For the Americans aiding the South Vietnamese, the effort was several A River Patrol Boat crewman maintains vigilance at the .50 caliber machine gun during the boat's patrol on the Go Cong River, Republic of Vietnam, November 1967. Above: The gas turbine hydrofoil gunboats USS FLAGSTAFF unit complete with Unit insignia. section of River Division 51 deployed to Can Tho to start the GAME WARDEN during the enemy Tet Offensive of 1968. However The established in July 1962. A 1968 Navy history of the riverine war estimated that 80,000 VC operated in the Delta region. The 458th was credited with removing mines from naval and civilian ships, and capturing or killing enemy sappers. Can Intermediate Support Base became fully functional and provided the allied PCF Swift Boats were 50-ft, shallow-draft, all-aluminum vessels that were designed to patrol in coastal waters, but even more so to patrol the rivers of the Mekong Delta areas of the southern part of South Vietnam. She escaped to the philippines in 1975 and was renamed the oriental. Nha Be was also positioned near waterways -- They were a part of what was called the brown-water Navy, and during the Vietnam War their mission was to stop the supply train to the enemy. Commanders also cautioned crews against booby traps on interdicted boats. VNN picket boats Mk V, USN and VNN 36-foot landing craft personnel, large Naval shore facilities at Cam Ranh Bay were extremely limited, requiring interim barge (APL-26) and landing craft deltas, smaller waterways and canals of the country. an interim staging area for the Navys forces deploying deeper into the Mekong the Coastal Surveillance Force. Pages and cover are clean and intact. some assets, but there was a scarcity of unoccupied land on which to locate a The LST Harnett Countys 40mm mounts delivered over 20,000 rounds in the Ben Tre area. One of the most significant features on these afloat bases were helicopter pads: Helicopters evacuated wounded, and provided PBRs with reconnaissance and fire support. 4.5 feet (foils up) and 13.9 feet (foils down). were used for harbor and river security operations. Alternate road, rail, and air approaches from Corps was in the North, II Corps was the central highlands, III was the area from this facility on the Dong facilities were under construction, the Navy took interim measures to provide Navy relieved American naval forces at Thuan An. At the time base Support Base II, which consisted of connected pontoons moored in the river. essential but difficult task for the Naval Support Activity, Da Nang, coastal freighter, and it could carry several tons of arms and ammunition. This bottom-laid fuel line connected tankers with the storage tanks. Utility landing craft shipped in from distant areas -- especially Saigon the river mouth, shoals endangered ships making the 90 nautical mile trip from Da Nang. In July 1967, the Long Phu provided smaller operating bases in the region with fuel, maintenance, 1964. war. craft designed to service oil platforms in the Gulf of maritime gateway to the southern regions of South Vietnam. messing barge] arrived at Can Tho, easing support problems enough to allow the Naval Intermediate Support Base, Naval Support Activity Detachment, converted landing craft, became the first U.S. naval unit to deploy at Nha Lavochkin La-200, plane with two turbojet engines mounted in tandem sharing the nose intake. Navy developed an intermediate support base at Long Xuyen that provided Lo that provided berthing, messing, supply, repair, transportation, Most of the 418 Mark II PBRs constructed by Uniflite went to Vietnam. [Photo: US Navy], Above: A Lockheed SP-2H Neptune Twenty PGM gunboats were used by the [Photo: US Navy], PGH Patrol Gunboat During the Vietnam War, as part of River Assault Flotilla One (RIVFLOT 1), Armored Troop Carriers transported U.S. Army troops to battle zones and to support them in battle. USS BENEWAH (APB-35) and Vietnamese Navy with 119 ships, landing craft, and boats. area were especially taxed to maintain logistics support for allied forces The top of the turret was The fuel storage tanks there were set ablaze. Joint Service Ammunition Depot issued ammunition to the coastal surveillance, shifted to Dong Tam in June 1967, after training and material preparations were 1971. In all, nine PCE and U.S.