“I would like to thank the city of Ishigaki for your warm welcome,” said Cmdr. Stephen D. Szachta, commanding officer of Rafael Peralta. “Our Sailors enjoyed the opportunity to explore the surrounding area and try the local cuisine.”
The Rafael Peralta is the first United States destroyer to visit Ishigaki. The last US navy vessel to visit Ishigaki was USS Pioneer (MCM 9) September 11, 2023.
While at the port, the Rafael Peralta crew hosted a tour and reception for members of the media and other locals. The tours took visitors through the ship where subject matter experts explained the many ways the crew safely operates and navigates the ship.
Port visits are a critical mission for the U.S. Navy. This port visit facilitated the building of relationships and the exchanging of culture between the citizens and Sailors of Japan and Rafael Peralta Sailors. It also allowed for the demonstration of the life of a Sailor and of the capabilities of a destroyer.
“The U.S.-Japan alliance is a cornerstone in maintaining peace and stability within the dynamic Indo-Pacific region and our alliance has never been stronger,” Szatcha stated.
The Rafael Peralta is underway conducting routine operations and exercises building warfighting proficiency and increasing allied interoperability. Rafael Peralta is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.
U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet in the world, and with the help of a network of alliances and partners from 35 other maritime-nations, the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific region for more than 70 years, providing credible, ready forces to help preserve peace and prevent conflict.
