Lynde McCormick (DDG 8) - Naval Cruise Book

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Qui Nhon 27 FEB. - The blazing guns of the guided missile destroyer USS LYNDE Vg MCCORMICK found their mark just south of here today as the ship attacked the base camp of a XXX , 1 company size Viet Cong regiment. With the if - help of an airborne ' 'birddog spotter, the San Diego based destroyer pinpointed the target, then proceeded to destroy four enemy bunkers plus two other structures. - t 5 The ultimate gunship. Many of the gunboats used us as a supply depot The friendly Marine spotter in his Birddog aircraft Q An armed hydro Sklff A radar buoy under construction x 3 ' K C is 3 .i ,-, 'fx

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GUNLI Probably the most demanding assignment given LYNDE MCCORMICK this cruise was gunline operations. The gunline puts a tremendous work load on the entire ship. It takes extra personnel in CIC for navigation and spotter communications, hard working magazine crews to keep the am- munition drums full, crews to man both gunsfalert lookouts and bridge watch standers, and a never ending effort by Gunnersmates and machine shop personnel to keep the guns shooting. ' LYNDE MCCORMICK spent three separate periods on the gunline totaling 32 days. We fired 5032 rounds of 5 inch ammunition - completing 72 missions. Gun damage assessment included' damaging or destroying 400 structures, 150 bunkers, mortar positions, bridges, supply dumps, sanpans, and much close-in support for our troops ashore. Our first gunline assignment was in II Corps, working with both air and ground spotters. This northern area kept us mighty busy! . Nha TFHH8 24 FEB. - The USS LYNDE MCCORMICK moved at 25 knots into Nha Trang's cluttered harbor during the dark hours before dawn today, firing her five inch guns to repel a determined Viet Cong attack on military installations at Nha' Trang airport. Responding to an urgent call for support from naval gunfire spotters in the beseiged city, this San Diego based guided missile destroyer placed an array of illumination star shells over the advancing enemy, exposing his forward positions to defensive fire from ground and airborne units. The destroyer arced high explosive projectiles in the VC's escape trails behind their lines.

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SN Boyce catches another fish during a lull in the shooting. Our other two gunline assignment were in the treacherous shallows of IV Corps south of the mouths of the Mekong River. In this mass of twisting streams and, mangrove swamps the VC have built great bunker complexes and have always felt safe. We took advantage of the range of our rapid fire guns by moving in closer to the beach than most gunfire support ships do - at times we had only 25 feet of water under us. This extra range was used very effectively by our spotters. Vung Tau 23 MARCH - The guided missile destroyer USS LYNDE MCCORMICK punctuated her return to the gunline with a series of rapid fire attacks on Viet Cong concentrations 60 miles southwest of here today. Moving into a favorable position in the early hours before dawn, this San Diego based destroyer opened up with radar assisted gunfire on signal from airborne spotters ashore. Firing into the mass of streams and jungles of the lower delta, she surprised 2 VC san- pans apparently supplying an area of fortified buildings and bunkers. The surprise attack was continued for well over two hours as the destroyer systematically reduced the area to splinters under the skillful coaching of the marine spotters. Stoppers passed. The gunfire support team receives a mission. The gun crews take a break as we get the