Around 1965 we were down south patrolling the sea lane approaches to North Viet Nam when we were assigned to aid the war effort by accompanying a Soviet freighter on her way to Hai Phong.  We could see she was transporting what could be termed as "war material", but 'our war' rules stated we couldn't interfere with re-supplying the North Vietnamese.  For those who didn't know what those rules entailed...one went like this.  If a ship or aircraft was headed to North Viet Nam, we could only watch it.  Only if it fired on us or was coming directly from North Viet Nam (with hostile intent) could anything more drastic could be done.

Our first meeting at sea set the tone of our later leaving that freighter to complete her trip to North Viet Nam.  As I recall the freighter failed to "Render Honors" to our war ship.  She basically ignored us, except on an occasion to see a crewman wave at us...using only one finger or to have her garbage thrown overboard...not over the stern, but towards our proud US Navy Destroyer.  About the only direct communication the freighter had with us was to warn us to 'stand well clear of her'.  It didn't take long for the officers and men of the USS Ernest G. Small to develop an attitude towards that stinking freighter! 

As that freighter got to the position where we were to stop traveling with her...it was decided to leave her with OUR response for her rude behavior.  We slowly closed, as close as we could to her starboard beam, then General Quarters was loudly sounded.  That got her attention!  Our 5 inch mounts were manned and rapidly trained here or there, but never really pointed directly at her.  As we turned sharply to starboard we came up to flank speed (I think our "Road Runner" NEVER again traveled so fast).  We then veered hard to port to be able to cross her bow directly up wind. As our parting salute we 'blew stack gas' from our funnels all over her!  There's a little 'smoke in your eye' to remember us by, you rust bucket! 

Ahhh yes, we felt fine after that, but the freighter didn't think well of our behavior.  It wasn't long before the Soviet Union Government officially complained to the American Government.  The State Department then passed it on to the War Department, who passed it down...all the way to where I got to hear officially how badly we treated that poor freighter!  Since I didn't get to personally respond to the complaint (STUFF always goes down hill much better then up), I'll do it now.  To the officers and men of the Soviet  freighter we 'dissed' in the Gulf of Tonkin...here is my personal, NANNER-NANNER-NANNER!!!

WETSU!

Bert Royster, STG2 1964-1966