▁ 2 6 ▁surv iv ors ▁from ▁Ir in is ▁L uck . ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁M end ota ▁coordin ated ▁the ▁rescue ▁of ▁the ▁Alberto ▁Ben eti ▁during ▁h urr icane ▁Helen . ▁ ▁Vietnam ▁war ▁After ▁assignment ▁to ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Squadron ▁Three ▁M end ota ▁depart ed ▁Wil ming ton ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁bound ▁ultimately ▁for ▁the ▁waters ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Vietnam . ▁Once ▁in ▁Vietnam ese ▁waters , ▁M end ota ▁conducted ▁eight ▁Operation ▁Market ▁Time ▁pat rol s ▁during ▁which ▁time ▁she ▁detected ▁ 1 , 5 5 0 ▁vessels , ▁ins pected ▁ 8 2 5 , ▁and ▁board ed ▁ 8 . ▁M end ota ▁also ▁participated ▁in ▁Special ▁Operation ▁SE AL ORD ▁miss ions ▁twice , ▁Navy ▁SE AL ▁support ▁miss ions ▁three ▁times ▁and ▁Operation ▁Silver ▁M ace ▁once . ▁M end ota ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁tro op ▁transport , ▁oper ational ▁base , ▁and ▁rest ▁stop ▁for ▁Camb od ian ▁and ▁Chinese ▁mer cen aries ▁and ▁H oi ▁Chi ▁troops ▁on ▁numerous ▁occasions . ▁The ▁cut ter ▁ste amed ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁from ▁March ▁through ▁October , ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁and ▁was ▁under way ▁ 7 0 - percent ▁of ▁that ▁time . ▁ ▁Com bat ▁operations ▁summary ▁ ▁M end ota ▁also ▁conducted ▁naval ▁gun fire ▁support ▁( NG S ) ▁miss ions ▁during ▁her ▁tour . ▁She ▁participated ▁in ▁ 3