On the night of 12-19-1972...

The USS Hoel DDG13, Goldsborough DDG-20, and Parks DD-884 were heading north along the coast of North Vietnam in order to conduct another fire mission, as a part of Task Unit 77.1.1, "Linebacker" operations.  ComDesRon 11 was on the Goldsborough, so they were the guide. 

Along the way, we passed Hon La Island, and also passed Hon Me Island further north.

Our target was a road segment, theirs was a radar site.

After all ships expended all rounds, we turned to seaward at 28 knots for our usual escape (get the hell out of there as fast as possible).

As is normally the case, the North Vietnamese see us coming and have their own fire control radar affixed to us, to control their shore batteries for return fire once we are in their range, and they see we are firing on them.  We see their return fire as white flashes all along the darkened shore line.

As we were retiring seaward, all ships started taking the usual incoming rounds, which hopefully stay 1,000-2,000 yards away, port and starboard.  

Apparently (and you will hear it below) the Goldsborough was taking unusually close counter-battery rounds as close as 75 yards, previous to the direct hit.  

At 21:55, the Goldsborough was hit.

       The explosion was in the 01 Level Aft between mount 52 and the Tartar Check-Out Compartment. 

        Fires started on the 01 Level and in the After Chief’s Quarters, directly below, were quickly extinguished; however shrapnel and shell fragments killed two men and wounded six.

        The two dead were HTC Donald A. DIX, and BM1 Robert M. DOW, USN.

        HT2 Gary L. BOYCE, later died as a result of his wounds at the Air Force Hospital, Clark AFB, Republic of the Philippines. 

        Damage to the ship was judged light, and after picking up materials in Da Nang, temporary repairs were made onboard, and the ship continued NGSF Missions in Military Region I. 

        On 24 December Goldsborough departed Vietnam for Sasebo, Japan, for repair of battle damage, arriving on 28 December 1972. 

        The Goldsborough remained at the Repair Facility in Sasebo through the beginning of the New Year (1973).

(The following is a recording from the Goldsborough)

In the following audio, it starts right before "commence firing".

At 2:30 seconds in, you can hear the explosion.

The audio ends with the approach of the helo from the USS Ranger CVA-61.

Here is a condensed Hoel deck log blow-by-blow leading up to it......

21:00 GQ

21:04 Material Condition Zebra set

21:11 Commencing inland approach for mission C/255°, S/21 knots

21:23 C/260°, S/24 knots

21:31 C/332°, S/25 knots

21:40 Turn parallel to beach C/035°, S/17 knots

21:42 Commence firing MTs 51/52 at assigned targets

21:47 Cease fire, 64 HEPD rounds expended

21:48 Turn to seaward for mission evacuation C/110°, S/28 knots

21:50 Receiving hostile return fire from shore batteries

          Commenced CD suppression return fire

21:53 Cease fire, 10 HEPD rounds expended

21:55 USS Goldsborough DDG-20 hit

22:00 Set Material Condition Yoke

          Fire appears to be out on Goldsborough

22:12 Proceed to rendezvous with USS Ranger CVA-61 in order to helo medvac two Goldsborough injured

22:31 Secured from General Quarters

Damage on USS Goldsborough

In the above video, it makes mention of the strike damage occurred on the Goldsborough on 19Dec72 (click here to start the video at that one point)

    Note: In other places in the video, it also mentions damage incurred to other ships.