U.S. Navy Ship Visits Montenegro
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Embassy of the United States of America
Podgorica
USS Klakring FFG42, a US Navy guided missile frigate, will be conducting a port visit to Bar, Montenegro from April 13 to 16 as part of the U.S.-Montenegro military partnership. During the visit to Montenegro, the Commanding Officer, Commander Scott Smith, and his 200 member crew will meet with their Montenegrin Navy counterparts and participate in a series of community related events with citizens of Bar and Ulcinj. On April 14, Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald, Commander of NATO Allied Joint Force Command in Naples and Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, will also visit Montenegro. Admiral Fitzgerald will meet with senior Montenegrin civil and military officials.
The USS Klakring is an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate which fulfills a Protection of Shipping mission as an anti-submarine combatant for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups, and merchant convoys. The ship is named after Rear Admiral Thomas B. Klakring, a submarine hero of the Pacific War in World War II. The USS Klakring’s length is 138 meters; its beam is 14 meters. The ship was built in the state of Maine in 1982, and its homeport is Mayport, Florida.
On March 14, the ship will officially welcome Montenegro's highest officials and U.S. Ambassador to Montenegro Roderick W. Moore. Journalists interested in covering the arrival of the Montenegrin officials to the ship should send their names to Sasa Brajovic from the Embassy at (fax) 020 225 515 or e-mail: brajovics@state.gov by 20:00 on Sunday, April 12. Journalists will need to be on the pier in Bar no later than 17:00 on Tuesday, April 14. For further details, please contact Sasa Brajovic from the Embassy at 067 283 542.
Camera and photo-reporters interested in filming the arrival of Admiral Fitzgerald should be accredited with the Public Relations Office of the Ministry of Defense, at 020 241 375 or e-mail: pr@mod.co.me and be at Podgorica Airport no later than 13:15 on Tuesday, April 14.
Journalists interested in covering community related projects in Bar that will be undertaken by crew members of the USS Klakring and local citizens should contact Sanja Stanisic from the Bar Municipality at 069 319 701or e-mail: sanja.stanisic@bar.me.