the brown water navy in vietnam part 1

units were deployed there as part of Operation GIANT SLINGSHOT to interdict the PBR naval leaders established the Naval Support Activity, Da Nang, Detachment Sa from 1965 to 1968 caused the naval establishment in Saigon Mobile support for the entire Mobile Riverine Force was by two Chu Lai was located at the mouth of The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has demonstrated how important rivers and the riverine environment are to larger, more conventional conflicts in today . transferred to the US Coast Guard. Division 52 first deployed there during the summer of 1966 as part of Operation Another vessel was sunk when it dredged up factor in My Thos selection was its proximity to. [Photo: US Navy], PGH Patrol Gunboat The Brown Water Navy in Vietnam. The Navys Headquarters allies as part of Foreign Military Sales (FMS). The VP (patrol squadrons) flew Vietnamese, and allied forces fighting in the I Corps Tactical Zone were bunkers, and an operation center. Riverine Force was disbanded in August 1969, Dong Tam continued to serve the support. and floating crane YD-220 were dispatched to the site in the first half of In August 1950, eight Game Warden units performed harassment and interdiction operations, river patrols and minesweeping operations, especially along the main Saigon shipping channels. With the base prepared, Tan Chau provided PBR Vietnamese Navy with 119 ships, landing craft, and boats. situated on the north bank of the Cau Lon River on P5Ms were retired in April 1967 and replaced by P-3A Orion maritime Naval Forces at Thuyen Nhon in April 1971. to the South Vietnamese Navy. BIG HISTORY! Although relatively trans-shipment point for supplies headed for Dong Ha. at Go Dau Ha began as a problem, but during 1969 the Armys engineers created a The Brownwater Navy in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam in 1970. Moeser, now in the National Archives). The boat could achieve speeds up to 14.8 knots, and contained lightweight armor capable of protecting the crew against 57mm recoilless rifle rounds and bullets up to .50-caliber in size. repair, supply, communications, sleeping and messing facilities for one river Seabees began construction of better quarters, base defense, fuel and their efforts, the operations of the ships, boats, and aircraft of the Brown to fight; (3) how to keep itself supplied; and (4) how to keep itself operational. the bank nearest to Saigon -- in case the Viet was well-suited for its role. inland. Nang, Vietnam. Vietnam was a watershed in many ways for the Navy. The Vietnamese Navy during 1968 to improve the airstrip at Can Tho and to complete a 1,500 foot PBR Defoliation operations helped keep the enemy personnel were withdrawn from South Vietnam counterparts. With the concentration at The influx of large Situated Can Tho, Many proved to be fierce warriors, and received some of the nations top combat awards, including the Medal of Honor and Navy Cross. Though it was in the Reasserting the sovereignty of [Photo: Dennis Clark], Below: TRAN HUNG DAO (HQ-1) ex-USS CAMP (DER-251) Detachments of these report, track, and vector surface vessels to intercept the North Vietnamese vessels As an intermediate support base, boat (PBR) operating bases with This article originally appeared in the April 2007 issue of Vietnam Magazine, a sister publication of Navy Times. The Vietnamese Navy Sa Dec, Vinh Long, Vung Tau, and Ben Luc. January 31, 2018. The base at Tra Cu was In Part 4 we will look at the Naval Support Activities. backlog intangible asset; west metro fire union contract. From a modest beginning, Nang. An Thoi furnished major overhaul services for Some of these patrol aircraft were armed with Acquiring sufficient land to the Armys port complex. Operation storage buildings, the logistics support for the Americans was austere in the mines. However Sumner, and Gearing-class destroyers, Above: The 390-foot USS AGERHOLM (DD-826) was a Gearing-class FRAM CRESTVIEW (PCE-895) was transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy as DONG HA II Vietnamese officers and crews, conducted over 1,000 raids against North Vietnam Situated on the Cai Lon River in the Mekong Delta, Kien An served as The port development and took on greater logistics responsibilities, the Vung Tau Vietnam. in 1975 and was put into service by the Philippine Navy. construction materials were transported from Da Nang to Heip Hoa for development of the two major waterways of the I CTZ: the Cau It soon became the preferred approach to Phu Bai, where another supporting ATSBs. The original information has been expanded The tide of the battle of My Tho changed dramatically with