USS Hollister
DD 788
(Gearing Class)
E-mail posted for the USS Hollister
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9/3/07:
Hi,
My name is Bruce H. Easom. I spent two weeks on the USS Hollister as an Ensign as part of my Active Duty
for Training starting at the end of March 1979, near the end of the ship’s life as a US Navy destroyer.
It was my first time assigned to a Navy ship. My normal job was in the Merchant Marine as an engineer on
an oil tanker. I joined the ship in San Diego and spent the first week at Collision Avoidance School.
Before I arrived the ship had apparently struck the marine railway and bent one of the propellers and/or
propeller shafts. During the second week we slowly steamed north to Long Beach. I remember that we had
originally been scheduled for gunnery practice near the Channel Islands but the ships vibration made that
impractical.
During my two weeks aboard, a group of officials from Mexico arrived and toured at the ship. They were
interested in seeing if the USS Hollister would be a suitable addition to the Mexican Navy. While in
Long Beach the 1979 Grand Prix race took place (Sunday 8 April 1979) and many of the officers and crew
got a chance to see (and hear) the race up close.
I was sad to read Steve McKimmons’ 2003 posting that the ship had been decommissioned and towed to the
Northern California moth ball fleet in or about 1979.
Bruce H. Easom
11/09/05: I remember the day we fought off of Hon Me Island. That was quite a day. I went aboard the Hollister late in 1969 and left her in January of 1973. I served on three cruises to West-Pac as a radioman. The first two cruises were pleasure cruises. We would pull up to the "gun line" off the coast of Viet Nam and fire our guns and then cruise to the next port to spend our combat pay. But the third cruise was different, we really earned our combat pay. If we weren't making night time raids on the coast of North Viet Nam then we were sitting off shore in the day time trying to get the fire control radar to light us up so we could take it out with our "Shrike Missiles". One day we fired on an NVA camp trying to knock down it's flag. One time one of our own mines used to blockade Haiphong Harbor blew up close behind the ship lifting the fantail out of the water. It was a much more interesting cruise to say the least. But Hon Me was the most interesting. It was the only daylight raid we ever made. I was in the radio shack on the "sound powered phones" with CIC, Signal Bridge and the after lookout. They all could see what was happening, at least the guys in CIC could see the shells landing as blips on the radar screen. All of a sudden they all started saying things like "Holy Sh.." and "Oh my God". I kept asking "Oh my God what." But no one would answer me, they just kept repeating it. So I dropped the phones and went out onto the ASROC deck to see for myself. There were shells landing everywhere. Next to us was another destroyer, I think it was the O'Brien doing zigzags like crazy. Every time they turned shells landed where they would have been had they not zigged. I was awestruck. I soon realized that there were also a lot of air bursts around us and I was putting myself in danger so I went inside. I understand that the CO "Wild Bill" (don't remember his full name) got the Silver Star for taking us back under fire a second time because the O'Brien was having both engine and fire control problems. We put out some cover fire to help them get out of there. I can see that ship and the shells landing around it like it was yesterday. That was quit a day.
Doug Brown, RM2.
I was suprised to see the Hollister on the internet! I served aboard her in 1965 and 1966 when she was homeported out of Long Beach. Great website! Regards, RM1(SW) Michael Larsen USN-RET
Subject: USS Hollister (DD 788) This is the first time i have sent a e- mail to anyone. I was the highest enlisted person on the ship at the time of decommissioning. There were no officers on the ship at the time i watched the ship sail off under tow to the moth ball fleet in northern California . That was the last time I saw the ship . I'm not sure what year that was, I think it was in 1979. It was an emotional day because the captain of the base in Long Beach took command of the ship from me at the time because there were no officers on board. I received my ESWS award and was the second enlisted personnel in the military to receive this award. If my memory serves me correctly. It was a long time ago. If any one has some GOOD pictures of the ship, rather a worthy framed copy of t;he Ship please send me one. My dates and times may not be correct but if any one has anymore information or was on the decommissioning crew at the time I'd like to hear from you. I was in the Navy from 1976 to 1980 and it was my 3rd ship in 4 years. My first ship was the USS PROETUS (sub tender) stationed in Guam , my second ship was the USS MONTEKEA please excuse the spelling it was an ammunitions ship out of San Francisco? and my 4th ship was the new harrier carrier, again the spelling escapes me, BELLAWOOD, LHA(something) out of Long Beach. My tour of duty ended in 1980 as an HT2 and tried to enlist but they wouldn't give me the ship or t;he port that I requested. Which was a big mistake because I LOVE the NAVY so very much. If I only had the opportunity today to work for the Dept. of Navy or a GS rating that would be the IDEAL DREAM JOB for me. To be around ships and around water today is my primary goal in life today, and to serve the DEPT OF NAVY, but at 46 years old it doesn't seem realistic, unless some one out there miraculously needs someone of my expertise, Dream on I can only say. PS. My enlisted name was STEVEN WAYNE PAWLENKO, I now honor my birth fathers last name, which is MCKIMMONS, and his full name is Thomas Lee Mckimmons who served on the USS CUNNINGHAM DD752 during the Korean Conflict. Any one that wants to reply or has any information regarding the HOLLISTER or the CUNNINGHAM please feel free to send and email, this makes me feel so young again and the memories of the Navy and the times on these ships are by far my fondest of my younger days. I'm really looking forward to hearing from someone, please don't let this go by the way side. I salute you all and don't let the memories die. Sincerely,
