Arriving on station at "Point Dixie", off the coast of South Vietnam, "Barry" screened the nuclear-powered carrier during air strikes against Viet Cong positions near Bien Hoa and throughout South Vietnam on 2 December. Leaving the carrier to continue these "milk-run" strikes, to allow pilots and crew to become accustomed to combat, "Barry" was ordered to the South Vietnamese coast for gunfire support duty. Steaming slowly up the Saigon River near Vũng Tàu on the morning of 7 December, she was given orders to bombard Viet Cong positions several miles east of the river. For two days, her 5-inch (127 mm) guns fired on supply points and entrenchments, getting credit from Army air spotters for "excellent target coverage", before moving to the Mekong Delta region. Closing the beach near the coastal town of Cho Phuoc Hai, "Barry" continued fire missions in support of III and IV Naval Zones. After firing some 1,500 5 inch (127 mm) rounds, including opportunity fire near Ba Dong and south of Bung Tau, the destroyer rejoined TG 77.7 on 15 December.