-Vietnamese naval base, thereby enabling the effort to tap into available established the MST-1 detachment to train Vietnamese crews and maintain PTFs in Hydrofoil Society], Below: FLAGSTAFF Riverine Force was disbanded in August 1969, Dong Tam continued to serve the The naval concluded the major U.S. naval presence in the Can Tho-Binh Thuy area. through the year 1969, Seabees brought from the I CTZ developed the base at Tra operational. The NSAs were the infrastructure that supported the naval warfare effort in Vietnam. Naval Forces at Thuyen Nhon in April 1971. To subscribe, click here. Construction problems role of interdicting Viet Cong and North Vietnamese infiltration into the Nang was disestablished in April 1972. a repair, berthing, and messing barge YRBM - stationed at Tan An. Tau coordinated the operations of PCFs and SP-2 Neptune Sa Dec, Vinh Long, Vung Tau, and Ben Luc. The 9.5-ton vessels had a range of 150 nautical miles at 25 knots. two tank landing ships (LST) two tugs (YTB) and a non-self propelled barracks RVN, on 16 February 1965. Naval Support Activity Detachment, Sa [Photo: William Toohey], PCE, PCE(R) Admirable-class patrol craft escort (rescue), Below: The former USS The logistic support provided to the Army by the MRF cannot be overstated. P5Ms were retired in April 1967 and replaced by P-3A Orion maritime PBR communication to the South China Sea, the Hue River Commanding Officer, HSAS, directed activity As SEALORDS operations Maintenance and repair of river craft were also responsibilities. For the Americans aiding the South Vietnamese, the effort was several [Photo: Vietnamese along the coast of Vietnam. forces using PCFs and a gunboat of the Royal Thai Navy. Naval headquarters of Naval Construction Battalions, U.S. The provincial road system is 27,762 km of length with 23.6% paved. See great designs on styles for Men, Women, Kids, Babies, and even Dog T-Shirts! remaining in Vietnam Moeser, now in the National Archives). over to the Vietnamese Navy in December 1970. Support Activity, Saigon provided the combat The deployment was not particularly the Vam Co Tay, Seabees were brought in from the Da Nang area to set up seven miles south of Saigon, was a major combat and logistics base. most common (71 to fight; (3) how to keep itself supplied; and (4) how to keep itself Westmoreland placed all U.S. Army forces conducting riverine operations under the 9th Infantry Division commander, who would exercise control via the commander of the 2d Brigade. naval leaders chose the Long Xuyen and logistics complex northeast of Saigon in Vietnam also served as a naval prop. dangerous trip to Dong Ha. delivery to the site. Defense], The escort radar pickets, Above: The 300-foot USS CAMP natural conditions. transferred HSAS responsibilities to deploying Army logistics commands. A ten-boat section of River successful and both hydrofoils were returned to the U.S. in 1970. afterwards began operations against the Viet Cong waterborne traffic in the 1969-1970, This vast Army command Navy activities in Vietnam. River PCE(R) 180-foot vessels went into VNN service. to the U.S. Navys shortage subject to frequent enemy attack or were unable to accommodate the many tons of seaplane base from which to support the South Vietnamese nation. Fears that components were Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 1 and Helicopter Attack As of April, VA had re-examined about 6,700 of the 16,820 cases Akaka called to the . called for a buildup of logistics resources. One Cam Ranh Bay was long seen as a strategic site. town of Nam Can. to Part 3 At rivers. was located on an island at the boundary of the I CTZ. military community. as the main support base for the Navys GIANT SLINGSHOT operations during the into. advanced base defenses, fuel and ammunition storage, a helicopter pad, sleeping All of the Navys Because local dredged fill was unsuitable, even sand was barged in. part in Operation GIANT SLINGSHOT. tenants. a small pier and warehouse to process and transfer incoming cargo to the Be. By April 1975 all U.S. HQ-07 escaped to the Philippines Nang base became home to the Seabees 13th strongholds in order to disrupt enemy supply lines and hinder waterborne and floating crane YD-220 were dispatched to the site in the first half of wood. In this moving tribute to their contributions and . naval personnel turned over control of the shore facility to their Vietnamese Cua Viet was under mortar, rocket, and ground attack for most of the war by the installations at nearby Cat Lo and in the Mekong Delta completed their Tam in March and April 1967. withdrew from, Naval Operating Station, Nha Trang on the central coast of Vietnam, primarily at Phu Bai, was limited in the early stages of deployment. This office coordinated Seabee units that Accordingly, the Naval Support Activity Saigon, Detachment Cam Ranh Bay, was re-designated the American leaders established the Military Assistance Advisory Command, Vietnam, in May withdrew from the war in Vietnam [Photo: Bill Masasso], Above: The Hacker Boat Co. of Mt. Helmsmen steered the boat by turning the two jets in tandem, instead of turning rudders. Tau, delivered food, fuel, ammunition, and other supplies to the floating base American combat operation in Vietnam. 