Somebody should help we with this one…remember the time that we were off the coast of California doing torpedo drills (I think in 1971 or early 72).  We would fire a practice torpedo, which would eventually float back to the surface, and as I remember it, the junior officers were using the opportunity to practice manuvering the ship, to use the floating torpedo as a ‘parking cone’ I guess.

Well, as luck would have it, a mistake was made which resulted in the Towers running over the torpedo and bending one of our screws in the process.  (ever had a tire out of balance?  That’s what it felt like, at a certain speed we had all kinds of vibration!)  The very next day we had to go into dry dock to get the screw replaced, and the only dry dock available was a carrier-sized drydock in Long Beach, talk about feeling like a BB in a boxcar!

Anyway, it must have been rather embarrassing for someone, but as always, we learned from the experience; at least we never ran over another torpedo!

A Follow-up from Bill Barry (Missile Officer / Fire Control Officer ’70-’72)

Boy, do I ever remember this incident!! I had not thought about it in a long time though. I was the OOD who let the ship drift too close to the spent torpedo. Like most accidents, this one started out uneventfully and was easily avoidable.

We must have been engaged in ASW Ops at the time, but I do not recall. The JOOD and I were the only officers on the bridge. The plan was to place the ship upwind of the torpedo, which floated properly at the end of its run — its orange tip upright, bouncing up and down, near Mt. 51. There was a slight chop and swell, but it was a beautiful clear day. The ship was supposed to drift down on the “fish” where someone (a guy in a wet suit I recall) was to attach a line and the torpedo would be hauled up by the foc’sle davit. The JOOD had the “conn” and I got distracted by something else while he was making the approach to place the ship properly with respect to the torpedo.

Anyway, as I recall, the torpedo got too far aft. I took the conn. The ship’s engines were stopped, and she was virtually DIW, but she did have some relative movement with respect to the torpedo, and the ship was also heaving up and down too. As the torpedo drifted down the stbd side, it must have bounced off the stbd screw. Such a small ding, but what a difference it made in the shaft’s vibration. I recall that we went into the old SouthWest Marine drydock at 32d Street, where the results of my screw up were there for all to see.

I thought I would get “axed” for sure, but the Squadron Commander, whose name I should but do not recall, spoke to me in the wardroom shortly afterwards. He said that no action would be taken because he had seen aviators crash multi-million dollar planes & walk off without any sanctions, so he was not going to impose any on me.

Whew!!! Not being one to shy away from a good laugh, Ensign Bob Chadwell, the First Division Officer at the time, doctored up one of those cheezy “Destroyerman” certificates that the PR types used to hand out & awarded me a “Torpedo Destroyerman” certificate at the next junior officer party. Lots of laughs were had all around, but I was glad to have gotten out of that one without any dings. I am still grateful and impressed by the Squadron Commander’s call.

Best regards, Bill Barry (Missile Officer/Fire Control Officer ’70-72)

The Tartar / Standard missile we carried on board were 2 colors; “blue” for practice (used for DSOTs; Daily System Operability Tests; contained no rocket motor), and “white” (live ‘birds’).  Well, since the “blue” practice missiles were ‘run up on the rail’ once a day, the rear fins (which had to be unfolded each time) had a tendancy to eventually wear out.  Consequently these blue fins were sometimes stored in the Missile Computer Rm.

Well, one of the GMM2’s (I’ll leave out his name), thought he would play a practical joke on the GMMC.  We were preparing to have a “live” missile shoot at a drone in a few days, and he thought this would be his opportunity.  The idea was this; he would take one of the “blue” practice fins and paint it “white”.  Then he took his zippo lighter and “burnt it up” a bit.  The GMMC always went out personaly to check the missile launcher after a live firing, so the GMM2 ‘planted’ the “burnt-up” painted “white” fin in the safety net around the launcher just before the live fire drill.

This is where the plan broke down…  The GMM2 successfully planted the fin in the saftey net, but when we had the missile firing, the launch was a failure, the missile had to be self-destructed because of its erratic flight.  The GMMC went out to check the launcher, he found the planted fin, and naturally thought that the fin had fallen off the real ‘bird’ and caused the launch failure!  Before he could be stopped, he took the fin up to the bridge to show the Captain, who radioed the Admiral in charge of the test, who messaged……….who knows how far it went up.

Well, eventually the word got out to the Captain about the joke, and the next thing we heard was “Petty Officer (deleted), lay to the bridge!”.  We never let our friend live that one down.  Later we heard that the XO has told one of the chiefs that there was some humor there, but the Admiral was not too pleased.  One thing that I always remember about the Towers crew, both officers and enlisted, we stuck together, at sea, in battle, on shore (and in humor!)..

1963 West Pac- while patrolling 100 mi off Saigon during uprisings there,
the Towers turned south until @ 2 degrees from the Equator when suddenly we
turned around and urgently headed North. A huge typhoon was forming east of
the Philippines. Japan was the choice, @ 3000mi away. However, no oiler
could put out off the Philippines, only Guam. We raced north off the
Philippines with a 165mph+ storm closing on us. Seas were getting heavier
and a rush to the oiler at Guam was almost performed because the ship was
really low on fuel. Lucky for us the storm took a turn west toward Taiwan
and China, but not lucky for them. None of us relished going through that
experience. We made it to Japan.

1963 West Pac- during air exercises with jet aircraft from the carrier
Hancock at various locations around Japan, Korea, and South China Sea, the
jets would attack us for practice. All gun and missile systems were involved
for practice anti air warfare. The jets would come right down the pipe and
swoosh right over the ship. Soon it became known that our Captain requested
of the carrier that the jets maintain a decent height over our ship. It
seems that quite a few jets were dipping one wing between our stacks while
passing over the ship. Those crazy jet jockeys!

