 During the Vietnam War "Cree" was part of the "Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club" (the US 7th Fleet) with missions including (but not limited to) chasing trawlers and towing floating barracks across the Pacific.On the morning of 18 January 1978, "Cree" released the ex-YO-129 as a target for "live" bombing practice by naval aircraft, while steaming off the coast of southern California.