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INSIDE
Sailors ride elephants in Thailand
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Liberty Call! Liberty Call!
Sailors volunteer
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10 FROM THE EDITOR
Well done, shipmates. We spent four days in Thailand, a country full of some of the warmest, most friendly people in the world, and we matched their kindness throughout our visit. You rode elephants and relaxed poolside at your hotel; you enjoyed the nightlife along Pattaya Beach; you ate delicious, authentic Thai food and learned that it wasn’t too spicy after all. You breathed a series of interesting odors from the back of a covered flatbed truck, and you let fish eat the skin off of your feet. Those Sailors who saw the skyline in Bangkok will never forget it, and those of you who held tigers can only hope that every port visit offers at least one experience as unique (camel rides, anyone?). Above all, shipmates, you represented your country well. You should all be proud of yourselves. Liberty is a mission? Mission accomplished.
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Jon Idle
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Colby K. Neal
U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Jeremiah Mills
Lincoln Strike Group arrives in Thailand for port visit Story by MCSN K. Ashley Lawrence
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U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Tim Godbee
he aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), accompanied by the guidedmissile cruiser Cape St. George (CG 71), arrived in Laem Chabang, Thailand, for a port visit, Jan. 6. While in Thailand, strike group Sailors visited the people of Thailand, experienced the local culture and conducted a series of community service projects (COMSERVs) to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Cmdr. Denis Cox, Lincoln’s chaplain, said the COMSERVs were a great opportunity for Sailors to get to know the people of Thailand. “Our Sailors interacted with the great institutions of Thailand and met Thai people in their community,” Cox said. “They got to know our Sailors for what they really are: servants, leaders and genuinely good people. And nothing exposed our Sailors to what it means to be Thai more than working on these projects.” For the COMSERVs, Sailors painted schools, cleaned local temples and visited with children at an orphanage in Pattaya. Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Caleb R. Thomas, assigned to Lincoln, said he couldn’t wait to go on one of the many Morale, Welfare and Recreation-sponsored tours that were available to strike group Sailors in Thailand. In addition to historical sites such as Bangkok’s Grand Palace and the ruins of Ayudhaya, Sailors had the opportunity to visit the Sriracha Tiger Zoo, ride elephants and had fun in Thailand’s tropical rain forest. “I had a great time in Thailand,” Thomas said. “I enjoyed the few days relaxing on the beach and cable riding through the jungle.” Ensign Deborah I. Frazier, assigned to Lincoln’s combat systems department, said she developed a firsthand appreciation for the rich heritage of Thailand. “I’m glad that I had the chance to see their culture, I really loved seeing their temples,” Frazier said. “We’re incredibly lucky that we got to spend time there.”
Pattaya, Thailand
Sriracha Tiger Zoo
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incoln Sailors visited the Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Pattaya, Thailand during one of several tours provided by Supply department’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) division. Upon arrival at the zoo, Sailors ate lunch to get (for some) their first taste of real Thai food. After the meal, the tour guide briefed the group about the zoo and the day’s schedule of events. Sailors had opportunities to have their pictures taken with a tiger cub, chimpanzees, elephants and all sorts of other creatures during the visit. Performers got up close and personal with the animals, kissed them on their mouths (in some cases) and one even stuck his head inside a crocodile’s jaws. Even though the tigers were the highlight of the zoo experience, there were many more exciting attractions and shows there for everyone to enjoy. Photos by MCSN Gregory Harden
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THE PENNY PRESS
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U.S. Navy photo by MCSN K. Ashley Lawrence U.S. Navy photo by MCSN K. Ashley Lawrence U.S. Navy photo by MCSN K. Ashley Lawrence
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THE PENNY PRESS
Pattaya Elephant Village
Pattaya, Thailand U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Zachary Welch U.S. Navy photo by MCSN Zachary Welch
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ailors toured and interacted with elephants at the Pattaya Elephant Village as part of another MWRsponsored tour during their port visit in Thailand. “The elephants were very calm and approachable,” said Brooklyn native Legalman 3rd Class Kezziar Williams. “I thought they would be scary and rough at first, but once I saw how they were interacting with the trainers, I felt good about touching and feeding the elephants. It was an awesome experience.” The tour consisted of riding elephants through their natural habitat and taking an informative tour detailing the production of hand-made silk, from the cultivation of the silk worm through the maintenance of the silk itself. The Elephant Village is a private, non-profit company. After expenses, all of the proceeds from the tours went to feed, pay the medical bills and generally take care of the elephants. The company receives neither government support nor sponsorship from any large company or international organization. “I was happy to find out that the money I gave is going straight back to the elephants,” said Tiltonsville, Ohio native Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Benjamin Liston. “Just by purchasing a few pictures and a soda, I helped to pay for their survival, and that really makes me feel good.”
