USS Barry (DD-933) - Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Passing through the Panama Canal on 6 October, Barry touched at Hawaii, for a short liberty, and Midway before crossing the International Date Line the night of 25 October. At 0100, the "calendar was advanced to the 27th and 26 October was lost forever". After visiting the Japanese ports of Yokosuka and Sasebo, she reached Subic Bay, in the Philippines, on 17 November, and commenced type training at the Tabones Naval Gunfire Support Range. Barry cleared Subic Bay on 30 November in company with Task Group 77.7, including Enterprise, Bainbridge, and Samuel B. Roberts for the South China Sea.

Arriving on station at "Point Dixie", off the coast of South Vietnam, Barry screened the nuclear-powered carrier during air strikes against Viet Cong positions near Bien Hoa and throughout South Vietnam on 2 December. Leaving the carrier to continue these "milk-run" strikes, to allow pilots and crew to become accustomed to combat, Barry was ordered to the South Vietnamese coast for gunfire support duty. Steaming slowly up the Saigon River near Vũng Tàu on the morning of 7 December, she was given orders to bombard Viet Cong positions several miles east of the river. For two days, her 5 inch (127 mm) guns fired on supply points and entrenchments, getting credit from Army air spotters for "excellent target coverage", before moving to the Mekong Delta region. Closing the beach near the coastal town of Cho Phuoc Hai, Barry continued fire missions in support of III and IV Naval Zones. After firing some 1,500 5 inch (127 mm) rounds, including opportunity fire near Ba Dong and south of Bung Tau, the destroyer rejoined TG 77.7 on 15 December.

Enterprise, steaming off Da Nang at "Point Yankee", launched a series of strikes at North Vietnamese bridges, roads and supply centers. Barry, screening the carrier as the task group skirted the Gulf of Tonkin, watched as A-4 Skyhawks and F-4 Phantoms struck at North Vietnamese anti-aircraft and radar defense systems. Further strikes, on 22 December, disabled the Uong Bi power complex, the Hai Doung bridge was bombed the following day, and barges and junks were interdicted offshore. Christmas was spent at sea, during an uneasy and temporary truce, and January 1966 saw a resumption of the bombing campaign. Barry continued plane guard and screen duties until 17 January when the entire task group arrived at Subic Bay.

Alongside Piedmont, conducting repairs needed after 48 days of continuous combat operations, the destroyer's crew expected a week of upkeep at Subic followed by a well-earned liberty in Hong Kong. On the very next day, however, Barry received orders to get underway in 36 hours for "special operations" in South Vietnam. After laboring for two straight nights and a day, the destroyer, assisted by repair crews from Piedmont, managed to reassemble her machinery in time to steam out of Subic Bay the morning of 19 January.

Attached to III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF), Barry was to provide naval gunfire coverage for the landing of 5,000 Marines on beaches north of Duc Pho in Quang Ngai province on 28 January. Three battalions were landed, by helicopter and landing craft, in the largest combat assault since Inchon during the Korean War. Despite light rain and rough weather, the initial stage of Operation "Double Eagle" was competed in two days. As the Marines moved inland, searching for two suspected NVA regiments, they encountered scattered Viet Cong guerrillas instead. For the next five days, Barry, with the cruiser Oklahoma City, provided fire missions for reconnaissance teams, conducted harassing fire at night, and commanded a South Vietnamese junk patrol designed to counter VC coastal infiltration.

Detached south on 5 February, to support 1st Cavalry and ARVN units in Operation "Masher-White Wing", Barry ranged 150 miles (240 km) of coastline, firing harassing missions against Viet Cong positions. The destroyer, having fired over 700 5 inch (127 mm) rounds in combat and hosting several 1st Cavalry officers aboard, departed 15 February for a well-deserved liberty in Hong Kong.

Barry earned two battle stars for her service in the Vietnam War.