USS GALLUP (PG-85)

Gallup was built in Tacoma, Washington by the Tacoma Boat Building Company. On 15 June 1965, Mrs. Goodwin Chase, the ship’s sponsor, started her down the ways with the traditional bottle of champagne. The ship was named after the city of Gallup, New Mexico, the home of the world-famous Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial. There has been one previous USS Gallup in the U. S. Navy, the PF-47, commissioned on 29 February 1944. In October 1951, the original Gallup was transferred to the Thailand Navy and renamed TACHIN, still in active service in the Gulf of Siam. The USS Gallup(PG-85) was commissioned on 22 October 1966 in ceremonies at the Tacoma Municipal Pier. The commissioning speaker was Rear Admiral W. A. BROCKETT, USN (RET), former Chief of the Bureau of Ships. Upon commissioning, the Gallup reported to Commander Amphibious Group THREE, for training and evaluation.

Gallup arrived in the Republic of Viet Nam 30 April 1967. Gallup thus became the first PG to enter the war zone. Having arrived in Danang from Cam Ranh on 13 July, Gallup was ordered by CTF 115.1 to get underway the following morning to assist in the interdiction of a suspected enemy trawler. After transferring CTG 115.1 to USS WILHOITE (DER- 397) at 2030 Gallup took station 10 mile southeast of the trawler in the vicinity of Cape Batangan. Operating on turbine, Gallup closed to 5 miles and opened fire. Approximately twenty hits were scored on the targets causing the trawler to run aground at the mouth of the Quang Ngai River and start to burn.

Gallup proceeded to search junks in the area during the night and to patrol In the immediate vicinity until the trawler was towed by away that afternoon. One million rounds of ammunition, three thousand rifles and numerous explosive devices were captured with the trawler. As a result of this action all officers and the mount captains were recommended for the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the ship was recommended for the Navy Unit Citation.

November 1972 was quite rewarding for Gallup. It was during this time that Gallup learned that she had been nominated as the PHIBPAC representative for the ARLEIGH BURKE Fleet Trophy and also the PHIBPAC Personnel Excellence Award. This was a first for a ship in the PG Fleet. After an illustrious career, Gallup was decommissioned on 31 January 1977 in San Diego, CA.

Narrative and photos provided by Dave Donaldson.

Ship's Muster Sheet (Updated 17 April, 2008)
Aftanas, Aleksander	Anderson, Eugene	Andrews, Harold	Barger, Charles
Birditt, Charles	Blundell, Michael	Boyce, Roderick	Bridges, Jerry
Butterfield, Eliot	Carr, Paul	Conley, Laurence	Davies, James
Dean, Robert	Donovan, William	Eggleston, Larry	Ekin, Robert
Ekman, Paul	Emery, Sidney	Eskridge, Norman	Fischer, Jack
Gay, Mike	Gibbs, Alan	Griffin, Geoffrey	Gross, Allen
Hammett, Larry	Hayes, Richard	Klotz, Leo	Kobylk, Steven
Lamarque, Carl	Larson, John	Lawson, John	Lucindo, Wilfredo
Macfie, Wade	Mackey, Floyd	Mann, Les	May, Robert
McGahan, Mark	McGranahan, Jim	Mejia, George	Metoxen, Gary
Moon, Melvin	Morton, Earnest	Pardo, Servando	Picotte, Thomas
Schmidt, Charles	Sellgren, Charles	Singstock, David	Smith, Roger
Spane, William	Stiff, Dan	Stockton, Robert	Sullivan, George
Van Gorder, Robert	Wade, Albert	Walker, Mark	Wiegand, Terrence
Wilke, Randy	Witt, Greg

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USS Gallup (PG-85)