Dyess (DD 880) - Naval Cruise Book

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' Diego Suarez - Zurnover FRON : COMIDEASTFOR ADDIS ABABA TO: USS DYESS (DD-880) INDIAN OCEAN UNCLAS EFTO ADDIS NA 463 AUG 67 BON VOYAGE DYESS HAS COMPLETED A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL EXTENDED TOUR IN THE MIDDLE EAST FORCE. YOU ENTHUSIASTICALLY AND EFFECTIVELY ACCOMPLISHED EVERY ASSIGNMENT DURING THE MIDDLE EASTERN CRISES. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT GOOD REPORTS FOLLOWING YOUR PORT VISITS. THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF DYESS HAVE CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THEIR PEOPLE TO PEOPLE MISSION AND HAVE CARRIED IT OUT WELL. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO HAVE DYESS AS PART OF THE Ml DDL E EAST FORCE. 2. I OFFER DYESS MY PERSONAL WELL DONE AND I WISH YOU SMOOTH SEAS AND A SAFE TRANSIT HOME. REAR ADMIRAL SMALL OS DOIS BAHCOS UE (;L£RRA Ai lEKltA OS NO lAIS (iURJAO

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Our firsi port of call south of the Equator was Mombasa, Kenya. We found Mombasa to be the best liberty port in the Middle East area. Many DYESS sailors took advantage of excellent tours to nearby game preserves. Others found Mombasa just as intriguing with its myriad shops and outdoor markets filled with wood carvings and ivory and its nightclubs featuring native dances and the twangy guitar sounds of last year ' s American ' ' hit tunes . We then made a short three-day cruise to Diego Suarez, Madagascar for a night of liberty end the turnover of our Middle East Force duties to the USS WEEKS (DD-701) on 17 August. Lourenco Marques, Mozambique was our last stop prior to commencing the lengthy -yet very welcome —journey home. DYESS was the first warship in three years to visit Lourenco Marques and nearly 4000 African and Portugese visitors inundated our ship during the two days that DYESS was open for public visiting. Louenco Marques proved to be a very pleasant city with her beautiful gardens, excellent hotels and open-air restaurants, but our next stop was Newport and all hands were anxious to be underway. i

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Momeward Uound Originally scheduled to visit several ports on the way home, DYESS once more found her plans changed as the result of unforseen circumstances. DYESS and FISKE were ordered to join the USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) on 25 August and to es- cort her most of the way to May port, Florida. FOR- RESTAL had been severely damaged by fire while on station off the coast of Viet Nam and was re- turning home for repairs. Once more the ' ' Steam- ing Demon was ' ' where the action is . The long three week voyage to Newport was filled with ship to ship drills; highlining of mail, supplies and per- sonnel and, of course, refuelling every two or three days. A few DYESS sailors were even given the opportunity to visit the carrier for a few days as part of an intership exchange program. On 5 September DYESS watched the FORRES- TAL steam over the horizon to the west as we continued northwest with the fleet oiler USS NAN- TAHALA (AO-60). We were detached from NANT- HALA four days later. The remaining pages, filled with typical scenes aboard the ' ' Steaming Demon , speak for themselves.