Task Force 77

On Mon, 14 Oct 1996 
Charles Rank crank@csinet.net wrote:
1407 J Street
La Porte,IN 46350-5759
219/325-9503

Comments ...

Served aboard U.S.S. O'Brien (DD-725); interested in 
hearing from fellow crew members.

---more---

I checked around on some of the military pages of
the web and found that the O'Brien had served in the invasion of
Europe during WWII and was hit by a shore battery. 

The O'Brien was also hit by a North Vietnamese shore battery in 
or around the Bay of Tonkin (the Bay of Tonkin Incident). 

My tour of duty aboard the O'Brien was during the Korean War 
doing escort duty for Task Force 77 along the east coast of Korea
and shore bombardment in Wonsan harbor. 

The O'Brien seemed to have been used a lot for close-up shore 
bombardment! During some of the time that I was aboard, Admiral
Nimitz' son was our captain.  When I left the ship, I was a
Sonarman Petty Officer 2nd Class and in charge of my section. I
hope that all went well for the O'Brien crew. Shipboard
relationships are pretty intense (almost like a family) and it
is natural to worry about the ones you have left behind. Thanks
for the opportunity to say all of this.

Sincerely,

Charles Rank

---

October 1954

- On Mon, 6 Jan 1997 
Wayne Meddley  wmeddley@cswnet.com  wrote:

1432 Nottingham Dr.
Malvern, 	AR 72104-2438
501-332-3219


I served aboard the USS O'Brien DD725 from it's recommissioning
in Oct. 1950 until my discharge in April 1954.  We made three
cruises to Korea and was a "sitting duck" in Wonsan Harbor
and participated in "The Battle of the Buzzsaw", a ship to shore
gun battle lasting three and one half hours and participated
in the mock invasion in North Korea.

 A ship's reunion will be held in San Diego the first part of June in 1997.

 Ship web page