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On 1 January 1972, McCaffery was moored at Mayport, Florida. Commanding Officer - CDR R.R. Briner
On 4 January, McCaffery got underway for Key West, Florida, and arrived on 5 January. On 11 January, she was underway for surveillance operations
off Mariel, Cuba. On 21 January, McCaffery was observing Soviet transit groups consisting of Kashin class DLG, and Foxtrot class submarines
off the north coast of Florida. McCaffery moored at Mayport, Florida on 24 January.
Chronology of operations during February & March
14-17 Feb
- underway for gunnery exercise in Jacksonville operating area.
22 Feb
- underway for operations with Saratoga (CVA-60).
28 Feb
- underway for surveillance operations off Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba.
17 Mar
- departed Surveillance Station for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
19 Mar
- returned to Surveillance Station, Cienfuegos Bay, Cuba.
17 Mar
- departed Surveillance Station and moored at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
26 Mar
- moored at San Juan, Puerto Rico for a brief visit.
29 Mar
- departed San Juan for Charleston, South Carolina.
31 Mar
- ammunition off-loaded, departed for Mayport, Florida.
In April, McCaffery entered the Jacksonville Shipyard. While in dry dock, the fire contorl party was called away
to extinguish a small fire in a fuel oil tank caused by a welder's cutting torch from outside the hull. On 9 May,
the fire control party was called away for a fire that caused minor damage in #2 stack. McCaffery left dry dock
on 15 May, and was moved by tugs to a mooring. On 30 May, McCaffery got underway, and proceeded into the St. John's
entrance channel. There was a dredge rig with dredge piping across the St. John's river that McCaffery was unable to
avoid. Although she collided with the pipeline, an inspection of the hull and the pipeline showed no damage.
Chronology of operations during June thru September
1 Jun
- commenced Administrative Inspection; underway for Operational Readiness Inspection.
13 Jun
- local operations in and out of Mayport, Florida.
28 Jun
- moored at Key West, Florida.
29 Jun
- underway for Operational Readiness Inspection.
1 Jul
- moored at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
6 Jul
- moored at Mayport, Florida.
10 Aug
- local operations in and out of Mayport, Florida.
11 Aug
- underway for Naval Gunfire Support training at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.
14 Aug
- local operations in and out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
17 Aug
- operated out of Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico for Naval Gunfire Spotter exercise at Vieques Island, Puerto Rico.
21 Aug
- commenced Training Readiness Evaluations at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
31 Aug
- RADM Weschler, COMCRUDESLANT, visited McCaffery at Guantanamo Bay.
2 Sep
- moored at Mayport, Florida.
11 Sep
- underway for SHAREM XII with Lawe (DD-763), Marias (AO-57), and Sand Lance (SSN-660)
18 Sep
- SHAREM XII completed, McCaffery steamed to Mayport, Florida.
20 Sep
- Dependents Day Cruise, Mayport, Florida.
Chronology of operations during November & December - Western Pacific deployment.
1 Nov
- underway with Lawe (DD-763), Cone (DD-866), and R.E. Kraus (DD-849).
5 Nov
- moored at Rodman, Canal Zone.
18 Nov
- moored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
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28 Nov
- moored at Yokosuka, Japan.
10 Dec
- arrived at Republic of Vietnam, Military Region One, off the coast of the northern part of South Vietnam.
12 Dec
- departed Military Military Region One, and anchored at DaNang Harbor, Republic of Vietnam.
16 Dec
- moored at Subic Bay, Philippines.
23 Dec
- arrived on station at Military Military Region One, southern sector.
24 Dec
- rendezvoused with Bainbridge (DLGN-25) at South Search and Rescue Station, then proceeded to Picket Station ALFA,
in Gulf of Tonkin, between North Vietnam and Hainan Island, People's Republic of China.
25 Dec
- McCaffery operated with Bainbridge the remainder of the year.
On 31 December 1972, McCaffery was operating in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam.
SOURCE: USS McCAFFERY -- 1945-1974 by Edward W. (Bill) Maslak
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