Vreeland (FF 1068) - Naval Cruise Book

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collision or adverse action by the PLO. Many alternatives were considered, which included transfer by small boat. One by one most ,of the altern atives were discarded. It was finally decided that VREELAND would manuever astern of the NEREUS and transfer the water using an astern replenishment method' with hoses run from VREELAND's portable water station on the port side fonlvard to our bow, then to the stern of the ferryboat. A line was passed into the opened rear loader door of the GREEK vessel. It was used to haul lengths of hoses into the after section of the ferryboat. Once the connection was completed, it became necessary for VREELAND to maintain its position astern at a distance of approximately fifty feet until the transfer was complete, estimated to be about an hour. If the ships had both been Navy vessels, maintaining position would not have been a problem. However, maintaining station astern of a Greek ferryboat at five knots with five hundred PLO soldiers looking on made the job more challenging. It was assumed at the time and later verified that many of the soldiers were armed. , The evolution was an overall success. Thirty three hundred gallons of fresh water were transferred to the NEREUS. A particularly sensitive situation was defused to the satisfaction of all concerned. What could have turned out to be a major international incident resulted in a bond of mutual respect between the crews of the Greek ship NEREUS and of VREELAND. VREELAND and NEREUS went of to complete their respective missions on 30 August. With NEHEUS safely at anchor at Port Sudan, VREELAND headed north for a transit of the Suez Canal and rendezvous with the FORHESTAL Battle Group in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. However, at the southern entrance to the Suez Canal, at Port Suez, further tasking to escort two more ships, the Greek ships, PAROS and SANTORINI, was received. On the afternoon of 2 September, VREELAND with two Greek ships set out from Port Suez for North Yemen. We were now faced with another problem, keeping the ships in a convoy, an ordered arrangement in close proximity to one another. The Greek Masters were willing to cooperate with VREELAND but the language barrier presented a problem. The problem quickly vanished as VHEELAND's Greek linguists provided communication with the Greek Masters. We were joined midway to North Yemen by another U. S. Navy ship and together we completed to delivery of these two PLO evacuation ships safely and on time on 5 September. We had covered a distance of approximately 1200 miles. We then proceeded to rendezvous with our Aircraft Carrier Battle Group in the Gulf of Suez for further tasking enroute to the Indian Ocean. All hands will long remember this evacuation operation as a most interesting and meaningful experience . . . events that held world-wide attention. President Reagan and Vice Admiral H. J. Hays, Commander in Chief of U. S. Naval Forces, Europe held much praise for the SIXTH FLEET forces and their role in the Palestinian evacuation operation. 2 fm Z , semi 55

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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

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