After graduation from Navy OCS in June 1970 I joined the crew of the USS Knox (DE-1052) a small destroyer manned by seventeen officers and 230 enlistees. As a weapons officer I spent two deployments on the Knox in the western Pacific with extended periods in the Tonkin Gulf and along the coast of Vietnam.
What significant memories do I have of this experience, 50+ years ago? As others have described military life in war zones so many times, there were prolonged periods of quiet routine punctuated by short episodes of high stress. Our major concerns were not of enemy attack but of the potential for accidents involving weapons and ammunition and the danger of collision at high speed when operating in all weather conditions in proximity to other ships, particularly aircraft carriers.
In addition to periods of high anxiety and the challenge of being responsible for the safety of others at a youthful age, there are other memories. I remember the beauty of sunrises over the South China Sea and the lingering multi-hued sunsets over the mountains of Vietnam. I remember dark nights in a calm ocean when the only sound was the whisper of the ship’s bow carving its way through the sea. I remember the dancing sparkle from moonlight off the waves. I remember guiding our 20th century steel warship through fleets of Vietnamese fishing sampans from another age.
I remember the men I served with. We were young, mostly in our 20’s with only a few lifers in their 30’s and 40’s. We were from all segments of society and parts of the country, yet we formed the bond among sailors that has existed as long as warships have gone to sea. Unlike the constant stream of electronic communication that is available globally today, we led an isolated existence for lengthy periods. Radio links were for Navy business and not for personal communication or NFL scores. This aloneness fostered the spirit of camaraderie on board. We got along and concentrated on doing our jobs. Discipline was not a problem, and the politics of the Vietnam war was not a subject of conversation. There was time for humor and diversions. One of my collateral duties was Movie Officer, whose job was to make clever swaps of the large boxes of movie reels with passing Navy ships. Although I did not fully appreciate it at the time, serving with fellow sailors was one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of my life. I have maintained lifelong friendships with several of them.