Red Sky at Night - Sailors Delight
Red Sky in Morning - Sailors take Warning
Oklahoma City (CLG-5) spent several years in WESTPAC as COMSEVENTHFLT and providing
Naval Gunfire Support and Strike operations on North Viet Nam. Many ships served on
deployment there, but few, if any, as long as Oklahoma City. She fired over 3,900
six-inch rounds on North Vietnamese Targets in April, 1972 alone.
April 19th, 1972 was perhaps her peak combat operation during the Viet Nam War.
At 1600 that day she lead a strike force accompanied by USS Higbee (DD-806) and USS Lloyd
Thomas (DD-764) in strike operations on targets in and around Dong Hoi, North Viet
Nam. USS Sterett (DLG-31), equipped with Terrier missiles, was assigned to monitor
and protect the task force from enemy aircraft.
The task force was under fire by enemy shore batteries, two North Vietnamese MiG-17s
attacked the task force and four high-speed gunboats (torpedo boats) were moving in.
Higbee was hit in the aft 5-inch mount, Oklahoma City received minor damage from sharpnel
by shore battery fire. Sterett shot down one of the MiGs, possibly both.
Three of the four torpedo boats were sunk, see "Hard battle
erupts anew" AP story. |
