Da Nang Harbor was to the north of our usual shooting area. We had sailed by there a few times a night and I remembered watching as the mortar shells flew back and forth between the northern and southern peninsulas. It Looked alot like the Fourth of July. Bombs were exploding everywhere. This was a dangerous place. Word had it the Cong had established a base on the peak of the northern peninsula and the marines had been unable to take it out. That day the Captian announced that we would be pulling into the harbor to pick up special orders to carry out a secret mission. We would anchor in the harbor and a few men would go ashore in the ship's boat to pick up the papers. I did not like the sound of that. I knew Da Nang Harbor was certainly not a good place to drop anchor. We would be sitting ducks, should the Cong decide to attack. The Taylor and another Destroyer entered the harbor and dropped anchor a few hundred yards off shore. All seemed calm, as we picked up the orders and hoisted the ship's boat on board. So far, so good, I thought. We started the engines and sailed out of the harbor.