Morton (DD 948) - Naval Cruise Book

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the area where the muzzle flashes were observed. When we went in to put more rounds on the sites, again we received enemy fire. One Cruiser and six Destroyers, in- cluding the Australian destroyer HMAS PERTH, were called in to assist us and direct their fi r e p owe r onto the sites. When the large group of ships left the next day MORTON and PERTH remained on station to continue firing. As the af- ternoon of 30 September passed unevent- fully, the crew felt safe in the knowledge that the relief ship would arrive early the next morning. Altho ugh still alert and serious, all hands expected our last night on the line to be quiet and routine . At about 0200 on the morning of l October, however, while firing into the DMZ, the lookouts spotted muzzle flashes in the same area as before . Seconds later shells were landing close to the ship, the ship was r etiring at flank speed, and crew members were scrambling to their Battle Stations. The rest of the morning passed quietly, but none of the crew will forget the sight of our relief ship on the horizon as we moved out to sea to be relieved. The 1967 MORTON WestPac Cruise was truly an eventful and action filled experience for all. Through it the ship and its crew came out unscathed. All of the cruise, however, was not spent off the coast of Vietnam. None will forget the many UnReps from supply ships 3 the anticipation of mail call , the fatigue of stowing projectilesg or getting up in the middle of the night to receive fuel. Nor will anyone forget our inport time, where repairs and maintenance were completed, and where the crew had a chance to re- lax and see the sights. Yokosuka, japan, Subic Bay, Philippines, Hong Kong, BCC, Ka go s hima , japan, all bring to mind unique and memorable experiences. The first taste of an exotic oriental food, a nightclub, the glamorous Hong Kong Hil- ton, the fantastic shopping deal in Hong Kong, or getting taken by the street vendor in Japan. These and many more are memories that the MORTON crew have of the 1967 WestPac Cruise. The USS MORTON has probably seen as much action as any de- stroyer in the Vietnam war. There were trying, exciting, happy and lonely times, but as the cruise drew to a close nobody doubted that again MORTON proved that she is the Saltiest Ship in the Fleet .

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just south of the DMZ. Our primary tar- gets were enemy troop concentrations, supply and staging areas, troops in the open, and enemy shore batteries. The speed and accuracy with which MORTON supplied fire called for by the Naval Gun- fire Liaison Officer gave us the reputa- tion as an outstanding G un fi r e Support Ship. The ship became a precision team of fighting men, alert and eager to sup- port the 12th Marine Regiment. During the 38 days we were on the line in july and August, MORTON fired nearly 8, OOO rounds at enemy targets . There was little time for rest as most of the crew was standing twelve hours of watches a day in addition to their regular duties. One break did come when Robert Stack, best known as the star of the TV series The Untouchables , came aboard for two days to talk and shake hands with the crew. On ll September we again reported for duty as a Gunfire Support Ship off the DMZ. It was during this period that MORTON really got a taste of the war. Again there were many other Navy ships in the area, this time assembled to exe- cute an amphibious operation known as Operation Fortress Sentry . The pur- pose of the operation was to send ma- rines to search out and destroy enemy artillary sites, supply areas and troop concentrations. MORTON fired in sup- port of the operation, the majority of our targets being active artillery sites shoot- ing at American troops . As the Operation'came to an end and as our time on the line was drawing to an end, the crew expected the last few days on the line to be relatively quiet. Soon after the end of the Operation, however, the two vital Marine outposts of Con Thien and Gio Linh began receiving al- most constant fire from Communist ar- tillery in and north of the DMZ. We were called upon to fire at suspected and known artillery sites in the DMZ and North in the area of Cape Lay. On 22 September, while firing at artillery positions, MOR- TON received enemy fire from the Cape Lay area. A ltho ugh the rounds landed very close, there were no casualities or material damage to the ship. In the days that followed, MORTON received hostile fire from the artillery sites near Cape Lay almost daily. Many times our lookouts on the open bridge ob- served the muzzle flashes at the sites. Air strikes were called in and we ob- served our B-52 bombers heavily bomb

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FASTEST GUN IN THE EAST FROM: 12TH MARINE RECIMENT TO: USS MORTON WE HAVE BEEN CREATLY IMPRESSED WITH YOU SO FAR. YOUR CALL FOR FIRE ANSWERINC AND RATE OF FIRE ARE ALMOST UNBE LIEVABLE. NICE HAVING YOU AROUND . BT ,K --1-751,14--Q.--T-x.w , ,A wr -.., FI ff FROM: USS PYRO TO: USS MORTON AS BEFORE IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOUR SALTIE . A VERY PROFESSIONAL UNREP BY SOME OUTSTANDING HUSTLERS . YOU HAVE BECOME A FAVORITE CUSTOMER. ...BT.. 9