During the morning of 30 July 1969, Biddle‘s helicopter reported seeing a very small raft with two fishermen, obviously from North Vietnam, aboard and far out to sea. My journal reported: “They had been blown out to sea (it had been pretty rough out) and they needed help.” At the time, Typhoon Viola had been creating problems, e.g., delaying our relief and shutting down CODs.
“We tossed them a line,” according to my journal. “They came to the side of the ship and we gave them food and water. A couple of spooks talked to them.” (“Spooks” were our onboard contingent of Vietnamese-speaking Navy types.)
“They didn’t want to leave and be left alone at sea. We told them another ship would be by to pick them up and sent the Meredith [DD-890]. The Meredith (our shotgun) already had picked up another guy this morning.”
Some more photos from the cruise book.