HT2 PAWLENKO (MCKIMMONS)
Subject: Re: Hollister Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1999 23:29:12 -0800 From: Ted Booth tbooth@pacinfo.com To: Destroyers Online Ted Booth, U.S.S. Hollister, 1972-75 tbooth@pacinfo.com Daniel Parker’s essay on the Hollister’s experiences in Vietnam in a newsletter prompted me to write about my own recollection of the events. I was a seaman in the Deck Division at the time. My GQ station was as one of two forward lookouts who stood atop the bridge, just in front of the fire-control radar mount. From this position I and my station-mate, Leonard Brisette, had surveillance of all visible surface action in a 300 degree arc. In addition we had the ability to see and hear all the commands issued by the Captain from both bridge wings and much of what was said by the other officers and crew members from inside the bridge. What took place was extremely interesting. First of all, on the evening of August 8, 1972, the Hollister was already operating north of the DMZ, not too far from Haiphong Harbor. During the preceding few weeks the ship had been crossing the DMZ after dark, carrying out nighttime operations initially designed to entice North Vietnamese radars to illuminate the ship so that our secret, recently installed, first-of-its-kind, Shrike missile system could be employed to take out the site. After two or three successful operations, they got wise and refused to radiate when our radio call name, “Ski Jump”, was broadcast over the airwaves. Following that our mission turned to shelling fuel and ammo dumps, etc., during high-speed maneuvers with several other ships. The Hollister crew saw more action in those first three or so weeks than during the rest of the entire cruise. We had finished our night’s task, secured GQ and had begun to head south at about 2:00 am on the 9th. Hardly had we bunked down when the Capt. announced over the 1MC, that we had been given a high priority assignment and were to proceed south at flank speed. Before dawn the crew was re-awakened to eat and prepare for the mission. Our task was to take out two large ammunition barges that were being sent to re-arm coastal shore batteries. We arrived on station near the island of Hon Me. The Hollister was to stand off and provide cover fire while two newer destroyers went in to take out the barges. All three ships commenced zig-zagging and raced toward the targets. Soon the island and then the coast came into sight. As forward lookouts, Brisette and I scanned the horizon closely, trying make the first visual sighting of the barges. Splash!, about 100 yards off the port bow. Within seconds we were surrounded by the rising plumes of detonating shells. The underwater explosions sent up showers of spray which often landed on deck as the ship swiftly tore past. Our 5/38's opened up, returning with rapid, continuous fire at the small flashes visible from both the shore and the island. Acrid yellow smoke and bits of half-burned wadding stung our eyes and faces. Closer to shore, just the masts and a vague outline were all that was visible of the two boats we were accompanying. So heavy was the shellfire around them that they resembled ghosts. Hon Me Island, a rugged, densely-covered mountain rising from the sea, seemed alive with the flashes of shore battery fire, interspersed with explosions from our return fire. Cliffs lining the North Vietnamese coast contained still more guns, providing a veritable hail of steel. In the strait between the island and the coast lay the two barges which soon were destroyed. There was one particular moment that for me was the most memorable and is still as clear today as when it happened. The ship was making flank speed while on a random, zig-zag course. Since the NV shore batteries were not radar guided, they seemed to be firing a rapid pattern of three shells before halting and re-adjusting their aim. At one point the ship happened to zig right through a spot where two shells had already landed and exploded. Brisette and I glanced over at each other simultaneously. We both realized that if a third projectile landed with its usual pattern and timing, it would likely hit dead center in the bow, traveling right down into the magazine. Our knowing glances to each other were of the "see ya’ in the next life, pal", variety. Needless to say, we both breathed a sigh of true relief when, seconds later, the ship was still intact. Life went on. Miraculously the Hollister and the other two ships came out completely unscathed. Subject: crew member USS Hollister(DD788) Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1999 14:53:53 -0700 From: "Crease, Don" Don.Crease@avnet.com To: Destroyers Online My name is Don Crease. I served on the USS Hollister (DD788) as ETN3 from July 1966 to July 1968. Thanks, Don Crease Don.Crease@avnet.com |
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