| USS INGERSOLL DD 652 |
| The USS Ingersoll DD 652 was launched by Bath IronWorks Corp, Bath Maine, 28 June 1943. Ingersoll was present at nearly all major Pacific campaigns, including Truk, Yap, Palau, Woleai, Okinawa and Formosa during World War II. She was also part of the U.S. Armada present in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender. During the war Ingersoll was credited with three sure kills and five assists against enemy aircraft and ships. In 1956 the Ingersoll assisted with a touchy evacuation of the Tachen Islands just off the coast of Mainland China. In 1962 the Ingersoll, as part of DESRON TWENTY ONE and PHIBGROUP THREE, was steaming for the Panama Canal Zone five days after President Kennedy's announcement of the Cuban Naval Quarantine. On 9 June 1965 was deployed to the coast of South Vietnam for "Market Time Patrols" to intercept Viet Cong men and supplies. Ingersoll participated in 24 gunfire missions against 116 targets and 3 missions up the Saigon River in support of IV Corps. During that time Ingersoll expended 4190 rounds of ammunition. Naval gunfire support destroyed anti-aircraft installations, assembly areas, coastal fortifications, infiltration points, radio installations, supply dumps, targets of opportunity, troop concentrations and a Viet Cong Provincial Headquarters. Ingersoll participated in operations with units of the UI.S Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. 3rd Marine Division 2nd Division Army Republic of Vietnam, Coastal Forces (Junk Patrol Vietnam Navy and Vietnam Naval Sea Forces. She also took part in plane guard and screen duties with the USS Independence and USS Midway as they struck inland and coastal targets in North Vietnam. Ingersoll deployed again for Vietnam on 5 Novemer 1966 and on 6 December was fired upon by a North Vietnamese coastal battery but was promptly silenced with counter fire. Ingersoll's final deployment to Vietnam was in June 1968 and conducted naval bombardment of Han Matt Island, North Vietnam. On January 1970 Ingersoll's colors were struck for the last time. The USS Ingersoll was sunk as a target on 11 February 1972 off the coast of California. During the almost thirty years of service to our Country I am proud to have served on that old grand lady for four of those years. |
| A Blast from the Past USN 1962-1966 |
| I enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age seventeen while still attending high school and started boot camp in May 1962 at the San Digo Naval Training Center. It was an eye-opener, I didn't realize there was such a variety of food and so much to eat. I loved all the marching and training, I knew that I had found a home. |
| My first WestPac cruise on the Ingersoll was in 1963 arriving in Hawaii 23 October. We arrived in Yokosuka, Japan on 14 November and had Thanksgiving dinner aboard ship while there. We spent some time between there and Sasebo before heading for Hong Kong on 31 January. After that we headed for the Phillipines before going to Taiwan where the Ingersoll got battered by weather in the Formosa Straights. We had to get repairs done on the battered hull in Taiwan. We did some steaming and arrived in Hong Kong on 24 March. We headed for home and arrived in Pearl Harbor on 9 April. We moored at Pier 5 at the San Diego Naval Station on 16 April. |
A beer and a water buffalo in Guam One of Mary Soo's girls, Hong Kong Rikshaw ride Taiwan
| The two photos on the left show the uniforms we wore while we were stationed off the coast of Vietnam in 1965. Several .50 Cal. machine guns were mounted on the Ingersoll for our tour in the combat zone. The photo on the left has me wearing the knife I made from a file and epoxy for the handle. The color photo below depicts the beret with the "Junk Boat" insignia that we wore. Shipmate, Dick Fontana, below is wearing his beret. Dick took the photos, up above, of his 1911 model pistol with the black walnut Ingersoll grips that I made. The other beret is the one I wore while assigned to the 1010th Special Security Squadron at NORAD. After my four years active duty with the Navy I did another eight years as an instructor and recruiter with the Naval Reserve. In the mid eighties I served three year with the USAF Reserve but like a fool I dropped out after fifteen years of service |