USS PARSONS DD-949

USS PARSONS DDG-33

She was first commissioned as DD-949, a Forrest Sherman Class Destroyer, on Oct 29, 1959 at Charleston, S.C. with Commander W. R. Loomis in command. The Keel was laid June 17, 1957 by Litton Ingalls in Pascagoula, Miss. Launched in August 19, 1958. On March 15, 1967 Parsons was reclassified as a Guided Missile Destroyer DDG33. She was decommissioned in November 19, 1982 and stricken May 15 1984. They sunk her for target practice on April 25, 1989.

Displacement:

4619 Tons (Full)

Dimensions:

418' 6"(oa) x 44' 11" (w)

Draft:

22 feet

Crew:

25 officers

339 enlisted

Armament:(DDG-33)

Mk-42 5-inch/54 caliber gun

Mk-32 ASW torpedo tubes (two triple mounts)

Mk-16 ASROC missile launcher

Mk-13 Mod.1 missile launcher for Standard MR missiles

Propulsion system:

Four 1200 lb. boilers

Two GE steam turbines

Two shafts/screws

70,000 SHP

Speed:

33+ Knots

Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots

Parsons was homeported in San Diego, California, from re-activation until late 1971, when the ship, as part of Destroyer Squadron 15 (DesRon 15), was forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan. 

From December of 1971 through December of 1972, Parsons provided support to forces afloat and ashore involved in the Vietnam conflict by operating as:

1 - Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS) unit in both I and IV Corp, with the vast majority of operating time spent very close to the DMZ, supporting Marines in that area.

2 - Search and Rescue (SAR) unit (or escort when a DLG held the SAR position) at both the North (N-SAR) and South (S-SAR) stations in the northern Tonkin Gulf. This station provided a means to rescue downed US pilots.

3 - Carrier escort on Yankee Station.

I served on her (DDG-33) from 1971 to 1975 during the forward deployment time as we moved from San Diego to Yokosuka, Japan. 

I joined the Navy to see the world, but they forgot to tell me the world was 70% water - I saw a lot of the world !!! Other than seeing the horizon at 14 miles and some of the most incredible sunsets, life at sea wasn't too bad if you stayed away from the greasy pork chops. 

Some of my fond memories include exploring Japan on nightly train adventures - getting lost, then finding the way back to base. Later by motorcycle, I was able to see Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima, then off to the Southern island of Kyushu to Fukuoka and Nagasaki and  on the Southern island. Buying camera gear in Hong Kong or cruising the night scene in those famous English pubs in Kawloon, riding those rickety liberty launches powered by a sputtering old diesel, staying at the Kennedy hotel in Kaohsiung, Taiwan being unable to leave after midnight due to martial law. 

No WestPac sailor could ever forgot the excitement found in Olongapo City, Philippines or eating all the various creations on a stick - from barbequed pork to monkey meat to Eating Kim chi in Pusan, Korea  Spending long hours on the gun line during the day only to spend half the night re-fueling or re-arming. Falling asleep anywhere - even the stifling hot mk-42 magazine room between rounds. The smell of the harbors when we were able to get some R&R. Riding out typhoons, getting green water over the O-4 deck, and crossing the equator (shellback experience). I think my arm is still black and blue from getting my third class boatswainsmate stripes tacked on.  Those were the days - I'd never trade them for anything and would do it again in a heartbeat. 

Links

Tin Can Sailors Website

DD949-Site