1963 or 65? West Pac- Okinawa missile shoot. Towers and a DLG firing at left
over Regulus missile drones. DLG scores direct hit. Next day Towers gets
direct hit on one too. Since no more drones available, we could not get our
second shot off and as a result lost the second hash mark on our E. With
spirits down however, the Captain was so pleased that he equaled the other
ship that he gathered all the missile group on the mess decks, congratulated
us and had the Chief Corpsman break out the whiskey used for medicinal
purposes. After a toast and a couple of shots, I don’t think the pain was
too great anymore. Cmdr. Penny treated other Departments like that too. What
a Man!

1964-off Calif. – a DE was having a gun shoot at sled towed by tug about 3
mi. off our starboard bow. I went into the 51 radar room and sat down at
radar 3 console. Suddenly there was a tremendous bang right over the ship
and the word to take cover came over. Afterwards, one fellow who was on
bridge watch at the time said two shells landed in the water a few hundred
yards off the starboard bow. The one over the ship sent all on deck diving
under the whaleboat, the gig and passageways. No one hurt. Just a tense
moment. Of course the shells were non frag.

1965- West Pac- on way to West Pac hit storm with 40 ft+ waves. Soon a split
in the hull developed on the port side in the vicinity of mount 52- 5″ gun
mount and the whaleboat. It was about 10 foot long and opened and closed
with wave motion. Tanks were pumped out and fresh water secured. After
Engineering berthing compartment was a mess and maybe Supply too. We made an
unscheduled stop at Pearl for repair. Resumed trip westward, same storm. By
Midway had to escort a few WW2 cans to Midway because they were running low
on fuel. One Can had its hull plates completely gone showing the inside
compartments in the fantail. They repaired at Midway. After that it was on
to Guam and the storm was over by then with a large rainbow behind us.

1966- after 3 months at Long Beach Yard to have the SPS-39 radar remounted
after being taken off by crane at Pearl as a result of damage from the blast
test Sailor Hat, Towers was part of a SEATO exercise off the coast of
Mexico. This was a live warhead shot for us. Designation to the target drones
was right on and we had a solid track. Both birds were launched a few
seconds apart. After waiting for 30 to 45 seconds no missiles showed up on
the missile radars, usually a small doppler pulse going in to the target.
The illuminating radars were immediately turned off and we all shrugged our
shoulders. Later we found out that the missile launcher was left in Manual
and did not launch in the direction of the drones. Instead it was said that
the missiles flew over the reviewing ships and went down range, where, no
one knows. I think they got a show anyway.

Also related to Vietnam in 1965 Frank writes:

It was only the beginning but we were very busy
going between the carriers , SAR and Market Time. Accounts like the Captain
collecting fishing net glass balls, jets buzzing mast top of those spy
trawlers, off Nah Trang at night coming so close to the shore that the
signalmen were using their lights for search lights into the woods. And
before the ship put into Subic after wards it moored in the bay and the
boatswain’s painted the sides before we could tie up at the pier because we
were a sight after months at sea.

When I (Ray Wong) was on board the Towers, we had one practical joker prankster in
R-Division which sticks to my mind. He was HT3 St. Bernard.

I remember three incidents:

A few months before the ’72 Westpac cruise, St. Bernard had an U/I FA
who just graduated from HT “A” school assigned to him and was showing
him around the ship. I was the R Division Duty Section P.O. at the time.
At supper time, St. Bernard approached me and wanted to play a joke on
the “boot”. He told me he would bring the U/I FA to the IC shop and just
prior to them arriving and at a predetermine time, about 1900 hours, I’m
going to set off alarms and bells. The IC shop sounded like a carnival
with all the raucous and flashing lights. St. Bernard soon arrived with
the U/I and asked, “what the hell is going on!!” “I remarked we’re going through
a severe power shortage and the turbine generators can’t keep up with the load”.
“The ship is going to lose power any moment”. Towers engineering plant was
on cold iron status with shore power and pier side
services. St. Bernard asked, “what must be done?”. I told them they must
secure all unnecessary power usage. The U/I took off running with St.
Bernard to impose “darken ship” throughout the ship. About 20 minutes
into the prank, St. Bernard called the IC shop and told me we had secure
from the prank but I had to convince the U/I he did a fantastic job and
was a hero. Apparently what happend was the U/I and several of the
crewmembers got into a heated argument when he tried to turn off the
mess deck T.V. They told the U/I he was crazy to believe the nonsense.
When St. Bernard and the U/I arrived at the IC shop, the IC shop was
quiet and in a normal, routine status, we shook the U/I hands and
congratulated him on a great job. Afterwards, he even bragged about his
accomplishment to other R-Division crewmembers. The name of the U/I
escapes me. If St. Bernard sees this sea story, maybe he can fill us in.

Few months later while on the ’72 Westpac, I became a subject of St. Bernard’s pranks.
The Towers was in a foreign liberty port. We were in Kaohsiung or Bankok
and the Towers was nested outboard another ship. I was coming back on
the liberty boat and St. Bernard was also on board. I was one of the
last ones off the liberty boat. When I reached the Q.D. of the first
ship, the POOW and Messenger detained me and confiscated my ID card.
At which time, the OOD was called to the Q.D. on the 1MC. The POOW asked
all sorts of questions like “where did you get this ID card?”, “what’s
your country of citizenship?” About this time, several shipmates was
talking to their OOD. The OOD informed the POOW and Messenger to release
me and give me back my ID card. They said it was a case of mistaken
identity. I asked what was that all about. The OOD informed me that
shortly before I arrived at the QD, someone from the Towers informed
them that a foreigner matching my description wanted to pay a large sum
of money for a US military ID card. After being detained at the Q.D.,
several Towers crewmembers positively IDed me as a Towers crewmember and
it wasn’t necessary to call for someone from the Towers Q.D. to report
in person. When I got back to the R-Division compartment, there was St. Bernard
with a silly smirk. I accused him of instigating the prank. He denied
any knowledge. I still think he have something to do with it.

