New London — It was the first time that many of the men had visited the city since being stationed here some 50 years ago.

"I was here in 1965 and the same breeze was blowing," joked Mike McCole, 69, as he walked in from the wind Tuesday afternoon to visit the Coast Guard Research & Development Center, located a couple hundred yards from where his former boat was docked at Fort Trumbull.

The former crew of the Coast Guard cutter Owasco (WHEC-39), most of whom served on the boat during its Vietnam deployment, and some of their spouses, a group totaling about 45 people, met for their third-ever reunion and their first in New London. They spent the past three days visiting the area, including several Coast Guard facilities.

"I don't recognize anything," said former crew member Pete Marshall, 71, who lives in Palm City, Fla. "It's been 50 years."

Marshall, who served on Owasco from 1967 to 1969 and worked in the engine room, remembered there being a lot of bars in New London at the time. Personally, he said, and with the caveat that he's no goody two-shoes, he spent a lot of time at the Salvation Army.

The former Hygienic Restaurant on Bank Street, which closed in 1985 and is now the site of the Hygienic Art Gallery, was a popular spot at the time, as was Seven Brothers, another restaurant on Bank Street.

Of the latter, Bill O'Hara, 78, of Tolland recalled that "On Monday, the subs would go out to sea and all the wives were there."

"The subs returned on Thursday and there were no wives there," he said, chuckling.

The men now live all over the country, and even the world. Neil Talley, 73, who served on the Owasco from 1968 to 1969, traveled 21 hours on three planes from Thailand, where he now lives, to attend the reunion, and there were a few men who traveled from California.

Talley, who was a machinist's mate on the Owasco, remembers a trip to Bangkok during the Vietnam deployment when he and others were late getting back to the ship. They were on a Thai water taxi circling the ship while they tried to figure out how to get back on without anyone noticing.

The Owasco, built in late 1944 as a heavily armed warship, never saw action in World War II but did deploy to Vietnam. The ship was decommissioned in 1951 and recommissioned in 1955, and was based in New London for the rest of its career. The Owasco carried out mid-Atlantic patrols, search and rescue missions, and in 1968 was assigned to Navy Squadron Three patrolling the waters of Vietnam. The ship resumed peacetime duties in 1969, and was decommissioned in 1974.

During its Vietnam deployment in 1968-69, the Owasco served as a host ship to several Navy swift boats, which patrolled the coast and intercepted suspicious vessels, and also provided logistical and medical support to the Navy boats.

"A lot of times they'd come back all shot up, and our damage control people would patch up the boats and get them going again," Marshall said.

The Owasco also provided gun fire support, when needed, Marshall said, and would intercept Sampan boats, which were used to smuggle contraband such as machine guns and ammunition.

About six years ago, several of the Owasco's crew members got back in touch, and talked about having a reunion. One of the guys had a roster of the Vietnam crew, so they started with that, and have since doubled the number of people involved.

A member of the commissioning crew, Billy Durden, is still alive and living in North Carolina. He's attended past reunions but wasn't able to make it to this one.

Many of the crew members said being together triggered memories of their service, particularly in Vietnam. The men were lighthearted, oftentimes poking fun at one another, and keeping a good sense of humor.

"You never stop laughing," said O'Hara, one of the oldest crew members to attend the reunion, of being together with the former crew.

"They're a little closer because they went to war together," he said referring to those who deployed to Vietnam. "But a Coastie always fits in."

j.bergman@theday.com