"They were heading out to the middle of the bay - the Gulf - that's another thing that became kind of standard practice, we didn't hurry the destroyers around the beach any more, when it got dark, we'd take 'em out thirty or forty miles out in the middle of the Tonkin Gulf"

In this quote, James Stockdale reflects on a strategic military practice throughout the Vietnam War, particularly associated to marine operations in the Gulf of Tonkin. The reference of "going out to the middle of the bay" describes the motion of naval ships, most likely destroyers, which were integral to the U.S. military operations in the region. The Gulf of Tonkin, found off the coast of Northern Vietnam, was a crucial area of engagement during the war, many famously related to the Gulf of Tonkin occurrence, which intensified American participation in Vietnam.

The statement "that's another thing that became kind of standard practice" recommends a shift or evolution in naval strategies. At first, the destroyers might have been utilized more detailed to the shoreline, perhaps for instant assistance or bombardment. With time, nevertheless, it became a common practice to place these ships further from the coast, about "thirty or forty miles out in the middle of the Tonkin Gulf". There could be numerous reasons for this modification in technique: increasing the ships' safety from potential attacks, adjusting to the nature of naval or aerial dangers, or a strategic repositioning to control larger stretches of the gulf and maintain a stronger advantage over opponent forces.

By discussing that they "didn't rush the destroyers around the beach anymore", Stockdale indicates a decision to minimize the seriousness or frequency of close-to-shore operations, possibly due to viewed risks or inefficiencies. This change in deployment reflects adaptive military strategy in reaction to progressing war conditions, making sure that naval properties were utilized most successfully while decreasing vulnerability. The reference to darkness likewise suggests these movements were possibly performed during the night to exploit the cover of darkness, reducing the exposure of their operations to opponent forces and boosting the element of surprise or stealth in their strategies.