Henry Tucker (DD 875) - Naval Cruise Book

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Perhaps the best record of TUCKER'S one and a half years as a forward unit of the Seventh Heet is seen through the following statistics, compiled from departure Yokosuka 30 I une 1964 through 4 December 1965: CD ,..,..,.. 595399694 C3 0 41K4 .ig aw M 2 22 0 'H9- '93p--v-- 9,l.l32,-i231-v-Cs:-,Er 0099 U, 3 k4C'Ut.DD-vUll1 53 womoom SOHCDH v-:W ro C. 0 9- ' 5 ff mr-UQ, ro mm U3 53 'CJ F: H' O w f-1 Q3 13-' 1-r 5 B CD cn Q- CS FY' U1 you E 3 P-S9 TA wooou O ROQEEESQSQCD Ooor--mom-AZXSR Q cm 1 nv l S 1 o l D , CD gnincncn UJUD wcnwgn Carriers operated with: U S . Bonne Homme Richarde 1 2. U. S. . Constellation 3. U. S . Hancock 4. U. S. Hornet 5. U. S. . Independence 6. U. S. . Kitty Hawk 7. U. S. Midway 8. U. S. . Oriskany 9. U. S. . Ranger 6 10. U. S. . Ticonderoga For the future, we can expect more of the same intensive and important operations, until relieved as a unit of the Asiatic Squadorn in mid-1966. For the past, we can look over an exceptional record and be proud of having been in the Seventh Fleet during this time of stress, and of having been a member of the U.S.S. Henry W. Tucker, QDD-8753 att' viz . . We - I Q 'F'i f ,L Klitfi 11' i .cull A ' ' wi . E!! ., Al M1 J -' p- ! -5 fi- E ' jig .,- .ri 2 . -. 1 .- .. - :EJ it -1-Y ,- 'L 1 .- ' ' 4' .RG i l..Q.L,Q. .,- -- fi . .v:aeag'- -, ff 1 V I' Q- Q - 'g::- xi- . I-.apr ...an -. .. :jjygg ,g - L1 , . 1., . ' Yr 1 lr.,-I--, .1 x 1, , ' . ', -'i . - ' ' g .' ,. f-fe'-lfiflf 1-ffi-:'l'j.' 1 -1 . 3ffF i'fl f -1 . -'f'i'f' ,7 1'--.5+??.:-1-rg '. 'f ' '. ' 4 . --..----,-...,..... . . . ' '1f'L'l fi -5.1-E 4 -I-2---gage:--:a+ - . -.- -L-- 4 ' V .' . - HHN ' :ff ' --- '----T---2554417- '-t.'-,gg 'iLv ,L 4 -:ei-.,--4:-. -.4-.--,:.,.--r 3, H, -3- -ij f 'e- V -Q ' . - N: f - .- .. - -4- -- -'f - --M '25-7:1 fa:-- -H - A--- 'a i ,H ' fl' '- :He 'nm' ' '- ' -- , -f--- - - ,J .- + ' -, '24 Q --. ' --fav-:if -5':i tfT'if---i' ' T-'Q.'l , -ff. '14, N... ....- , A it - -xaffif -345221-1-ine? sf' G.-fe: 4-Q21-1: i-1:'g?5:g --ff ., , ....'z,-. -.. U - 7 ,. 4 -..S-, 1 - --- 'f- ,, - -rw -f . . ,tg W. f-.-.. wif- 'f ? -. '-'-- ,,,. JF H-Sify . .f A I V, - X aqf,:wgfw ---rf. ., fizxl-,'iQ-,,3'S 7 f-,gf g.,ll ..-rgll 1:72 V' 'y 'V , 1' ' ' ' ' W- 4--1--. - gi.L4fi'7: i1ff:f---Ita..,: lgf ,S F - -'S ., Q., - . --f . Q.-,-4--a----f ...Q --' -,MN-, ' v .Z 4 -'-k - - ' --bag F' ' - '- i 2

