1963.E2.80.931974 USS Newport News (CA-148)

newport news (right) alongside guided missile cruiser boston @ norfolk in 1966.

operations 1963 through 1967 consisted of nato exercises in north atlantic, gunnery , amphibious exercises off eastern seaboard , caribbean, , midshipman cruises.

when dominican republic crisis of 1965 developed, newport news sortied norfolk on 29 april santo domingo, flagship commander joint task force 122. newport news remained on station off santo domingo until 7 may 1965 when jtf 122 dissolved, , command shifted army ashore in dominican republic. returned norfolk, in june alterations made increase combat capabilities. on 28 june 1965, newport news entered norfolk naval shipyard, norfolk, virginia five-month period of refitting , overhaul. shakedown in guantanamo, cuba, on christmas , new year of 1965. upon return gitmo, newport news once again became flagship second fleet, vice admiral masterson taking command.

1 september 1967, commander second fleet shifted flag light cruiser springfield, , newport news departed norfolk 5 september six-month deployment southeast asia firepower used. arriving da nang, south vietnam, on morning of 9 october, became flagship of comcrudesflot 3. night, @ 2300, fired eight-inch rifles first time in anger against shore targets in north vietnam part of operation sea dragon.

newport news spent 50 days patrolling coast of north vietnam part of operation sea dragon – navy s effort destroy waterborne logistics craft military supply routes , installations ashore in north vietnam. during period, ship conducted 156 strikes against enemy targets and, in execution of these strikes, 325 north vietnamese coastal defense sites taken under fire. according spotters’ reports, newport news sank 17 waterborne logistics craft, damaged 14 , destroyed several enemy bunker , radar sites, bridges, barges, trucks , roads. ship subjected hostile fire on several occasions, each time countered , silenced enemy batteries. on 19 december 1967, newport news exchanged fire 20–28 separate shore batteries, simultaneously, off coast of north vietnam. during short period of engagement, on 300 enemy rounds bracketed cruiser s position, suffered no direct hits. encounter led american forward observers nickname newport news gray ghost east coast, moniker retained throughout 3 vietnam deployments.

uss newport news firing broadside during 1972 vietnam deployment.

subsequent end of operation sea dragon , remaining several months of deployment, newport news participated in naval gunfire support operations near dmz. in support of third marine division forces on coastal area, ship fired around clock periods lasting several weeks in succession.

during total period of deployment, newport news expended record 59,241 rounds of high-explosive ammunition, while conducting total of 239 observed , 602 unobserved missions against enemy. came under fire of enemy coastal defense batteries on seventeen separate occasions, straffed shrapnel, never suffered direct hit.

the cruiser departed subic bay on 21 april , arrived @ homeport of norfolk, virginia, on 13 may 1968, via panama canal.

following extensive yard overhaul period prepare further combat operations, on 21 november 1968 newport news once again departed norfolk commence second deployment vietnam.

combat operations during second tour commenced on 25 december 1968, focused on providing naval gunfire support 7th , 9th arvn in vĩnh bình province , dmz. newport news departed da nang on 3 june 1969, via san francisco , panama canal, arrive @ homeport in norfolk, virginia, in july of year.

in may 1972, newport news returned third , last combat tour. during summer of 1972 ship, along guided missile cruisers uss oklahoma city, , uss providence, several screening destroyers, took part in high-speed night bombardment of haiphong harbor. known operation custom tailor, last time in naval history major shore bombardment undertaken multiple cruisers.

on 1 october 1972, while in action off demilitarized zone, newport news sustained in-bore explosion in center 8-inch gun of number 2 turret. defective auxiliary detonating fuze caused projectile detonate upon firing. nineteen men killed , ten injured. barrel proper blown forward gun. damaged gun removed , port plated over. explosion had caused extensive damage center gun mount. proposed replace damaged mount 1 des moines (ca-134) or salem (ca-139), both of had been decommissioned, rejected being expensive. result, damage not repaired , turret closed off, remainder of ship s career.

operations near vietnam continued until december 1972 when ship recalled norfolk. during 1973 , 1974 ship undertook training cruises , visited many ports around world before being recalled decommissioning. while there interest in retaining big-gun capability in fleet, survey determine further service indicated ship beyond economical refitting.

modifications

during career newport news underwent several refits changed appearance somewhat, , increased capabilities. during mid-1950s forward bridge enclosed on both levels roofs , glass windows creating navigation bridge above, , flag bridge below. later in 1950s new , more capable radars navigation , gunnery fitted. biggest change came in 1962 when large deck-house added midships gave enhanced flagship accommodation , office spaces. result in becoming united states second fleet flagship of rest of career, save gunfire support stints during vietnam war.