The Hindu : U.S. Naval ships visit Kochi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 20, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

U.S. Naval ships visit Kochi

By Our Special Correspondent

KOCHI June 19. The Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates USS Gary (FFG 51) and USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) arrived in Kochi today on a four-day visit. The ships are returning to Japan after participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Arabian Gulf.

The nearly 600 crewmembers of the two American Navy vessels would do community relation services at the Subash Bose Park here and SOS children's village near Aluva on Saturday.

Michael H. Anderson, Country Public Affairs Officer of U.S. Embassy, New Delhi, told reporters here today that the crewmembers from USS Vandegrift will join volunteers of NSS and Green Corps students for an environment-friendly herbal/medicinal sapling planting project at Tapovanam site in the Subhash Park here. Crewmembers from USS Gary will visit the SOS village at Edathala in Aluva to participate in a community service project (bird cage building and natural habitat) with the children. They will also play a friendly football match with an SOS team.

The captain of USS Gary, Bareilly (UP)-born Cmdr Tito P. Dua said in response to a query that the arrival of the warships in Kochi cheek by jowl with the arrival of the Pentagon team to Delhi was "coincidental." He described the visit as "routine" and expressed ignorance about any official engagement with the Indian Navy here.

He did not envisage any "joint exercises" nor exchange of logistical and strategic information other than those which were mandatory. USS Gary and USS Vandegrift are permanently forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.

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