The Navy’s Pacific Partnership program reached the halfway point this week after those embarked aboard the USS Peleliu completed 10 days of humanitarian aid in Vietnam, a Navy release said Thursday.

Medical and dental personnel in the partnership saw more than 3,500 patients in the areas around Da Nang, bringing the mission’s total patient tally to more than 12,000, the release said.

The San Diego-based amphibious ship left its home port in May on a four-month mission to provide medical, dental, construction and other aid to Southeast Asia. The mission began with 18 days in the Philippines. Prospective stops after Vietnam include Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands, according to the Pacific Partnership Web site.

The work force embarked aboard the ship consists of civilian and military personnel from several countries. This week, three Vietnamese physicians joined the mission’s medical staff for the remainder of the mission, the release said.

Migrated