USS John R. Craig (DD-885)

After the Korean War broke out, John R. Craig arrived in the combat zone on 19 February 1951. She immediately commenced operations with Task Force 77, screening aircraft carrier strikes on enemy shore positions. During the Chinese spring offensive the destroyer performed shore bombardment in the Wonsan area, knocking out enemy installations and disrupting transportation. But for two brief periods in San Diego, she continued operations off Korea during the remainder of the conflict.

Following the cessation of hostilities in July 1953, John R. Craig continued patrol operations south of the 38th parallel. From 1954 to 1962 the destroyer engaged in exercises off the West Coast with annual deployments to the Far East. During her 1955 cruise she took an active part in the evacuation of Chinese nationalists from the Dachen Islands during the First Taiwan Strait Crisis. Subsequent cruises consisted of exercises with the Japanese Self Defense Force in 1957, anti-submarine warfare exercises, Taiwan Strait patrol and maneuvers with the Republic of China Navy during the 1961 cruise.

She arrived San Diego 6 March 1962 and underwent an extensive Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul at the Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard at San Francisco, California, between 6 March 1962 and 15 March 1963.

During the Vietnam War, John R. Craig served as a plane guard for aircraft carriers on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf, participated in Operation Sea Dragon, patrolled on search and rescue duties, and carried out naval gunfire support missions. While responding to a mayday on 28–29 July 1965 in the Da Nang area, John R. Craig supported U.S. Marine and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) units with naval gunfire support. At night with danger close, she fired 348 5-inch rounds, preventing the overrun of 3rd Platoon, Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines on and near the beach as well as two platoons of the ARVN 2nd Regional Force by a larger Viet Cong (VC) unit. In doing so she effectively destroyed the 7th VC Battalion engaging Marines on the Ca De River Bridge and the northern sector of Da Nang.[1][2].

On 9 April 1972 while supporting ARVN and American units close to the DMZ, the John R. Craig took North Vietnamese artillery fire, using 105 mm howitzers captured from the ARVN. Hundreds of artillery shells fell around her and she was struck by numerous fragments as well as five direct hits which started several fires. One hit at the waterline flooded a compartment with three feet of water, and she was dead in the water until the electrical systems and power could be restored. After a quick fix with a soft patch at Da Nang she returned to fight and support allied units the next day, again receiving enemy fire, but did not take any hits.

With newer destroyers coming on the scene during the Vietnam War, John R. Craig was assigned to United States Naval Reserve training at San Diego, California, in 1973. During this time the ship provided naval gunfire support for Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer training, performed plane guard duties for carrier training, and conducted goodwill cruises to ports on the United States West Coast. She made cruises to Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Everett, Washington; San Francisco, California; Long Beach, California; Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia; Eureka, California; and Ensenada, Mexico.

John R. Craig was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 July 1979 and sunk as a target off California on 6 June 1980.