Brinkley Bass (DD 887) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 63 text:

USS Brinkley Bass Gold Hash- mark Club. Front row left to right: Scott, DK1, Seitz SFC, Bradley BDC, Smith, BTC, Lukens ETC, Back rowj Carter PNC, Belair BMI, Drexl SM1. Showers CS 2, Hennen SH2, Deertz EN1, Hall GMGC Chaplain Cooper center, leads a tour of St. Josephs Hospital in Kaohsiung. Great minds at work.

Page 62 text:

On 2.7 March after receipt of an unexpected change of orders, BRINKLEY BASS sailed south west again toward' Vietnam, and returned to the gun line . This time the ship fired in support of the Marines in operation BEACON HILL HIM north of Danang. On 2 April BRINKLEY BASS steamed south arriving in the area north of Nha Trang where she fired missions in support of Republic of Korea Troops in operation HPANGMA II . The ship then steamed north to support Army Troops in operation Pershing,'. Our next assignment was with the Nuclear Powered ships ENTERPRISE CCVA CND- 65J and BAINBRIDGE CDLGKND-255. As a Screen Unit BRINKLEY BASS displayed a dogged deter- mination to keep up with these two 30 knot plus ships. Her persistence was sometimes rewarded with a puff of black smoke, a seldom seen pheno- menon among this Nuclear Navy . In the February Navy-Wide competitive examin- ations, a total of twenty-nine men were advanced to Petty Officer status. In addition twenty men have earned their Second Class Petty Officer stripes and four men have earned their First Class Petty Officer stripes. To our fine roster of Chiefs will be added the names of EMC Richard R. SILCOTT and RMC Paul J. STAGEMAN. I The new bow is moved into position in the Long Beach Naval Shipyard May 1966. Again BRINKLEY BASS received orders to report to the Gunline, once again in support of 1st AIR CAVALRY TROOPS engaged in operation Per- shing. While in Support of operation Pershing, the ship landed Army Heliocopter on her Dah deck on many occasions. This time BRINKLEY BASS returned to the carrier USS TICONDEROGA CCVA-149 as a screening destroyer for the long voyage home. As Task Group 77.4 TICONDEROGA, BRINKLEY BASS and USS WADDELL CDDG- 245 steamed to Subic Bay for repairs and then to Hong Kong for much needed rest and relaxation. On 9 May after five leisurely days spent in Hong Kong the ships departed for Yokosuka heavily loaded with gifts. On 19 May the ships said their farewell to Japan and set their course for home. On 28 May the Carrier launched her aircraft and detached her destroyers as she continued on to San Diego. BRINKLEY BASS arrived in Long Beach company with WADDELL and USS PICKING CDD-6855 at 0915, 29 May 1967 after 154 days spent away from her home port. .

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1T,.,.M,,,,, , , W A . I I l E l li 5 l i E Q l gl J 4 l l S 4 is l a , l Q 4 5 l a 9 . , 1 l l .Q.....-,.g.-....g..L.u.-f,.....,..g,... ..u..............- u..z.:...a.-4... Left: CDR Sumner Gurney administers reen- listment oath to Hatfield RD2 and Atkins MMI Below: Reyes, TN, and CDR Gurney discuss career opportunities at reenlistment ceremonies. CDR Gurney congratulates Bennett SHB2 and Bradberry MM1.