George MacKenzie (DD 836) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE MACKENZIE OLD AND NEW 1955 1968

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I MUST GO DOWN TO THE SEAS AGAIN, TO THE LONELY SEA AND THE SKY, AND ALL I ASK IS A TALL SHIP AND A STAR TO STEER HER BY, AND THE WHEELS KICK AND THE WINDS SONG AND THE WHITE SAIL ' S SHAKING, AND A GREY MIST ON THE SEAS FACE AND A GREY DAWN BREAKING. I MUST GO DOWN TO THE SEAS AGAIN. FOR THE CALL OF THE RUNNING TIDE IS A WILD CALL AND A CLEAR CALL THAT MAY NOT BE DENIED; AND ALL I ASK IS A WINDY DAY WITH THE WHITE CLOUDS FLYING. AND THE FLUNG SPRAY AND THE BLOWN SPUME AND THE SEA-GULLS CRYING. I MUST GO DOWN TO THE SEAS AGAIN TO THE VAGRANT GYPSY LIFE, TO THE GULLS WAY AND THE WHALE ' S WAY WHERE THE WINDS LIKE A WHETTED KNIFE; AND ALL I ASK IS A MERRY YARN FROM A LAUGHING FELLOW-ROVER, AND QUIET SLEEP AND A SWEET DREAM WHEN A LONG TRICK ' S OVER. JOHN MASEFIELD SEA FEVER

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THE ISS GEORGE K. MACKENZIE DD 836 MACKENZIK is a unit of Cruiser-Destroyer Force, I. S. Pacific Fleet and operates as a component of Destroyer Division THIRTY-TWO. She was built by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine in 1945. She was named for Lieutenant Commander George Kenneth MACKENZIE, U.S. Navy, who lost his life during World War II while serving as Commanding Officer of the ISS TRITON (SS201). For outstanding service, heroism, and courage- ous devotion to duty Lieutenant Commander MACKENZIE was awarded the Navy Cross, the highest Navy Decoration. MACKENZIE is a destroyer of the GEARING class with a 2500 ton displacement, a length of 390 feet, and a beam of 40 feet. Her armament consists of four 5 38 caliber guns in twin mounts one forward and one aft), and various anti-submarine weapons. She has four Babcock and Wilcox boilers, which supply steam to two General Electric Turbines. She can develope a shaft horsepower of 60,000, and her maximum speed exceeds 30 knots. During the Korean conflict MACKENZIE bombarded enemy points on both coasts of the peninsula and served with the Navy ' s Task Force 77. Later she toured the Western Pacific area acting as a unit of the Formosa Patrol, operating between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland. Following a period of operating out of Long Beach, California, MACKENZIE ' S homeport changed to Vokosuka, Japan in May I960. From that time until November 1962 she operated as a unit of the Seventh Fleet in all areas of the Far East. She sailed from Vokosuka in November 1962 enroute to New York, arriving there in December. MACKENZIE received a major conversion to her superstructure in the New York Shipyards in January 1962. One of her gun mounts was removed and a helicopter deck was added. She received some new forms of wcaponery, which improved her capabilities in anti-submarine warfare. In July 1964 MACKENZIE returned to the Far East, changing homeports to Yokosuka, Japan. She saw duty as plane guard in the South China Sea, as Gemini recovery ship, and as a shore bombardment vessel off Vietnam. Two years later in July of 1966, MACKENZIE returned to America. She stayed less, than a year, however, and in June 1967 she was back in Japan. During this deployment MACKENZIE supported two amphibious operations in South Vietnam, conducted coastal interdiction in Operation Sea Dragon, and served as rescue destroyer for the ISSORISKANY CVA 34;. The Ship was awarded the Mcritous I nit Citation on 3 May 1968 for commemorable actions in assiting the ISS FORRESTAL iCVA 59), during the carrier ' s disasterous fire of 29 July 1967. MACKENZIE returned to the United States for a short period of training in January if 1968, but in June she again transferred back to Yokosuka as a part of Destroyer Flotilla Three. During this last tour of duty in the Far East, the ship engaged in Naval Gunfire Support for troops in Vietnam, Search and Rescue in The Gulf of Tonkin, and the Sea of Japan, Carrier escort and Parpro Picket operations in the waters of Vietnam and Japan. Though her schedule was very busy, the MACKENZIE was able to make several visits to Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Taiwan for R and R. The total (wo year tour in WESTPAC amounted to approximately 150,000 miles steamed.