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Page 7 text:
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left Pearl Harbor and, while underway for Guam, received news that Guam would be the new homeport. We arrived in Guam on June 29 and spent most of the six days there get- ting acquainted with this new home while making some last minute repairs prior to de- parture for Vietnam, our ultimate destination. 0 FINCH arrived on the scene of Market Time operations on July 12 and assumed a brand new role at 1517 local time. Thelfirst patrol lasted until July 28 after which FINCH travelled to Hong Kong for a short but very enjoyable visit. The ship returned to Market Time on August 3 and stayed on patrol until September 4. As a pleasant surprise this patrol completed our first deployment and FINCH arrived back in Guam on Septem- ber 12 for a short ten-week upkeep period. The first full deployment commenced on November 22 when FINCH left Guam for six and one half months. During this period the ship covered 42,600 miles and visited Ma- nila, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, and Bangkok. In the course of its job of coastal surveillance FINCH detected 6,843 ships transiting the Market Time area. Of this number, 1003 were large merchant vessels which were tracked and reported. The remainder consisted of many types, ranging in size from small wooden cargo vessels to fishing boats. Of these, 2,336 were lnspected and 1 642 were stopped and searched FINCH also conducted Naval Gun fire Support missions in support of land efforts against the Viet Cong The biggest con tribution in this regard occurred ln January 1966 when 133 rounds were fired in a two and one half hour period in support of Vletnamese Army operations 1n the vicinity of Tam uan located two hundred and sixty miles northeast of Saigon FINCH had 51 underway replemshments during 125 days at sea enabling the ship to remain on stat1on for pro longed patrols One of these patrols lasted 53 days and there were several of 30 days or more FINCH finally departed Market Time on May 13 and arrived in Subic Bay on May 15 for an Operational Readiness Evaluation by Commander Escort Squadron Seven The ship did its best to add to its fine reputation very deservedly earned as a result of stren uous efforts to live up to her slogan Foresight sends FINCH further Following this short action packed inspection she sailed to Kaohsiung for an upkeep period in this one of her favorite liberty ports FINCH returned to Guam on June 2 1966 having earned the plaudits and Bravo Zu lus of several commands mcludmg Commander Escort Squadron Seven Commander De stroyer Flotilla Five Commander U S Seventh Fleet Commander C r u 1 s e r Destroyer Force Pacific Fleet and of various ships with whom she had operated in the Western Pa ci IC 1 ' ' 7 Q , - . . . . . . . . . . . . , H . ,, . . , . ' 1 . . . 44 9 . ,, . . . 1 , . . , . . . . . - 1
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Page 6 text:
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FOREWCRD Prior to departing her old homeport of San Francisco, FINCH'S primary mission was with the seaward extension of the Western Contiguous Radar Barrier. This E assignment gave FINCH a fairly reliable schedule of about three weeks in port and three to four weeks at sea, never more than 500 miles away from the coast of California. It meant that families of FINCH sailors living in the area could expect their husbands and sons to be home at certain times during the month. During the spring of 1965 the ship received news that the Radar Barrier would be dis- continued and that FINCH would most likely be decommissioned some time in the fall. However, on May 21, just prior to departing on her last patrol, FINCH received dra- matic news. In the short space of 52 days the ship's status would change from that of a picket ship to that of a ship in the front lines of the U. S. Seventh Fleet's effort in South Vietnam. At this time the date of departure from San Francisco was set for June 3. It al- lowed exactly two weeks to get the ship ready for a very long journey across the Pacific to he followed by coastal patrols off the coast of South Vietnam. To say the least those two weeks were among the most hectic in FINCHHS 23 year ca- reer. Those weeks were also a period of extreme uncertainty for FINCH families. For ex- ample, among the many unanswered questions at that time were those of future homeport and length of initial deployment. There were rumors that FINCH would be homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii-there were also rumors that the ship would remain homeport- ed in San Francisco. Finally there was a possibility that the new homeport would be Guam. FINCH went into Bethlehem Steel Company's drydock in San Francisco on Monday, May 24- for a short repair period not knowing the answers. There was barely time for a ship's party on Treasure Island in the midst of the rigors of 12 to 16 hour Working days. All managed to have a good time althou h thes ' '11 g e questions Sll remained unanswered. The evening was highlighted by a champagne toast to all of F INC1-Ps ladies. The ship came out of drydock on June 1 and left San Francisco on June 3, as scheduled, still unin. formed as to the length of deployment and future homeport. The first stop was Pearl Harbor on June 9, the first time that FINCH had been that far aWaY from the States Since .lune of 1962. Ten days later after strenuous training and instruction by the Staff of Destroyer Flotilla Five and the Fleet Training Group FINCH
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