A close encounter with a Chinese aircraft carrier has become a badge of honor for a US Navy destroyer crew

A close encounter with a Chinese aircraft carrier has become a point of pride for the crew of a US Navy destroyer.

The world was made aware of the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning in April 2021.

Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener said at the Surface Navy Association national symposium that the operation was a testament to the "boldness" and skill of US sailors. Kitchener, who serves as commander of US Navy surface forces and of surface forces in the Pacific, said those sailors have reveled in the condemnation it drew from China.

Kitchener said that Mustin was assigned to mark the Liaoning as the carrier and its escort conducted exercises in the South China Sea.

Kitchener said that Mustin's crew realized that there were some operating restrictions around the carrier. Mustin didn't have those. They proceeded on in, found a good station, and sat alongside taking pictures and doing other things for quite a bit of time.

The Chinese ships are in the Philippine Sea on April 4, 2021.

US Navy/MCS3 Arthur.

A photo showing Mustin's commanding officer and executive officer casually observing the Liaoning was widely interpreted as a message to the Chinese navy.

The Mustin was accused of endangering Chinese ships and personnel by Chinese officials, but US officials denied.

It was a good story. Kitchener said that Mustin's crew has commemorated the encounter on a uniform patch.

The words "non grata" are at the bottom of the patch. I asked what that meant. The Chinese sent a demarche to the State Department that said the Mustin was no longer welcome in the South China Sea because they were so bad.

The response of Mustin's crew showed they were unified around their mission, Kitchener said.

The US Navy has run-ins with Russian and Chinese forces in the past, but tensions with those countries have increased in recent years.

Kitchener and other Navy officials have said that US forces should expect to encounter those forces closer to US shores.

Kitchener said that they are there head-to-head with their adversaries when they go out on operations. They're there. They are present. Our sailors are getting really good at managing risk.