Re: looking for someone to share what they remember about ship being fired upon
I would have to check for the exact date, but our very first day on the gunline at the DMZ we relieved a cruiser. We began our first fire mission and were closer to shore than the cruiser, we received incoming fire - one short and one long, but perfectly bracketing the ship amidship. The next two rounds bracketed the fantail as we accelerated. The third two were aft and short as we went hard to starboard.
We never again tried to set up a fire mission using the simple "race track" of up and back at slow speed.
I was on the bridge and witnessed this. My first thought was that this was going to be alot harder than I thought it was going to be.
Re: looking for someone to share what they remember about ship being fired upon
NVN TRIED TO TORPEDO US
Do torpedoes count? During the September 66 Tonkin Gulf Incident, the third in a series of incidents where US destroyers on Desoto Patrol went inside NVN claimed territorial waters, a PT squadron approached us at 55 knots and sonar reported torpedo screw noise when they were abt 5,000 yards away. Too far for success against a destroyer speeding away at flank speed. What was that for the edwards, 28 knots? That's included in my novel "the abel mutiny" which is available at
http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Meece/e/B004HCF95S
Re: looking for someone to share what they remember about ship being fired upon
Allen, the third incident you refer to as happening was not Sept 66, rather it occurred on Sept 19, 1964. It was the last of the Desoto patrols. Also, top speed was about 32 knots for the Ready Eddie.
Re: looking for someone to share what they remember about ship being fired upon
Ooops, that's right, it was in 64, not 66. I got out of the navy in September of 66 and so that vastly important date sticks in my head.
It was an exciting event to be woken in the middle of the night to General Quarters and most of us were calm and professional but some couldn't handle the threat of impending possible death, which is something that a squadron of torpedo boats can do to a destroyer crew!! My somar chief unfortunately lost his nerve and added to the stress of combat down in sonar control which was under the ship's waterline. It makes a great story in my excellent novella at Amazon.com, about the Tonkin Incident, "The Abel Mutiny."
I'd never seen the DD 950 do "top speed of about 32 knots." I doubt she could hit 30. Any engineers know the reality of her flank speed?
Re: looking for someone to share what they remember about ship being fired upon
You know I must be getting old! I was on the Bridge when all the activities were taking place. The Captain,the Exc ,Chief Mitchell QMC , 2 signal men. My self QM3 plus several other mates. I personally saw the Radar with the high speed boats coming toward us. I know we fired at them and saw them disappear off the Radar. Really did not see any Firing at us. Good thing I was on the Port side wing. If it hit like people are saying, pretty sure I would have been aware. But did not see or hear anything.
But here again I'm getting older 18 then and 70 now. Mcpherson QM3
Re: looking for someone to share what they remember about ship being fired upon
Regarding the 1964 tonkin gulf incident, i think it was at the NVN navy base at the island of Hon Me. I also saw the PT squadron attack us on radar. I think they broke off the attack before they could get closer than 5000 yards if not further than that. Sonar reported that they heard "high speed screws" which could have been just the props from the boats or could have been torpedo screws too. so, we don't know if they fired torpedos. I doubt they were in range. I think they never got closer than 7500 yards but my memory is rusty.
Glad we're still here anyway. ;=]