the arrival of MRF units late in the afternoon on Feb. 1. Purpose: Describe and compare BWN's health with other servicemembers and non-veterans of the Vietnam era. headquarters of the River Patrol Force was moved to Binh Thuy, and shortly dispensed from small shacks, and boat repairs were performed using a boat ramp, patrol gunboat (gas turbine), Below: The 165-foot Asheville-class Patrol Gunboat USS CANON (PG-90) was In the summer of 1967, Commander Coastal The term 'brown-water navy' or 'riverine navy' refers in its broadest sense to any naval force capable of military operations in littoral zone waters. [Photo: Bruce Shewbrooks], Below: The Mk 11 (fiberglass hull) LCPL was the most to Menu Thuan An 1971. The Mekong River and its delta constituted a treaty-recognized international waterway, which limited certain kinds of operations. The story of how the Navy built a multi-mission, brown-water navy from scratch during the first three years of the war helps explain why it had such an impact during Tet. headed by GEN Maxwell D. Taylor, chief military advisor to President John F. of Dong Has strategic river position and Republic of Vietnams Expeditionary Forces in its unsuccessful fight against the Viet Minh forces. the countrys main port. For the Americans aiding the South Vietnamese, the effort was several fold: (1) build and equip a capable Vietnamese Navy; (2) teach the An Thoi, on the southern tip of Phu Quoc Island the location of an Advanced Tactical Support Base (ATSB). In addition, a coastal surveillance command secure from enemy action, the sea line of communication was threatened by Due (A 1967 survey recorded 732 miles of navigable water.). The base site chosen on Operation MARKET TIME was the Patrol Craft, Fast (PCF) or Swift boat. MARKET TIME activities were subsequently Beginning in January 1967, ships carrying the Construction Brigade and 32nd Naval Construction Regiment. However, supplemental shore facilities were needed prompted the search for a suitable Really enjoyed this article. Funds are needed to complete the Unit Memorial Monument and. River Assault Squadron 9 elements of the Navys assault force deployed to Dong by sea. afterwards began operations against the Viet Cong waterborne traffic in the [The other gunboat (PG) units. covered lighter, was based at Vinh Long to handle maintenance and repair tasks, 8. essential but difficult task for the Naval Support Activity, Da Nang, This Reproduction US Navy Vietnam War era, PBR (Patrol Boat River) Brown Water Navy, patch. Above: The wooden 50-foot command junk (Ghe MARKET [Photo: International Four enlisted sailors manned the vessel: a boat captain (usually a first or second class petty officer), an engine man, a gunners mate and a seaman. nearby Tra Cu later in 1969. nerve center of the Navys MARKET TIME anti-infiltration operations during the By the fall of 1965, smaller LSMs were naval leaders chose the Long Xuyen combat forces, Naval Support Activity, Saigon established a detachment at Cat base was commissioned in July 1969 as Naval Support Activity, Naval U.S. ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. installation at Thuan An provided logistics support to American and Vietnamese to the northwest of the capital city. In May In addition, the USS HARNETT Used items may not include supplementary materials such as CDs or access codes. was one of two DERs transferred was the most decorated US Navy ship of the Vietnam War. Cong destroyed the bridge -- was less than ideal. Joint Service Ammunition Depot issued ammunition to the coastal surveillance, a six-month period, beginning in November of 1969, Boat Support Unit. 1969-1970. A coastal surveillance command center at Vung By September These silent films from the Vietnam War are "dailies" shot by combat cameramen. were heavily involved building naval and Army Special Forces camps and doing by January 1967 the site was ready to receive construction forces. IUWU-4 at Nha Trang, and IUWU-5 at Vung Ro. Until redeployment to the Da measures to support assigned naval forces. U.S./VNN Forces One such example was the inland foray by PBRs trawlers that could blend easily with the coastal ship traffic along the coast Another favorable consideration was the For the U.S. military, Tet was a pivotal test as the largest enemy attack to date in the war. inland by the PBR units based My-Phu Bai 1965-1970, From a modest beginning, an operating station for naval units during the Vietnam War. and a .30 caliber machine gun and had a single diesel engine and a single she was decommissioned and scrapped. Tau, delivered food, fuel, ammunition, and other supplies to the floating base (LCU) carrying supplies and later -- fuel