Several weeks later, another St. Bernard prank was played on me. Since
we were in the waters off the coast of North Vietnam. G.Q. can be
sounded at any time. That day, I had the mid-watch along with several
others decided to turn in early, about 2000. Unknown to me, St. Bernard
had a taped recording of the G.Q. alarm along with the voice announcing,
“General Quarters, General Quarters all hands to your battle stations”
Hearing the announcement startled me out of my sleep and I jump out of
my rack put on my dungarees and shoes. I noticed the rest of the guys
standing around laughing. I told them to get serious, it’s G.Q. and get
their asses moving. Several of them told me I was a victim of a prank
and even played the G.Q. tape to prove it. My instant reaction was to
break that damn tape recorder but my second thought had me taking the
prank in good spirit since I was also known to play pranks on others as
well.

I hope my shipmates find these sea stories interesting.
I hope you guys who served with me also remembered these incidents.
There are many more Towers stories and I hope some of you will send your
stories to share with the rest of us. I surely enjoy reading a good Towers
shipmates’ sea story.

I remember an incident with a training torpedo, too. This happened a little
later in the Towers’ career. I think it was in 1989. We were doing some
ASW ops in the opareas around PI and we were shooting some training
torpedoes – by the way, do those things ever work? I mean, the dummy
warhead is supposed to fall off when the torpedo runs out of gas but it
never works out that way (I think the salt water corrodes the latch) and
nine times out of ten, the thing would sink and we would end up looking for
that torpedo all the rest of the day.

Anyway, to get back to my story, we had just fired a training torpedo when
all of the sudden there was this huge BOOM and the whole ship shuddered!
What happened was once the torpedo hit the water, it turned right around and
ran into the ship! Thank God that was a training torpedo! No damage was
done and we spent the rest of the day looking for the traitorous torpedo to
no avail.

I was assigned to the Towers pre-com crew in early December, 1960, Most of the crew was assembled at NavSta San Diego. We moved to Sand Point Naval Air Station as the ship neared completion, and later over to Bremerton Naval Shipyard as the ship neared commissioning. I was a QM3, and stood bridge watches along with SN Holley, and QM2 Marvin Koch. I wasn’t old enough to have developed into a coffee drinker yet, and always resented having to make the coffee for the rest of the watch. As the Towers readied for commissioning, we underwent several short sea trials with all kinds of engineers and shipyard people aboard.

One of my first assignments was to find a suitable place for the coffee pot on the bridge. I believe that I installed it under the chart desk on the aft port side of the pilot house. When we took Towers to sea for the first over night trial, I had the midwatch, and we ran out of hot coffee. The OOD ordered a fresh pot made. Without comment, I grabbed the coffee pot, and took off down the ladder to the next deck where there was a closet on the starboard side of the passageway with a deep sink in it. Like all sinks, it had two handles, a left one, and a right one. I didn’t know anything about making coffee, but I knew enough to return to the bridge with the coffee pot full of water. I poured the grounds into the basket, and plugged it in.

About 30 minutes later, the Captain came to the bridge with several civilians from Todd Shipyard, BUSHIPS, and who knows where else. The Captain offered coffee to his guests, and the Boatswain of the Watch rounded up enough cups to serve the Captain and his guests. Almost in unison, the Captain and the civilians spit coffee across the pilot house, and started gagging! The OOD was in a panic, and soon discovered that the coffee had been made with salt water. The deep sink had a cold fresh water faucet, and a salt water faucet. Nobody noticed me leave the bridge to fill the coffee pot, and I didn’t admit to it.

This one happened during Towers’ last visit to Singapore. I remember it was the last night of liberty and some friends and I were waiting for the last liberty boat. It was about 1:30am and we were pretty hammered. The CO and OPS were also there on the pier waiting for the boat.

Well, the boat pulls up to the pier and I step aboard – almost. What happened was as soon as I got one foot on the liberty boat, she took a roll to the opposite side; I lost my balance and plunged down into the nasty, stinky water below.

As I was yelling for help I noticed a hand reached out to me and I grabbed it – of course it was the CO! CDR Wylie was a pretty good sport about the whole thing, but he made me go see the doc immediately. After a couple immunization shots, I hit my rack. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that; the CO probably saved my life!

1964- San Diego – The Ship was going to have a full dress inspection by an
Admiral, etc. We were all in whites and the Officers had their long swords.
When the Admiral came along side in his gig, he was piped aboard, side boys
and all. As the Officers came to salute they raised the swords. Our Division
Officer, Lt. Steiber raised his smartly. In doing so he forgot he was
standing under the white awning over the quarterdeck area and his sword went
right through the awning. Instinctively he flinched and his lips formed,
Oops!,and withdrew his sword. We all had a good laugh later, but at the time
we had to bite our lips, so to speak.

1964 Yard period- Hunter’s Pt., San Fran- The 51 radar system was totally changed from A to the B radar. One of the Raytheon engineers and a 1st class petty office over me on radar 3 got the idea to see what would happen to a slice of white bread if it was held by a stick or fastened somehow the end of the waveguide of the transmitting antennae of the missile director radar 3. I was in the radar console room talking with a couple of our radar crew when the engineer came in to proudly show his prize. He held up a charred black piece of bread with about a 1-1/2″ to 2″ diameter hole burned right through the middle of the slice.

Everyone looked at it with amazement and some laughs. I laughed a bit but inside I turned white as a sheet and horrified of feedback to the new radar. Shortly afterwards, I went up to the director to check what had happened and found all the crystal windows at the end of the waveguide melted and black. I just stood there looking at it for a while, feeling depressed. Both men assured me everything would be ok and nothing happened to the pulse radar. This burning of the toast had taken only a couple of seconds and the radar was tuned off. The waveguide was replaced and no problem ever did happen afterwards. But for that moment I was really holding my breath. Their reaction to the whole thing was the sheepish grins of a couple of IMPS.

