02 NOVEMBER 2009

I first learned about Oxford in 1958. My boss in Kami Seya, Japan, told me about the unnamed ship they planned and which he said they labeled "dreamboat" at that time. I expressed an interest in the ship and said I would like to serve in her. Then I promptly forgot all about it. In March 1961 I was a student at the Naval War College in Newport, RI, when my orders to Oxford were received. I immediately recalled that 1958 conversation and was really pleased.

Previously in the mid 1950's I had command of a small ship with 6 officers and about 90 crew. In the wardroom, I had 10 years naval experience, my XO had 1 1/2 years and the rest of the officers had 6 months to a year. In Oxford's wardroom there were 18 or 19 officers and their average service was over 14 years. This same standard was obvious in the entire ship's company. I couldn't believe being in a ship with such depth of experience! Those who selected the original crew had gone all out to ensure a good start. I spent just a year in Oxford and enjoyed it all.

In 1965 I was with the Amphibious Ready Group; we had a helicopter carrier, a transport and an AKA and carried a reinforced Marine Battalion. We landed the first Marines at Chu Lai and Danang in March 1965, and conducted operations on the east coast of Vietnam. I think it was that spring or summer I was up in the radio shack reading the fox skeds when I saw a message to Oxford, which was in Capetown, South Africa at the time, ordering them to terminate their visit and proceed to Vietnam. Oxford spent the next several years working in Vietnamese waters. I always kept a lookout for her and would have taken a helicopter over to visit had we seen them but I never did. At the reunion in 1988 I learned that they worked the southern and western coast of Vietnam and we were mostly from Vung Tau north. I retired from the Navy in 1967, and in 1969 a friend who was on duty in Yokosuka, Japan has attended the decommissioning ceremonies and sent me a copy of the program.

For me, Oxford was fun to contemplate, exhilarating to experience and satisfying in retrospect. For those of you reading this who are ex-crew, may this web site rekindle memories of our fine ship. For those who did not know Oxford, may these pages bring you just a little of what we felt and experienced from pre-commissioning to her final days.

28 August 2000 - San Diego, CA

THIS BOOK ABOUT USS LIBERTY MENTIONS USS OXFORD!

SEE THE DETAILS ON PAGE 3!

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NEW AND UPDATED CREW MEMBERS WITH EMAIL ADDRESSES
ON THE DECK LOG PAGE!