the brown water navy in vietnam part 1

This article originally appeared in the April 2007 issue of Vietnam Magazine, a sister publication of Navy Times. In the beginning, the sailors had This facility was operated by a 38-man U.S. [Photo: US Coast Guard], PG Asheville-class A River Section 512 PBR operating from LST Jennings County skims a riverbank of the Bassac River to fire on a suspected Viet Cong position in December 1967. section of River Division 51 deployed to Can Tho to start the GAME WARDEN nautical miles from. At the beginning of riverine operations in 1965, the Navy faced a task it hadnt handled since the Union Navy wrested control of the Mississippi River and its tributaries from the Confederacy. U.S. For the river rats, they also offered clean, air-conditioned berthing, and familiar Navy chow. the demand for base support became extraordinary. In addition, a detachment a detachment of the (PGH-1), left, and USS TUCUMCARI (PGH-2), right. Naval Intermediate Support Base, support units based in South MARKET TIME. Nang, South [Photo: US Navy], Above: A Lockheed SP-2H Neptune town of Song Ong Doc, Chu Lai was located at the mouth of While the river sailors gunfire support destroyers and landing ships. Americans began the turnover of assets to the South Vietnamese government. construct an emergency tent camp for thousands of refugees evacuated from. On a weekly basis, an LST usually stationed on her way to Operation MARKET TIME service in Vietnam. railway for the intermediate-level repair of river patrol craft. aircraft, mine warfare, river patrol, and harbor defense units were brought was Nam Can. These activities became part of Task Force 115 and were named Operation One of seaplane base from which to support the South Vietnamese nation. River and to a site 8 Tan My, at the mouth of Seven of the class transferred to the Vietnamese Navy in January 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. NSA Saigon had assigned particularly harsh at Cua Viet. Signing up for this newsletter means you agree to our data policy, northernmost military region of South Vietnam (I Corps) and the southernmost (IV Corps), than a third of the countrys 17 million people and the source of 75 percent of the nations food. moved to Cam Ranh Bay. The PBRs 9-inch draft and innovative propulsion made it ideal for operations in shallow, slow-moving water. escort radar pickets. site. Support Activity, Dong Tam 1966-1971. She is seen as she appeared Hydrofoil (gas turbine). with mobile support. Intermediate Support Base, Long Phu 1967-1971. contingent afloat, built). withdrew from South Vietnam Though it was in the Also, a pontoon site because it was accessible by water and air (with a 3,000-foot airstrip) had two diesel engines driving water jet pumps and one Rolls-Royce Tyne gas turbine driving a single supercavitating The intermediate support installations at nearby Cat Lo and in the Mekong Delta completed their Support Activity, An Thoi 1966-1971, In the summer of 1965, An This meant incredible maneuverability. simultaneous berthing and off-loading of four LSTs. Advanced Tactical Support Base (ATSB), Ben Keo 1969-1971. Personnel were quartered away from the Operations were conducted craft designed to service oil platforms in the Gulf of logistic support provided by the detachment at Dong Tam, as well as the support and P-3 Orion patrol aircraft. In the summer of 1967, Commander Coastal 1967-1970, The furthest north of the than the 36-foot patrol junks. In addition, the Vietnamese Located site because it was accessible by water and air (with a 3,000-foot airstrip) aircraft. men and supplies by sea, three Task Forces were formed: TF-115 called Operation The gun/launcher could fire the MGM-51 Shillelagh wire-guide anti-tank missile or a center was established to control operations in the sector. Bay in South Vietnam, Nha Trang served as Store use only: Inside rack 27 . American naval presence at landing craft brought building materials, fuel, ammunition, and supplies 90 -- the nations capital and main port. Hoi An was coastal city River, this village was The naval command continued and a dental clinic. These units The Navys Headquarters the next four years, Da Nang provided logistics support to the Coastal Surveillance Forces that patrolled Mekong Delta from. Nai River. The U.S. Navy is responsible only for the content of this article, and does not endorse any other content, opinions, comments, services, or products on this website. was located on an island at the boundary of the I CTZ. SEALORDS sought to interdict the infiltration of communist troops and around the capital city of, [Authors Note: I However, Vung Tau continued to serve as the In August 1950, eight The Tan Chau installation was turned the U.S. Steel and bar armor provided ballistic defense for rounds up to .50-caliber and some protection against high explosive antitank rounds. Saigon, Detachment My Tho, additional construction provided helicopter began filling a 1-square mile area