Hull (DD 945) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE YEAR 1968 The early days of January 1968 meant only the beginning of a new year for most people, but it meant the completion of preparations for a deployment to the Western Pacific to the officers and men of HULL. The monumental task of gathering and storing tons of supplies, overhauling and maintaining the ship's weapons and engineering equipment, and training inexperienced crewmen to a combat-ready level was nearly finished as the middle of the month approached. Scheduled departure date was 16 january. But with only a week left, a serious boiler problem was discovered by the COMCRUDESPAC Engineering Inspection Team. Repair work was begun immediately and continued around the clock in an effort to complete the job prior to the scheduled departure date. The work, however, could not be completed until the morning of 19 january. With everything finally ready, the last line was taken in at 0744 and HULL steamed out of San Diego harbor and headed west at 20 knots. JOUETT CDLG 295 and PREBLE QDLG 153, who with HULL were to form Task Element 15.4. 2. 1, had departed on the 16th. The rendezvous would take place in Pearl Harbor. lt would take nearly two and a half weeks to cross the Pacific, but good use would be made of this time. lt would be the last chance to get the ship and the men ready for combat. Gunners mates tested, checked, lubricated and re-tested the massive, complex five-inch, fifty-four caliber guns. Radar technicians, radiomen, and gun- fire-control specialists brought their equipment up to peak operating condition. Tactical lectures and briefings covering shore bombardment procedures, various types of missions anticipated, and the threat of North Vietnamese coastal defense batteries were given daily. General quarters drills came often, and with each one, the emergence of an effective, unified fighting unit became more evident. On the morning of 24 January, HULL arrived in Pearl Harbor, paused briefly for refueling and briefings and then departed, on the morning of the 25th, along with PREBLE and JOUETT. Captain A. T. EMERSON, Jr., CCOMDESRON ONEJ, serving as Commander Task Element 15. 4. 2. 1, was embarked in HULL from 25 to 27 january. He then returned to JOUETT for the remainder of the transit period to WESTPAC. On 1 February, HULL reported in to Commander SEVENTH Fleet for duty in the Western Pacific areas. Two days later, on 3 February, she made a fuel stop in Guam, and then proceeded on to Subic Bay, Philippines, arriving on the 7th. Leaving the Philippines on 11 February, the ship continued steaming west independently and on 13 February reported to the Commander Naval Gunfire Support Unit QCTG 70. 8. 95 ready for action. She immediately took station near Nha Trang in the Southern ll Corps zone of South Vietnam. 131

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In The Highest Tradition Of The U.S. Navy BRONZE STAR MEDAL CDR G. A. CHURCH NAVY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE. ORDER QSECOND CLASSD CDR G. A. CHURCH NAVY COMMENDAT ION MEDAL LCDR H. G. BILLERBECK LT P. T. DEUTERMANN NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL LCDR W. L. ZANZOT LT R. B. STOAKES LT R. L. BELL LT G. R. VAN DERVEN LTIG C. C. LUMPKIN, III FTCS H. A. GLASS FTGI R. B. DORSHA FTGI G. I. MARINELLI GMGI E. COLLINS GMGI W. T. GROAT GMG1 R. E. BURTON RMI C. O. WRIGHT GMG2 R. W. VAUGI-IAN GMG2 R. L. JEANS GMG2 D. W. WAITE BM2 W. R. DUCK CINCPACF LT LETTER OF COMMENDATION LTIG R. B. HAZBLTON LTJG J. H. SANTARLASCI, JR. IOOS S. R. ELDER COMCRUDESGRUSEVENTHF LT LETTER OF COMMENDATION BMC R. J. NORTH GMG2 J. R. SHIPLBTTB TM2 R. M. HARRIS TM2 L. J. STAUTH BM3 D. DIAZ RD3 W. D. KLBV OMO3 R. AOBDO OMO3 R. L. ALLSMAN OMO3 R. J. HERLEMAN OMOB H. O. HUBBARD OMO3 B. J. LILBS GMG3 L. B. WARWICK GMG3 M. B. WILBORN FTG3 M. J. HAHNB RTOS D. L. HARDBR FTG3 L. R. JOHNSON FTG3 J. B. MATTRAW FTG3 B. A. SANDSTROM FTG3 R. L. WITTROCK, IR RDSN O. DBANDA, JR. SN P. A. BROWNB SN A. W. BURNS SN M. A. OAITHAM SN W. M. COFFIN SN J. O. DOUBLE SN S. B. HERMANOWSKI SN A. W. RICE, JR. SN J. J. STARR COMSEVENTI-IF LT LETTER OF COM ME NDATION RDI R. T. MCQUAIO RD3 J. L. WINDSOR SN J. P. OOUOH

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During the first three days on the gunline, HULL carried outshore bombardment missions against Viet Cong base camps and suspected enemy activity areas along an 80 mile stretch of the coast from Nha Trang north to Tuy Hoa. inflicting considerable damage including ll enemy KIA and 9 WIA. The ship providedidirect support for the 5th Special Foreee Gfgup QAirborneJ. This unit, in appreciation, presented HULL with a submachine gun found in an abandoned position destroyed by her gunfire. Mounted on the weapon was a plaque with the following inscription: From the officers and men of the 5th Special Forces Group QAirbornej in appreciation for a job well done- - -Vietnam 1968 . On 18 February, Captain C. E. MCMULLEN CCOMDESRON 155 shifted his flag aboard. The following day, he assumed duties as Commander of the Naval Gunfire Support Task Unit off Vietnam 'QCTU 70. 8. 91, and HULL's assignment was shifted from the south to the coastal areas along the DMZ. She at once began supporting units of the THIRD Marine Division with round-the-clock bombardment. During daylight hours call-for-fire missions came in from either airborne or shore based spotters. During the night, the ship normally fired at pre-selected targets in an attempt to harass and disrupt enemy operations in the DMZ. On 21 February, while conducting attacks against suspected enemy artillery sites and North Vietnamese army concentrations some five miles south of Cap Lay, the destroyer came under fire from enemy coastal defense sites nearby. No hits were sustained and the ship succeeded in silencing the attacking batteries. Later that night the ship was again fired on but the enemy aim was poor in the darkness and posed no serious threat. Daily bombardment continued and by the end of February, HULL had fired over 5, 000 rounds in support of U. S. and Allied troops ashore. During the first days of March enemy coastal defense activity became increas- ingly frequent. The ship came under enemy fire on the lst, 2nd, and 3rd. Some of the shells landed as close as ten yards off the bow. Through high speed evasive maneuvering the ship avoided incoming rounds while at the same time taking the enemy gun emplacements under fire with her own five-inch armament. On the 3rd, the destroyer also carried out attacks against enemy gun emplacements that had taken the cruiser NEWPORT NEWS under fire. This was an exciting action with Commodore MCMULLEN directing a coordinated attack by the Cruiser and Destroyer on the enemy gun emplacements in the DMZ. On 4 March HULL was directed to return to Subic Bay, Philippines to replace worn gun barrels on her two after mounts. The re-gunning was completed quite rapidly and the warship was back on the gun line four days later. However, mechan- ical trouble with the sophisticated, automatic guns began to plague the ship and on 13 March she again left the coastal waters of the DMZ and returned to the Philippines for repairs to her main battery. 132 .A