Brinkley Bass (DD 887) - Naval Cruise Book

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A DAY IN THE GULF At 0345 the watch is relieved on the bridge. Midwatch personnel go below for a few hours sleep before reveille. BRINKLEY BASS slides uninterrupted through the waters of the Tonkin Gulf. The carrier she screens will com- mence flight operations at 0600 and BRINKLEY BASS will be plane guard destroyer. In the Engineering spaces below, BT's and MM'S go about their duties. The Cil King takes Soundings to determine fuel percentage, throttle watch makes a minor adjustment. 12 knots is the ordered speed, 110 rpm's. Later in the morning it will be all ahead flank and pretty warm in the firerooms. Time passes. At 0515 the Navigator and Chief Quartermaster are on the bridge for morning stars. The Captain rises at 0530 while BRINKLEY BASS maneuvers 1000 yards astern of the carrier, turning into the wind. The lee helmsman answers the command of the COD and snaps the en- gine order telegraph all the way forward, flank speed, 27 knots. So it goes all day, upwind and downwind. Launch aircraft for one strike and land the ones returning. At 1000 the angel brings mail. Hovering over the fantail, the rotor blades beat a tattoo of hot air onto Mount 52 for a few brief seconds as the orange sack is low- ered. Then away up the port side with a wave from the pilot. During lunch the Wardroom elects a new mess treasurer. On the Mess Decks, the off-duty section sets up to watch a movie. The 1MC brings the BMOW'S voice The ship will refuel at approximately 1900 tonight from USS CAMDEN. Lines are laid out, phones are checked and the kingpost is raised aft on the flight deck. At 1900 BRINKLEY BASS is alongside receiving fuel. At 2000 all lines are clear and she's away, receiving night screening instruc- tions from the carrier. Speed 12 knots, 110 rpm's. A long days work in the Gulf.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ALEX This is the Executive Officer speaking... Throughout the ship the men pause in the daily routine to .hear the voice which con- tinues from the lMC. The message might be information about a port which the ship is about to enter, a report on the ship's Water supply or congratulations to men who have been advanced in rate. Whatever the subject, it will always reflect the Exec's honest concern for the welfare of the ship's company. First commissioned in June of 1957 after graduation from Brown University in Provi- dence, Rhode Island, LCDR VIESSMANN has served aboard USS RANKIN QAKA-1035, USS WILLIAM RUSH QDDR-7145 and as Com- manding Officer of USS LIPAN QATF-855, a fleet tug homeported in Pearl Harbor. He reported to the BRINKLEY BASS in August of 1967. LCDR VIE SSMANN departed in February to take command of the Destroyer Escort USS MCMORRISQDE-10361. J. VIESSMANN