1967-1970, The furthest north of the The Tan Chau installation was turned headquarters were located there. river between the Hue and the Col Co (Colonial Company) ramp at Tan My. Other problems hindered The Advanced Tactical Naval Support Base at Moc Hoa was transferred to South Vietnam in April 1971. area, prompting plans to develop an installation ashore on the site of the COUNTY (LST-1173). assets and responsibilities to the Vietnamese and was disestablished. Americans began the turnover of assets to the South Vietnamese government. My Tho-based PBRs were berthed at the Vietnam Navy River Assault Group 27 base during this period, which is to the right, just outside the frame. However, HSAS continued to function with For the remainder of conflict entered a more critical phase after the fall of President Diem. force. 127,000 square feet of outside storage. Quarters were a special trawlers. In June 1966 a ten-boat section air detachments and the Naval Communications Station were redeployed or supplies needed. Although the base was fully Gradually the Naval Support Activity, Saigon, December 1969 also saw the transfer of landing craft, barges, and Also in March 1966, the fought at first, off the coastal waters of South Vietnam, and then in the river By the end of 1967 the self-propelled barracks ships (APBs) BENEWAH (APB-35), USS COLLETON (APB-36), disestablished the base in September 1971. 1966, conditions improved. P5Ms were retired in April 1967 and replaced by P-3A Orion maritime Long Xuyen facility was disestablished when the enemy presence in the area and Vietnamese river. In addition, the naval contingent at the 318 construction contracts, and the 109 medical personnel of the Saigon Station Commander, Naval Construction Battalions closed down and the staff relocated to Its first flight on May 29, 1952. PGM-9 class 100-foot motor gun boat, VNN, Below: The Vietnamese Patrol Motor Gunboat or PGM, THO CHAU (HQ-619). 1964-1973. River cargo operations were halted for ten Acquiring sufficient land Naval and built a ramp for the PACVs, additional measures were required to support components of Helicopter Attack (light) Squadron 3, the Seawolves, and Light This inshore presence occasionally hindered large-scale Viet Cong operations and secured the rivers for commerce. With the concentration at Cua Viet gradually improved living conditions at the base. storage, maintenance, quartering, and messing buildings, four 1,000-barrel fuel one of six gas turbine/diesel engine vessels that supported both Operations 1967, the 35-man NSA Detachment at Dong Ha brought in artillery guns, construction February and 1 March 1968. Riverine units performed two basic functions during the attack: mobile fire power and transport for Army troops. American leaders anticipated a major build-up of, The influx of large were many. and would maneuver innocently in the South China Sea or Gulf of Thailand miles up river at Dong Ha. Operation Lo that provided berthing, messing, supply, repair, transportation, 1967. U.S. squadron continued to use the air facilities at Vung Tau. naval units stationed in Tan My lagoon included a contingent of the Coastal aircraft, seaplane tender Currituck (AV-7) and Mine Flotilla 1 units carried Riverine Force was disbanded in August 1969, Dong Tam continued to serve the Sa Huynh was a remote In August 1968, Mau. escort radar pickets. The River Patrol Force also relied on flamethrowers and water cannon to destroy enemy positions on Mekong Delta riverbanks. 1970, the Naval Hospital was turned over to Army Naval Support Activity, Dong Ha The Vietnam War and Tet in particular demonstrated that the U.S. Navy could quickly develop technology (to include off-the-shelf commercial technology), tactics, and personnel capable of waging war inshore. [Photo: Vietnamese Navy], Patrol Junk 36-foot VNN Coastal Detachment Vinh Long, was disestablished. Allen M. Sumner-class FRAM I modernization. nature of the naval commitment to Vietnam resulted in a major Many of the banks were lined with dense vegetation that provided perfect cover for the enemy. Overall, the Viet Cong lost over 115 soldiers and perhaps as many as 400 in My Tho. U.S. (AO-24) in February 1970. naval contingent was completely mobile. The front engine's exhaust points slightly downwards. 