Vreeland (FF 1068) - Naval Cruise Book

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Special Operations On 20 August 1982, VREELAND got undenlvay from its berth in Augusta Bay, Sicily, enroute again to the eastern Mediterranean Sea for special operations. With its liberty port shortened by five days, VREELAND set a course to rendezvous with another U. S. Navy ship which had already been assigned as a Palestine Liberation Organization jPLOj evacuation escort ship for the Greek passenger ship, SOL PHRYNE, and which was in the process of escorting that ship to Tunisia via Cypress. The Greek ship with nearly a thousand PLO soldiers aboard had taken a number of jeep vehicles as well as other machinery and arms that had to be off-loaded at a neutral port prior to reaching Tunisia. This assignment terminated while off the Cypress port, Larnaca, when VREELAND was detached and proceeded to Bierut, Lebanon, for independent escort duty. This time howeven VHEELAND would transit the Suez Canal enroute Port Sudan, Sudan. Arriving in Beirut harbour on the afternoon of 25 August, VREELAND joined other units of the U. S. SIXTH FLEE7, most of which had similiar missions. A few ships were there in direct support of the Marines who had gone ashore as the United States contingent of the multi-national force peacekeeping effort. The U. S. Marines landed the day before we arrived off Beirut. Off in the distance, the once beautiful landscape of Beirut was smoking with obviously many buildings damaged. Sporadic gun fire was often heard. VREELAND then headed south towards the Suez escorting the Greek PLO evacuation ship, NEREUS. The crew was primed for this naval operation 54 as it was a unique mission for the Navy and one that would hold world interest. As NEHEUS made brief stops for fuel and water at each end of the canaL it appeared that the mission was turning out to be rather routine. The NEREUS was a ferry wwhose primary use was to make runs between various Greek islands. The vessel had never before embarked on a journey that would cover the distances this one would: over one thousand miles. The ship proved itself to be seaworthy enough: however, it did not have the capacity to store large quantities of food or water . . . Especially water. With five hundred PLO soldiers and a dozen women and children onboard for days, it wasn't long before NEREUS had a water shortage, and the mission became anything but routine. The ships were now well into the Gulf of Suez without a nearby port to pull into for fresh water replenishment. The evacuees, landlubbers at heart, were now aware of the water shortage and began to get restless. The Master of the NEREUS considered the situation desperate and sent a plea, for help to VREELAND for both water and medical supplies. There was never any doubt what had to be done. In order to avert a situation that could have sweeping ramifications, VHEELAND had to transfer much needed water to NEREUS. The big question was, how to do it with both ships underway? Ordinarily this would not be a problem for two Navy ships. Howeven to do it with a Greek ferryboat would be difficult. The added problem was on everybody's mind: that of transferring water and medication without hazarding VREELAND and her crew to both a