On Station - USS Mattaponi

Repel Boarders Team
On Station
1968 Tet Edition
USS Mattaponi, AO-41—1942-1972
SS Kalkay - Mattie - Mad Mattie - Mad Poni USNS Marine Serpent - Angel of Market Time
Fletcher class destroyer, 369 ft, 175 built during WW2, armament 5-5”/38, 10-40 mm anti-aircraft guns,
7-20 mm anti-aircraft guns, 10- 20” torpedo tubes, & six depth charge stations.
Fletcher class destroyers fueled by Mattaponi 1966-69.
5”/38 was the preferred round of allied troops in South Vietnam.
Sometime in Jan 68 Captain William L. Foster secretly formed the 50 man Repel Boarders Team in
response to captured information from North Vietnam. Capt. Foster told us Ho Chi Minh put a bounty for
capture on four US ships— Mattaponi AO-41, Neches AO-47, Liberty AGER-1, and Pueblo AGER-2.
AO-41 and AO-47 were selected from Janes Book of WW2 warships for lack of defense. Neches AO-47 was
not in West Pac at this time. Mattie, with cargo became a prize of war. Our story becomes more relevant
when you consider the ease today’s pirates capture jumbo tankers. Mattaponi had discipline, but lacked
experience in small arms combat.
The threat from the North Vietnam mercenaries (fishermen) was boarding from fishing boats. The
planned attack would last 15 minutes because naval air support would arrive in 20 minutes. Slowing to 4 kts,
Foster’s plan was let them board in waves followed by throwing hand grenades from the cargo deck into
the boats below thus creating more confusion and buy time. The rest of the fight was with BARs, Thompson
submachine guns, M-1 Grands, 45’s and possibly M-60 machine guns. The Captain said its better to take
them on at our convenience than be surprised at a later date. HMAS Perth D-38 was on station to rescue
Mattaponi. U.S Navy ships were limited by Congress to operations below the 20th parallel at this time.
Capt. Foster enhanced the possibility of capture by telegraphing his moves with the concept of an unrep
holding area and slowing to 4 knts. However, deck logs don’t disclose when the Repel borders team was
formed. Deck logs do show an unrep holding area, Tonkin Gulf, being implemented on the 16th, 17th,
18th, 28th, 30th and 31st of Jan 68. High Noon on 28 Jan 68, Mattaponi goes above the 19th parallel with
the same right angle and east west and west east course changes as before. We weren’t surprised by
Pueblo’s capture.
Key Dates
23 Jan 68, USS Pueblo AGER-2 was captured by North Korea.
30 Jan 68, I Corps cities and Marine bases were attacked early in the morning.
31 Jan 68, US Embassy in Saigon, South Vietnam was attacked early in the morning. On
North Vietnam’s calendar, Tet started on 30 Jan 68. On South Vietnam’s calendar, Tet
started on 31 Jan 68. An error that neither side was aware. An error that tipped their hand,
a quite costly error.
The Tet 68 Offensive started on the 30 Jan 1968 and ended 31 Jan 1968.
On 31 Jan 68 the Tet 68 Counter Offensive started and ended 1 April 68.
USS Fletcher DD-445
USS Radford DD-446
USS Jenkings DD-447
USS Nicolas DD-449
USS O’Bannon DD-450
USS Waller DD-466
USS Taylor DD-468
USS Philip DD-498
USS Cony DD-508
USS Eaton DD-510
USS Walker DD-517
USS Mullany DD-528
USS Prichett DD-561
USS Stoddard DD-566
USS Braine DD-630
USS Cogswell DD-651
USS Hopewell DD-681
USS Porterfield DD-682
USS Wedderburn DD-684
USS Uhlmann DD-687
USS Preston DD-795
Mattaponi was involved both the Tet 68 Offensive and the Tet 68 Counter Offensive.
Mattie played her support role in the Counter Offensive until 19 March 68.
Mattie sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge on her way to Hunters Point, San Francisco,
USA on 17 April 1968.
This is the new look of On Station. Over time shipmate readership should increase, then
decline. We intend to email all known shipmates, post to website, and the color is free!
Text & photo pages may be printed on legal paper in landscape mode.
Maps are printed in portrait mode.
Fletcher painting by digitalnavy.com
23 Jan 68—USS Pueblo AGER-2 is hijacked
by North Korea Military
Operating Above the 19th Parallel
19-45
USS Mattaponi AO-41 — Captain William L. Foster, USN
Unrep holding area in Tonkin Gulf
( 5 sq. miles in 5 hours)
28 Jan 68 —– HIGH NOON - Point of the Spear (1)
1200 speed 16 kts
1213 change speed to 4 kts
1657 change speed to 12 kts
Under the watchful eyes of North Vietnam, Russia, and China radar
1208
1213
1200
How to read maps: High Noon and Point of the Spear (1)
19-37.5
1345
1445
1657
1415
1517
Point of the Spear (1)
AO-41
The ship’s Navigator enters ship’s position at 0800, 1200, and 2000. I mark three positions with dots and
label to time of day. 0000 is plotted from 2000 forward to 0000 and plotted backwards from 0800. They
should meet, if they don’t, find error or adjust for wind and waves - certainly enough of that.
