Finch (DER 328) - Naval Cruise Book

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That first day out was very rough. The tossing was made no better by two weeks in port and a last night's reunion with old shipmates. On October 5rd the groan- ing ceased, seas calmed, and we assumed the guard of Market Time Area Two. This area seemed quiet for the first few days. Then from the seventh through the ninth we were involved in gunfire support for the Army's Operation Logan Field. Cape Batangan, a rocky pro- jection 68 miles southeast of Danang, had been a tradi- tional V.C. hold out. The Army pushed from the west, the Air Force attacked from above, and we hit them from the sea. While in radio contact with an Army pla- toon we saw them round up a group of black clad sus- pects from a redoubt we had just destroyed. When we ceased fire, the crackle of small arms fire was easily heard. With only a little over 500 rounds of 3 f50 caliber fire, FINCH was credited with damaging or destroying nearly forty enemy structures. Our sharp shooting won notice in several newspapers, including Starr and Sniper. More than one sailor received a box of goodies from a wives' club which had seen the article in a hometown paper-Yes, Virginia, Fleet Home Town News works. The rest of the patrol passed normally and by October 22 we were back in Kaohsiung ready for more Taiwan Patrol. This time we spent as much of the inport time as possible in Keelung. Keelung itself is not so much better than Kaohsiung, for it is still cluttered with rust- ing tramps belching smoke. It also has a Nancyls. The situation of the town was its most liked feature. Scenic hills crowd the harbor, and-in addition-Keelung is Siglyfreeilzg in japan at it Underway from Szzbic Cape Bntmzgmz under fire only twenty minutes from Taipei. The real attraction was, of course, the capitol with its good restaurants, clubs, museums and scenic tours. Some people just couldn't get enough of Taipei, for there was plenty to do. To make matters even better, this pleasant Taiwan patrol was followed by an upkeep period in Yokosuka. After having worked with the MARKAB in Kaohsiung and Subic, we moored alongside in Yoko on Thanks- giving Day. Our stay started with a tough Officer fwith a little helpj-Crew football game which stalemated 0-0, Our Cooks turned to and put out a great meal. Then we got down to work. This period was a wind- fall, for it gave us a jump on our next RAV and let the crew whip up a storm before the doldrums of Guam. A two-night ship's party at the Club Alliance helped liven things up, and then there is always the Yoko Shore Patrol to make an evening interesting. In all a lot of good work was done on board and on liberty. With four days of exceptionally rough steaming, the l68 deployment chapter ended as we reached Guam on December 16th. And as the brownbaggers ran off and the families drew in close, a new cycle began. A little RAV preparation, a quiet Christmas and we were ready to get back in shape so that we would go to sea once more. Such were the courses we steered last year. We steamed among islands of laughter, reflection, buying, sightseeing, resting, good deeds, and most of all serving our country. Through hard work we reached our objCC- tives of pride and satisfaction of doing all that waS asked, and then some.

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,Aw- ' L. --'V' A A ' S 1 : f .: . q.1.:q,L?w-ag My H-MM' 1: fa ' 1 Left to Right, Bark to Front: ENC UVILLIAMS, HMI KENNEDY, LTIG BLANCHARD, EMI CASTLE, YN3 TAY, RMSN POTH, C52 WAGNER, YN1 PANGELINAN, RM3 LOPEZ, LTIG COOPER THANKS TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED THEIR PICTURES