with state-of-the-art commercial and military satellite capabilities and the ability to track land, sea and air movements throughout the region, according to Inquirer.net.
The command ship arrived in the Philippines on August 4 for a four-day goodwill tour “to strengthen ties between the two countries through shipboard tours, activities and community service projects.”
The Filipino-American crew was also given the opportunity to visit family and friends in their motherland.
Among USS Blue Ridge’s community relations projects include Habitat for Humanity, where Staff Sailors will be assisting in building a daycare and learning center; honoring the veterans buried in Clark Cemetery and providing their services for a Gawad Kalinga village project.
It is interesting to note that a considerable number of USS Blue Ridge’s sailors are Pinoy. RP-US relations date back to the first half of the 20th century, during the time when the Philippines became a US colony.
According to Pres. Obama, “The relationship between the United States and the Philippines dates back many years. It is a friendship that is forged not only in treaties and trade relationships and military relationships, but it is also strengthened by very personal ties that exist between our two countries.”
It was a bond forged during those years of fighting in World War II and is perhaps, unbreakable at this point and will continue to remain strong because the Philippines is still one of the closest allies of the United States in Asia. The US is also the largest source of military aid for the country. Both nations have pledged to become partners in the continuing fight against terrorism.
In the words of US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. during a speech at the US Blue Ridge reception, “While we celebrate the friendship and partnership between our two nations, let us remember that the cooperation between our two militaries is a pillar of our shared freedom. Just over 60 years ago, the first USS Blue Ridge anchored off the shores of Leyte Gulf as General MacArthur fulfilled his promise to return, and the tides of war turned in our favor. To this day, our militaries remain close allies who plan, train and exercise together, in order to offer relief from disaster, protect freedom from threats, and provide security to all. This visit by the modern-day Blue Ridge underscores our abiding respect and support for one another.” (AJPress)
( www.asianjournal.com )
( Published August 11, 2010 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A6 )