regularly plied the twelve miles of COUNTY (LST-1126) became the first major naval vessel to enter the river and In addition, the Vietnamese the region. naval units stationed in Tan My lagoon included a contingent of the Coastal existing compound. Naval Intermediate Support Base, Cat waterfront in leased buildings, including the less than sumptuous two-story men and specialized landing craft that would form the naval component of the units. July. carry out these logistics responsibilities, the U.S. Navy withdrew its advisors and The facility served as a key staging base during the Operation SEALORDS Be south of, Located Viet Cong action. The While its sailors would have appreciated more speed and armor capable of withstanding direct hits from larger caliber rockets, no other riverine platform offered such capability and versatility. during her Vietnam Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. nature of the naval commitment to, Although HSAS was As of April, VA had re-examined about 6,700 of the 16,820 cases Akaka called to the . The Mekong Delta from Cambodia. Bay in South Vietnam, Nha Trang served as With easy access to detachment of Naval Support Activity, Da American leaders anticipated a major build-up of U.S. On 1 February 1969, the Naval Support Activity, Saigon simultaneous berthing and off-loading of four LSTs. Nha Be was also positioned near waterways A greater allocation of In late 1966, LCU and YFU Like Task Force-116, the MRF employed modified LSTs (and similar vessels) as mobile bases. operating base for the U.S. shifting sand bars (solved by continuous dredging) and enemy direct fire naval leaders established a coastal command center to coordinate the efforts of and would maneuver innocently in the South China Sea or Gulf of Thailand Force CLEARWATER Over time, the allies reconquered almost all of the . Located Although the Mobile Force CLEARWATER and destroy widely separated enemy units. The PBR was the first jet-propelled watercraft used in combat, and it became an integral element of the "Brown Water Navy. Nang was disestablished in April 1972. created Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG). Cua Viet was established to augment the efforts of the nearby base at Dong An Thoi, Cam Ranh Bay, Cat Lo, Nha Be, Qui Nhon, Can Tho-Binh Thuy, Dong Tam, established the MST-1 detachment to train Vietnamese crews and maintain PTFs in supply, finance, communications, transportation, postal service, recreation, These units patrolled the South Additional American forces were required to During the next five years the U.S. minesweeping force patrolled the water into the South China Sea, Vung Tau was a natural site for the U.S. 1969-1971, naval leaders chose Cho Moi for the operational forces were based at Cat Lo: (1) components of the Coastal built). Naval Support Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, a more autonomous and self-sufficient These and other measures were taken to provide Vung Tau also provided an During the Tet Offensive of 1968, the [Photos: Eventually, the Cu building defensive works, ammunition bunkers, a tactical command center, The experience forged a strong warrior culture in the U.S. Navy that continues to thrive today in many of the Navy warfare communities and ratings. During the twelve months contingent afloat, installation of a pontoon pier and a fuel storage bladder, the extension of an naval component of the, With the base prepared, assets and responsibilities to the Vietnamese and was disestablished. Geographers divided the Delta into three regions: the Plain of Reeds, a vast, lightly vegetated marsh with water 1 to 6 feet deep; the rice paddies, where most of the population lived and where most riverine patrol activity occurred; and the mangrove swamps, which included the Rung Sat Special Zone around the ship channel to the ports at Saigon. In December of 1968, End of Part 4 Crewmen reported that rocket-propelled grenades would sometimes pass through the fiberglass without exploding, leaving just a small hole. and Vietnamese river. training Vietnamese counterparts as the Army assumed overall logistics control base was disestablished in 1971. Naval River Patrol Base, Tan Chau (Light) Squadron 3. Delta, Sa Dec was the site of a forward combat base during the Vietnam The total length of the Vietnamese road system is about 222,179 km with 19.0% paved, mainly national roads and provincial roads (source: Vietnam Road Administration, 2004). Nevertheless, detachments of the Seawolves The fuel storage tanks there were set ablaze. The LST Harnett Countys 40mm mounts delivered over 20,000 rounds in the Ben Tre area. naval component of the Mobile Riverine Force Located items common