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U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Colby K. Neal
U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Josh Walters
U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Wade T. Oberlin
Liberty is a mission USS Abraham LIncoln (CVN 72)
U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Josh Walters
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Kirk Putnam
U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Wade T. Oberlin U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Christina Naranjo
U.S. Navy photo by MCC E. Slade Powell
Rayong, Thailand
COMSERV: Camillian Social Center 10
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orty-five chief petty officers assigned to USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) visited HIV/AIDS-stricken and disabled children during a community service project at the Camillian Relief Center in Rayong, Jan 7. Lincoln chiefs spent time playing with the children, working with them on arts and crafts projects and sharing sweets. The Camillian home is a registered non-profit children’s charity organization that provides professional education, physical therapy, personal development and a familial atmosphere to the individuals living there.
THE PENNY PRESS
U.S. Navy photo by MCC E. Slade Powell
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Barry Riley
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Barry Riley
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Barry Riley
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Photos by MCSA Josh Walters
COMSERV: NikHOM 3 School
Rayong, Thailand
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ailors visited the Nikhom 3 School in Rayong for a community service project during Lincoln’s port visit in Thailand. During the visit, Sailors helped move supplies into the school and viewed traditional Thai dances performed by the students. Afterward, the students and Sailors played games of tug-of-war and soccer. The Sailors also spent time teaching the students some basic English words and numbers. “It feels good to help out the kids,” said Gunner’s Mate Seaman Thomas Snyder. “Also, it’s a great way to get to know the community better and have some fun with the locals.”
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Chiang Mai, Thailand
Flight of the Gibbon
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ailors from Lincoln and Cape St. George participated in the Flight of the Gibbon Adventure Tour while the two ships were in Thailand. Flight of the Gibbon provided Sailors with a unique zip line canopy tour that allowed them to “fly� through a pristine rainforest environment outside of Chiang Mai. After a short hike into the forest, tour guides safely led more than 75 Sailors through 18 platforms, sky bridges and lowering stations that connected 2km of zip lines throughout different layers of rainforest canopy. Photos by MC2 Christopher Dollar
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U.S. Navy photo by MCSA Wesley Buckett
Lincoln Concludes Thailand port visit Story by USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Colby K. Neal
U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Jon Idle
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ircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), accompanied by guidedmissile cruiser Cape St. George (CG 71), departed Laem Chabang, Thailand, Jan. 10, following a four-day port visit. While in Thailand, Sailors from the two ships visited with the people of Thailand, experienced the local culture and participated in a series of community service projects (COMSERVs) to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries. Sailors painted schools, cleaned local temples and visited with children at schools and medical facilities as part of the COMSERVs. The Lincoln Chiefs Mess visited with HIV/AIDS-stricken children and adults at the Camillian Relief Center in Rayong. Chief Religious Program Specialist Elliot Warley said spending time with the children was the most worthwhile part of his time in Thailand. “Even though these kids are sick, they’re still kids,” Warley said. “We interacted with them, we played with them, and we gave them toys. It was a really good experience.” Other highlights from the port visit included tours of temples and historic sites, elephant rides, jungle adventure tours and visits to the Sriracha Tiger Zoo. The visit also included military-to-military talks and ship tours for several local groups including Royal Thai navy personnel, local businesses and school children. Additionally, Lincoln Sailors delivered Project Handclasp supplies to local organizations. Project Handclasp, the Navy’s worldwide outreach program, donates humanitarian, educational and goodwill materials to people in need overseas.