This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
Deaton, Carl Woodrow, GMG1.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Howe, OK
Last Address Howe, OK
Casualty Date Oct 26, 1965
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Misadventure
Location Tonkin Gulf
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Howe Cemetery - Howe, Oklahoma
Description Dixie Station was established in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta May 15, 1965 to August 3, 1966 as a single-carrier counterpart to the multi-carrier Yankee Station, which was located further north near the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin and was responsible for strikes on North Vietnamese targets.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
May / 1965
To Month/Year
August / 1966
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories On 23 September, she moved into the Gulf of Thailand near the west coast of South Vietnam to participate in one of the earliest naval gunfire support missions conducted along that section of the coastline. After a brief respite in Subic Bay for upkeep, the warship returned to shore bombardment duty in October, this time along South Vietnam's southeastern coast between Cape St. Jacques and Chu Lai. On the 25th, she provided call-fire for American and South Vietnamese forces operating ashore in the vicinity of Chu Lai itself. During the mission, her guns destroyed a number of enemy positions and figured prominently in the repulse of a Viet Cong attack. Near the conclusion of that 24-hour action, a 5 inch round misfired; and, during the ensuing efforts to clear the chamber, the shell detonated. The explosion damaged the gun mount, killed three sailors, and wounded three more. That event forced her departure from the combat zone. After landing the three casualties at Da Nang, Turner Joy set course for Subic Bay in the Philippines. After a week of repairs, the destroyer departed Subic Bay in company with Ticonderoga (CVA-14) for screening duty in the South China Sea, followed by port calls at Hong Kong and at Yokosuka, Japan. At the end of the year, she returned to naval gunfire support duty off the coast of South Vietnam.
