USS OUELLET (DE 1077)

1972 Westpac

Thu 27 Jan: Underway from Pearl Harbor in transit to Subic Bay  

Sun 30 Jan: Refuel at Midway  

Tue 01 Feb: Crossed International Date Line at 27 degrees north

Sun 06 Feb: Refuel at Guam  

Thu 10 Feb: Moored Subic Bay

Mon 14 Feb: Underway from Subic Bay     

Wed 16 Feb: Joined USS CONSTELLATION (CVA-64) on Yankee Station.  Assumed Plane Guard duty      

Fri 18 Feb: An F-4 Phantom ditched on it’s landing approach  to USS CONSTELLATION while OUELLET was on Plane Guard duty. OUELLET’s Pilot Rescue Team was able to recover the Radar Intercept Officer, but the pilot was lost along with the aircraft.

Sun 27 Feb: USS ALBERT DAVID (DE-1050)  arrived on Yankee Station to relieve USS OUELLET as escort

Sat 04 Mar: Upkeep in Subic Bay  

Sun 12 Mar: Underway to Yankee Station. USS E.F. LARSON (DD-830) in company

Thu 16 Mar: USS HIGBEE (DD-806) arrived on Yankee Station to relieve USS OUELLET 

Note: On April 19, while on station at South SAR, a Mig-17 dropped a bomb that hit the fantail. Although the bomb hit the aft gun mount only 4 crew members were injured as the area had been evacuated due to a hung round.

Mon 20 Mar: Arrived at PIRAZ station I believe we operated with the USS Sterett (DLG31) 

Sat 01 Apr: Arrived at Yankee Station, and assumed Plane Guard duty for USS CORAL SEA (CVA-43)
Conducted ASW exercises with USS SCULPIN (SSN-590)  into Sunday morning

Sun 02 Apr: (Easter) Detached from Yankee Station enroute to PIRAZ station

Mon 03 Apr: Detached from PIRAZ to join USS CRAIG (DD-885)  to assist in search for man overboard reported from CRAIG. SAR conducted with negative results. OUELLET returned to PIRAZ

Thu 06 Apr: Detached from PIRAZ - transit to South SAR  

Fri 07 Apr: OUELLET relieved by USS MAHAN (DLG-11),  but remained on station at South SAR to control a "Big Mother" helo for a downed pilot recovery off Hon Mat Island

Sun 09 Apr: Departed South SAR- transit to Gunline.  Commenced NGFS operations  

Tue 11 Apr: Received hostile fire twice during NGFS. OUELLET was not hit but a gun mount casualty forced detachment from Gunline

                           – transit to Yankee Station to assume Plane Guard Duty for USS HANCOCK (CVA-19)

Mon 24 Apr: Transit to Gunline. Commence NGFS

Sat 29 Apr: One day trip to Danang

Mon 01 May: NGFS in support of 2nd and 3rd ARVN Divisions

Fri 05 May: Moored Subic Bay for maintenance 

Wed 10 May: Message received advising shipping of the mining of Haiphong Harbor

Mon 22 May: Underway from Subic Bay

Wed 24 May: Relieved USS SARSFIELD (DD-837) on Yankee Station   

Sun 04 Jun: Relieved USS ALBERT DAVID (DE-1050)  on the Gunline.... Commenced NGFS

Sun 18 Jun: Upkeep in Sasebo, Japan

Sun 25 Jun: Underway – transit to Gulf of Tonkin. Modified speed of advance to allow Typhoon Ora to pass ahead

Tue 27 Jun: Diverted to Subic Bay to escort USS SARATOGA (CVA-60)

Wed 28 Jun: Underway to Subic Bay

Thu 29 Jun: Underway as escort for USS SARATOGA enroute Yankee Station

Sat 01 Jul: Arrived Yankee Station, assumed Plane Guard duties for USS SARATOGA

Mon 10 Jul: Arrived on Gunline. Commenced NGFS

Sun 16 Jul: Departed Gunline to escort USS MIDWAY (CVA-41)

Mon 17 Jul: Relieved as escort by USS HEWES

Sat 29 Jul: Departed Gunline via Danang to pick up mail for Gunline units   

Sun 30 Jul: Picked up mail and returned to Gunline - transit to Hong Kong

Fri 04 Aug: Moored Hong Kong  

Mon 07 Aug: CDR John F. Baumgardner relieved CDR Albert L. Henry as Commanding Officer

Thu 10 Aug: Underway from Hong Kong

Fri 11 Aug: Moored Subic Bay  

Tue 15 Aug: Underway from Subic Bay

Fri 18 Aug: Refuel at Guam

Tue 22 Aug: Refuel at Midway

Fri 25 Aug: Moored Pearl Harbor