CNMI Military and Veterans Affairs Executive Director Ruth Coleman told the Variety yesterday that this is the third time for the USS Chancellorsville to visit Saipan.
“The ship first visited Saipan sometime in 2003 and again in 2006,” Coleman said. The ship, which carries over 400 officers and crewmembers, will depart Saipan on Wednesday morning.
Coleman said the crewmembers under the leadership of Capt. Mike Hegarty will be performing community service at the Carolinian Village in Garapan this morning.
She said the crewmembers will be doing cleaning and repainting work from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. Tonight, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce will hold a no-host reception for the ship’s crewmembers at the Hard Rock Café in Garapan.
Coleman said a basketball match has also been set between the Chancellorsville and the Docomo teams but the venue and the schedule have yet to be finalized.
Coleman said several of the crewmembers of the USS Chancellorsville showed interest in exploring the island’s golf facilities and historical sites.
USS Chancellorsville is named for the Confederate victory over Union forces under Gen. Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia.
Chancellorsville, whose homeport is in San Diego, carries guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons, and two Seahawk LAMPS multi-purpose helicopters which are used mainly for anti-submarine warfare.
