From: John Pagel
Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2024 10:43 AM
Subject: Battleship on the Delaware River: USS New Jersey traveling to Philadelphia for repairs | AP News
IF YOU WANT TO IMPRESS YOUR ENEMIES AND BE IMPRESSED HAVE THE NEW JERSEY FIRE JUST ONE ROUND IN SUPPORT BUT NO—-THE BIG OLD GIRL FIRED MORE THAN JUST ONE ROUND—AND—THE EARTH SHOOK.
IN VIETNAM FOR 120 DAYS IN 1968 UNTIL JANUARY 1969(She fired 2700 pound 16 inch shells up to 23 miles) SHE FIRED MORE ROUNDS THAN SHE FIRED IN ALL OF WWII AND THE KOREAN WAR IN SUPPORT OF 1ST AND 3RD MARINE DIVISIONS, 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION AND 173RD AIRBORNE BRIGADE.
ZIP
From: DAN OBRIEN
Sent: Fri 3/22/2024 10:30 PM
A Btry 1st Bn 83rd Arty with 4 eight inch howitzers were at Firebase Cannon covering fire for Currahee, Eagle, Airborne and anybody else who needed assistance. It was June or July 69 and in the evening we heard what sounded like a train ripping through the air above us. The tracks are 40 miles east of us along Rt 1. Our FDC dialed up the Navy push and with our 292 antenna could reach the shooters which the identifier codes read USS NEW JERSEY. They volunteered this info. Shooting the small Volkswagen at 1800 pounds with same powder charge [ 6 one hundred pound increments] firing a distance of 74 miles into Laos. Our FDC heard the ships FO in the field give coordinates. The return voice said only grid letters , no numbers. .16 inch round at Quang Tri.
Me at an airshow for Air Force MARS booth holding on to two life size 16 inch props rounds.
The FO proceeded to give GRID SQUARE letters only. We were in YD. LAOS was off limits to all American personnel. A year ago I checked the deck logs of the USS NJ on line and in June / July 1969 it shows the battle ship anchored in Subic Bay Philippines. [CYA]
Well done.
Dano
I was with the 2nd Bn.Company C 327 2n Plt.of the 101st. Went over on the USS Leroy Eltinge. I have been looking for James Clifton from Champaign Illinois, and Michael Cox, from Fresno, California. Any help would be appreciated.
I enjoyed the articles! I am a former 101st Airborne Pathfinder in RVN 8/68 – 9/69