MEMORANDUM

1. Commander in  Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet promulgated the following on 25 July 1965 for release to the wire service:

• TWO 7TH FLEET DESTROYERS CHALKED UP A FIRST IN THE IN-COUNTRY OPERATIONS THURSDAY NIGHT (JULY22), WHEN THE USS STODDARD AND THE USS JOHN R. CRAIG JOINED FORCES IN A MASS FIRE MISSION AGAINST A VIET CONG CONCENTRATION IN THE I CORP AREA OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. MASS FIRING IS THE FIRING OF TWO OR MORE SHIPS ON ONE TARGET, WITH ONE SHIP USING THE COMPUTER SOLUTIONS OF THE OTHER. THE SHIPS FIRED OVER 40 ROUNDS OF FIVE-INCH HIGH EXPLOSIVES INTO THE TARGET, A SUSPECTED VIET CONG ASSEMBLY AREA IN THE CA DE SONG RIVER, ABOUT EIGHT MILES FROM THE DANANG HARBOR.
• IMMEDIATE EVALUATION OF THE DAMAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE, BUT A SPOTTER REPORTED "VERY EFFECTIVE IMPACT ON THE TARGET." WEATHER IN THE AREA WAS CLEAR, NO RETURN FIRE FROM THE BEACH WAS REPORTED DURING THE ONE HOUR MISSION. THIS WAS THE FOURTH NIGHT IN SUCCESSION THAT STODDARD HAS CONDUCTED SHORE BOMBARDMENT FROM THE DANANG HARBOR. SHE HAS FIRED A TOTAL OF 281 ROUNDS DURING THESE MISSIONS. STODDARD'S COMMANDING OFFICER IS CDR. CHARLES K. PRESGROVE OF CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA. CRAIG IS COMMANDED BY CDR. J.K. JOBE.