WIDE-EYED and weary, 6500 American servicemen, many touching land for the first time since Iraq, poured off five US warships in Sydney yesterday eager to experience all the local attractions.

Ten per cent of the US crews are women. Some of them had similar things in mind. Petty Officer Ginger Schultz, 28, said she had dreamed of coming to Sydney since she was a teenager and her plan was “to take full advantage of everything Sydney has to offer, bars, clubs, historic sites, shows, even mingling with the locals!”

WIDE-EYED and weary, 6500 American servicemen, many touching land for the first time since Iraq, poured off five US warships in Sydney yesterday eager to experience all the local attractions.

While most headed straight for the nearest bars, Sergeant Joseph Gicewicz went straight into the arms of his wife, Ulani, who had flown from California for the teary reunion.

The Marine was delighted to finally be with his wife, and in a “nice friendly country”.

The Marines and naval personnel have been on active duty since January, and most could number on one hand the beers they’d had in the past six months. Many of them, still wearing their desert fatigues, had faced death or seen friends die.

But yesterday the men and women from USS Boxer, Bonhomme Richard, Pearl Harbor, Dubuque and Cleveland had one one thing on their minds: to have a good time.

Official liaison officer Major Bob Strong appeared at the wharf yesterday morning armed with a six-pack, declaring his commanding officer would kill him if he didn’t present him with a beer immediately on arrival.

Sydney was chosen as a stopover above Bangkok and Singapore, so Major Strong flew out ahead of the ship to check out the pubs, clubs and hotels and predicted the city would be a big hit with the troops.

“This is their first `liberty’ port since January,” he said. “This is their first chance to meet a girl, to have a nice blow- out, the first opportunity to totally enjoy themselves. There are so many good places to go.”

For the men, that would involve a beer, another beer, and meeting the local girls, not, of course, always in that order.

Ten per cent of the US crews are women. Some of them had similar things in mind. Petty Officer Ginger Schultz, 28, said she had dreamed of coming to Sydney since she was a teenager and her plan was “to take full advantage of everything Sydney has to offer, bars, clubs, historic sites, shows, even mingling with the locals!”

Another woman said she just wanted to pretend she was a civilised person in a civilised country. She was going to drink tea, go shopping and drink more tea.