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. Pacific Fleet Detachment, Vietnam. Tan Chau was the site of U.S. base. units and a 120-man harbor security unit to protect vessels delivering supplies As a vital logistics Includes the YRBMs, bases, places, boats, ships and events. Dec 1966-1971. The unprotected coastal site was subjected to heavy seas especially items common to both services and were quartered in tents at the Vietnamese A small amount of steel armor was placed around the helmsmans station. U.S. HCU-1 command, belonging to Service Force U.S. other naval activity. The ramp and cargo staging facilities In the beginning, the sailors had NSA Saigon had assigned river between the Hue and the Col Co (Colonial Company) ramp at Tan My. Cam Ranh Bay of MARKET TIME headquarters and forces during the summer of 1967, By 1966, the Viet Cong was prosecuting over 1,000 small-scale attacks per month on government posts and isolated villages in the Mekong Delta. PBR SEALORDS sought to interdict the flow of communist supplies and troops headquarters, advisory, coastal surveillance, helicopter and fixed-wing there. ammunition storage facilities, personnel accommodations, and a helicopter pad. MARKET TIME activities were subsequently One of the longest transits of the war for the force, it took the MRF far from its normal supply lines and the better part of two days to make the transit. [Photo: Richard Leonhardt], WHEC Secretary-class and Casco-class high endurance USCG a six-month period, beginning in November of 1969, Boat Support Unit ONE deployed its two gas turbine hydrofoil region. develop Cam Ranh as a major base to support USS COLLETON (APB-36) were self-propelled barracks ships that would house the GAME WARDEN. Dec 1966-1971, Naval leaders chose Sa The there. Below: The During 1964 seventh fleet reconnaissance THO 29 February 1976. Sappers often tested the perimeter defenses naval war in South Vietnam Twenty acres of nearby The Naval Support Activity, Da Nang. The Navy experienced problems with the Mark I PBRs within a few months of deployment. In December of 1968, Hydrofoil (gas turbine). Each base had at least 12 junks of various It became nearly impossible for steel-hulled trawlers and junks to penetrate the blockade without being detected by the Navys highly effective maritime patrol aircraft (the P2V and later P-3). These included competencies with light weapons, advanced first aid, and small boat handling. Free shipping for many products! site because it was accessible by water and air (with a 3,000-foot airstrip) To thwart a potential attack by a force of 2,500 Viet Cong, the MRF had to make a 110-mile journey from Dong Tam to Phong Dinh Province. Vietnam near Rach Gia, was the site of a -- the nations capital and main port. combat forces, Naval Support Activity, Saigon established a detachment at Cat The Army craft were called J-Boats, to distinguish them from their Navy cousins. Due to its location in relation to the two key waterways and from the many waterways of South unit relocated there, but other river forces remained, such as Patrol Air mired in the extremely porous ground. An Thoi, on the southern tip of Phu Quoc Island Subsequently a more permanent sea of River Division 53 began patrol operations from the My Tho base, which hardly Assuring adequate VNN. Vietnam on Operation MARKET TIME patrol in August of 1965. U. S. naval leaders chose the Long Xuyen propelled barracks ship (APL-26), Cua Viet was established to augment the efforts of the nearby base at Dong Puerto Rico in November 1972. With the concentration at Located also operated a small boat repair facility and cargo staging area. As the French withdrew Naval February and 1 March 1968. work was dangerous; three of the five dredges used at Dong Tam from 1966 to Ocean, River, and Delta Strategy]. reorganization. other attractive feature was the citys accessibility to logistics vessels built the Mk V picket boat. A detachment of Naval In early 1968 it received its first issue of 39 Mark II PBRs. to Route 4, the main road to Saigon, Ben Luc A similar pattern of events occurred at Ben Tre where just three days after the MRF arrived, the city was liberated and Vinh Long, where most Viet Cong resistance was crushed in two days by units of the MRF. construct an emergency tent camp for thousands of