Maddox (DD 731) - Naval Cruise Book

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S 59 P,S, Incidently Congressman Melvin Laird of Wisconsin was your first Paymaster, and is a good friend of the Goldwaters. August 4th: I didn't mail this but now I will. We have just heard of the second attack and how you and the Turner Joy got two more boats. According to TV you all have managed to knock out lf5 of their fleet. Yes you have made TV Everyone here is 1002 behind you and those of us who have served aboard the Maddox are with you tonight. Laugh if you will but remember each one of us left something of ourselves with her. ELL SW- vf wiv EIT!-15K SMD J 'mcg FlR'NGn-OEM 1 , R50 LC o,Jp,E Fl MH NOT 5 fi i - QQ ll 49 ' Timex, 1... . - 4. .,, fflTr4.I, .- --i . 15.5,-nf..-, 3 , ,V - , ,, , . - , wflmmj, ' 'g ' Mmm A-' ' -flilkoaniiill

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Vh : , 1 a ' I ' I ' I 1 . 1 I ? I , 1 1. c 2 5 , . 1 F . I I S s I tki 1 E E 1 at rag, :ff 3 rf f g ' 51, 5 , I To the Gfficers and Meng I usually don't write a letter of this nature but today I feel that it is warranted. Well Done for your action in the MADDOX Incident, as the press has started calling it here. I have just heard over the radio that in our cold war in the F ar East you were attacked by three communist torpedo boats and instead of backing down you took them under fire and made a good accounting of yourselves. You have followed in the tradition of a fine ship and those of us who have served aboard her are proud of you who have carried it on. I don't know what our press will do about the incident. They have a way of putting their foot in it and may cause it to mushroom. If they do and it gets a little rough for you I would suggest that you take the opportunity to read your logs from commission- ing in World War II through Korea. The story the logs tell will be in simple, un- emotional statements, but add them up and you should see a story that is very interesting. You were one of the first ships hit by a suicide plane. The Ticonderoga took one 15 minutes later. Your relations with the Ticonderoga is a story in itself. When you got back into action you brought down about 12 would be suicide planes. I-Iow many pilots you picked up I don't know. As a member of DESRON 61 you were the first on the surface to attack inside Tokyo Bay. It was tow or be towed. You got credit for three ships. In Korea I heard of your acting. as decoy so subs could bring in Ranger groups. At Inchonlam not sure where you were but the squad- ron ships, as I knew them, were the sitting ducks used to draw enemy fire before the landing. If they were, you probably were also. Fate was there last night in the fact that the Ticonderoga was with you, You always seem to be together at times like this. You and the Big T were built at the same time and shook down together. Both went to the Pacific and you were her escort. You served together in the same Task Group and were hit within 15 minutes of each other. Half blind you escorted her back to the fleet repair base at Ulithi. She came back to the States but you got patched up and went back into action. When the war was over, Task Force 58 sent a Vangarde back to the states, you and the Ticonderoga, along with the San Juan and the Blue. You brought her home. The next time the men from the Big T start giving you a bad time remind them that if it wasn't for the Little M they wouldn't have such interesting times. The two of you represent a Navy Sunday punch. There are the humorous sides of her personality. I'll bet any of you that she is the only ship in the Navy that ever had the word passed that All PAL'S, re- stricted men, and restricted officers lay up to the Quarter Deck for Muster , All but three officers showed up. The latter were the CG, Exec and the Gun Boss. I don't think that your logs will tell this story but I assure you it did happen. If any- one has been wondering why a couple of deck plates in the bottom hole around frame 25-30 don't fit - it's just a result of a battle of wills betweenafrustrated Ensign and a stubborn Gun Boss. I won - the Ensign. Today was a proud day for me because as the news came over, my young son was sitting beside me in the car. In this present day of constant pussyfooting and backing down in our foreign and domestic policies I could say to him that's my ship . I can assure you that today there are many others who served aboard the MADDOX who feel deeply the way I do. Well Done and may God look over all of you. Sincerely Dorsey 0, Thomas, Jr. W '

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1, . - -X, , fy 'I , . V, 1 , 1 I r I 1'- w ,V -, I ! I1 - I I I 1 I I 1. - I ,I I 1 1 1 I I ,I -1 1 f I . 4 5 5511 I 5 Il: 9, ,- I :- n ' 5 I' From: Commanding Officer, USS MADDOX QDD 7315 To: All Hands Subj: Letter of Appreciation 1, As the Commanding Officer, USS MADDOX QDD 731j,I take pleasure in express- ing my appreciation for your superior performance of duty during the period 31 July to 8 August 1964 when the ship was on patrol in the Gulf of Tonkin. This op- eration was a delicate and arduous assignment conducted under difficult circum- stances which required alertness, teamwork and long hours spent at General Quarters and condition watches. The splendid performance of duty by you during the North Vietnam motor torpedo boats attacks on this ship on 2 August and again on 4 August contributed materially to the destruction of two of the boats and dis- couraging the remaining attackers. The moral courage which you displayed during the eighty 'cumulative days spent on station in the South China Sea while conducting- special operations from 13 May through 17 September reflected most favorably upon you and upon the ship. 2. As a result of the successful execution of the Tonkin Gulf patrol in particular and the South China Sea operations in general, the Chief of Naval Operations, Commander in Chief, Pacific, and Commander SEVENTH Fleet were moved to send the following commendatory messages: Chief of Naval Operations: 0818442 AUG 1964 -- Gulf of Tonkin Operations ---- I WISH TO ADD MY WELL DONE TO THE OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MEN WHO WERE ENGAGED IN SUBJECT OPERATIONS. THE COURAGE, SKILL AND OUTSTANDING STATE OF OPERATIONAL READINESS DISPLAYED BY OUR SAILOR MEN WAS IN THE FINEST TRADITION OF OUR NAVY AND A SXOURCEAO2 SUPREME PRIDE TO ME, THEIR FAMILIES AND ALL OTHER MERI N , ADMIRAL DAVID L. MCDONALD Commander in Chief, Pacific: 0523362 AUG 1964 -- Gulf operations ---- THE SUPREME TEST OF READINESS AND THE-UNDISPUTED MARK OF REAL PROFESSIONALISM IS THE SMART EXECUTION OF AN OPERATION CONCEIVED OF NECESSITY ON SHORT NOTICE, COMPLICATED BY THE ELEMENTS AND FRAUGHT WITH THE NORMAL DANGERS OF OUR CALL- ING. MY PERSONAL WELL DONE TO ALL HANDS. ADMIRAL SHARP Commander SEVENTH Fleet: 2412032 AUG 1964 -- DURING YOUR WELL DESERVED PERIOD OF RELAXATION IN SUBIC, YOU CAN REFLECT ON THE ARDUOUS OPERATIONS JUST COMPLETED AND TAKE PRIDE IN PARTICIPATION IN A PERFORMANCE THAT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED OUR DETERMINATION TO UPHOLD THE TRADITIONAL U.S. DOCTRINE OF FREEDOM OF THE SEAS. ABOLD CHALLENGE TO THIS TRADITION WAS MET WITH AN ALACRITY THAT CAN LEAVE NO DOUBT OF THE READY POWER OF THE SEVENTH FLEET. VICE ADMIRAL ROY L. JOHNSON 54 .,