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OLIVOTTI, Mike (Oly)

Smallest but by far most active ship in the fleet, we roamed the South China Sea, from Japan to Singapore, from Vietnam to Hawaii, with stops in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Guam. Fond memories of surfing giant rollers in mid-ocean, or watching the sampans in Hong Kong harbor. Our four big diesels kept us moving. Our main armament was two aging three inch gun mounts and several fifty cal. machine guns. We were more than a match for any smugglers, but anything else was up for grabs.

Tom Marfiak

Served aboard USS CAMP DER-251 from 1968-1971 as CHENG and then XO. Deployed to WESTPAC for Vietnam Market Time Operations and Taiwan Patrol. On the way home to Pearl Harbor we were stopped in Guam for an overhaul prior to being turned over to the RVN as their flagship. Navy did not get Congressional approval, however, so it took several more months before we were able to return to Hawaii and our families. Following USS CAMP, I was assigned to BUPERS as an officer detailer. The rest in is in the history books.

Tom Marfiak

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