During her 14th Westpac deployment in July 1965, James E. Kyes reported for duty with TF 77, which she operated until 10 September. During this period James E. Kyes served as plane guard for USS Bennington, AAW and SSSC picket at the southern end of the Tonkin Gulf and carried out a mercy mission to a stranded South Vietnamese SeaBee Battalion on Drummon Island in the Paracel Islands group, providing them with food and water. From 30 August to 5 September, the ship fired her guns in anger for the first time since the Korean War, providing illuminations and destructive fire near the Quảng Ngãi Province area of South Vietnam while assigned as Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS) ship.