  | Ledger-Star3 naval ships to leave Norfolk for huge buildup off VietnamBy JACK KESTNERNorfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, VALedger-Star Military Writer |
| (Approximately) Monday, April 10, 1972 - NORFOLK: Three warships will leave Norfolk in the next 2 days and steam for the waters off Vietnam – the destroyers Biddle and Mullinnix on Wednesday and the heavy cruiser Newport News on Thursday, reliable sources say.
The three are part of a massive sea and air build up being hastily put together in an obvious response to President Nixon’s decision not to commit ground troops to support of the embattled South Vietnamese but to throw in everything else but the kitchen sink. Wire service accounts reveal that at least nine warships sailed from California Monday, with an overall account of 21 ships departing recently for unconfirmed destinations. Even at the height of the build-up in Vietnam, warship departures were not occurring at this rate – a further indication that President Nixon is determined to blunt the offensive thrust of the North Vietnamese without breaking his troop withdrawal pledge. The aircraft carrier Saratoga departed Mayport, FL today to join other carriers operating in the Gulf of Tonkin. Three Oceana-based aircraft squadrons – plus a detachment of distant early warning aircraft from Norfolk Naval Air Station will join her at sea. The Oceana outfits are Fighter Squadrons 31 and 103, flying the F4 Phantom II, and Attack Squadron 75, flying the all-weather A6 Intruder attack bomber. They returned only two months ago from a deployment aboard the Saratoga in the Mediterranean. The Saratoga will steam south around the tip of Africa and east through the Indian Ocean, sources say. She will accompanied part of the way by the fast combat support ship Detroit. Two destroyers from Mayport, the Sarsfield and Glennon, are also headed for Vietnam but will go through the Panama Canal, sources say. The Panama Canal route is considerably shorter but is too narrow for the big aircraft carrier. This will make the third deployment to Vietnam for the Newport News, previous trips occurring in 1967-69. She is the last big-gun cruiser remaining in the Navy. Her rapid-fire eight-inch guns makes it possible to have 90 275-pound shells in the air simultaneously against targets up to 13 miles distant. During her previous deployments she drew frequent fire from shore batteries while operating in and above the DMZ, but never suffered a hit – gaining for herself the nickname of “Grey Ghost from the East Coast.” The Newport News is also the flagship for the U.S. 2ns Fleet, and as such has posed a problem for Navy planners during the past couple of days – where to transfer Vice Adm. Vincent P. dePoix, 2nd Fleet commander, and his staff of 38 officers and 120 enlisted men. The only other cruiser in Norfolk is the Columbus and she is scheduled to leave Norfolk April 29 for the Mediterranean to relieve the Little Rock as flagship for the 6th Fleet – provided, of course, that she herself is not sent to Vietnam. Second Fleet, by the nature of its mission, is an “afloat” command and cannot be brought ashore, De Poix not only wears his 2nd Fleet hat but also that of NATO’s Striking Fleet, Atlantic. Therefore, the Navy has decided to transfer 2ned Fleet temporarily to the amphibious command ship Mount Whitney – the second time in memory that 2nd Fleet has flown his flag aboard a “Gator” ship. Commissioned only last year, the Mount Whitney is packed with sophisticated equipment making up an integrated command and control system. She is currently operating off the Virginia Capes with Vice Adm. C. Edwin Bell, commander Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Force, and his staff embarked. Thursday morning, she is scheduled to pull alongside the Cruiser Newport News where Bell’s staff will disembark and De Poix’s staff comes aboard, sources say. Commander Amphibious Group 2 also flies his flag aboard Mount Whitney, It is understood that o decision has been reached yet on what to do with his staff. The Newport News this morning was the scene of a flurry of activity as the ship took on cargo from both ends to prepare for the hurried deployment. Prior to this week, the betting in navy circles was that the ship had made her last deployment since her age (23) and high complement (1,147 officers and men) make her too expensive for today’s belt-tightened Navy. That proved to be the case for the battleship New Jersey which was brought out of retirement so that her 16-inch guns with their 23-mile range could be used specifically in Vietnam. But back into mothballs she went after only a brief return to her role. |
