The Philippine Coast Guard said the ship was carrying supplies to a Filipino military outpost. A massive, crumbling shipwreck that was repurposed by the Philippines and turned into a garrison in the South China Sea. Troops stationed aboard the Sierra Madre, take part in a flag retreat, March 29, 2014. Loresto told The Times that he preferred combat over being stationed on the Sierra Madre. Although the US has no territorial claims in the South China Sea, it has carried out regular naval operations in the region.

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Persons: Matthew Miller, Thomas Shoal, Ritchie, Erik De Castro, Joey Loresto, Loresto, Jay Tarriela Organizations: Service, State Department, US State Department, Coast Guard, Philippine Coast Guard, Reuters, US Naval Magazine, LST, Troops, New York Times, Times, Embassy, China Coast Guard, US Navy Locations: Philippines, South China, China, Wall, Silicon, Philippine, Sierra, Spratly, Madre, Harnett County, Vietnam, Sierra Madre, United States