This incident was the only that I know of in which the Towers ever came close to launching it’s missiles at a ‘hostile’ aircraft. That the launch was cancelled, in the ‘nick’ of time, is a tribute to the guys in the CIC and their professionalism in the heat of battle. At the time, I didn’t immediately appreciate that they had prevented what would have been perhaps a necessary, yet a tragic mistake.

One night in 1972 we were on Operation Linebacker off the coast of Haiphong, North Vietnam. As we had done on many occasions, we were in the process of engaging targets on shore, while dodging enemy fire from various shore batteries. As usual I was manning missile fire control radar console #3. Suddenly, both #2 & #3 radars were assigned a target, both of which almost immediately “locked on”. Needless to say, at this point the adrenaline was running pretty high. A low-flying ‘unknown’ had been detected by the Tower’s search radars, and this target was traveling directly from land, at high speed, toward the Towers. This target was ‘unknown’ in that it had no ‘IFF’ (Identification Friend or Foe) signal.

It was determined that Radar #3 had the most solid ‘track’, and given the speed that the ‘unknown’ was closing in on the Towers, the missile launcher was loaded with ‘live’ missiles, then almost immediately assigned to Radar #3. This resulted in the target then being ‘illuminated’ by the missile radar system, in preparation for the subsequent launch. It is at this moment that the intensity of concentration is at it’s highest in the Missile Radar Room, and remains such until the time of intercept. It was our jobs to ensure that we maintained a ‘solid’ track regardless of what the target might attempt; evasive maneuvers, jamming, electronic countermeasures, perhaps even the launch of an anti-ship or radar-seeking missile. So naturally we were all concentrating on this ‘blip’ on the console, waiting for the sound of launch as our missiles “left the rails” of the launcher.

It was at this moment, without any warning, the ‘blip’ disappeared from both consoles!! What had gone wrong? “We don’t have a moment to lose, the targets closing in on us, we have to get back on ‘track’!” (Almost in unison we all shouted: “what the hell…..”) As we glanced at the indicators on the console, we realized then that both missile radars had been assigned back to their ‘home’ positions (pointing directly aft) by CIC, and were no longer assigned to the target. We then got word that the ‘bogy’, as soon as it was ‘illuminated’ (which I understand causes all kind of “bells and whistles” to go off in the cockpit), had realized that someone had a missile-lock on him and had turned on his IFF.

Somewhere out there is an F4 pilot and navigator / bombardier that probably doesn’t know to this day how close they came to being probable casualties of “friendly fire”. To those guys in the Towers CIC (Combat Information Center), who reacted to the IFF immediately although we were all “locked and loaded” for the kill, those 2 guys owe you one! Again, the training and professionalism of the Towers crew resulted in a successful mission!

The below was added 1/31/2001 by way of receipt from Bob Chadwell:

My GQ station for these Linebacker strikes was on the signal bridge and I was connected with the other officers in Weapons, it seems it was called the “1JC” circuit. As you may recall, there had been some MIG activity in the area for several weeks and in fact one ship had actually been attacked. So we were all a little more nervous than usual. As I recall the two bogeys were first detected about 50 miles out over land and were tracked inbound toward us. When folks realized they weren’t squawking, the Captain radioed the area air commander (I believe it was called PIRAZ) requesting permission to engage the bogeys.

It was a clear night and I moved a vantage point where I could see the missile radars. You could tell they had acquired by the way they scanned. When those white missiles came up on the rail, I thought “Holy Shit, I hope they work this time.” I could hear the talk in CIC as they reported the bogey’s range as it decreased. I could also see the missile launcher as it moved in those small jerky increments in response to tracking commands.

When I heard we had received permission to fire, I began to pray (much like the chaplain who blessed the bullets once time), “let these things work.” The Captain gave permission to fire at some range around 10-12 miles out which as I recall was inside the maximum range for the Standard Arm. It seemed like the order to “Hold fire” came a second before the USAF bogeys reached the predetermined firing range. I know I must have shouted for joy.

A few seconds later those F4s passed just to starboard. I could hear them, but not see them. I wonder if their shorts needed a wash that night.

Robert G. Chadwell
McKay Chadwell, PLLC

This started while we where on West-Pac 76-77. Our captain and XO who I will leave unnamed where at odds with another ship with the hull number 10. One trusty night our Sr. officers took it upon themselves to teach this ship’s captain and crew a lesson on who was in charge and where they ranked.

They rowed out to the bow of the ship and painted out the 1 in the hull number. The captain and crew woke up the next morning with the new ship’s number “0”.

My station at GQ was in the gun director on top of the bridge. I read your sea story about Linebacker and it brought back great memories. I felt very much like you did, and both wore a flak jacket and sat on one, hoping to protect my privates from airbursts, if necessary.

I remember one night on Linebacker when those arrogant Desron 21 Commodore and staff guys were on board, steaming north in the pitch black at about 28 knots, no radars going, no good fix, when all of the sudden were in the middle of a fishing fleet. Some poor Vietnamese guy’s mast on a wooden, sail driven fishing boat is banging down the starboard side, he’s half swamped, and one of the signalmen or asw guys (short stocky weightlifter with a great big beard?) goes over to the side and yells “Surf’s up, m—–f—-r!” We all about fell out of the director howling at the time.

On one of cruises in late 1982 in the South China Sea near Vietnam, a blip was noticed on the radar screen. The CO decided to check it out. To our suprise, we came upon a Vietnamese refugee boat hopelessly adrift and in very poor seaworthy conditon.

