Fire for Effect: USS Stoddard and the U.S. Navy’s First Shots of the Vietnam War

“There are not many accounts of life aboard a destroyer during the Vietnam War and this one does not disappoint." – The VVA Veteran

The first U.S. Navy ship assigned to defend Da Nang—home to a critical airfield and deep-water port—USS Stoddard was the first naval vessel to fire in the Vietnam War, on July 18, 1965. At this critical point in the early days of the war, the Stoddard worked unusually closely with both the Marines and an Underwater Demolition Team deployed to Da Nang. Together they conducted high-risk missions that exploited “windows of opportunity” uncovered by the Marines and UDT.

Radarman John Calder recounts his journey from radar training to deployment aboard the Stoddard, through the challenges of naval warfare and the decision to volunteer for a second tour as the conflict escalated. He reflects on the rigorous training that prepared him for combat, the pride of attending Naval Gunfire Support Training School, and the honor of working with Marine spotters in Da Nang.

This book is both a personal memoir and a tribute to the professionalism of the U.S. Navy, offering a rare, firsthand perspective on the early naval operations of the Vietnam War.

Table of Contents

Preface

1 A Salute to Friendship
2 To Sea or Not to Sea, That Is the Question
3 Blips, Bogeys, Bandits, and Skunks
4 Anchors Aweigh
5 Underway, Shift Colors
6 Transformation from a Mess to a Radarman
7 The Sea Adventures of the “Mighty Mac”
8 From Gatekeeper to Buckboard
9 Train, Train, Train, and When You’re Finished—No, Wait, You’re Never Finished!
10 The Gulf of Tonkin Incident
11 What Genius First Uttered Those Words: “War Is Hell, but Peacetime Is Worse?”
12 How Great Thou Art!
13 Let’s Go on a WestPac Cruise
14 Chào Buổi Sáng Việt Nam
15 The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday
16 A Quick Seasonal Change
17 Ever See a Greyhound Madder Than Hell?
18 Looking Forward to a Solid Hour of Uninterrupted Sleep
19 Huey and a Few Good Men
20 The Imperialist Ship Stoddard
21 Just When You Learn War Is a Bitch, It Has Puppies!
22 Tạm Biệt Việt Nam
23 Long Ago Is Never Very Far Away
24 Can You Believe It? The Bitch Has Yet Another Litter of Puppies!

John Calder was a radarman on the USS Stoddard, the first naval vessel assigned as Da Nang Harbor Defense Ship, and the first destroyer to fire a round in the Vietnam War. His second consecutive tour was on a destroyer conducting NGFS mission along the entire coast of South Vietnam.