USS Higbee (DD-806) leaving Subic Bay in 1972

The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Higbee (DD-806) leaving the Ship Repair Facility at Subic Bay, Philippines, in 1972. On 19 April 1972, Higbee became the first U.S. warship to be bombed during the Vietnam War, when two North Vietnamese Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17s from the 923rd Fighter Regiment attacked, one of which, piloted by Le Xuan Di, dropped a 250 kilogram bomb onto Higbee s rear 127 mm gun mount, destroying it. The 127 mm gun crew had been outside their turret, due to a misfire within the mount, when the air attack occurred, which resulted in the wounding of four U.S. sailors. A replacement aft gun mount was not available at Subic Bay and was installed at a later date. Note the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) in the background.

Date

c. 1972

Photographer / author

U.S. Navy

Archive

Wikimedia Commons

Type

image

Original size

1,149 × 501 pixels

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