Arriving from
Subic Bay
R.P.I
This is easy to do. One right angle and four 180 degree course changes are south, east & west, and west &
east. We can’t tell if the ship is making circles or as shown on maps. Course changes are plotted using a
clear 360 degree compass. Distance is figured with a nautical slide rule and distance scale.
The big map is best read with help from Ships, Boats & Underway Replenishment Schedules. From
High Noon, Point of the Spear (1) is armed by USS Chicago CG-11, “The most powerful guided missile
cruiser in the world” to port and a “big” guided missile “destroyer” to starboard. — A world class show
of naval surface to air power.
19-30
0
107-7.5
1.25
Nautical miles
2.5
5
7.5
31 Jan 68
Attempted hijacking of
USS Mattaponi AO-41 by
orth Vietnam Mercenaries
ORTH
Mi
g2
108
(Bounty hunters)
20
20
1
106
Point of the Spear (1)
28 holding
Jan 68 area
Unrep
Unrep holding area
@@HIGH
OO
HIGH OO
DLG 26
26
1657 . 1200
DLG
CG 11
DD
71
Hon Me
Island
S of BIG GUS of
HO MAT ISLAD
ISLAD
nced buy
are silenced by
ersey BB
62ew Jersey
USS
ov 68BB 62 1 ov 68
2140
19
DD
10
86
6
2000
DLG 14
Point of the Spear (2)
2000
DD 727
DLG
DD24
722 .
16
10
DLG
DD 710
DLG
16
DD 7
Hon Mat
Island
DL
G
6
Stationed
Stationed Repel
Repel
Boarders
Boarders Team
Team
1544
DLG 267
Policing
AO-41
Policing
ship
@ 4 kts
1605
.
2400
2400
28Jan
Jan6868
28
29
29Jan
Jan6868
30
30Jan
Jan6868
31
31Jan
Jan6868
.
0800
0800
0800
Unrep holding area
Various courses
and speeds
0000
VIETAM
C
H
I
A
1200
. 0800
1 & 2 Feb
cont.
19
4 Kts
kts
38
SDD
D
MSA D881
HHM
D
Feb Combat Payday
0000
DD 727
1650
Vinh
DLG 24
2000
18
18
1200
AO
-41
Start here
1330 2130
Unrep holding
area
25 Jan 68
Underway from Subic Bay,
R.P.I. as precipitated by the
capture of USS PUEBLO by
0800
orth Korea — 23 Jan 68
17-30
Don Hoi
107
DMZ
Arriving from
Subic Bay
R.P.I.
17
M
16
AH 718
DD
t
ke
ar
107-300000
1
ne
25
e O DER
m
Ti 1168 D717
D
T
LS 2
85
. 1200
1200
DD
SOUTH
Hue
20
30
40
50
60
VIETAM
19 13
D
LS DG
D
834
7
D M
LP 5 PG
8
5 10
M
0
Da ang
PG
2000
Nautical Miles
16
1
Description of Ships, Boats & Underway Replenishment Schedules
USS Chicago CG-11 launched in 1944. All gun cruiser was converted to “most powerful guided missile cruiser in the world.”
DLG’s “big destroyers,” helicopter landing pad, guided missile destroyer, later classified as CG’s.
DD 700’s & 800’s Gearing class destroyers were the last refinement of Fletcher class destroyers during WW2—14 ft longer for additional
fuel bunker.
USS Hoel DDG-13 guided missile destroyer, 1959 to 1987. HMAS Perth D-38 ex-US DDG-27 built for Royal Australian Navy in 1966.
USS Camp DER-251, destroyer escort radar. Market Time picket ship (board & search) commissioned 1942.
PGM /PG Patrol Gunboat Motor were powered by F4 Phantom engine geared down or two diesels for endurance. PG’s also had variable
control pitch on twin propellers and some had rocket launchers on the fantail. Captain Foster held a race between PG’s on 29 Jan 68,
top speed 45 knots per hour withHai
rooster
tails. USS Repose AH-16 Haven class hospital ship, 1945 to 1970.
Phong
USS Cleveland LPD-7 landing platform
dock,
large well deck and landing pad big enough for six CH-46 helicopters. USS Wexford
Red
River
County LST-1168 tank landing ship,Delta
commissioned June 1954. USS Comstock LSD-19 dock landing ship, commissioned 1945.
USS Ticonderoga CVA-14 Essex class aircraft carrier listed after hits by two kamikazes 21 Jan 1945. AO-145 commissioned 1955.
