Operation Custom Tailor

Operation Custom Tailor was an American cruiser and destroyer strike force that conducted a daring raid on Haiphong, North Vietnam, in May 1972. It was a history-making strike that involved the most formidable cruiser/destroyer fleet in the Western Pacific since World War II. During the strike, military targets within four miles of Haiphong were hit and enemy opposition was heavy.

Operation Custom Tailor
USS Hanson firing on the North Vietnamese coast, 1972
ObjectiveMine the port of Haiphong, North Vietnam.
DateMay 1972
Executed by United States
OutcomeUnited States victory, objectives completed.

Operation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation was awarded to the crew of USS Hanson.

The ships participating were USS Hanson, USS Buchanan, USS Newport News, USS Providence and USS Oklahoma City.

During the raid, USS Hanson entered Haiphong Harbor to suppress North Vietnamese shore batteries while enabling other United States Navy forces to mine the Haiphong Harbor entrance. This made USS Hanson the last American warship to enter Haiphong Harbor during the Vietnam War and the last one out. [1][2][3][4]

      • There was a very similar surface raid into Haiphong Harbor 27 AUG 1972. The ships involved were USS Newport News (CA-148, USS Providence (CLG-6), USS Robison (DDG-12) and USS Rowan (DD-782). Newport News shelled shore targets with her nine rapid fire 8" guns. Providence and Robison provided AAW cover. USS Rowan engaged in suppressive fire by launching four Shrike anti-radiation missiles at North Vietnamese radar sites (using the temporarily-installed "Shrike On Board" system mounted on her ASROC launcher). At least two North Vietnamese PT boats sortied to engage the task force and attempted to attack the cruisers. They were engaged by gunfire from the cruisers and USS Rowan, who's CO placed his ship between the PT boats and their target, and both were damaged and set afire by 5" gunfire from Rowan and Newport News. Carrier-based aircraft from USS Coral Sea arrived shortly afterward and finished them off.

Comment by: W.D. Brasington, CDR USNR (RET), navigator of USS Rowan Ref: A DICEY NIGHT UP NORTH By Chuck Packer Copyright 1999

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References
  1. Destroyer Photo Index DD-832 / DDR-832 USS HANSON. Navsource.org. Retrieved on 12 August 2011.
  2. The Ship. USS Hanson 832. Retrieved on 12 August 2011.
  3. Admrial Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. – Meritorious Unit Commendation – USS Hanson (DD-832). History.navy.mil. Retrieved on 12 August 2011.
  4. http://www.uss-buchanan-ddg14.org/buchanan72.html
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