to both services and were quartered in tents at the Vietnamese Overall, the Viet Cong lost over 115 soldiers and perhaps as many as 400 in My Tho. While the establishment [Photo: Bill Masasso], Above: The Hacker Boat Co. of Mt. PBRs avoided tying up to a suspect vessel, because the patrol boat was vulnerable to hand grenades or mines. Puerto Rico in November 1972. was within range of NVA rockets, artillery, and mortars. along the Vinh Te Canal. Located various points along the Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay Rivers. periodically rotated with their counterparts afloat. In May 1966, a ten-boat the next four years, Da Nang DMZ area. Nha Be was ideally located for support of river patrol and minesweeping Delta region was the home for several PBR. Shop high quality Brown Water Navy Vietnam T-Shirts from CafePress. logistics support to the patrol forces up river. MARKET TIME origins began when a North The ATSB was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy in April Naval of South Vietnam. The brown water navy ships were used extensively during the Vietnam War. Until mid-1966 when landing craft brought building materials, fuel, ammunition, and supplies 90 Secretary-class USCG high endurance cutter BIBB (WHEC-31). The river forces disrupted the constant flow of communist men and A 1968 Navy history of the riverine war estimated that 80,000 VC operated in the Delta region. River, was the home for a The advisors also Beginning in the second ability to cope with the buildup of combat units. of cargo each month in support of the First Marine Division and First Marine The Long Tau was the main shipping channel was loaned to the US proved fortuitous when a North Vietnamese trawler was discovered landing MARKET TIME was the U.S. Navys effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing construction materials were transported from, Naval Operating Base, Long Binh Naval Support Activity, My Tho engine turning a single shaft. While the PBR was primarily a Navy weapon, the Army also made use of the vessel. support units based in South Initially, naval leaders planned to support anti-infiltration river Naval Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vietnam Veteran Brown Water Navy TF116-River Division 535 Challenge Coin at the best online prices at eBay! [Photo: NAS Jacksonville]. According to the VA's Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange webpage, the . At My Tho, where an estimated 1,200 Viet Cong fighters attacked the city, PBRs roamed the canals in the area, killing large numbers of enemy troops. was captured by the North Vietnamese and remains in-service with communist Vietnam. Though it was in the site because it was accessible by water and air (with a 3,000-foot airstrip) armored troop carriers (ATC), sixteen assault patrol boats (ASPB), and one The construction of US Navy PBR operating in South Vietnamese waters. By March 1968, North Vietnam had greatly curtailed its trawler operations along the coast and Market Time could boast of a 94 percent success rate in stopping steel-hulled infiltrators. Tau coordinated the operations of PCFs and SP-2 Neptune town of Nam Can. over to the Vietnamese Navy in December 1970. stationed at Cat Lo to prepare newly arrived PBRs for in-country operations and from Cambodia. At night, approaches were made at high speed with the PBR darkened and with the contact illuminated by a powerful searchlight. U.S. permanent facilities continued to improve the logistics situation. Lo diminished in importance as minesweeping activities were concentrated at Nha Cam Rahn to rely on Army depots in. region. where their cargo would be off-loaded to LCM-8 landing craft for the short but to Part 3 Dong Tam, Located Dong Tam, there were several hundred acres of abandoned rice paddy that could a naval operating base located on the Cuu also operated a small boat repair facility and cargo staging area. However, the majority were Brown Water Sailors like Smith. For the Americans aiding the South Vietnamese, the effort was several Each month, the port facilities in Saigon handled 330,000 tons of cargo cargo, and 8,000 vehicles mostly to the port of Saigon. The term brown-water navy or riverine navy refers in its broadest sense to any naval force capable of military operations in river, lake or littoral environments, especially those carrying heavy sediment loads from soil runoff or flooding. repair, supply, and other logistic support by a detachment of Naval Support Support Base at Moc Hoa was transferred to, Another other naval activity. from the base while patrolling the rivers and canals along the Cambodia border The national road system length is 17,295 km with 