Benner (DD 807) - Naval Cruise Book

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Unfortunately, like all good things, the time in Hong Kong sped by and soon BENNER was again underway for Yankee Station Th ' . e second period that BENNER spent as a part of Operation Sea Dragon proved to be quite different than her first. In the interim between January 23 when BENNER departed and February 10 when she returned, new policies had been set down and BENNER l , a ong with USS STRAUSS and USS CANBERRA began operations against major shore installations along the North Vietnamese coast. In the past it had been the practice to return gunfire only when a ship had been fired upon but with the new policy, chosen targets were taken under fire in support of air operations being conducted by the Air Force d N ' ' ' ' an avy against inland sites in the North. It was the job of the Task Group to eliminate certain targets that had been t k' h a ing a eavy toll on our aircraft enroute to their bombing missions and while they were returning to their bases, The new targets included surface to air missile sites, railroad bridges,fuel and ammunition dumps, and anti-aircraft gun emplacements along the coastline. The expanded operations took BENNER and the remainder of the Task Group further North than any other US. warships had previously ventured and at last the fire power ofthe United States Navy was brought to bear against the North Vietnamese for the first time in the Conflict. Q J ' ' ' Approaching the North Vietnam Coast. In compan with USS CANBERRA C ' C AG-21, USS JOBSEPH A. STRAUSS fDDG- 165, and patrol aircraft from the USS BENNINGTON QCVS-201 and the USS KITTY HAWK fCVA-631