Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, left, and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, 2nd right, pose for a photo with Joint Region Marianas Commander Rear Adm. Gregory C. Huffman and USS John Finn Commanding Officer Matthew Hays on Monday afternoon at the Saipan port. The USS John Finn, a guided missile destroyer is on island for a scheduled port call. Its senior officers will participate in the CNMI’s Liberation Day festivities today, Tuesday.
THE U.S. Navy’s newest guided missile destroyer, USS John Finn, made its first port call on Saipan Sunday.
The ship will be here until July 6 giving its officers and crew members the opportunity to join island residents in celebrating their 77th Liberation Day today on the Fourth of July.
“It’s incredibly exciting in getting the opportunity to share in the Liberation Day [festivities],” said Rear Adm. Gregory C. Huffman, the new commander of Joint Region Marianas. He also thanked Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang for welcoming the ship, its officers and crew at the port.
Huffman said it’s “incredibly exciting” to be on Saipan. “This is a critical indicator of how we are postured in this part of the world, getting the opportunity to bring one of our latest and newest destroyers to come to port visit here on Saipan.”
USS John Finn Commanding Officer CDR Matthew Hays said they were “extremely excited” to be on Saipan for the 77th Liberation Day celebration.
The port visit on Saipan, he said, “is one of our first real kind of port call to get out, [but still] in the U.S., and do things they don’t get to do in foreign ports.”
He added, “It’s great to be here in the CNMI and we are excited to be here, with the great weather and we look forward to the Liberation Day parade and festivities.”
Palacios, for his part, thanked Huffman and Hays for the port call. “We continue to welcome the members of our military to Saipan and hopefully we will continue to see more visits in the near future,” the governor said.
Apatang said, “It is a good afternoon for us — we have visitors who are our friends in the U.S. Navy.”
“I am so happy to see them spend their time here on our beautiful island of Saipan. As you see, a lot of them are going around the island patronizing a lot of our businesses today. I am sure they are going to be enjoying themselves tomorrow also, as we celebrate Liberation Day,” Apatang said.
“It’s always good to see our friends, the military, joining us in whatever occasion. It’s always good to see them come here. We are looking forward to seeing a lot of them in the near future,” he added.
“Enjoy your stay,” he told them.