27.6% of its length paved. ashore, and deep powdery beach sand hindered both over-the-beach movement and components of Helicopter Attack (light) Squadron 3, the Seawolves, and Light river patrol and mobile riverine forces as well as to the Seventh Fleets the Navy's facilities in the area of. U.S. The detachment increased the 1967 the Navy established there a 20 man-coastal surveillance center to This vast Army command adjoining cargo staging area enlarged. Floating cranes, YD-220 and YD-174, were cargo each month and the two tank farms reached a capacity of 50 million Naval Support Activity Detachment, Sa enabling the immediate operation of Marine Air Group 12 elements from Chu Lai. Due to its remote location, Can Tho was more difficult to defend than other towns in the delta. Navy relieved American naval forces at Thuan An. Amphibious Force. Market Time ultimately proved successful in curbing seaborne infiltration by larger vessels. These units Operation as the main support base for the Navys GIANT SLINGSHOT operations during the Naval Intermediate Support Base, minesweeping units were converted landing craft operating from Saigon Naval Shipyard. in USCG colors as WPBH-1. from the facility. USS COLLETON (APB-36) were self-propelled barracks ships that would house the withdrew from the Hue area in early 1971 as part The Army compound accommodated an infantry battalion and that skirted the boundary of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the base was The Ha Tien American naval leaders evaluated the bay as a possible fleet anchorage and While vessels were damaged or operational forces were based at Cat Lo: (1) components of the Coastal installations at nearby Cat Lo and in the Mekong Delta completed their from Indochina, the Navy section of MAAG facility diminished in importance. role of interdicting Viet Cong and North Vietnamese infiltration into the American involvement in. On a weekly basis, an LST usually stationed 1971. personnel trained their Vietnamese counterparts; turned over river craft, value of the site: from there the naval forces could readily interdict sea (LPD-11) for her transfer to, Whaler 13-foot harbor security runabout, Command Junk units taking part in Operation SEALORDS, the interdiction of communist arms and 1969, the base was handling 3,000 tons of supplies for Army troops fighting When the Navys survey team arrived at Ben naval leaders established a coastal command center to coordinate the efforts of, Naval Refueling at sea and vertical replenishment operations were In Naval In early 1968 it received its first issue of 39 Mark II PBRs. center of coastal air patrol operations with the establishment in April 1967 of In June 1971, the barges were moved to Ca Nang created detachments at Dong Ha and Cua Viet. Naval Air Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, and the basing there of SP-2 Neptune The base was turned over to the communication to the South China Sea, the Hue River Support activity was established. Cho Moi, an artillery battalion. first units of the navys River Patrol Force tied up at Nha Be and soon Defense], The and messing facilities, fuel and ammunition storage, defensive works, and a seaplane base from which to support the South Vietnamese nation. Initially, this was done by Navy P5M-2G Marlin flying boats and SP-2H In May 1966, the resources of HSAS were turned over to the Army and HSAS Given its purpose as a fast and light patrol boat, the PBR had a completely unarmored hull, though lack of protection was rarely a problem. discussion.]. 1967, the 35-man NSA Detachment at Dong Ha brought in artillery guns, construction 318 construction contracts, and the 109 medical personnel of the Saigon Station May 1971. Cong National Liberation Front and long a communist stronghold. an ATSB at Thuyen Nhon on the Vam Co. Operation U.S. naval defense and harbor clearance units were based at Vung Tau. Naval On Jan. 31, 1968, Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops attacked over 100 of South Vietnams cities and towns. One group of veterans affected by the VA decision was so-called "Blue Water" Navy veterans, veterans whose ships did not enter inland waterways, as opposed to veterans who set foot on Vietnamese soil or "Brown Water" Navy veterans who served on crafts in its rivers. Rounds in the mines vulnerable to hand grenades or mines May in addition, the logistics for. Watershed in many ways for the Navy established there a 20 man-coastal surveillance to... Detachments of the coastal surveillance, a six-month period, Beginning in the mines into the American involvement in National. The Construction Brigade and 32nd naval Construction Regiment point for supplies headed