COMDESRON 24/ COMDESDIV 242 /COMDESRON 20 NEWS

NAVAL MESSAGE OPNAV FORM 2110-28 (REV. 3-61) RELEASED BY DRAFTED BY RECVD VIA F/L DATE TOR/TOD ROUTED BY CHECKED BY PAGE PAGES MAY 8, 1967 1530Z WU/QF SM MESSAGE NR DATE/TIME GROUP (GCT) ROUTINE 157 0 8 1 4 3 0 Z ACTION X X X INFO X X FM: COMCRUDESFLOT 2 TO: USS WARRINGTON / USS KEPPLER INFO: COMDESRON 24 / COMDESDIV 242 / COMDESRON 20 // UNCLAS // 1. WELCOME HOME. YOUR SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT IN VIET NAM WATERS HAVE BEEN NOTED WITH PRIDE. 2. THE SUCCESS OF YOUR EFFORTS IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN THE LONE, PROUD TRADITION OF DESTROYERMAN 3. I SHARE THE JOY AND ENTHUSIASM OF YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS IN WELCOMING YOU ON YOUR RETURN HOME. WELL DONE. REAR ADMIRAL ALFORD. ...BT... NAVAL MESSAGE OPNAV FORM 2110-28 (REV. 3-61) RELEASED BY DRAFTED BY RECVD VIA MR MR 01792 DATE TOR/TOD ROUTED BY CHECKED BY PAGE PAGES MAY 5, 1967 2120Z WU/QF SM MESSAGE NR DATE/TIME GROUP (GCT) ROUTINE 107 0 5 1 3 5 0 Z ACTION X X X INFO X X FM: COMDESRON TWO FOUR TO: USS KEPPLER / USS WARRINGTON INFO: COMDESDIV TWO FOUR TWO / COMCRUDESLANT / COMCRUDESFLOT TWO // UNCLAS E F T O // WE WELCOME YOUR SAFE RETURN TO NEWPORT WITH GRATEFUL HEARTS. YOUR DISTINGUISHED RECORD THROUGHOUT THE DEPLOYMENT AS WELL AS YOUR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE UNDER ENEMY FIRE CERTAINLY DESERVES A WELL DONE TO ALL HANDS. AS YOUR PARENT SQUADRON, WE TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HAPPY HOMECOMING. ...BT... NAVAL MESSAGE OPNAV FORM 2110-28 (REV. 3-61) RELEASED BY DRAFTED BY D. WADSWORTH, CDR., USN ENS MURRAY, USN DATE TOR/TOD ROUTED BY CHECKED BY PAGE PAGES 04 MAY 67 1705Z/ 5 LG BM RMS MESSAGE NR DATE/TIME GROUP (GCT) ROUTINE 99 051620Z MAY 67 ACTION XXXX INFO XXXX FM: USS KEPPLER (DD-765) TO: COMCRUDESLANT INFO: COMDESRON 20 // UNCLAS E F T O // PRESREL FOUR DESTROYERS PULLED INTO PONTA DELGADA, AZORES, ON TUESDAY, MAY 2ND. THEY STOPPED THERE JUST FOR FUEL. AN APPEAL BY THE SISTERS OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY ORPHANAGE, HOWEVER, MADE IT MORE THAN A FUEL STOP. IT BECAME, FOR THE CHILDREN, A FOOD AND TRICKS STOP AS WELL. EACH OF THE SHIPS OF DESTROYER DIVISION 201, HOMEPORTED IN NEWPORT, R.I., CONTRIBUTED BOXES OF CANNED FOOD FOR THE CHILDREN. FACES SMILE WHEN STOMACHS ARE FULL, BUT LAUGHTER DOES NOT COME FROM FOOD. THE LAUGHTER AND AWE WERE PRODUCED BY "TRICKS", THE USS KEPPLER'S MAGICIAN, KNOWN PROFESSIONALLY AS PACIFICO THE GREAT. SONAR TECHNICIAN SECOND CLASS ROGER PACIFIC OFFERED TO PUT ON A MAGIC SHOW AT THE ORPHANAGE AND THE SISTERS AGREED. AN HOUR LATER CHAPLAIN PETER DERUITER; TWO DESTROYERMEN FRENCH TRANSLATORS, LTJG RICHARD P. GENET AND TORPEDOMAN SECOND CLASS ARTHUR FRENETTE; AND "TRICKS" WERE AT THE CONVENT. TRANSLATORS ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR MAGIC. EACH CHILD HEARD A NEW LANGUAGE --- OF FAST, EVASIVE MOVEMENTS THAT MADE EVERYTHING UNREAL, UNBELIEVABLE. TALENT, A LITTLE TIME, AND LOVE FOR CHILDREN, COMMUNICATED TO THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE HAPPINESS, FUN AND LAUGHTER. CHARITY IS OFTEN RETURNED, BUT SELDOM DO WE RECEIVE IF QUICKLY. IN PONTA DELGADA IT CAME IMMEDIATELY. THREE GIRLS TOOK OUT THEIR GUITARS AND THE ENTERTAINED BECAME THE ENTERTAINERS. AGAIN, WORDS WERE NOT UNDERSTOOD, BUT THE SONGS WERE, SING AND PLAYED BY HAPPY CHILDREN, HAPPY BECAUSE THEY HAD SEEN MAGIC AND WERE NEW FRIENDS. NAVAL MESSAGE OPNAV FORM 2110-28 (REV. 3-61) RELEASED BY VIA ORESTES DATE TOR/TOD ROUTED BY CHECKED BY PAGE PAGES 08 MAY 1967 0614Z/08 MAY KS SM 1 1 MESSAGE NR DATE/TIME GROUP (GCT) ROUTINE 152 080500Z ACTION X INFO X FM: COMDESRON TWO ZERO TO: COMDESDIV TWO ZERO TWO / USS N.K. PERRY / USS MANLEY / USS C.P. CECIL / USS KEPPLER / USS WARRINGTON / USS NORRIS / USS BROWNSON / USS M.C. FOX // UNCLAS E F T O // DEPLOYMENT PERFORMANCE 1. COMDESRON TWENTY DEEPLY APPRECIATES AND COMMENDS THE DEDICATED AND SUPERLATIVE PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE EXHIBITED IN EVERY DUTY ASSIGNED DURING THE SEVENTH FLEET DEPLOYMENT. COMMANDS OF THE SQUADRON HAVE ENGAGED WITH GREAT DISTINCTION IN INTERDICTION AND BOMBARDMENT ALONG THE COAST OF NORTH VIETNAM, NAVAL GUNFIRE SUPPORT IN SOUTH VIETNAM, PROTECTIVE ESCORT FOR CARRIERS, CRUISERS AND MINESWEEPERS, RESCUE OF SHIPS AND MEN AND UNDERWAY REPLENISHMENT OF AMMUNITION, STORES AND FUEL. THE OUTSTANDING FLEXIBILITY, ENTHUSIASM AND ENERGY DEMONSTRATED BY ALL HANDS IN CARRYING OUT THESE ARDUOUS, DEMANDING AND OFTEN DANGEROUS TASKS OVER THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS HAVE COMBINED TO MAKE THIS DEPLOYMENT A SINGULARLY SUCCESSFUL AND MEMORABLE CRUISE. 2. THE SQUADRON COMMANDER TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN EXTENDING A HEARTY WELL DONE TO EVERY COMMAND, EVERY OFFICER AND EVERY MAN IN DESTROYER SQUADRON TWENTY. EACH OF YOU CAN TAKE WELL DESERVED SATISFACTION FROM THE IMPORTANT DUTY YOU HAVE JUST COMPLETED. BT.....