Welcome to the USS James E Kyes DD-787 Guestbook Forum

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Served on the Jumpin Jimmy 1971-1973
“Deck Ape”

Radio Operator

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Years Served: 1969-1971…Need to know if anyone remembers the river we went up to fire troop support in Viet Nam. I am having a real difficult time with my head and this is holding up my benefits. If anyone remembers, please contact me at my email muskrat105@aol.com Thanks!

Years Served: 1968-1971…What a hell of a ride! I wander if Boatsman Mate First Charles Poil (?) is still alive.

Years Served: 3…I went aboard the Kyes in Bremerton in 1948 and the first nine months I spent in the after fire room and then got into the Electric Gang. I just had a birthday on 09/11/08 and i turned 79 years old so if any are left around please email me. the address is kyes@comcast.net I am hopeing and looking for some mail from some one i hope Do it quick haha Bill

Years Served: 1970 to1973…I like to say hello to all James E. Kyes personel, especially from my time aboard. I was a BT3 in the forward fireroom

Years Served: 1957 to 1959…This site brings back lots of good memories keep it going and heres a message for Danko I’m the one who took the cake out of the locker and passed it around the bridge while on a night watch :lol:

Years Served: Aug 1950-Oct 1952…I have info for that period.

Years Served: 1960-1962…Great ship and crew. Loved my time aboard

Years Served: `57 & `58 RM3…Came aboard in `57 when she was in drydock at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Someone above listed a number of ports that we landed in during that WestPac tour but they forgot Moji, Japan where after receiving a new Captain we promptly rammed the USS Higbee’s stern while attempting to get underway. Put hole in her stern and damaged our bow. Anybody else remember that day? How about our role in the Quemoy/Matsu Island situation when we were patrolling the Taiwan Strait? We were strafed by MIG 13’s and I remember as Fire Control Director of the aft mount, the frustration of trying to move those cannons into position to fire back. Then, the following week we steamed down into the South China Sea to rescue the SS President Hayes, a freighter stranded on a coral reef from some Red Chinese gun boats. I finally managed to get a chance to fire those guns in anger…lol My nickname was Sputnick because I managed to pickup the Russian satellite’s signal on our new….top-secret radio gear that had just been installed in `57. It was called single-side band and now it’s so obsolete, it’s pathetic…my oh my, how quickly time flies… Zoud

Years Served: 1954-1957…I spent a lot of sea sick time aboard the ‘jumpin jimmy’