In 1967 Lipan was ordered to the Western Pacific for a six month WESTPAC Cruise. We visited Guam, Subic Bay in the Philippines, Sasebo Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the surrounding areas, and other countries that I've long since forgotten about. In addition to towing, salvage, and rescue work we did about four months of duty on Yankee Station Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin. We were fitted with some electronic jamming gear and hosted a squad of men to operate it and headed out to relieve another ATF on station, where we met the Soviet Trawler Intelligence ship, Gidrofon, for the first time. They tested us immediately with a headstrong charge towards an approaching Aircraft Carrier Battlegroup which was conducting flight operations. Aircraft Carriers launching and retrieving aircraft in a war zone do not change course because a pesky trawler cuts in front of them. We chased after Gidrofon.
Many of the wires you see strung from the two masts of Gidrofon were antennas
and additionally there were numerous antennas of varied shapes on the white
superstructure. The "T"-shaped antenna atop the forward edge of
the white superstructure was its bar radar. Just below that and a little
forward is the trawler's signal light sending us a message "that we were
behaving in a dangerous manner." They were trying to interfere with
the Carrier Battle Group and we were trying to convince them otherwise. Shortly
after this photo the trawler's ship's horn sounded, indicating that he intended
to turn to port (into Lipan). Our Captain stood his ground and answered
with Lipan's horn that we intended to turn to starboard (into Gidrofon). The
Soviets started a cautious turn towards Lipan and the skipper ordered right
rudder to steer towards them and fortunately they backed off but we were close
enough to spit on them by then. We were near full power during this run as we
had to catch up to them and Gidrofon then threw it into reverse and slipped
astern of us as we went flying by and tried to get by us on our other (port)
side.