Hepburn (DE 1055) - Naval Cruise Book

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destroyed and two secondary ex- plosions. On July 27 the HEPBURN was detached from the gunline and assigned to the South TALOS Station. While there, she assisted in the rescue of a Navy pilot whose plane had been shot down over North Vietnam by refueling, under emergency conditions, the helicopter which eventually per- formed the recovery. While HEPBURN continued her Search and Rescue duties, on August 7 Commander William C. Manes relieved Commander John W. Sellers as Commanding Officer. On August 9 the ship was relieved on South TALOS and began her transit to Sasebo for upkeep. HEPBURN got underway for Mid- dle SAR Station on August 21. While there, she encountered ten tons of baled rice, evidently intend- ed for the North Vietnamese, and destroyed it with her gunfire. After five days on Mid SAR the HEPBURN was assigned as rescue destroyer working with the USS MIDWAY. The HEPBURN was again assigned to the Mid SAR Sta- tion on September 10 and seven days later was detached and proceeded to Subic Bay for upkeep. After departing Subic Bay in companv with USS SARATOGA on September 28, the HEPBURN was assigned gunline duty in the vicinity of Quang Ngai Province. Naval gunfire was the principal defensive weapon available to the South Vietnamese units ashore, and over a period of seven days the HEPBURN fired a variety of gun- fire support missions. For example, during the period of September 30 to October 1, the ship fired at several North Vietnamese staging areas and troop concentrations in the vicinity of Quang Ngai City. During this period approximately 540 rounds were fired and gun damage assess- ment included four enemy killed in action, two structures destroyed and four damaged, and two secondary explosions. HEPBURN left the area on October 1 to refuel and avoid typhoon Lorna. Four days later HEPBURN was detached from the gunline to join USS MIDWAY as mutual sup- port ship until October 12 when she left the Gulf of Tonkin with the USS MIDWAY enroute to Subic Bay. HEPBURN arrived in Subic Bay October 14 and remained inport un- til October 22 when she departed for Hong Kong. She arrived in Hong Kong two days later and assumed duty as SOFA (ADMIN) Hong Kong until the first of November. On November 2 HEPBURN was again underway. The ship arriv- ed on the North SAR Station November 4 and continued on this station until November 12 when she joined the USS SARATOGA as rescue destroyer. On the 20th of November the HEPBURN was relieved and tran- sited to Subic Bay, arriving the afternoon of the 23rd. After two days in port the ship was again un- derway, this time to rejoin the destroyers with which she had first journeved to WESTPAC — ROBISON, ENGLAND, MARVIN SHEILDS. She arrived in Yokosuka on the 29th of November, and the four ships departed for the transit home on the first of December. Dur- ing HEPBURN ' S transit home the ship stopped for a brief refueling at Midway Island on December 4, shifted to the operational control of Commander, FIRST Fleet, on the 6th of December, and again stopped in Pearl Harbor for fuel on December 9. On December 15 HEPBURN arrived at her home port of Long Beach after a deployment which had lasted two days short of seven months.

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COMMANDER JOHN W. SELLERS, U.S. NAVY Commander John W. Sellers is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1954. He was born April 29, 1932, in Terre Haute, Indiana. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, he reported to USS TAUSSIG (DD 746) and served in the Gunnery Department. From May, 1956, to September, 1957, he served as Operations Officer, Staff Commander Destroyer Division 52. Next he served as Officer in Charge, USS LSM 455 from October, 1957, to June, 1958. In July, 1958, he reported to the U.S. Naval Mission to Brazil and assumed the billet of Aide and Secretary, serving until June 1960. He attended the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power School at Mare Island, California, from July, 1960, until December, 1960, and the U.S. Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit at Idaho Falls from January, 1961, until July, 1961. He then attended Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Engineering Officer School at San Diego from July, 1961, to October, 1961. Reporting in November, 1961, to USS PARSONS (DD 949), he served as Engineer Officer until November, 1962. His next assignment was as Executive Officer, U.S. Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit, West Milton Site, New York, from January, 1963, until June, 1965. Back in San Diego in July, 1965, he served as Executive Officer, USS WEDDERBURN (DD684) until December, 1966. In February, 1967, he assumed command of USS KOINER (DER 331). In September, 1968, he reported to Com- mander Anti-submarine Warfare Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet as Surface Sub-surface Training and Evaluation Of- ficer and served until February, 1971. He assumed command of USS HEPBURN (DE 1055) in April, 1971.