Combat Action, 02 JAN 68

[Mark D]

Actually, a reference to that explosion is the only thing I have found, but it raises more questions!

Here is what the deck logs say:

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1435 Loud explosion heard as explained in USS King Classified messages 020800ZJAN67 and 021146ZJAN67.

1436 Set Condition I. Vectored Big Mother 71 to USS Belknap.

1440 Set material condition Zebra. Commenced manuevering on various courses at 12 knots to investigate explosion scene.

1450 Flight quarters.

1454 Recovered SAR helicopter Clementine 1.

1456 Secured flight quarters.

1503 Gasket in main steam line to port engine leaking.

1520 All spaces inspected for damage with negative results.

1528 Material condition Yoke set, secured from general quarters.

*****

LT(jg) T. A. Ewing was the OOD. It would be interesting to find out what really happened!

[Mike Elliott]

I was aboard her in the forward boiler room during this period.  One incident that I remember was an underwater explosion that lifted the stern of the ship and ruptured some piping there.  We went to GQ and the best guess scenario was that we passed over a ditched bomb or aircraft with its bomb load intact.  The magnetic field of the King may have triggered the explosion.  Another guess was that we hit or triggered a submerged mine of some kind.  It was a deafening explosion that had everyone in dead serious mode.

Another mission that I recall was the harbor at Haiphong.  We made a run at the harbor entrance to try and draw out the enemy's  high speed small craft that supposedly were equipped with surface to surface missles.  The plan was to draw them out and our aircraft from the carriers would take care of them.  Please understand that this is all scuttlebutt, I was a BT3 and in no position to know the full and correct details of any combat event.

[garland marshall]

The combat action in 1968 was the capture of the USS Preblo in North korea.

[Mark D]

Does anyone have information regarding actions aboard the King that earned her the Combat Action Ribbon dated 02 JAN 68?