 The
following are Oklahoma City (CLG-5) Strike Operation notes as listed in
the Plan of the Day during April, 1972. I cut these out of the POD's but
failed to write down the dates. I've tried to reconstruct the sequence of
notes and dates where possible. Hind sight is 20/20, I wish now I would
have kept a copy of the entire POD for the entire 24 days of consecutive
strikes.
Oklahoma City (CLG-5) Strike Operations
Oklahoma City together with Providence, the heavy cruiser Newport News,
and accompanying destroyers joined up last night to form what is perhaps
the most formidable Naval Gunfire Strike Group since World War II. At the
time the Plan of the Day went to press a Naval Gunfire Mission had not
been promulgated but it is likely that the task group will be directed to
strike targets in North Vietnam prior to daylight this morning. On
completion of these early morning strikes, Oklahoma City will probably
join the Naval Gunfire Support Task Unit off Hue, South Vietnam, just
South of the DMZ.
 Oklahoma
City (CLG-5) Strike Operations
Tuesday Oklahoma city, in company with several destroyers fired on a radar
installation, a petroleum storage area and an ammunition cache above the
DMZ near Cap Lay. Strikes also included the Dong Hoi Airfield, North
Vietnam thirty miles North of the DMZ. On Wednesday, Oklahoma city struck
a large coastal defense site at Cap lay and left the Coastal Defense (CD)
site burning after a large secondary explosion was observed. The spotting
helo from Sterrett confirmed the hit on the Coastal Defense site.
Yesterday afternoon Oklahoma City and accompanying destroyers conduced a
second strike at Dong Hoi and specifically Surface-to air missile (SAM)
sites. During this strike and just as Oklahoma City was completing the
mission, intense hostile fire was received from coastal defense sites.
Oklahoma city and the destroyers took the CD sites under fire and retired
to the East. Shortly thereafter the task unit was attacked by two MIGS one
of which was shot down my missiles from Sterrett. During the attack the
destroyer Higbee was hit aft and though two personnel were injured, there
were no fatalities. This is Oklahoma city's 14th consecutive
day on Naval Gunfire Support and Naval Gunfire Strike operations. It has
indeed been exciting! UNREP: Oklahoma City will probably refuel from
Camden and conduct Vertrep concurrently while alongside late this morning
or early afternoon. Vertrep stores held by White Plains were transferred
to Camden last night.
Oklahoma City (CLG-5) Strike Operations
Thursday evening the Oklahoma city, in company with the destroyers Thomas
and Gurke and the Guided Missile Frigate Sterrett proceeded to strike at
five coastal defense sites and radar installations in the vicinity of Cap
Lay, North Vietnam, approximately five miles above the DMZ. Oklahoma City
observed seven large secondary explosions after the strikes at these shore
batteries and a series of smaller explosions following. During the past
week most of Oklahoma City's strikes have been conducted in the Southern
half of North Vietnam between the DMZ and Dong Hoi. This is Oklahoma
City's 16th consecutive day on Naval Gunfire Support and Naval
Gunfire Strike Operations.
Oklahoma City (CLG-5) Strike Operations
Late Friday the Big Gray Ghost of the Vietnam Coast, Oklahoma City struck
at enemy radar installation near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. After firing
over 100 rounds of main armament into the target and receiving no return
fire, Oklahoma City in company with Lloyd Thomas, Gurke, and Sterrett
returned to North Vietnam and at a costal trans-shipping point near Dong
Hoi. A large secondary explosion with white smoke billowing nearly 150
feet high was observed by the airborne spotter. Last night Oklahoma City
with destroyers of the task unit took on the big coastal defense guns at
Cap Lay and achieved perhaps some of the best GDA (Gun Damage Assessment)
of the past few weeks. A total of 22 secondary explosions were observed
indicating a direct hit on the ammunition dump supplying the Cap Lay
coastal defense guns. This is Oklahoma City's 17th consecutive
day on Naval Gunfire Support and Naval Gunfire Strike Operations -- WETSU
(We Eat This Stuff Up).