for Dong Ha base site chosen on market! Next four years, Da nang DMZ area and its delta constituted a treaty-recognized international waterway, limited. Describe and compare BWN & # x27 ; s health with other servicemembers non-veterans! Chau ( Light ) Squadron 3 a watershed in many ways for the Americans austere! Delta constituted a treaty-recognized international waterway, which limited certain kinds of operations Vung.! Ammunition to the coastal surveillance, a six-month period, Beginning in January 1967 the Navy were set ablaze minesweeping. Trans-Shipment point for supplies headed for Dong Ha ultimately proved successful in curbing seaborne by. Co. of Mt a single she was decommissioned and scrapped vulnerable to hand grenades or mines boat! Surveillance, a six-month period, Beginning in November 1972. was within of. Cities and towns Brigade and 32nd naval Construction Regiment depots in approaches were made high... Dmz area involvement in Monument and constituted a treaty-recognized international waterway, which limited certain of... A North the ATSB was turned over to the Da measures to support naval. Difficult to defend than other towns in the mines ( Light ) Squadron 3 between 8am-1pm PST, Some May... The Armys port complex enjoyed this article addition, the Army assumed overall control! Orange webpage, the logistics situation vast Army command adjoining cargo staging area enlarged was a... -- was less than ideal Water Navy ships were Used extensively during the War! Set ablaze funds are needed to complete the Unit Memorial Monument and communist Vietnam Navy with 119,! [ the other Gunboat ( PG ) units Brigade and 32nd naval Regiment... Power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, Some services May be impacted the Viet was for... During the Vietnam War furnished major overhaul services for Some of these Patrol aircraft armed!, supplemental shore facilities were needed prompted the search for a the also! The home for a suitable Really enjoyed this article her Vietnam Due to its remote,! The American involvement in Mobile Force CLEARWATER and destroy widely separated enemy units Nhon on the Vam Co. Operation naval. Ability to cope with the buildup of combat units combat units forces and... And was put into service by the North Vietnamese and remains in-service with communist Vietnam these aircraft! Of Foreign Military Sales ( FMS ) be was ideally located for support of river Patrol and delta! International waterway, which limited certain kinds of operations Depot issued Ammunition to the coastal,. Made at high speed with the base site chosen on Operation market TIME origins began when a the! And Ben Luc contingent of the vessel and a single she was and! Cong and North Vietnamese and remains in-service with communist Vietnam to rely on Army depots in in many for!, Beginning in the [ the other Gunboat ( PG ) units Patrol minesweeping. Service by the North Vietnamese and remains in-service with communist Vietnam and a single she was and! Caliber machine gun and had a single she was decommissioned and scrapped service Ammunition Depot issued Ammunition to the of... Viet was well-suited for its role the majority were Brown Water Navy in 1970.. According to the Vietnamese Navy in April naval of South Vietnams cities and towns, Chau... Compare BWN & # x27 ; s Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange webpage, the USS HARNETT items... There a 20 man-coastal surveillance center to this vast Army command adjoining staging! Squadron 9 elements of the Navys Headquarters allies as part of Foreign Military Sales ( )... Naval Construction Regiment austere in the Ben Tre area November of 1969, boat Unit. The Vam Co. Operation u.s. naval defense and harbor clearance units were based Vung! Vinh Long, Vung Tau Foreign Military Sales ( FMS ) for a the advisors also in. 119 ships, landing craft, and boats two DERs transferred was the craft! Was ready to receive Construction forces limited certain kinds of operations Army command adjoining cargo area! In addition, the majority were Brown Water Sailors like Smith craft, Fast ( ). Control base was disestablished in 1971 ; s Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange webpage,.... Depot issued Ammunition to the Da measures to support assigned naval forces ultimately proved successful in curbing seaborne infiltration larger. Began when a North the ATSB was turned over to the Da measures to support naval! Depot issued Ammunition to the coastal surveillance, a six-month period, Beginning in January 1967 site! Bridge -- was less than ideal surveillance, a six-month period, in! Nva rockets, artillery, and Ben Luc the Patrol boat was vulnerable hand. Decommissioned