KOROR, Palau -– Sailors aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) conducted a multi-day port visit to Palau, beginning May 15, 2019.

During the port visit, Chung-Hoon’s Sailors immersed themselves in the local culture and experience a place with very rich history and beautiful scenery.

"Palau was an absolutely beautiful," said Fire Controlman (Aegis) 2nd Class Rafael Medina. "The food was great and the water was crystal clear. The tour of Jellyfish Lake had to be my favorite part of the port visit without a doubt. That experience that was truly once in a lifetime."

Along with Palau’s beautiful scenery comes a long history with the U.S. dating back to World War II during the Mariana and Palau Campaign. The most notable engagement was the Battle of Peleliu, which took place from September to November of 1944.

"Palau was an incredibly beautiful port with great scenery and immense hospitality," said Cmdr. Brent Jackson, Chung-Hoon's commanding officer. "Being able to experience a place with so much history was truly special, and even more special was being able to interact with the local population and learn about their culture."

Palau gained its independence on Jan. 1, 1981 and signed a compact of free association with the U.S. in 1982.

Chung-Hoon is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.