My brother and I both served aboard the USS Hull (DD 945) in '67 and '68. He served all four years of his enlistment on the Hull. I served my first year aboard the USS Higbee (DD 806) and ended my enlistment stateside on the USS Wiltsie (DD 716). Went to WestPac on the Higbee in '65-'66 and the Hull in '68 including several tours down to the firing line off Vietnam on both ships.
"On 19 January 1968 the veteran destroyer began her third and most recent Vietnam deployment. Conducting shore bombardment missions along the south coast and in the Demilitarized Zone, Hull poured over 25,000 rounds of five-inch ammunition into enemy strongholds and destroyed or damaged over 220 structures and bunkers. On seven occasions North Vietnamese gunners in the DMZ took her under fire, but in each instance she managed to escape damage while directing a barrage of her own fire at the attacking batteries. As a result of her performance during this deployment, the ship was awarded the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation."