The TOWERS took action and came to the rescue. First Division, set up the accom ladder and SN CJ Harris took charge of bringing the refugees aboard, the total of refugees was I believe 70. MS1 Chandler brought out food from the messdecks and BM2 Rodriguez assisted with blankets and tarps.

HMC Girabaldi checked the individuals for medical purposes and ENS (can’t remember his name) interpurted French. Myself I took photo’s of what was going on, which should be in the TOWERS PHOTO GALLERY. Later on the boatcrew was called away to take the refugees to the USS MIDWAY. Finally CDR (XO) McCarthy and the CMAA fired grenades at the broken down vessel to sink it. This was just another normal day for the Truckin T.

On the eve watch the TOWERS received notification of a man overboard from the USS MIDWAY, immediately we went into action calling away personnel on deck to assist in the rescue. Three hours went by, four hours went by and there was no sight of the victim.

The water was well under 40 degrees and we had believed he had drown, then all of a sudden BM2 Rocha and an OS1 noticed the smoke float in the water was peculiarly moving backing and forth vice bobbing up and down with the water. Sure enough the victim was using the float to stay afloat. The USS MIDWAY’s helo was notified and came to the scene, they dropped a swimmer in the water for assistance. The swimmer hooked up the victim in a harness to be hoisted upto the helo. The helo started hoisting him but dragged the victim about 100 ft until finally he began to be hoisted. To our suprose the man in the water was only wearing his skivvy shorts, (later we learned that he stayed afloat using bootcamp methods of survival utilizing his uniform, and had taken off his shoes due to they were casing him to sink.) The TOWERS picked up the swimmer and Capt Hancock asked if there was anything he needed, the swimmer replied “A beer would be nice.” The TOWERS received a Letter of Commendation for this resuce form Vice Admiral Holcomb. A cake cutting ceremony was held honoring BM2 and OS1 for their good eye’s and a story was published in ALL HANDS magazine, “I’M NO MARK SPITZ.”

Late in September 1983, the TOWERS was chosen to deploy to Sauklin Island for KAL 007 salvage operations.

Off the coast of Russia and surrounded by tons of Russian ships the TOWERS played a key-role in these salavage operations in search for the Korean Airliner’s 007 black box. Even though we never recovered it the TOWERS showed its strength. During a normal day to day operation, one of the USSR Kashin Class destroyers decided to get too close and cut us off our course. Well the “T” was not going to stand for that, The Truckin T stayed on course, standing by the collision alarm we stayed steadfast. The Kashin altered its course with about 30 yards to spare between us, you could throw a rock and probably hit it. In good spirit we waved to the Russian sailors and they returned the compliment. TOWERS, powerful, proud and demanding.

AUG 1983/After a few months at sea in the Indian Ocean the TOWERS with DESRON 15, was selected to be one of the first warships to pull into Phuket, Thailand. The crew was anxious for liberty call and liberty boats were the only way to shore.

We were suppose to pull in near Patong but due to rough seas we pulled into the otherside of the isalnd near Phuket instead, so now the crew is channel fevered out. Anyway, liberty boats were coming and people were going on liberty, but the boats stopped due to breakdown. A small supply boat came alongside with vegetables, the OOD asked the pilot if some passngers could ride back to the shore and the pilot agreed. The boat seemd to be unstable and the liberty party began to over crowd the boat, suddenly the boat capsized, everyone was in the water, the DISBO almost crushed between the ship and the boat.

Everyone was in shock, panicking to get back on the TOWERS, personal belongings sinking to the bottom of the sea. SN Anderson dove in with his mask to hurry and retieve items, SH3 (name unknowned) dove in to help people in the water. One DP1 was caught in a swell and was being swept out to sea while using his backpack covered in plastic as a floating device, SH3 quickly reacted and swam out to get him, bringin him back safely.

All in all Patong 1983 was one of the best liberty ports I’ve ever been at, compared to it’s built up tourist trap of today 1999.

This incident showed the true fighting and teamwork spirit the USS TOWERS was famous for and will always be remembered by

July 3 1981, my first cruise and on our way to Hong Kong a distress signal was made from a ship in the South China sea near Hong Kong about 0330. The TOWERS was pulling into Hong Kong on this morning. As the TOWERS approached the area of the signal we had learned it was a KOREAN merchant ship that had an explosion, the ship did sink. The TOWERS picked up about 30 Korean merchantman that night, all onboard were saved. BTFN KIM translated all matters of the incident to the CO. Donations of clothes and blankets were needed to accomadate the Korean’s. I knew from that moment on the TOWERS was the ship for me.

As told by Frank Voras:

If I may, I’d like to submit an account of our Ship’s first Vietnam tour in the very beginning of it all , early 1965.

After the first yard period in mid 1964, the Towers operated off San Clemente Islands that Fall. There were daytime and night-time gunnery exercises . The cruiser Canberra CAG-2 was firing her 8″ guns, which made our 5″ sound like a bang compared to the ka-boom of the Cruiser. Also Joe Meeker FTM3 of Radar 2 was sent to a blockhouse on the beach of San Clemente with another fellow to observe the hits of our shells and the Cruiser . He came back amazed at the huge craters the 8″ made compared to the 5″ shells. This was all a preparation.

When January 1965 came we left with the Canberra and 15 other destroyers and DLG’s for West Pac(there was no knowledge of Vietnam until we got over there). Toward the end of January we arrived at Subic and stayed there a couple of week’s I believe. While there it became known that things were happening over at Vietnam and one of the Carriers was launching air attacks following orders from President Johnson. Thus began the Vietnam War in earnest.

A Carrier came in for an overnight stop to pickup a jet fighter and sailed off the next day to join the air attacks. Meanwhile at Subic the Base was busy with Marines with vehicles and tanks. Army soldiers were aboard some Military transports too. After a while one day the Marines all lined up in formation along the pier in a ceremony. Next day they were all loading onto LST’s and LSD’s and they were on their way to Vietnam. A day or so later we departed with a couple of other Destroyers and caught up with and passed those ships on our way North.

