The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) arrived in Manila last Wednesday for a routine port call that highlights the strong historic, community, and military connections between the Philippines and the United States.
In a statement, the United States Embassy in Manila Information Office said during the visit, service members from Curtis Wilbur will participate in a series of community relations projects and sporting events while experiencing Filipino culture.
Although some Curtis Wilbur sailors will be experiencing the Philippines for the first time, some sailors, such as Senior Chief Gas Turbine System Technician Fitz Dasal, are looking forward to seeing the Philippines again because they are Filipino-Americans.
“I was born in Bacolod, Philippines, which is south of Manila,” said Dasal. “My wife and children are all US citizens but they currently live in Bacolod. I’m very excited and grateful to see them tomorrow,” he said.
(Francis T. Wakefield)