The potential collection of any of these items (if any) was not possible in this case.

10 years ago I wrote: "On August 22, 1978, the crew of the USS. Whipple rescued 410 Vietnamese refugees from a rickety 60' boat in a storm-tossed South China Sea. The rescue was performed without any injuries more serious than bruises. Of these 410, half were under the age of 16. As Whipple turned and dipped into the seas for......"

There is something missing from this paragraph!

The boat? What happened to the boat and its contents?

The short answer is after ensuring that not one human being remained on that boat we sank it with gunfire and hand grenades.

I would like to speak to this topic for a few minutes for three reasons:

1. It will help this museum (whose principle task is to collect, preserve and display works of culture) better understand that in the case of the Whipple this was not possible.
2. It may give Richard a better understanding of why he heard machine-gun fire and loud explosions.
3. Finally, this audience may better appreciate the view from the bridge and of the captain.

When I got to the bridge, I could see what was causing all of the pencils and mugs to tumble about in C.I.C. . It looked like the seas had increased to 10'. Winds were very strong as well. I recall wind gusts of 35-40 kts. Visibility looked like a mile...at most.

To my left was the Navigator and the Quartermaster. His job was to keep a log of the ships position and all Deck Log entries. To their left was the Helmsman and Lee-helm. To their left, and all the way to the left side of the bridge, was LTJG Rouse. The LT was conveying messages from the captain to officers-in-charge back aft. The LT was the person we heard conveying messages in C.I.C..

In all, 6 people maybe 7.

In the center of the bridge was the captain.

Not just in the center of the bridge, but elevated as well. In the center of the bridge are footsteps built right into the bulkhead (or wall). ...... He was scanning the horizon from left-to-right. I don't know about anyone else on that bridge, but to me it seemed like the captain was very worried about a ship coming out of the squall and not being able to maneuver Whipple properly. After the last refugee was reported aboard, a message came up through the LT that the refugee's wanted to collect their personal effects.

At this message, the captain yelled:

"No! I'm going to sink that boat and be on my way."

With the last of the refugees safely onboard Whipple, there was nothing in that boat more important than the safety of the combat ship Whipple and the lives of the 700 human beings now onboard.

......Nothing!

When it was presumed the last human being was safely aboard Whipple, the two sailors in the fishing boat were given new orders: They were to search that boat from front-to-back, every square inch to ensure not one human being remained on the boat. Once this was accomplished our men were hoisted back aboard Whipple and the boat was cast off. It was now considered a "Hazard to Navigation," the same way a muffler in the middle of the road is a hazard to passing cars. The boat was set-upon by machine gun fire and concussion hand grenades in an effort to sink it. When that didn't work fast enough for the captain's liking, with the Whipple now fully maneuverable, he turned the ship around in heavy seas and pointed the ships main 5" gun at the fishing boat.

It was at this moment something inside of me (about 12 years old) became extremely excited: "Oh boy, where're gonna shoot the BIG Gun and I get to watch!!!"

But it was not to be.

The boat was about 100-150 yards off the port bow. We saw it ride up one wave crest and then disappear in a trough. It reappeared on the next crest and then disappeared in the trough. On the third or fourth crest the boat was no longer there.

And so Ladies and Gentlemen, in the end the refugees came aboard Whipple with one prized possession: Their lives - and whatever they were carrying with them.

With the boat no longer an issue, Whipple was turned in heavy seas and we resumed our course for Hong Kong. The attention of the crew could now focus on two things: safely navigating the ship and meeting the immediate humanitarian needs of over 400 people who had endured a very, very perilous journey in the most appalling conditions."