Post-Vietnam War Operations
Turner Joy ended 1974 and began 1975 engaged in a rather extensive availability which was completed in mid-April. At the conclusion of that repair period, she resumed operations along the coast of southern California. Refresher training, FleetEx 2-75, and a midshipman training cruise occupied her from April through August. On 2 September, she departed San Diego for the 11th deployment of her career to the western Pacific. However, after a two-week stop at Subic Bay, her western Pacific assignment was transformed into a tour of duty in the Indian Ocean.
On 13 October, she departed Subic Bay in company with Midway (CV-41), Fanning (DE-1076), and Sacramento (AOE-1) bound ultimately for Bandar Abbas, Iran. Along the way, she visited Singapore and Sri Lanka and participated in exercises with the Singaporean Navy. The destroyer arrived in Bandar Abbas on 13 November whence she and her sailing companions participated in the CENTO exercise, "Midlink". During that operation, she joined units of the British, Iranian, and Pakistani navies in practicing a broad spectrum of naval tactics—ASW, AAW, surface engagements, gunnery drills, and missile shoots.
"Midlink" ended on 25 November, and Turner Joy briefly stopped again at Bandar Abbas before heading for the Philippines on the 29th. She arrived back in Subic Bay on 12 December and remained there until 9 January 1976. Routine operations in the Philippines, exercises in the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan—as well as visits to ports in Taiwan and Japan—characterized the remainder of that deployment, which also included a harrowing cruise directly through the center of a typhoon. On 17 March, she stood out of Yokosuka to return to the United States. After stops at Midway and Pearl Harbor, she reentered San Diego harbor on 4 April. Following post-deployment standdown, the destroyer reverted once more to training operations out of San Diego.
On July 4, 1976, the Turner Joy steamed up the Stockton river more than 50 miles from San Francisco Bay to participate in Bicentennial celebrations, making her the first ship-of-the-line to visit that city.
As a result of long years of service in Vietnam and two delays in a scheduled overhaul, however, Turner Joy was unable to successfully complete her Operational Propulsion Plant Examination. This deficiency made it necessary for the ship to spend the remainder of 1976 in port correcting propulsion deficiencies.
After an extended period in dry-dock at Long Beach, Ca. the ship went to San Diego mid-1979 for crewing to test the work done. After Engineering Quals were passed the ship was provisioned for a Westpac/South Pac goodwill cruise. The tour consists of going to Hawaii for more Quals in all departments. Then on to the Philippines for repairs on needed items. After 2 weeks there it went on to Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, & New Zealand. During this time the ship did sea trials with the Navies of Australia and New Zealand. Upon departing the ship stopped at the American Samoa Island of Pago Pago on the way back to Hawaii before returning to the USA. The ship arrived in San Diego, Ca. in November 1980 to the joy of the crew.
Read more about this topic: USS Turner Joy (DD-951)
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