Conflict (MSO 426) - Naval Cruise Book

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2123011 Mliihk 'fY???fiT2lH ANN 4:56, JA 3. V 'Z flm l .l 'FSA W . H j':,,,,xie! Tx' F TAI zvwwm 'E ai . As I redall 'dui last ten and a half months together, countless vignettes flash across my mind: seemingly endless transits across the oceang the banter, training and assistance exchanged between us and the other splendid ships of our divisiong 'round-the-c1cck charging to maintain our equipment, to replenish underway and to conduct our patrolsg friendly and hostile faces we saw aboard the junksg tense approaches. on suspect junksg the excitement of successful combat operations against the enemyg sea cobras sunning onthe surface of the oceang waves crashing over the bridge as we dodged typhoons Irma and Kit: brilliant sunsets overlooking the lovely Vietnamese coastal mountainsg shoppers returning to the ship laden with bargains g that first cold beer after a long hot patrolg the ship's partiesg visits to exotic Bangkok, Manila, Vung Tau, Da Nang, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, and Sasebo, as well as stops at Honolulu, Johnston Island, Kwajalien, and Guamg those beardsg the assemblies for promotion and commendationsg the pride of showing our ship to distinguished visitorsg the sights and sounds of the battles ashore, often only a few thousand yards awayg that nervous transit up the shallow fly Soi Rap River followed by the three nights anchored only fifteen hundred yards from the Viet Cong-controlled jungle. Added to 'Ch6S6, of course, are the thousand personal experiences we had on the ship and ashore. CONFLICT, in doing her part on Market Time Patrol boarded more than a thousand junks and inspected nearly three thousand more. We engaged the enemy in combat and punished him severely without ourselves suffering a single casualty. We routinely steamed independently for forty to fifty days at a time. We made more than forty replenishments while underway. We left every port with a splendid reputation as ambassadors of good will. We maintained and repaired our temperamental machinery under the most difficult conditions. We strove, always together, to do the best job possible and we received many letters and messages telling us that our best was very good indeed. This book records many of our adventures and it will serve in future days to freshen our memories of the faces of the shipmates that we came to know so well and upon whom we depended so heavily. Perhaps we will meet again as sailors so often do and relive these memorable moments that filled an important year of our lives. ' This has been a long, hard cruise to distant waters and each of us can look back on it with the pride of knowing that we performed our duty in a professional manner, often under adverse and dangerous conditions. As Commanding Officer, it has been my very great pleasure and pigzide to serve with as capable and dedicated a group of men as I have ever known. In seeing these arduous duties through together, many bonds of friendship have been forged and strengthened. It is my fervent wish that these CONFLICT-born coiffwfleships will be maintained aniiinourished, and that one day we can sail together again. T w i 4 Sincerely yours, AZ, LJ M. W. SEARIGHT

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convs r CA F msrows L OCT 2 0 15 ARCHIVES s. ur V , 7 , W V ' V W z I r Y W 'A 5 We iz T, CUMMANDING GFFICER 2 LCDR MURLAND W. SEARIGHT, USN dk

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, .E LT1 TUART M LOCKWOOD . ckwood relieved as Executive Officer in April 1966. -1f.His previous duty assignment was aboard USS LEXIQ GTON CCVS-165. Additional Duties: Navigator- Personf el and Training Officer- Recruiting and Reenlist- ment O'.'i,ger- Health Officer- Legal Officer. 4 EXF C UTI VE ' OFFICERS e Lf' Ki, 4 W XL LT DAVID L. RICKETTS, USN Mr. Ricketts was transferred for duty with the staff of Commander Mine Forcesg Pacific in April 1966. Additional Duties: Navigatorg Personnel and Training Officerg Alternate RPS Custodiang Classified Material Control Officerg Recruiting and Reenlistment Officerg Health Officerg Protestant Lay Leaderg Legal Officer.