Date 01/18/1968
Time 1400Z
Unclas
TO DPI
PROPOSED PRESS RELEASE
NEW YORK'S ONLY HOMEPORTED SHIP TO COMPLETE A TOUR IN SOUTHEAST ASIA RETURNS!
THE COAST GUARD CUTTER HALFMOON HOMEPORTED AT STATEN ISLAND NEW YORK IS RETURNING FROM VIETNAM AFTER ALMOST TEN MONTHS OF DUTY WITH THE US NAVY'S POWERFUL SEVENTH FLEET. THE HIGH ENDURANCE CUTTER WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COAST GUARD SHIPS OF SQUADRON THREE SENT TO VIETNAM. HALFMOON, WITH A CREW OF 160 OFFICERS AND ENLISTED PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION MARKET TIME, DESIGNED TO STOP THE FLOW OF ARMS, AMMUNITION AND SUPPLIES TO VIET CONG UNITS IN SOUTH VIETNAM.
WHILE IN VIETNAM, HALFMOON COMPILED A MOST ENVIABLE RECORD. IN ADDITION TO CONDUCTING ENDLESS PATROLS AND BOARDINGS OF SUSPECT VESSELS OFF THE VIETNAM COAST, HALFMOON WAS ALWAYS READY TO RESPOND TO A CALL FOR GUNFIRE SUPPORT FROM U.S. AND ALLIED FORCES ASHORE. ON 9 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS HER FIVE-INCH BATTERY WAS RELEASED AGAINST VIET CONG UNITS AND CONCENTRATIONS. NEARLY ONE THOUSAND ROUNDS OF HIGH EXPLOSIVE PROJECTILES WERE DELIVERED WITH ALMOST 100 PERCENT TARGET COVERAGE AND ACCURACY. HALFMOON'S FIRE ACCOUNTED FOR 13 VIET CONG KNOWN DEAD, AND 2 WOUNDED IN ACTION, 64 MILITARY EMPLACEMENTS AND STRUCTURES AND SIGNIFICANT MILITARY EQUIPMENT DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF ALL STORES WERE RECEIVED BY UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT OPERATIONS WITH U.S. NAVE SERVICE FORCE ELEMENTS. ON 62 OCCASIONS, HALFMOON CAME ALONG SIDE SERVICE SHIPS AT ANY HOUR OF THE DAY OR NIGHT UNDER ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR REFURBISHMENT. 490,840 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS RECEIVED. 19 PERSONNEL TRANSFERS AT SEA EFFECTED BY HIGH LINE, AND HUNDREDS OF TONS OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES RECEIVED. IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING SUPPLIES, HALFMOON REPLENISHED SMALLER U.S. AND ALLIED UNITS UP AND DOWN THE VIETNAM COAST. U.S. NAVY SWIFT BOATS, 50 FOOT HIGH SPEED PATROL CRAFT, WERE SERVICED ON A DAILY BASIS AND COAST GUARD PATROL BOATS AND REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM COASTAL DEFENSE FORCES ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.
IN TRUE COAST GUARD TRADITION, HALFMOON PARTICIPATED IN TWO MAJOR SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSIONS. AS ON-SCENE-COMMANDER, HALFMOON DIRECTED AND COORDINATED A SUCCESSFUL SEARCH FOR 7 MISSING JAPANESE SEAMEN AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION CAME TO THE RESCUE OF A PHILIPPINE TUG AND TOW IN DANGER OF SINKING. HALFMOON DISPATCHED A BOARDING PARTY IN HAZARDOUS SEA AND WEATHER CONDITIONS TO BOARD THE PHILIPPINE TOWN AND CUT LOOSE BARGE NUMBER FOUR WHICH HAD SWAMPED AND SANK AND WAS IN DANGER OF DRAGGING THE REMAINING BARGES AND TUG BELOW THE WATER'S SURFACE.
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE WAS SENT TO THE CAPTAIN AND CREW FROM THE MASTER OF THE TUG, "A MILLION THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. PLEASE EXTEND SAME TO YOUR FIND BOARDING PARTY. MAY THE LORD BLESS YOU ALL".
DURING THIS DEPLOYMENT 89 MEN EARNED ADVANCEMENTS IN RATING, 11 OF WHICH RECEIVED ADDITIONAL PROMOTIONS.
JANUARY 1967 FOUND HALFMOON ON PATROL IN THE FLORIDA STRAITS WHERE SHE BROKE UP A FATAL GUNFIRE BATTLE OF LOBSTER FISHERMEN AND SEIZED THE FOUR VESSELS, RETURNING THEM TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES COURTS. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, HALFMOON STEAMED OVER 56,000 MILES, AND WAS AWAY FROM HER HOMEPORT AT ST. GEORGE, STATEN ISLAND FOR 315 DAYS OF WHICH 85 PERCENT OF THIS WAS UNDERWAY TIME. EVERY OPERATIONAL COMMITMENT AND MISSION ASSIGNED THE SHIP AND CREW WAS CARRIED OUT WITH DISPATCH AND WITHOUT LOSS OF TIME.
IN 1967, HALFMOON'S COLORS WERE PROUDLY DISPLAYED AT SUCH PORTS AS GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA; MIAMI FLORIDA; PANAMA CANAL ZONE; PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII; SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES; HONG KONG; KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN; BANGKOK, THAILAND; SASEBO, JAPAN; VUNG TAU, NHA TRANG AND AN THOI, VIETNAM.
THIS IS INDICATIVE OF THE FAR FLUNG OPERATIONS AND COMMITMENTS OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD.
THE SHIP'S COMMANDING OFFICER, CDR EMMETT G. MCCARTHY OF SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO A WELL DESERVED REST FOR HIS OFFICERS AND MEN WHEN HALFMOON DOCKS AT THE U. S. COAST GUARD BASE ST. GEORGE STATEN ISLAND ON JANUARY 22ND. HALFMOON, IN PERFORMANCE OF HER DUTIES HAS UPHELD THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE COAST GUARD BY PUTTING INTO PRACTICE HER SERVICE'S MOTTO "SEMPER PARATUS" MEANING "READY".
REQUEST THAT THIS PRESS RELEASE RECEIVE WIDE DISSEMINATION WITHIN THE NEW YORK METROPOLITAN AREA. MOVEMENT REPORTS OF THIS COMMAND CHANGED TO UNCLASSIFIED BY COMFIRSTFLT 290116Z DEC 67.
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