During our stay a Subic we received a manned communications box on our signal bridge that was used to intercept enemy communications etc. off the Vietnam coast. We arrived off Vietnam a couple of days later. Actually it was off Da Nang, just some mountains to the west , a good 20 miles away. There were a few LSD’s in a small group in the area and nothing else.

We immediately set sail for duty with an aircraft carrier. We spent about a week with the Hancock CVA-19 for some air attack launchings. Then a couple of weeks with the Coral Sea CVA-43. After that spent a little time doing Market Time mostly in the Nah Trang Area. Towers’ duties for all carrier work during this tour was not plane guard but missile and radar picket. Usually this put us about a few miles off the carriers port bow at all times when launching north into Tonkin at Yankee station. So many of the planes launched flew over us or nearby low over the water. One Skyraider ( I did not know the term Spad until years later.) pilot waved back to me when he was passing down the starboard side. I could make out his face . One F-4 flew by with a one 6000 round cannon pod under one wing. And the A-4’s had bombs underneath too.

All in all, Towers operated in a period from March-April 1965 with the Carriers Hancock, Coral Sea , and Ranger CVA-61 for the Flaming Dart II attacks on Dong Hoi and Vihn Linh .( Daily Carrier operations entailed racing into the Gulf , launching aircraft, slowly start south, retrieve later, then fast south to catch a tanker when available either at 9pm, 11pm, 5am whatever. Most of all activity in our tour was constant work and setting GQ faster and faster) Then we departed for a couple of weeks for SAR with DD-947 Horton. There we shadowed spy trawlers as well as the Russian supply ship with the hammer and sickle on the stack. The Skyhawks loved to buzz the trawlers at mast level. Then we went after a downed pilot off the Island of Hainan. This belonged to Red China and they had a few patrol boats looking us over from on the near horizon. Our ECM was picking them up and visually were little bumps on the horizon.

Then one other time both us and the Horton had to crank it up to 30 kts because a pilot was down off the coast near Dong Hoi. I was on condition III on Radar 3 with a long headphone cord and was standing outside the radar room watching what was going on. Toward land was a thick golden haze and the only sign of getting close to the coast was the silt lines we were passing. Then land started to appear through the haze. On the water were many war junks looking for the pilot. Behind them on land was rising black smoke from exploding bombs. An A-4 or an F-4 was climbing up out after dropping bombs . A Skywarrior bomber was just going into its dive. This whole scene was within 5 to10 miles of us. But yet out at sea it was silent. No boom from the bombs. General Quarters sounded and within a half hour or so the pilot was picked up by an Albatross. That happened at Hainan, also. That was the only time I actually saw a war going on while there, during the daylight , however.

After SAR we spent a week in Hong Kong. That was the only Liberty we actually had while in the combat zone , the whole West Pac cruise. Subic was the only other stop to and from the area. So for 90 days in the combat zone, we spent 83 at sea. We all looked it too. When putting back into Subic the sides had to be painted before going to the pier. After Hong Kong we went specifically for Market Time at Nah Trang again where we spent the rest of our tour til May. Then we went through Sailor Hat , the ship’s 39 radar got damaged and no return to Vietnam . The Ship was preparing for gun support if we returned. During the last time at Market time we supplied US patrol craft , something that looked like a coast Guard craft with a wood deck. A farely new craft. We supplied them with food , maybe ammo, and BEER. We took on supplies from refrig ships for us and for them. We were like a mother ship.

When on our own patrols, we were no more than a half mile or less at times from the coast, looking over craft and small rice boats etc. The Vietnamese Officers on board acted as interpreters. No boardings, however. At night we came close to shore too and if a small junk or boat came into view our signalmen lit them up with the powerful signal bridge lights. One night a family was in a small boat and we were close enough to hear them shouting as they floated down no more than 20 feet from the port side. They were lighted up by our lights. Then our lights were shining into the woods on shore no more than 500 feet in. Just then an Air Force C-123 with no lights came overhead and lit us up with his underwing straight down taxi lights. Guess we checked out ok. How could he miss. No junks that big!!

Also at night beside seeing plenty of lightning over the water and mountains, I did see red glows and distant flares up in the mountains of the Central highlands west of Nah Trang. All was silent, however, never a sound. During the day the Green mountains were beautiful with the golden beaches. No war there yet. Just saw Army trucks on the coastal highway and occasional Hueys flying by. We occasionally went up to Qui Nhon to meet with an olive drab PT boat which I thought was run by the Army because the Americans wore olive drab. The crew was a Vietnamese crew. It had a 40mm aft and two I thought 50 cal either side of the cabin forward. I believe it was a Korean made boat with aluminum hull. Pretty fast. Later I understand the 50’s were 20mm cannons. Also the Army was probably our Riverine sailors. I had no idea of what was evolving at that time with the Riverine Forces. While at Qui Nhon there were one or two camouflaged Skyraiders( Vietnamese Air Force?) circling around the area over the mountains nearby. The Marines and Army were still using the M14. We only had 30 cal machine guns, plus small arms of WW2 vintage(M1’s, BAR’s, 45 cal MG’s). No 50’s , chaff rockets, and shoulder launched missiles either. Many a time close into the beach I really felt naked without immediate response of powerful small arms.

