I recently read that was published in 2001, authored by Ralph Wetterhahn, and entitled “The Mayaguez Incident and the End of the Vietnam War”.  On page 61 of the book it states that “The carrier USS Coral Sea was expected to arrive in the crisis area in two days, on Thursday the fifteenth, along with the frigate USS Holt and destroyer USS Wilson.  But none of those ships carried ground troops.  The attack carrier US Hancock had a marine contingent aboard, but was nursing a steam valve failure and was not expected to arrive until the sixteenth.  The helicopter carrier USS Okinawa also had marines embarked but would not reach Koh Tang until the eighteenth (May 18, 1975) at the earliest due to an out-of-commission boiler that cut her speed to eighteen knots.  Gaylor (CINCPAC) wanted an assault force there sooner.  He sent a message alerting the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines stationed at Subic Bay to prepare for movement to Thailand." This is the only reference to the USS Hancock in the book.

I suggest all who are interested in this very significant failed combat operation in which 41 military personnel, most Marines, read the book.  It is not readily known by the general public that this incident reflected combat, courage, and governmental blunders and serves history as a metaphor of the entire Vietnam War.  (The political and military blunders and personnel casualties were officially covered up.) When the last helicopter flew off Koh Tang island, three Marines still bravely guarding the flank of the American position were left behind to be captured and executed by the Khmer Rouge.  Forty-one military personnel, mostly Marines, died as a result of this last combat action of the Vietnam War.

I hope this information is of some value to addressees.  Thanks for your super work in documenting the life and times of the Kawishiwi and Hancock and their crews  !  Regards.  Ron Keiser