Talk:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships/@comment-71.80.175.6-20160111182707

during the Cuban missile crisis l was ass't navigator in uss merrick aka-97, this was may/jun 1962.home ported in long beach, ca attached to amphibious squadron 7.upon receiving orders we deployed to camp Pendleton to take onboard elements of marine amphibious group 3 consisting of men and vehicles, then u/w to san diego where we resumed loading with elements of 3rd marine division. on 27 jun 1962 we steamed south and on 03 jul transited the canal and reached Guantanamo bay, cuba, we where unofficially part of the southern invasion force which thankfully was settled peacefully. no where in naval files or history are we credited with this deployment.the merrick had a courageous and stellar career from operations in the antarctic to Africa as well the 1st naval vessel during the Vietnam war to be decorated with a combat citation. she would find the usual end of all our wonderful ships in a scrapyard in Taiwan. during my in-country tours in Vietnam l was proud to see her there and remembering driving her through the panama canal so long ago.