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From Boston Naval Shipyard in 1963 through two years of operations in the Western Pacific, the U. S. S. HENRY W. TUCKERQDD-8'75j, has had a proud history of front line destroyer operations. TUCKER completed her FRAM 1 outfitting by the Boston Naval Shipyard in late 1963 With the end of the long yard- period .came the additional crew members to bring us up to allowance, many of whom are now gone, with those still remaining affectionately called the real old-timersf, t January of .1964 found the new TUCKER with her fresh crew passing through the Panama Canal and visit- ing Acapulco whille enroute to the West Coast. There the final polish was put to men and machines during four months of refresher training in San D1egofFafnd?:Long Beach. When the call came, TUCKER was ready-WESTPAC as a unit of Destroyer Squadron Three, the new Asiatic Squadron , to be home ported in Yokosuka, Japan for twd years. ' Final preparations completed, we left for our new home in late May, stopped for a few days in Hawaii, and arrived in Yokosuka in mid-June. .There was a chance to get settled, but not for long, since TUCKER undertook her first operation as a forward unit ofthe U. S. Seventh Fleet on 30 June 1964, on patrol duty in the Taiwan Straits. Taiwan Patrol-alternating a few days at sea with a few days in port for a month. Kaohsiung the favorite port of many-ox-drawn carts, Nancy's, pedicabs, F. A. P., striking cheongsoms, a memorable ship's party and painting the Kaohsiung orphanage. Tucker returned to Yokosuka on 4 August, only to get underway unexpectedly, the following morning. The U. S. S. Maddox had been attacked by North Vietnamese PT boats in the Gulf of Tonkin and Tucker was called to front line action. This, then, was the start, the beginning of the intensified war effort in Vietnam-the be- ginning of our continuous weeks at sea and continuous months away from home port. The fall of 1964 was spent almost continuously on special operations in the South China sea, with some up- keep time in Subic Bay, Philippines. . Subic, the port we came to visit often with the mixed feelings of delight, for some, disappointment for others -beautiful tropical weather, Binictisan golf course, skeet range, Grande Island-host ship to the HMS Dido, a Ergtislg destroyer, with fun and close rapport for all-and Olongapo, which can only be described by the eye of the e o er. We made a short visit to Hong Kong at the end of November before operating with the U. S. S. Constellation in an impressive CINCPACFLT Weapons demonstration. Finally, back home to Yokosuka on 3 December where -we spent a month of holiday leave period, interspersed with various exercises and Administrative and NTPI inspections. There was Yokosuka, the Seventh Fleet's gateway to Japan, Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, skiing at Nikko, leave in Kyoto, Yokohama, Thieves Alley U-a variety of activities to satisfy all interests. January and the return south found TUCKER on more of the same special operations-screening fast attack carriers, patrolling on watchdog stations, ASW exercises and surveillence. During these first few months of 1965 operations were interspersed with short upkeep periods in Subic, Kaohsiung and Yokosuka. May and Market Time operations-TUCKER, an integral unit of the patrol force guarding the Vietnamese coast against infiltration of weapons, personnel and supplies by the Viet Cong. Steaming up and down the coast, anchoring at Vung Tao and Qui Nhon, TUCKBR daily kept hundreds of junks under close scrutiny. We also served as a stores ship and oiler as we furnished various services to smaller ships of the force-technical assistance, payday, fuel, food and ship's store. On 16 May U. S. S. Henry W. Tucker KDD-8752 became the first U. S. ship to furnish Naval gunfire support in South Vietnan. In early I une we met the U. S. S. Independence Cen route to the Seventh Fleet from Norfolkj in the Indian Ocean and escorted her into Singapore for four days of rest and recreation. In the process we crossed the equator where thirty experienced shellbacks initiated the two hundred pollywogs on board into the rites of King Neptune. Shellbacks all, wended our way back to Yokosuka via Subic to commence TUCKER'S mid-term availability on 25 June. This long period in port was spent working hard-and playing hard, with the hosting of a boxing smoker, other athletic events, raising money for the Lepers Hospital, leave, shipis parties and tours. In July LCDR J. A. Barber, Ir. relieved LCDR H. W. Kinsley as Executive Officer. Finally to sea again-on 10 August for an ASW exercise. After that interesting operation, and an exemplary performance by TUCKER, another of the many scheduled changes that had come to be accepted as routine sent us to South Vietnam again for Naval gunfire supportCNGFSj. For thirty-two consecutive days TUCKER sped up and down the coast, providing 5 shell fire where needed, day or night-often day af night. Occasionally, TUCKER would anchor in the exotic and growing ports of DaNang, Nah Trang, Qui Nhon, for liason and supplies. After this .ex- hausting period of operating, a breather was provided with five days of rest and recreation in Hong Kong beginning on 22 September. Hong Kong-reputed pearl of the Orient, and it is-the floating village of Aberdeen with its famous restaurants, Kowloon, gourmet dining and lavish nightclubs, Repulse Bay, Victoria Peak, Tiger Balm Gardens, shopping for ivory, jade, pearls and hand tailored clothes. A similarity was found between Singapore and Hong Kong-both exuding an international atmosphere in exotic and colorful settings. Underway once more, back to NGFS in South Viet Nam where the tempo of operations had increased considerbly By the time we departed NGF S on 13 October, TUCKER had not only been the first to fire, but had spent more time on station and fired more rounds of 5 f38 shells at the Viet Cong Cover 5,6005 than any other destroyer in the Seventh Fleet. After two weeks upkeep and type training in Subic, we began another continuous month at sea-on search and rescue operations in the Gulf of Tonkin. During this month of November, TUCKER pioneered. procedures for helicopter inflight refueling, and in the process became the first destroyer in the world to conduct inflight refueling of a helo at night. Also we participated in SAR operations which resulted in the recovery of over ten pilots who were on missions in Viet Nam. On 4 December 1965 TUCKBR returned to Yokosuka for the holiday leave and liberty period. On December we witnessed the impressive Change-of-Command ceremony on board, where CDR I .H. D. Williams relieved CDR B. C. Wilcox, Jr. as Commanding Officer of U. S. S. Henry W. Tucker CDD-8755. 1

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COMMANDER B. c. Willcox, JR. This is a record of accomplishments, ot converting the unusual into the ordinary and a saga oi dedicated men. No phase ot destroyer operations has been omitted from our experience. We have refined old techniques and pioneered new ones. - We have lived the entire period in a wartime posture' and have made the name HENRY W. TUCKER known around the world. On the other hand as this record shows, all has not been work, for we have found time for compassion and play to leaven our lives as tree and competent men. The Viet Cong remember us tor our powers in battle 5 the orphans ot Kaohsiung and the lepers of KOYAMA for our generosity and humanity. This is two years of travel equal to tour trips around the world, of action from Tsushima to the Indian ocean, ot Singapore and I-long Kong and Olongapo and Da Nang, ot dedication and love and determination to preserve the ways ot tree men everywhere. 3