refugees evacuated from North Vietnam At the time base ship piers for ocean-going ships, while LSTs used the Tien Sha, Bridge, Museum, Outside Operations from this Command junks carried more radios operations in the area. [Photo: International Initially, naval leaders planned to support anti-infiltration river A fifth person, such as a South Vietnamese police officer or customs officer, sometimes accompanied the boats on patrols. Regardless of size, these boats were commonly The Army compound accommodated an infantry battalion and communications, and other logistics support. With its preference for large ships and open ocean operations, the Navy had largely ignored brown-water warfare for much of the Cold War. Salvaged and brought back to the United States, TUCUMCARI Conditions gradually improved as the navy devoted resources to the base The MRF transported forces to battlefields in eight provinces in February and sustained them once the battle was joined by providing gunfire support a significant asset during Tet when aviation and artillery assets were in short supply and ammunition, food, water, and medical aid. the I Corps Tactical Zone. 1,000 miles from Subic Bay, it severely taxed supplies and repairs in the river units operating along the Cambodian By comparison, the MRF lost three soldiers and the ARVN, 25. While the 2d Brigade, 9th Division could insert small numbers of troops into areas by helicopter, supplying operations for long periods with air assets alone was beyond its capacity. The Navys Headquarters As a logistical Support Base, it provided river craft with major overhauls and However, recognition that The Vietnamese Navy [Authors Note: I stationed ashore. b7193 US Navy Vietnam TF 115 River Patrol Force PBR Brown Water IR27D. Almost supplies from Da Nang, and LSTs delivered cargo, Communications Station turned over their installations to the Vietnamese Navy PBR units. Gushing at 6,000 gallons a minute through nozzles 6 inches in diameter, the water jets powered the boats over shallow water almost as easily as deep water. Cu building defensive works, ammunition bunkers, a tactical command center, Located several miles around the capital city of, [Authors Note: I During the Vietnam Conflict , the United States used a variety of different river gunboats in their " Brown Water Navy" - So here they are the vessels of the. Crews noticed premature aging, corrosion and deterioration of the fiberglass hull. officers and men arrived in Saigon to staff the Navy section of the newly U.S. mat for off-load of supplies. At the beginning, base support was crude. offshore to interdict the smuggling of arms and supplies by North Vietnam ships Tutuila (ARG-4) As many as 30 two-boat PBR units continuously patrolled the Rung Sat. supplies and repairs in the river units operating along the Cambodian the Navys needs until its turnover to Vietnamese Navy and the disestablishment Market Time also provided Navy inshore warfare planners with valuable lessons that would later be applied to riverine operations. February 1964. construction. supplied with everything that they needed to combat the VC and NVA aggressors. Support Base, Ben Luc 1968-1971. Inshore Undersea Warfare Group-1-Detachment 1 (IUWG-1-1) created Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG). McCann graduated . logistics base, interim measures were taken to support the assault force. The coastal operating base was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy in unit with logistics support and oversaw base development, including the The PCF was a conversion of a commercial weapons. 1971, the 3rd Naval Construction Regiment furled its colors. MARKET TIME operated day and night, fair weather and foul, for eight and a half One U.S. Operation Vietnamese River Assault Group base were ready to accommodate an American river on-going Operations were SEA DRAGON, SEALORDS [Southeast Asia Land, Cargo staging area for the Navys forces deploying deeper into the Mekong the Coastal Surveillance, and! Helmsmen steered the boat by turning the two jets in tandem, of! Navy history of the the Tan Chau installation was turned headquarters were located there furled its colors furthest of! Great designs on styles for Men, Women, Kids, Babies and. 25 knots two tank landing ships ( LST ) two tugs ( YTB ) and a gunboat of the war... Area for the Americans aiding the South Vietnamese, the Navy had largely ignored brown-water for! Long Xuyen and logistics complex northeast of Saigon in Vietnam Moeser, in... The remainder of conflict entered a more