By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin V.
Cunningham, USS Fitzgerald Public Affairs
FUKUOKA, Japan (NNS) -- Sailors from Arleigh Burke-class
guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) played basketball with
students from The Fukuoka Institute of Technology, July 19, during a goodwill
port visit to Fukuoka.
"No matter what language you speak, sports unite
people," said Seaman Zachary Curato, from Redding, California. "I
don't know Japanese, and a lot of the students don't know English, but we can
still play good basketball."
The Sailors first played against the students then mixed the
teams so that they could play alongside each other.
"It is an honor to be given this opportunity,"
said Ryo Imastasto, a student at the school. "I enjoyed playing against,
but especially with the Sailors. I will always remember this experience."
After the games, the school held a reception for the Sailors
in the cafeteria featuring Japanese cuisine. During the meal, Sailors presented
their hosts with American style snacks and drinks they brought from the ship.
"This was more than I expected," said Seaman
Apprentice Juan Santiago, from Holyoke, Massachusetts. "They really went
out of their way to welcome us."
Fostering diplomatic relations with allies through friendly
community interactions in port is part of America's maritime strategy to build
a joint coalition force of allies capable of ensuring maritime security.
Fitzgerald is forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, assigned
to Destroyer Squadron 15, a key element to 7th Fleet, the largest of the
forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with approximately 60 ships, 250 aircraft and
40,000 Sailors and Marines assigned at any given time.
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