CMDR. Penny had plenty of guts. In fact while we were in Vietnam he wore a Green silk Scarf around his neck and a good sized cigar clenched in his mouth.. I swear the scarf is true. I don’t think anyone was scared with him in command. We even picked up an occasional stray glass fishing net ball, too. One morning after quarters we were going to our work stations. The ship was in condition III , of course. But we were sailing slowly down a narrow inlet to a small cove. In there was a south Vietnamese Navy minesweeper. Our ship could not make a normal sweeping turn so we had to back around to get out of the cove to the inlet. We were wondering what the heck are we doing in here? Later it turns out that Captain Penny inquired of the minesweeper if they needed our services in whatever they were firing at. The minesweeper replied that they were ok and only having firing exercises. They were only a few hundred yards from the beach and firing into the woods point blank. GQ had not sounded, although everyone was ready. It was a moment that caught most of us on deck by surprise. All of our close coastal work was probably a luxury at that early date in the war, not being fired at. The thought was there , though. The enemy was believed to be in the mountains.

Up further north, the Canberra and other Destroyers had been shelling the mountains at night for some time now. Also we went to Chu Lai too for a stop, a couple of times. We tied up alongside other Destroyers about a mile from the hot beach and temps were at 120 degrees. We could see many swimming on shore as well as LST’s unloading and helicopters with nets flying toward the beach from other ships laying off shore. After this we returned to Nah Trang area, listened to Hanoi Hannah and got the word to leave for Sailor hat.

This is how it happened to the best of memory and eyewitness account. We earned the Vietnam Service Medal for Towers first tour in Vietnam. Thank you . Frank Voras In my area of work, FTM, the concern was if the Tartar missile could be fired at a fast moving patrol boat. The Tonkin gulf incident of 1964 was still fresh. It was thought that the missile might be able to arc down over the boat and explode but never had to be proven. It was not made for surface targets because of jitter in the range gate compared to the steady lock on of the 68 gun system. The only activity of the missile radars during air strikes were lock on to friendly aircraft, B-52’s, and a Russian Badger looking the Fleet over, during this 1965 tour. Tracking was short because I realized years later that any of those aircraft would become concerned being tracked by a shipboard SAM, especially the Russian.

The gun system was tracking our fast moving patrol boats and preparing for shore gun support with range finder practice and whatever they had to. So they were ready. Note: My account of Towers during 1965 is only one account, from my vantage point being at the high observation level of the missile radars which afforded me visual witness of things happening around us. Those in CIC and Officers could give a more precise account of the actual operations. Having stood some condition III watches on the Fire Control WDE in CIC on a couple of occasions, I heard RD’s involved in handling tricky communication with shore forces as well as handling the trawlers speaking English but could not answer daily codes. Also over the communication speakers could be heard pilots talking back and forth during missions. These would be more specific incidences.

Adventures on the Santa Barbara Missile and Gun Range

After returning in early 1973 to California from the ’72-’73 gunline tour, we spent a month or so welded to the pier in San Diego taking leave. The Navy, in its inscrutable wisdom, then decided that we ought to go out to the Santa Barbara gun and missile range in the Channel Islands and qualify in naval gunnery and anti-aircraft missile operations. This after having fired fourteen thousand or so rounds in seven months in Vietnam (no missile shoots as I recall, however).

So we took the week and steamed up to the range in sparkling weather, all hands grumbling nevertheless, having been pulled prematurely from the pleasures of San Diego, and checked in at the range. Seaman McClain, from First Division, had the fantail watch, and called me on the bridge where I was the JOOD. “Christ, Mr. Petty, you’re not going to believe this, but I think we’re taking incoming!” “McClain, what the hell are you talking about, we’re off the coast of California!? “I’m telling you, there is a series of rounds hitting the water bearing 270.”

I go over to the port wing to check it out and sure enough, there are waterspouts appearing a thousand yards away! But wait, what’s that moving through the water. . .ah ha! a school of humpbacks on their way to Mexico. Secure from General Quarters, McClain!

After the gun shoot (can’t remember how well we did, but the guns were definitely on their last legs before our overhaul in Long Beach, leaking quarts of hydrualic fluid at every recoil) we prepared to fire a missile at a drone that was going to launch from the mainland. Bob Beckman and his Missile Division people were running all over the place making sure everything was going to well. Dan Nichols was sitting on some bitts out on the main deck, said “I don’t know what all the fuss is about, it’ll either go or it won’t.” In the event, it went. We actually knocked the drone down and had to go retrieve it.

BM1 Selvig, Seaman McClain , a couple other guys and I went out in the motor whaleboat to put a hook on the thing which was floating in a calm, clear, glassy sea. McClain and I are reaching way out over the side of the boat with hooks while Selvig drives the boat. All of the sudden I see something moving in the water out of the corner of my eye, and this monster shark, who appears to be about twenty feet long (he was big, but you know how fish grow in sea stories) is cruising in the water directly beneath us. McClain and I jump right back in the boat, Selvig gets us in closer and we hook up the drone, tow it back to the ship, where I recall we lifted it onto the Asroc Deck with Asroc handling equipment, to be returned to Seal Beach.

Anyone who actually remembers these incidents and can prove intentional embellishment should call my attorney.

Ralph Petty

In 1972 the Towers was assigned airplane guard for the Australian aircraft carrier Melbourne. I don’t know how true they were, but the rumors were flying about the several destroyers that the Melbourne had run over. One night early in our assignment, during launching or landing operations our collision alarm went off. I ran 10 feet then braced myself, then ran another 10 feet. Soon after I got to my station the word was passed that the collision alarm had shortly out accidently. To this day I’m suspicious of foul play.

Bob Hopper, ETC

(webmaster’s note: I know of at least 1 destroyer that the Melbourne cut in half in 1969; the USS Frank E. Evans. As I remember approximately 80 of the crew were lost, including Seaman Tom Box who I went to high school with. The foward half of the Evans sank in less than 2 minutes, So Bob is right in that it was a time to be sensitive about being close to the Melborne or any other carrier.)

I have now read every one of the stories from the 72 Westpac and they are all true, but there is one story that can finally be told. I think the statute of limitations has finally run.

