Firedrake (AE 14) - Naval Cruise Book

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4C f Hip-deep in water, a large squad of U. S. Marines advances through a rice paddy in the Republic of Vietnam. With ears pricked and strained eyes peering out from under bur- dening steel helmets, they move slowly and cautiously in their endless search for the Viet Cong. On a search-and-destroy mission to flush out the Communists, the Marines ' attention is suddenly diverted by a volley of automatic rifle fire. ' Take cover ' is the cry, and the body of a Marine splashes lifeless into the puddled water. 1 he officer-in-change pancakes behind a rise in the damp soil and radios the Command Headquarters on his walkie-talkie. His company headquarters then radios the air group assisting in ground support operations. The call is answered on an aircraft carrier steam- ing in the nearby South China Sea and the message is received— ' There are 25 men in a squad that is surrounded in Zone I) by a large concentration of enemy forces with auto- matic rifles. Request immediate assistance ' ' '

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There was a war on, and you helped bring it to an end by your participation in the American and Pacific Theaters and the invasion oi Okinawa in L945. Here is a voice from out your past, FIREDRAKE. GENERAL QUARTERS! ALL HANDS MAN York BATTLE STATIONS! ' You don ' t recognize it? That ' s understandable. Since you were firsl conceived you have had more than 6,500 men serve with you. You were given a rest after World War II as part of the Rese rve Fleet at Orange, Texas. But not for long. You were re-commissioned five years later at the outbreak oi the Korean hostilities. You took your first long journey over the vast Pacific Ocean in L952, and during this first WestPac Cruise you conducted re-arming operations with combatant ships of the United Nations Naval Forces off the Korean coast. In L953, you and your men were the center of attention when you worked to set a new record rate of 258 short tons of ammunition transferred per hour at sea while operating with the USS PRINCETON (CVA 37). In 1955, you were detailed to duty with Task Group 7: .l during the evacuation of Tachen Island by the U.S. SEVENTH Fleet. Everyone was proud of FIREDRAKE and her crew when you were awarded the Battle Efficiency Pennant for being the best ammunition ship in the Pacific Meet in 19. 57. Your 1958 cruise took you to hostile waters off the island of Quemoy, and you performed to your best as usual. FIREDRAKE, here is another voice out of your colorful past. THIS IS THE CAPTAIN SPKAKIN ' G You don ' t remember that one either? Since you ' ve been commanded by a different officer during each of your 21 years, we can ' t blame you for not knowing that one. The years 1959-1964 were peaceful ones, so you and your crews conducted I NREPS and exercises designed to maintain constant fleet readiness. During these years, you made frequent visits to the ports of Yokosuka, Kobe, Beppu, Iwakuni and Sasebo in Japan ; Subic Bay and Manila in the Philippines and Ilong Kong. B.C.C. Rut at the end of your 1964 WestPac Cruise, unprovoked attacks on two of your customer destroyers by North Vietnamese patrol boats prompted your superiors at Yokosuka to have you stand by to assist as necessary. You were due for a t rip to the beauty parlor, so later on you were sent home to Concord foi a year After seeing you wear the same dress for 20 years, the Navy decided to give you a 21st birthday present in the form of a new hustle. Your helicopter landing platform was added on by the Triple A Machine Shop in San Francisco during your yard period there. Following a semi-annual personnel inspection (also lovingly referred to as an OKI . bombs, bullets, bananas and beans were loaded aboard in preparation for your long voyage to the combat zone of Vietnam. Leaving Concord, California on October 25, 1965, you began your 14th consecutive tour with the SEVENTH Fleet. You arrived at Subic Bay. Philippines on November 15, 1965. Y ou don ' t feel and act as young as you did in your ' teens, and your makeup must be caked on regularly. But your nation needs your help — and you ' re helping to the best of your ability.

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I lu- LMC loudspeaker system on the gianl carrier booms Flight quarters ' Prepare tcir emergency launch ! ' Within minutes, sleek jet fighters are rolled across the broad decks .ni l attached to catapult hooks. Their racks hllcd with olive-green bombs, the planes streak to the ambush area and batter the enemy as the Marines evacuate and continue their endless search