The visit of USS Curtis Wilbur DDG54 to Vietnam's central Da Nang city, the second US Navy ship visit to the country since 1973, has helped beef up the relationship between Vietnam and the United States, said the destroyer's commander on Wednesday.

"This (the USS Curtis visit) continues developing the bilateral relationship between Vietnam and the United States, for common interest of regional security and economic prosperity," the commanding officer John Lauer stated at a press briefing on board.

The commander and his crews, most of whom have never been to Vietnam before, are excited to call at Da Nang, having a great opportunity to meet people and explore culture of the country, he said.

At the briefing, US ambassador to Vietnam Raymond Burghardt said, "This is the first visit by any foreign navy ship to Da Nang in 15 years. The US marines landed in the city's beach in March of 1965. Almost 40 years later, we have the US armed forces coming back to Da Nang, coming in peace, coming with friendship."

Many officers and staff of the USS Curtis expressed their excitement about their ongoing visit. "I think we'll have more opportunities to enhance the good relationship, especially about cultural exchange. I'll go sightseeing, meet new people, try new food and buy Vietnamese traditional long dresses," Jessica Gandy, engineering officer, told Xinhua, smilingly explaining that this is the first time she has visited Vietnam.

Mark Nguyen, a Vietnamese American, on the contrary, has visited the country six times, but also the first time on the USS Curtis. "Vietnam has changed a lot. I have seen different Vietnam on different visits," the medical officer said.

The guided missile destroyer with over 300 officers and sailors on board will stay at Da Nang until Aug. 2. Its crews will pay courtesy visits to the municipal People's Committee, to Vietnam's Zone 5 Military Command, and the country's Region 3 Navy Command on Wednesday afternoon. They will play volleyball matches with local sailors and visit a vocational training school designated for street children in the city on Friday.

The 154-meter long ship's armament includes two MK 41 VLS for Standard missiles, Tomahawk, Harpoon missile launchers, one Mk 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun and two Phalanx CIWS, Mk 46 torpedoes. It has no aircraft, but its landing deck is equipped with LAMPS 3 electronics for coordinated DDG/helicopter ASW operations.

In November 2003, a US frigate named USS Vandegrift with complement of 201 people docked at the Saigon Port in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, becoming the first US navy ship to visit the country since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.

In May 2004, Commander of the US Army-Pacific (USARPAC) lieutenant general James L. Campbell visited Vietnam's capital of Hanoi to meet with leaders of the country's Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and to build on the military-to-military relationship between the United States and Vietnam.

Source: Xinhua