Following availability at Subic Bay and a visit to Hong Kong, "Whipple" returned to the line and provided gunfire support in the vicinity of Point "Claudia" for the Republic of Vietnam's 1st and 3d Divisions. From 17 to 25 June, she fired harassment and interdiction missions at night and made runs during daylight hours in which she was aided by OV-1 Mohawks which pinpointed enemy bunker complexes, rocket sites, and supply routes. On 26 June, "Whipple" moved north to the vicinity of Point "Allison" to provide gunfire support for Operation LAM SON 72. Coastal defense sites in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and point targets in the Cua Viet River region felt the sting of salvos she fired in preparation for a South Vietnamese Marine Corps counter-offensive. Continuing to provide gunfire support for LAM SON 72, "Whipple" received a call for help at dusk on 5 July. Vietnamese marines—under heavy attack by tank-supported North Vietnamese Army infantry—radioed for immediate assistance. The escort ship—the first ship in the vicinity to do so—soon answered the call. Newport News (CA-148) subsequently opened fire with her guns to parry the North Vietnamese thrust.