Let's continue the history!

[Robert Banta]

Most of the historical notes on the USS Ernest G. Small date before the Vietnam era. I hope we will all be able to bring the ship's history up to date with lively eye witness (or other) accounts by those who served on her, including even her service in the Taiwan Navy!

[RNunes]

Hi, Robert.

Dennis is collating several media libraries with photos, films, articles, etc. from different periods in the E.G. Small's history. The great part about this project is the number of individuals who have already come forward with their own great photo and media collections.

We'll soon have a section with lots of photos of the E.G. Small and her crew throughout the various periods. I'd love to see some photos and information regarding her service in the Taiwan Navy as well!

Glad to see you aboard and talk to you soon!

[DVinson]

Hey Bob,

I was happy to see your comments and that you had registered on the forums. We're into day one here, but I guarantee there is a lot more to come. The forums will have to sustain us for the near future and then when the WEB foundation is completed, there will be much more content to view and review.

In the meantime, you old sandbagger , where are those pictures you promised me more than a month ago? Each piece we get is going to make the whold picture more complete.

Take Care!

[Arnold Dyre]

I agree that the history of the USS Ernest G. Small needs to be updated to include all of the Vietnam era up to the decommissioning. I made the last two WestPac deployment, one as a RM-3 and the last as a RM-2. Particularly during my first WestPac tour, many of my shipmates had been on the previous deployment when the Small took enemy fire and was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon. Prior to that, the Small played a key role in the first sea to air intercept of an enemy aircraft. The Small fired the first rounds in Vietnam in support of the ROK Marines. During the 1968-69 deployment (my first one), the Small earned the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (which is the unit equivalent of the Bronze Star). At the very end of that deployment, the Small also participated in specially formed Task Force 71 in response to the threat posed by North Korea during the EC-121 spy plane crisis. For those manuevers, the Small sailors proudly wear the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. During my two deployments, we participated in 4 Vietnam Campaigns but I have not yet calculated the total number of Vietnam Campaigns that the Small took part in. In between my two WestPac deployments, the Small was sent to the area of Adak, Alaska, to participate in a nuclear test mission. During the very last WestPac deployment, the Small, among other things, provided gunfire support for elements of the Australian Army who were helping in Vietnam. We have a long and enviable record of service to our country and our allies. None of it should be forgotten.
--Arnold Dyre, former RM-2

[Arnold Dyre]

USS ERNEST G. SMALL (DD/DDR-838)
SUMMARY OF VIETNAM SERVICE HISTORY:

28 Jun 1964 thru 07 Jul 1964
13 Jul 1964 thru 23 Jul 1964
31 Jul 1964 thru 10 Aug 1964
19 Aug 1964 thru 24 Aug 1964
02 Sep 1964 thru 17 Sep 1964
01 Oct 1964 thru 09 Oct 1964
24 Jan 1965 thru 28 Jan 1965
01 Feb 1965 thru 01 Mar 1965
15 Mar 1965 thru 17 Mar 1965
28 Mar 1965 thru 29 Mar 1965
28 Apr 1965 thru 13 May 1965
08 Jun 1965 thru 24 Jun 1965
[Personnel aboard during any of the above periods are entitled to the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) for Vietnam service; however, the AFEM for such periods of service may be exchanged for the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) upon request from a service member. Created in July 1965, the VSM is retroactive to 1961 and supersedes and replaces the AFEM for Vietnam service. Defense Department regulations do not permit the simultaneous presentation of both the AFEM and the VSM for the same period of service in Vietnam.]

04 Jul 1965
12 Sep 1965 thru 23 Sep 1965
09 Oct 1965 thru 10 Oct 1965
19 Oct 1965 thru 03 Nov 1965
14 Nov 1965 thru 03 Dec 1965
23 Apr 1966 thru 16 May 1966
17 Aug 1967 thru 01 Sep 1967
18 Sep 1967 thru 03 Oct 1967
02 Nov 1968 thru 16 Nov 1968
28 Nov 1968 thru 19 Dec 1968
05 Jan 1969 thru 22 Jan 1969
05 Feb 1969 thru 23 Mar 1969
02 Apr 1969 thru 17 Apr 1969
20 Mar 1970 thru 10 Apr 1970
28 Apr 1970 thru 01 May 1970
05 May 1970 thru 17 May 1970
02 Jun 1970 thru 13 Jun 1970
01 Jul 1970 thru 09 Jul 1970
18 Jul 1970 thru 15 Aug 1970
[Personnel aboard during any of the above periods are entitled to the VSM. Additionally, those serving on the USS Ernest G. Small on 27 August 1967 were awarded the Combat Action Ribbon (CAR) for action off the coast of Vietnam when the safety of the ship and the crew were endangered by enemy attack, and the ship was awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) for action from 24 October 1968 thru May 2 1969.]

On 15 April 1969, a North Korean aircraft shot down an unarmed American EC-121 reconnaissance airplane over international waters in the Sea of Japan. The entire 31-man aircrew was killed. The United States responded by activating Task Force 71 (TF-71) and an armada of approximately 40 ships were deployed to the waters off of North Korea, including the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise, USS Ticonderoga, USS Ranger and USS Hornet. The USS Ernest G. Small was one of a screen of 22 destroyers escorting the carriers. In the course of executing a contingency retaliation plan against North Korea, the USS Small was one of the first ships sent into North Korean waters to clear the area in advance of the main force. Fortunately, the crisis abated and the task force was disbanded without shots being fired. Yet, it was an extremely tense time which today is merely a footnote in history. The men aboard the USS Small were awarded the AFEM for service with TF-71 from 19 April 1969 thru 27 April 1969.

[Arnold Dyre]

I recently learned that the crew of the carrier USS Enterprise was awarded the Korean Defense Service Medal for service involving the EC-121 crisis offshore of North Korea in the Spring of 1969 on identical dates as the service of the USS Ernest G. Small with respect to the same crisis. Thus, I have applied for the medal and will keep you posted on the result of the application. Additionally, I have subsequently found out that the crew of the Small may be entitled to the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation for service in Vietnam. I will provide more info on this when it becomes available to me.
--Arnold Dyre (former RM2)