We had fallen into a routine of doing Linebacker Strikes at night and then gunline operations during the day. On this particular occasion, we had stayed up most of the night for the sole purpose of firing random rounds into North Vietnam to keep them awake all night. I must admit I never really understood the logic behing “harrassment and interdiction fire.” It was mid-afternoon and we had been assigned a station somewhere away from the immediate action. We were steaming slowly in a series of ninety degree turns keeping a box around our station which was about 2000 yards off the beach. It was hot and everyone was beat.

I was in CIC standing watch with another junior officer who name I will decline to mention. Other ships on the gunline were taking occasional fire from the beach but it was quiet in our area. The radar picture was often cluttered so conning the ship was pretty much left up to the bridge watch who could actually see what was out there. I was startled back to my senses by the sounds of a radarman’s head hitting the plot board as he fell to sleep. The unnamed junior officer and I then decided to walk out on the bridge for a breath of fresh air.

We found the bridge watch as alert as the watchstanders in CIC. We also found the OOD and the JOOD (also unnamed) on the wing of the bridge, leaned back, watching something which was happening aft. It was then we noticed we seemed awfully close to the beach. I mean really close to the beach. I mean damn close to the beach. Simultaneously, the unnamed junior officer and myself remarked about our position in a loud and spirited way. The OOD and the JOOD turned and were immediately ashen faced. We were headed
directly at the beach. The OOD order a turn with full rudder and kicked up the speed. As we turned the ship shuddered for just a moment and we watched the muddy water from the bottom churn up under stern.

We immediately headed directly away from the beach. I don’t think the OOD or the JOOD took a breath for the rest of the watch. There was a call from the Captain inquiring about the abrupt manuver but I left the bridge so as not to be a witness to the explanation. That was also the last time I saw any of one of us get sleepy on watch.

I guess you could call this “The Day the Gods Smiled on Us.”

Robert G. Chadwell

01/24/2001 LTJG Bob Chadwell – I spent my time on the Westpac cruise as a Gunfire Liason Officer in CIC. My most vivid memory is of a particular “Linebacker” strike into Brandon Bay.

My GQ station was on the signal bridge calling out counter-battery to the Gunnery Officer. They managed to bracket the ship and the next round was an airburst off the port bow, When I got my wits about me, I looked around to see two or three bodies lying on the deck. My first reaction was they had been hit, but the bodies soon began to talk and get to their feet. We had been so focused on keeping our eyes peeled on the shore no one noticed we were all entangled in the sound powered phone cords. When the round went off we scattered and tripped ourselves!

Robert G. Chadwell

In late September 1972, we were on the gunline just off the coast of South Vietnam. We had been at sea since mid-August and everyone was more than ready to get a little R & R in Hong Kong in early October. Following lunch that hot afternoon, I walked out on the fantail. There were three or four shipmates standing around smoking cigarettes before we had to turn-two. The sea was calm and everything was quiet. Then, I noticed a Huey approaching from the coast. The chopper overflew the Towers and slowly positioned itself in a hover to the starboard side, just off the fantail at about a 40-degree elevation. The door gunner waved at us to get our attention and then he reach down and picked up a can of beer from what appeared to be an ice chest. With his helmet on, I could only see his big grin. The first thing that came to my mind as he waved that beer around was that he was “screwing” with us because he knew we didn’t have any ice cold beer on board. I looked at my shipmates standing slack-jawed nearby, and it appeared that they were also at a loss as to this grunt’s intent.

I looked up toward the bridge and, by now, Captain Brisbois was standing out on the starboard wing taking a real interest in these guys. It was at that instant that I figured out that the door gunner was actually offering us a beer. I began to wave my arms wildly and I saw the gunner telling the pilot to move in closer. The Army helicopter moved within 35 to 40 feet,
and the door gunner tossed the beer in an underhanded throw. I could tell that the beer was falling short of the main deck. I reached down in a desperate attempt to catch the beer, but it hit my hand, bounced off the side of the ship and fell in the sea. I looked back up at the gunner and he held his index finger in the air as if to say “hold on” and he reached back down in the ice chest, pulled out another beer and threw it again. The second throw was also a little short, but the beer hit my hand and fell onto the deck. I reached down, picked up my treasure and ran as fast as I could down the port side with a couple of thirsty shipmates in pursuit.

I took the Budwieser and hid it in a sock in my locker so that on the way to Hong Kong, I could ice it down and share it with SN Pat Richardson and a few of my friends. However, after we left the gunline we were unfortunate enough to hit a typhoon and I forgot all about that can of beer.

When we returned to San Diego from our cruise, I was cleaning out my locker getting ready to go home to Texas on a two week leave. I found the Budwieser still hidden in the sock and brought it home.

Twenty eight years later, I still have that unopened can of Budwieser. I keep it in my office desk at work and take it out when I can tell that somebody needs a good sea story about life on the Towers.

Ted R. Krueger
GMMSN ’72- ’74

Feeling Useless

At the tail end of the movie “The Quiet American” a series of newspaper headlines appear showing the escalation of U.S participation in theVietnamese war. One headline dated March 2, 1965 chronicles the initial raid of U.S. planes against Hanoi.

That day has a special meaning for me. The Towers was the farthest north naval vessel in the Tonkin Gulf. Our task was to be “tomcat” for > communicating with carrier-based planes heading to Hanoi. I believe the carrier was the Hancock. I was assigned as Air Control Officer for the Towers.

No sooner had the raid commenced than my radar screen was literally covered with blips. There was no way for one person to communicate with, and track, more than a handful of the planes.

At one time I received a “mayday” signal from one of the planes. I called out the call sign of one of the other planes and told him I had him at such-and-such a bearing and so many miles from the distressed pilot.

“Not me, Pegleg”, was his reply. “I’m feet dry.” So he was back on the Hancock, which was probably 300 miles south of the location of the downed pilot. Talk about feeling useless.

Lynn Dreeszen, Ltjg