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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.
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