Aboard USS DAVIDSON – At sea – April 14, 1969

This Pearl Harbor based unit of the U.S. Seventh Fleet today fired her five-inch .38 caliber guns in support of the Republic of Korea 's 2 nd Marine Brigade. Quartermaster Third Class Samuel Bartlett of El Campo is a crew member.

The action occurred about 10 miles southeast of Da Nang . Most of DAVISON's daylight missions are directed by airborne spotters. Today the spotter reported that this morning's gunfire from this ocean escort commanded by Commander Robert M. Whitaker of Philadelphia , Pa. Destroyed two enemy bunkers and six other enemy structures and damaged eight additional enemy structures.

DAVIDSON guns also destroyed 25 meters of enemy trenches forcing the enemy to move across the river.

In a second mission later in the day DAVIDSON's guns again hit enemy bunkers and structures in the target area.

“International teamwork is the essence of our effort,” said Quartermaster Third Class Samuel Bartlett, 22, of El Campo, who was on the bridge firing this morning's mission.

“I knew from the way the spotter was calling our shots that we were right on target,” he said.

Petty Officer Bartlett , who helps plot the direction of enemy targets during gunfire support missions, assist the ship's navigator at other times. His wife is living in Honolulu.

Petty Officer Bartlett's brother William also serves aboard the DAVIDSON.