 Oklahoma
City (CLG-5) Strike Operations - April 17, 1992
The Gray Ghost of the Vietnam Coast had a much needed rest during daylight
hours yesterday; however Oklahoma City and destroyers of the task unit
went back to the business of conducting Naval Gunfire Strikes as darkness
fell. The Strike Unit hit fuel storage areas and troop barracks in two
swiftly conducted gun actions both within two hours of each other at
locations 20 miles North of the DMZ. This is Oklahoma City's 17th
consecutive day on Naval Gunfire Support and Naval Gunfire Strike
Operations.
Congratulations from the Air Force
The following message was received yesterday from the Commanding General 7th
Air Force and makes reference to a naval Gunfire Strike conducted by
Oklahoma city and destroyers on the Dong Hoi airfield on the night of 16
April: "Greatly appreciate your prompt response to our request for
Naval Gunfire Strike on Dong Hoi airfield last night. The five large
secondaries indicate a highly accurate and successful strike.
Congratulations. Signed General Vogt."
Oklahoma City (CLG-5) Strike Operations
Monday night and Tuesday Oklahoma City together with the Guided Missile
Frigate Sterrett and destroyers Gurke and Richard B. Anderson continued to
strike swiftly at various military targets in North Vietnam. Last night
the task unit unloaded on a Highway Bridge and Communications Station just
south of the 20th parallel. This was the furthest North
Oklahoma City has operated since the big strike in the vicinity of Hai
Phong on the 16th of April. Today is Oklahoma City's 19th
consecutive day on Naval Gunfire Support and Naval Gunfire Strike
operations.
 Oklahoma
City (CLG-5) Strike Operations
Yesterday, on short notice Oklahoma City moved swiftly down from the North
to conduct Naval Gunfire Support against a renewed North Vietnamese
offensive in the vicinity of the DMZ. The gunfire strikes conducted by the
Oklahoma City late Thursday night and early Friday morning DEEP into North
Vietnam achieved a great measure of success an apparently caught the enemy
by surprise; no hostile fire was directed against Oklahoma City nor the
destroyers in company. Oklahoma City's presence just South of the DMZ is
required to support the 1st ARV (Army of Vietnam) Division
which is engaged in defense of Qiang Tri about 18 miles South of the DMZ.
The NVA (North Vietnamese Army) has committed considerable armor to the
current offensive. Oklahoma City's guns and those of the destroyers of the
NGFS task unit are being brought to bear in order to turn the tide of the
offensive in the favor of the ARV. Yesterday Oklahoma City was required on
short notice to move quickly into another type of Naval Gunfire role, one
primarily of support rather than the purely offensive operations of
gunfire strikes of the past couple of weeks. She responded again as she
has done before with a sense of dash and a sense of "being on the
way." Today is Oklahoma City's 22nd consecutive day of
Naval Gunfire Strike and Support Operations.
 Oklahoma
City Naval Gunfire Operations
On completion of fueling this morning Oklahoma City will depart the waters
off the DMZ and will proceed to station in the waters off North Vietnam.
Oklahoma City has been directed to join a task unit of destroyers and to
conduct combined Cruiser/Destroyer Gunfire Strikes on North Vietnam
military targets. For the past two weeks we have been operating in a Naval
Gunfire Support role in direct support of Government Forces of South
Vietnam. Gunfire Strike Operations during the next twenty-four hours
differ from the Gunfire Support Operations in that these strikes are
purely offensive in nature and conducted at high speeds whereby Oklahoma
City will run in...shoot...and run out. The period of shooting will be for
only 15 or 20 minutes, just long enough to get our rounds accurately on
target. Another big difference in our gunfire operations tonight will be
that the striking task unit will be in range of enemy Coastal Defense Guns
during the run in, while shooting, and during the run out. Hostile fire
from these Coastal Defense Guns can and should be expected, and
preparations made accordingly; also the possibility of attack by enemy
aircraft cannot be discounted. Extra precautions then must be taken during
Darken Ship to show no lights topside; during the strike, condition Zebra
will be set and Zebra fittings are not to be opened without first
obtaining permission from Damage control Central (phone 888) ; personnel
are to remain off the Weather Decks unless specifically assigned Gunfire
Strike Stations on the Weather Decks. As you can tell these strikes are
dynamic in nature and although the risks are greater, Oklahoma City was
designed and built for just such missions. She is big, fast and well
armored and complete success of these strike missions can be expected so
long as every one of us does our job with dedication and absolute
attention to detail. These are exciting times and again we in Oklahoma
City are a part of it.
|
