On 29 March 1969, James E. Kyes was underway for her 17th Westpac deployment, her 4th tour to Vietnam waters, and her 7th tour to the Vietnam gunline. Arriving early in the morning of 19 June, in the vicinity of Vũng Tàu, near the Mekong River Delta, the ship was at a tense General Quarters ready for anything. This soon relaxed after her first firing mission in support of Australian forces against VC base camps in a valley 16 miles east-northeast of Vũng Tàu.