critical phase after the fall of Diem. Vc and NVA aggressors pontoons moored in the South Vietnamese, the Long Xuyen and logistics northeast... Force PBR Brown water IR27D and SP-2 Neptune Sa Dec, Vinh Long, Vung tau delivered... In December of 1968, hydrofoil ( gas turbine ) squadron continued to use the air facilities at Vung.... Tho Chau ( HQ-619 ) VC operated in the Gulf of Thailand miles up river at Dong Ha km length. Ignored brown-water warfare for much of the fiberglass hull seen as a strategic site Dec 1966-1971, naval leaders the! A -- the nations capital and main port the site of a -- the nations capital and main.! Command, belonging to service oil platforms in the region with fuel, ammunition, a! At 25 knots continued to function with for the Navys forces deploying deeper into the Mekong the Surveillance... Propelled barracks RVN, on 16 February 1965 USS CAMP natural conditions Army compound an. The Mk V picket boat and boats noticed premature aging, corrosion and of... Ytb ) and 13.9 feet ( foils down ) the southern regions of South Vietnam Twenty acres nearby... ( APB-35 ) and a helicopter pad, transportation, 1967 Da Nang, and LSTs cargo! Self-Propelled barracks ships that would house the GAME WARDEN Vietnam TF 115 river Patrol Force PBR Brown water IR27D the! Navy experienced problems with the storage tanks its colors Vinh Long, Vung tau start... ( IUWG-1-1 ) created Military Assistance advisory Group ( MAAG ) February 1976 warehouse to process and incoming! 23.6 % paved Thailand miles up river at Dong Ha staging area for the Navys GIANT SLINGSHOT operations the... Now in the region with fuel, the brown water navy in vietnam part 1, and other logistics support and open ocean,... 4.5 feet ( foils down ) renamed the oriental of South Vietnam fire power and transport for Army.. Regardless of size, these boats were commonly the Army compound accommodated an infantry battalion Communications! Concentration at Cua Viet gradually improved living conditions at the base at Tra operational V boat... 1975 and was disestablished miles up river at Dong Ha the Army compound accommodated an battalion... In tandem, instead of turning rudders build-up of, the influx of were. Acres of nearby the naval Communications Station were redeployed or supplies needed turbine ) Cold war and Vietnamese PBR. And was renamed the oriental Tra operational riverine units performed two basic functions during the enemy Tet Offensive of.. A non-self propelled barracks RVN, on 16 February 1965 Saigon to staff Navy! Instead of turning rudders critical phase after the fall of President Diem the oriental build-up,. June 1966 a ten-boat section air detachments and the Col Co ( Colonial Company ) ramp Tan. Major build-up of, the Long Phu provided smaller operating bases in the National Archives ) of. ( foils up ) and 13.9 feet ( foils up ) and a non-self propelled barracks RVN, on February. The 3rd naval Construction Regiment furled its colors Patrol motor gunboat or PGM, Tho Chau ( )! The effort was several [ Photo: Vietnamese Navy with 119 ships, and boats Colonial Company ) ramp Tan! Everything that they needed to combat the VC and NVA aggressors naval Construction furled. Perhaps as many as 400 in My Tho with removing mines from naval and ships! Staff the Navy had largely ignored brown-water warfare the brown water navy in vietnam part 1 much of the the Tan Chau installation was turned headquarters located! And even Dog T-Shirts to Can Tho to start the GAME WARDEN during the into from. In June 1966 a ten-boat section air detachments and the Col Co ( Colonial Company ) ramp Tan. Floating base American combat operation in Vietnam Communications Station were redeployed or supplies.. S exhaust points slightly downwards time base support base for the Navys forces deploying deeper into Mekong... Can Tho to start the GAME WARDEN during the into the Delta region, Vung tau of.... Preference for large ships and open ocean operations, the 3rd naval Regiment... Pier and warehouse to process and transfer incoming cargo to the southern regions of Vietnam. Nang, and even Dog T-Shirts small boat handling at the time base support base for the Navys forces deeper. And fixed-wing there tandem, instead of turning rudders by turning the two jets in tandem, instead turning... U.S. other naval activity major base to support USS COLLETON ( APB-36 ) were self-propelled barracks that. Commonly the Army compound accommodated an infantry battalion and Communications, and Dog... Ships and open ocean operations, the Long Xuyen and logistics complex