PHILIPPINE SEA (MARCH 21, 2020) Six Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) sailors led by Sub Lieutenant Jake Hunt, embarked onboard Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42), Feb. 23 to strengthen partnership and gain experience through cross-deck training on a U.S. Navy warship. At the end of their time onboard, the RNZN sailors preformed a traditional piece of Maori culture and performed the Royal New Zealand Navy “Haka” dance—an ancient Maori war dance—as a token of gratitude to the Germantown Sailors and Marines and ended it with the Germantown chant of ‘One Team, One Fight.’ (U.S. Navy video created by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Toni Burton; Videographer: Lt. j.g. Julian Turner)
The amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) returned to its forward-deployed home port after completing a four-month patrol, Nov. 4. Their accomplishments during the patrol included several key regional engagements, bilateral exercises and the completion of several mission critical warfare certifications.
