The following account of the years 1966 to 1968 was written by former OZBOURN captain, John Denham.

USS OZBOURN HISTORY 1966-1968 (continued)

OZBOURN was equipped with Destoryer Anti-Submarine helicopters and was frequently called to demonstrate the use of these unmanned helos in Anti-Submarine Warfare. A unique version of the DASH installation was developed by SEVENTH Fleet technical representatives; OZBOURN's birds were fitted with video cameras. Nicknamed SNOOPY , they were experimentally used to fly over Vietnam gun positions for spotting purposes. Several successful missions were accomplished during 1967. Electronic and control problems at extreme ranges precluded further development of the concept. On one mission North of the DMZ , SNOOPY closed in on a target area close enough to identify North Vietnamese ground forces aiming their rifles at the bird and firing at it. In April OZBOURN visited Thailand and participated in joint Anti-Submarine Warfare exercises with the Thai Navy. On the 23-25th of May OZBOURN was involved in several counter-battery actions against North Vietnamese units near the DMZ.

A six weeks overhaul in Yokosuka ended in June 1967 and OZBOURN was ready for sea having successfully passed all inspections and evaluations. This was the first period since departing from The Continental United States that the crew had some time to relax and spend with their families. Prior to departure for Vietnam OZBOURN conducted a one day dependents cruise in Tokyo Bay. The next tour in Vietnam was different. OZBOURN was assigned as a unit in Operation SEA DRAGON, a special cruiser-destroyer task group formed to conduct round the clock H&I mission on designated targets North of the DMZ. No longer did the Condition Three teams handle routine calls for gunfire support, rather the entire crew spent hours at General Quarters while the task group proceeded at flank speed into coastal waters and shelled identified gun and missile positions and provided support for rescuing helo's plucking downed aviators from the grasps of enemy patrols. Frequently all units would be under heavy fire and had to shoot their way in and out while radically maneuvering to avoid being shelled or to defeat missile lock-on. On 4 December OZBOURN ran out of luck. A single projectile hit at the base of the after 5 inch gun mount exploding in the berthing compartment. Seaman Edward S. O'Brien and Commissary man Raymond L. Cork, Jr. were killed. Disbursing Clerk Collins and Seaman Sauer were both seriously injured and evacuated at sea. In spite of the heavy damage to the lower ammunition handling area and personnel casualties, the gun crew continued to provide counter-battery fire in local control until the other units in the task group were clear of enemy fire.

After repairs in Subic Bay OZBOURN returned to Yokosuka and the holidays with their families. During this in port time the ship held its first all hands party at the Enlisted Men's Club. As a special surprise Rear Admiral Sheldon Kinney, Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group Western Pacific Command had arranged that the squadron be home for Christmas. It was the only time that DESTROYER SQUADRON 9 was together in the same port. An additional surprise was revealed at the ship's party when several OZBOURN sailors, who for reasons unknown (?) had been detained by the Military Police, were returned to the party and informed if they needed transportation just call the MP. It was later learned the Provost Marshall had given orders that OZBOURN had saved his unit at the DMZ when they were pinned down by heavy enemy fire and for the holidays all OZBOURN's were under his protection.

Captain, John Denham cont.  >>