28 Jan 68
12:08 unrep holding area
17:10 USS Chicago CG-11
17:18 USS Belknap DLG-26
18:45 USS Wiltsie DD-716
19:24 USS King DLG-10
19:56 USS Cone DD-866
21:00 USS Dewey DLG-14
21:14 USS Dehaven DD-727
22:42 USS Reeves DLG-24
29 Jan
20 68
Market Time One ops area
10:27 USS Hamner DD-718
10:35 USS Repose AH-16
12:16 USS Wexford County LST-1168
12:35 USS Mason DD-852
13:39 USS Chandler DD-717
14:36 USS Camp DER-251
16:17 USS Gallop PGM-85
16:32 USS Cleveland LPD-7
31 Jan 68
17:23 USS Asheville PGM-84 0800 and again at 13:50
15:44 Stationed Repel
17:56 USS Hoel DDG-13
Boards Team
18:19 USS Comstock LSD-19
17:50 USS Belknap DLG-26
19:57 USS Reeves DLG-24
30 Jan 68
20:08 USS Dehaven DD-727
07:20 HMAS Perth D-38
07:26 USS Bordelon DD-881 21:55 USS Wiltsie DD-716
22:05 USS King DLG-10
12:00 unrep holding area to
Continued Operations 1 & 2 Feb 1968
2140
Start here
19
31 Jan 68
31 Jan 68
10
DLG
6
1
DD 7
21:55 USS Wiltsie DD-716
22:05 USS King DLG-10
1 Feb 68
05:15
05:20
09:44
10:04
12:38
0000
0800
DD 881
AO 145
NORTH
0000
18
2 Feb 68
07:51 USS Bordelon DD-881
09:44 USS Hassayampa
AO-145
18
12:16 USS Hoel DDG-13
2000
VIETNAM
0800
AO
107
1200
DDG 13
14
A
CV
8
78
DD
Don Hoi
0652
5
14
DMZ
17
M
1200
im
tT
ke
ar
Subic Bay,
R.P.I.
e1
SOUTH
VIETNAM
USS Hollister DD-788
USS Ticonderoga CVA-14*
USS Ticonderoga CVA-14
USS Southerland DD-743
USS Hassayampa AO-145**
43
CV
A1
4
Vinh
DD
7
Hon Mat
Island
Hue
On the big map Captain Foster takes the back door from above the 19thDaparallel
Nang to Market Time 1. On the day
before Tet 68 Offensive we supply fuel oil, jet fuel for helicopters, and various bottle gasses to USS Repose AH16, hospital ship. Fortunately for ships on station in Market Time 1, Mattaponi made a timely
run.
16
*On 1 Feb 68 Mattaponi hooks up twice at Ticonderoga’s (CVA 14) and escorts convenience. Aircraft carriers
adjust to go into the wind to launch and recover aircraft. Winds come primarily from southwest during typhoon
season. Early morning on the 2nd day of Tet 68 Counter Offensive, Ticonderoga moves from Yankee Station to
Market Time 1 in support of Marines engaged in major attacks in Hue City, Ke Sanh, Da Nang and other I Corps
bases. 1 Feb 68 underway replenishments are accomplished under extreme foul weather conditions. Deck log’s
course changes would have us run aground in North Vietnam 3 times while heading south to fuel and while fueling CVA 14.— Remember, maps are most accurate three times a day; 0800, 1200, and 2000. —One hell of a
blow!
**Hassayampa and Mattaponi, AO’s hook up twice. Mattie must consolidate fuel and add ballast for final underway replenishments.
HMAS (Her Majesty’s Australian Ship) Perth D 38 refueled 8 Oct 67
Photo — 30 Jan 68
18 Mar 68
HMAS Vampire D 11 both refueled 14 Mar 67 & 18 Mar 67
HMAS Aisne D 22
By Jim McLain
Cargo of two PT Boats
Something but what?
HISTORY OF USS MATTAPONI —New cargo deck & winches
Scanned in part from original document found in basement of US Navy Historical Center
There are 10 winches visible in photo by Cecil Faircloth
Lower left: Bottled gasses are held between pallets of canisters of black powder. Upper right: Boatswain chair is returning. 30 man Manila highline is surrounded by ammunition. Ships are being refueled port and starboard. Near the horizon a small boat is steering a course to come between ship to port and Mattaponi. Under the tri-pod
you can see how close highline personnel are to a steam powered winch; same to rear. No time to panic! Highline personnel will hide behind ammunition.
Mattaponi marching in
Coral Sea Celebration
Sydney, 1969
Golden Gate Bridge in distant fog
Shipmate locaters: Cecil Faircloth cefaircloth@comcast.net & Anthony Bono abono11746@yahoo.com
Coming Home
Senior Editor: Dennis C. Miller dmiller.ao41@gmail.com