U.S. warships arrive in Vietnam
The guided-missile destroyer USS Preble is one of the U.S. ships visiting Vietnam.
July 15th, 2011
11:25 AM ET

U.S. warships arrive in Vietnam

Three U.S. Navy ships arrived Friday - as welcome guests - at the Vietnamese port of Da Nang.

The visit is part of a seven-day celebration of the 16th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two former enemies, the Navy said in a press release.

The 7th Fleet delegation consists of the guided-missile destroyers USS Chung-Hoon and USS Preble, the rescue and salvage ship USNS Safeguard, additional sailors from the Logistics Group Western Pacific command, and a mobile diving and salvage team.

The Safeguard underwent repairs at a Vietnamese shipyard in 2009, the Navy said.

Territorial tensions have risen in recent weeks between Vietnam and China over the South China Sea, but the U.S. says the visit is a planned training mission focusing on "non-combatant events and skills exchanges in areas such as navigation and maintenance."

U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen just ended a four-day visit to China on Wednesday.

 Post by:
Filed under: China • Military • U.S. Navy • Vietnam
soundoff (286 Responses)
  1. erich2112x

    Excellent, they expect nothing. The invasion will continue as planned.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:39 am | Report abuse |
    • Mr. Phoenix

      Don't fail me again, Admiral.

      July 15, 2011 at 12:23 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Ly Thuong Kiet

    Vietnam needs the U.S to balance with China. China is so aggressive with its ground less claims over the East Sea of Vietnam. China needs to stop its claim over the "ox tounge" line. When the U.S there, the China will stop kill the Vietnamese fishermen.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:42 am | Report abuse |
    • Butterfly

      Let's see if chinese mess with this boat. it will send them to the bottom.

      July 15, 2011 at 5:29 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Northerner

    erich, Shhh, remember "Eyes Only"

    July 15, 2011 at 11:45 am | Report abuse |
  4. Sam

    Nothing to see here, China. Move along. There's no force buildup here.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:48 am | Report abuse |
  5. Truongsa

    Nam Quoc Son Ha Nam De Cu (The King of Viet has ruled the country)
    Tuyet nhien dinh phan tai thien thu (Heaven Book has already dictatted the border )
    Nhu ha nghic lo lai xam pham (Why does China keep invading us)
    Nhu dang banh khang thu bai hu (You will always be defeated, regardless)

    July 15, 2011 at 11:48 am | Report abuse |
  6. Thomas Covenant

    If we had sent in AT & T and General Motors as well as McDonalds we could have made billions and saved 50,000 lives.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:50 am | Report abuse |
    • Ted Ward

      Instead, we sent LBJ, Westmorland and Cronkite. What a cluster fk that was. Oh, well, this seems like a politive development. History sure can be astonishing.

      July 15, 2011 at 3:21 pm | Report abuse |
    • Agent Orange

      Like in Cuba right?

      July 26, 2011 at 4:25 pm | Report abuse |
  7. capnmike

    "The visit is part of a seven-day celebration of the 16th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two former enemies"...and how much is this silly useless exercise (and dozens more like it) costing the US Taxpayers?

    July 15, 2011 at 11:50 am | Report abuse |
    • Ted Ward

      Plenty. Peace and security are not naturally occuring commodities. They have to be carefully cultivated at enormous cost

      July 15, 2011 at 3:24 pm | Report abuse |
  8. planned training mission?

    And if you believe that – I have some oceanfront property in Arizona for sale -Cheap! and -ill throw the Golden Gate in for free!!!!

    July 15, 2011 at 11:50 am | Report abuse |
  9. Rosslaw

    The PRC manages to make everybody look good by comparison.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:51 am | Report abuse |
    • Ted Ward

      Yes...doesn't this make you angry when you go to Walmart and try to buy something NOT made in China?

      July 17, 2011 at 10:40 am | Report abuse |
  10. Snacklefish

    I can't wait until 2047 when we're welcomed with open arms in Iraq and Afghanistan as well. :/

    July 15, 2011 at 11:51 am | Report abuse |
  11. JimmyNelson

    my how things have changed...

    July 15, 2011 at 11:53 am | Report abuse |
  12. kaneda

    So the vietnam war was for nothing. Mil people died, now you want to be friends.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:54 am | Report abuse |
    • 911

      Wish Ron Paul to be elected.

      July 15, 2011 at 3:11 pm | Report abuse |
    • Ted Ward

      The Vietnam war was a giant chipper into which human beings were bodiily thrown wilst still alive, fueled by a fierce desire for national liberation, colonialism, anti-colonialism, communist militarism, american containment policy and many mistakes all around.

      July 15, 2011 at 3:31 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Kingofthenet

    I came here to tell some of my Vietnam jokes, but some people find them a 'Tet' Offensive.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:54 am | Report abuse |
  14. Philip

    Still, it cost US more to provide Usama bin Laden with a full-military honors burial at sea. Over an hour was spent washing his body and wrapping it for disposal! How much to keep a ship afloat for an extra hour? 50K?

    July 15, 2011 at 11:54 am | Report abuse |
    • Mister Jones

      Nope. Ships float at sea by themselves just fine. Did you think that sailors were paddling to keep the ships from sinking or something?

      July 15, 2011 at 3:33 pm | Report abuse |
    • Butterfly

      Lol philip is not very smart chinese man.

      July 15, 2011 at 5:23 pm | Report abuse |
  15. saywhat

    @capnmike
    not much I would say. We are used to treating billions as peanuts. We American tax payers are generous & can go without food or shelter to feed these war games, military bases & wars generally, in case you didn't know.

    July 15, 2011 at 11:55 am | Report abuse |
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
« Back to main