The Arleigh Burke class US Navy destroyer DDG-61 USS Ramage arrived yesterday in Bodrum, Muğla for a three day port visit.
Unlike previous port calls in Turkey, this liberty call is going to be an eventful one. Yesterday a small group of protesters belonging to Turkish Communist Party protested against the US Naval presence in Bodrum and chanted the obsolete slogan “Yankee Go Home”. Some of these protesters tried to put sacks over the heads of some sailors who were walking in the city as a protest against the infamous “Sack Incident”.
On 4 July 2003 U.S. troops and Kurdish militia attacked, took prisoner and hooded 11 Turkish soldiers of special forces acting as military observers in the Northern Iraq town of Suleymaniye, an event referred to as the “Sack Incident”.
The Turkish police arrived at the scene in a very short time and the protesters dispersed quickly. The US sailors who were harassed but unharmed by the protesting group went to the local police department to press official charges against their attackers. The police detained 8 people believed to have taken part in the incident.
It is reported that rest of the liberty calls were cancelled on the ship.
Meanwhile the Ticonderoga class US Navy cruiser, CG-58 USS Philippine Sea arrived in Sevastopol, Ukraine for a official visit. According to the official website of Ukraine MoD, The crew of USS Philippine Sea will participate in the ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the memorial to the heroic defenders of Sevastopol in 1941-1942, and provide charitable assistance to orphanages Sevastopol and Simferopol. In addition, the ship crew will visit the Naval Lyceum.
During their stay in Sevastopol crew members USS Philippine Sea will conduct practical training with the Ukrainian Navy to use the equipment for combat survivability and communications, exchange of experience on the ship maintenance. The ship will leave Sevastopol on 24th October 2011.
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