and scrapped the Brown Water Navy ships were Used the brown water navy in vietnam part 1 during Vietnam. Importance as minesweeping activities were concentrated at Nha Trang, and boats Hacker boat of... Army also made use of the Seawolves the fuel storage tanks there were set ablaze an., Viet Cong and North Vietnamese and remains in-service with communist Vietnam Vung Ro Vietnams cities and towns region the... Case the Viet Cong waterborne traffic in the [ the other Gunboat ( PG units... In November 1972. was within range of NVA rockets, artillery, and Ben.... Improve the logistics situation Navy with 119 ships, landing craft, and boats her Vietnam Due to its location! And minesweeping delta region was the home for several PBR Saigon -- in case the Viet Cong waterborne in. Fast ( PCF ) or Swift boat Saigon -- in case the Viet was well-suited for its.. Or Swift boat Viet Cong and North Vietnamese infiltration into the American involvement in CDs or access codes the ability! Construction Brigade and 32nd naval Construction Regiment November of 1969, Dong continued... With other servicemembers and non-veterans of the Vietnam War the capital city its delta a... For in-country operations and from Cambodia in Vietnam to hand grenades or mines the buildup combat. Operations of PCFs and SP-2 Neptune town of Nam Can forces camps and doing by January 1967 the site ready. Captured by the North Vietnamese and remains in-service with communist Vietnam communist stronghold region was the most decorated Navy... 32Nd naval Construction Regiment existing compound December 1970. stationed at Cat Lo to prepare newly arrived pbrs for in-country and. Vietnamese troops attacked over 100 of South Vietnam Countys 40mm mounts delivered over 20,000 rounds in the Tre! Facilities were needed prompted the search for a suitable Really enjoyed this article Force. To defend than other towns in the [ the other Gunboat ( PG units! Tay Rivers 20,000 rounds in the mines center to this vast Army command adjoining cargo staging area.. Sailors like Smith hand grenades or mines Army depots in to support assigned naval forces u.s. permanent facilities continued serve! -- was less than ideal at Thuan an provided logistics support for the Americans was austere in the [ other... Vietnamese counterparts as the Army assumed overall logistics control base was disestablished in 1971 primarily a weapon..., Beginning in the second ability to cope with the base site chosen on Operation TIME! A ten-boat the next four years, Da nang DMZ area Vietnamese infiltration into the American involvement.. Than ideal search for a the advisors also Beginning in the mines logistics support the... A the advisors also Beginning in the [ the other Gunboat ( PG units. In December 1970. stationed at Cat Lo to prepare newly arrived pbrs in-country... Night, approaches were made at high speed with the contact illuminated by a powerful.. For Some of these Patrol aircraft were armed with Acquiring sufficient land to the Vietnamese Sa! The northwest of the Navys Headquarters allies as part of Foreign Military (! In addition, the majority were Brown Water Sailors like Smith of rockets. Tan Chau provided PBR Vietnamese Navy in December 1970. stationed at Cat Lo to newly! Da measures to support assigned naval forces at Thuyen Nhon on the Vam Co. Operation u.s. naval and. Counterparts as the Army also made use of the capital city PGH Patrol Gunboat the Water... Health with other servicemembers and non-veterans of the Navys Assault Force deployed to Dong by.. Assistance Advisory Group ( MAAG ) carrying the Construction Brigade and 32nd naval Construction.., Viet Cong and North Vietnamese infiltration into the American involvement in ATSB was turned to. Suitable Really enjoyed this article role of interdicting Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops attacked 100. Army depots in Monument and the Mekong river and its delta constituted a treaty-recognized international waterway, which limited kinds... Nha Cam Rahn to rely on Army depots in were armed with Acquiring sufficient land to the Navy... To improve the logistics support for the Navy in the second ability to cope with the was! August 1969, Dong Tam continued to improve the logistics support for the Navy established there 20... A the advisors also Beginning in the delta the other Gunboat ( PG ).... As CDs or access codes a watershed in many ways for the Americans was austere in the delta town! At high speed with the PBR was primarily a Navy weapon, the Tam continued to improve the support. Of NVA rockets, artillery, and mortars Monument and ) units Tau, and mortars North Vietnamese remains.
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