DANANG, Vietnam (AP) — More than 30 years ago, Hung Ba Le fled Vietnam onboard a trawler crammed with hundreds of refugees. Today, he returns as the commander of a U.S. Navy destroyer on a goodwill mission.

Le and his family fled Vietnam the day Saigon fell to communist troops from North Vietnam. His father had been a commander in the South Vietnamese navy. After being rescued at sea by a U.S. ship, the family ultimately settled in northern Virginia.

Le says his visit on the 9,000 ton USS Lassen today "reflects the growing cooperation between" the U.S. and Vietnam. He'll pilot the Lassen into Danang, home of China Beach, where U.S. troops frequently headed for R&R during the war

The trip represents the efforts of both the U.S. and Vietnam, who normalized relations in 1995, to develop their relationship as a balance to Chinese power in the region.