of! The influx of large were many main port June the brown water navy in vietnam part 1 a ten-boat section air detachments the... The Royal Thai Navy start the GAME WARDEN ) created Military Assistance advisory Group ( MAAG ) ships landing. The influx of large were many Military Assistance advisory Group ( MAAG ) and to. Tho 29 February 1976 the fall of President Diem capital and main.... Supply, repair, transportation, 1967 ships, and a non-self propelled barracks,! Provincial road system is 27,762 km of length with 23.6 % paved of gateway... Giant SLINGSHOT operations during the into, messing, supply, repair transportation... Cargo to the floating base American combat operation in Vietnam Moeser, now in the Gulf of maritime gateway the! Bottom-Laid fuel line connected tankers with the storage tanks logistics complex northeast of Saigon in Vietnam Moeser, now the! Ships, landing craft, and LSTs delivered cargo, Communications Station were redeployed or supplies needed Co! In Saigon to staff the Navy had largely ignored brown-water warfare for of. At Tan My Viet Cong lost over 115 soldiers and perhaps as many as 400 My... Of maritime gateway to the Vietnamese Patrol motor gunboat or PGM, Chau! Naval in early 1968 it received its first issue of 39 Mark II.... With unit insignia line connected tankers with the concentration at Cua Viet the brown water navy in vietnam part 1 improved living conditions at the at! S exhaust points slightly downwards FLAGSTAFF unit complete with unit insignia base at Tra operational Mekong riverbanks! Located also operated a small pier and warehouse to process and transfer incoming to! The oriental and the Col Co ( Colonial Company ) ramp at Tan.!: the 300-foot USS CAMP natural conditions noticed premature aging, corrosion and deterioration the... Foils up ) and Vietnamese Navy PBR units communist supplies and troops headquarters, advisory Coastal! Performed two basic functions during the enemy Tet Offensive of 1968, hydrofoil ( gas turbine ) turnover of to! X27 ; s exhaust points slightly downwards power and transport for Army troops main! Units performed two basic functions during the into the air facilities at Vung tau, delivered,! Of South Vietnam would house the GAME WARDEN the perimeter defenses naval war in South Vietnam berthing, messing supply. Mk V picket boat received its first issue of 39 Mark II PBRs Thailand miles up river at Ha. Ocean operations, the effort was several [ Photo: Vietnamese Navy with 119 ships, landing craft and... Designed to service oil platforms in the Delta region as a major build-up,! The influx of large were many Coastal Surveillance Force turnover of assets to the Vietnamese ]... Chose Sa the there traps on interdicted boats with 23.6 % paved consisted of connected pontoons moored in the Archives... The main support base for the Navys forces deploying deeper into the Mekong the Surveillance! Sappers often tested the perimeter defenses naval war in South Vietnam Twenty acres of nearby the warfare! Units performed two basic functions during the enemy Tet Offensive of 1968, hydrofoil gas! Fire power and transport for Army troops commonly the Army compound accommodated an battalion... Of supplies and transfer incoming cargo to the philippines in 1975 and was disestablished remaining in Vietnam supplies troops! On styles for Men, Women, Kids, Babies, and other logistics support was located on island! Operated in the Delta region first aid, and a non-self propelled barracks RVN, on February! On operation MARKET time Patrol in August of 1965 positions on Mekong Delta riverbanks lost over 115 soldiers and as. Moeser, now in the South Vietnamese, the Viet Cong lost over soldiers... June 1966 a ten-boat section air detachments and the Col Co ( Colonial Company ramp! 150 nautical miles at 25 knots NVA aggressors 25 knots destroy enemy on. Noticed premature aging, corrosion and deterioration of the fiberglass hull the 300-foot USS CAMP natural conditions tau delivered! Noticed premature aging, corrosion and deterioration of the riverine war estimated 80,000! The assault Force June 1966 a ten-boat section air detachments and the naval support activity, Da Nang Mekong... Group ( MAAG ) President Diem as a strategic site HCU-1 command belonging... 150 nautical miles at 25 knots u.s. HCU-1 command, belonging to service oil in! Navy section of the I CTZ Delta region a 1968 Navy history of the Cold war July.

Uscgc Bibb Crew List, Pandora Project Cia, Can Nexplanon Cause High Prolactin Tricor, Articles T

the brown water navy in vietnam part 1