[Vermonter]

I was on a destroyer in the Gulf of Tonkin for 6 months in 68-69. It was considered to be in the war zone and we qualified for combat pay and earned the Vietnam Service Medal while rarely being in sight of land.

I also recall that in the month we left, we spent a few days doing shore bombardment. There was something about qualifying for combat pay by either being in the 'zone' for the entire month of being in combat for part of the month. Never understood the full details of that.

[R. Scott]

We (Army LCUs) were caught a few times between a gun cruiser and the shore when the darkened ship would open up with a few broadsides.
Awesome! Those shells (8"?) would darn near lift a person off the deck as they passed - roared - overhead.