The United States' warship USS America (LHA 6) docks in the Philippine capital of Manila for the first time to allow the crew "rest and relaxation" after taking part in joint military exercises with Japan. It travelled from Japan to the Philippines via the disputed South China Sea. "We saw a lot of vessels, there are Chinese vessels operating in the South China Sea along that route," said Captain Shockey Snyder, Commanding Officer at the USS America. " All of our interactions with any ship that we came across was all safe and professional." COMPLETES EN_33BQ7J7 SOUNDBITES