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I was home-ported there from 82-86 on the USS Prairie (AD-15) the oldest ship in the Navy at that time.

Hey Shipmate. I served aboard USS PIEDMONT (AD-17) 64-67. We were homeported in San Diego. I remember being tied up to the pier across from DIXIE and PRAIRIE at various times.

My first WESTPAC cruise in 64 we relieved the PRAIRIE in Okinawa. No liberty that day. Just anchored out in the stream and when PRAIRIE arrived, we exchanged movies, some paper shuffling and we were off to Yokosuka and PRAIRIE went home to San Diego.

SFP2 (DV)
USS PIEDMONT (AD-17)
64-67

Hi DD, great to hear of your shipboard activities on our sister ship. Had you heard the old story about the Prairie and Dixie being built? It seems there was a fire in the yards and the damage done to the ships caused them to swap their hull numbers? I still get funny looks from folks when I tell them we had “wooden decks” onboard.

I left the Navy as an IC2 - the Main Gyro was my shop and we took care of all the sound-powered phones, telephones, etc. They also started putting small studios onboard with satellite and closed-circuit systems for the crew. We actually got to watch Red Dawn about the time it was coming out in the theaters. One West Pac and Over-theLine Ceremony for me, an Honorable Shellback if I say so myself!