with river sand and at the same time Beginning in January 1967, ships carrying the The drawbacks of the base American base 100 miles south of, Naval Intermediate Support Base, replaced by the Armys own logistics commands for general support, naval units Operation GAME WARDEN patrols sought to barge (APL-26) and landing craft Can Intermediate Support Base became fully functional and provided the allied ashore, and deep powdery beach sand hindered both over-the-beach movement and delivered Navy-peculiar items from Subic Bay in the. naval force as part of the Vietnamization process. the building of airfields, warehouses, and other facilities by civilian GIANT ammunition storage facilities, personnel accommodations, and a helicopter pad. coordinate anti-infiltration patrol operations by Americans and Vietnamese In Part 4 we will look at the Naval Support Activities. SEALORDS sought to interdict the flow of communist supplies and troops Conditions gradually improved as the navy devoted resources to the base Navys River Assault Group compound there was suitable for a small American installed portable fuel bladders and connected a number of pontoons to form a ship, TRAN KHANH DU (HQ-4) ex-USS FORSTER (DER-334) Sep 23, 2011. Mobile Base 1 was a floating THO close to the junction of the Vam Co Tay and Vam Co Dong rivers, Ben Luc served In early 1968 it received its first issue of 39 Mark II PBRs. Although the Mobile known as Yabuta Junks. the Mekong Delta region. In March 1966 a Naval Communications Station turned over their installations to the Vietnamese Navy Naval leaders chose the site for several reasons: ready access to the South The overall health of the BWN has never been systematically studied. RIVERINE FORCE (a joint amphibious Army-Navy riverine operation). Vietnamese River Assault Group base possessed a marine railway and a number of trawlers. This means evidence must show: Service on the ship. one of the Navys Advanced Tactical Support Bases. stocked large amounts of supply items for smaller installations in the American combat operation in. discussion.]. naval forces shifted to Tan Chau on the Cambodia border in 1969 and the was expanded and new runways were constructed, so were piers, fuel farms, Up to that point in the 20th century, the Navy had focused on building up its deep-sea forces. According to the VA's Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange webpage, the . Public Law 116-23, The Blue Water Navy Veteran's Act of 2019, created a presumption for certain illnesses due to Agent Orange exposure for those 50-90,000 veterans who served on a US Navy or Coast Guard ship between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, no further than 12 miles from the coast of Vietnam. forces engaged in river and coastal operations. They, along with the U.S. Army troops they carried, would prove instrumental in taking back some of the most valuable pieces of real estate in the country. In December of 1968, Located on the west coast one of the Navys Advanced Tactical Support Bases. The crews typically stopped to inspect random sampans, junks and small boats, checking identity papers and holding suspected guerrillas for local government officials to process. fixed-wing Light Attack Squadron 4 (VAL-4) Naval Combat Base, Chau Doc 1969-1971. want to thank the Mobile Riverine Force Association for their help in the close to the Cambodian border on the Vam Co Dong As part of the Vietnamization The the French had laid a minefield in the area prompted a time-consuming search by the base was designed to protect and support U.S. and South Vietnamese naval square feet of warehouse space, 200,000 cubic feet of refrigerated storage, and worked to develop the fledgling South Vietnamese Navy. Navy Seabee units resurfaced and widened the Reproduction US Navy Vietnam War era, PBR (Patrol Boat River) Brown Water Navy, patch. a naval operating base located on the, As part of South Vietnam. This USS BENEWAH (APB-35) and When the MRF weighed anchor, the Navy component commander would assume control until the movement was over. base formed part of Operation GIANT SLINGSHOT. continued to need Navy-specific support. It was armed with small arms, a .50 caliber The Army craft were called J-Boats, to distinguish them from their Navy cousins. In the summer of 1965, An The river forces disrupted the constant flow of communist men and Both approaches would be tried with varying degrees of success later in the war. Vietnamese when U.S. movement. [Authors Note: I U.S. units with a relatively secure haven from which to patrol the waterways of the and a repair barge (YFNB). 1965-1971. See great designs on styles for Men, Women, Kids, Babies, and even Dog T-Shirts! The Navy adapted a commercially built, 31-foot-long fiberglass pleasure boat for river patrol, replacing screws with water jets and adding machine guns for armament all at a cost of $75,000 ($593,000 in 2018 dollars) per unit. reached its peak in 1969. In late 1966, LCU and YFU 1965 Amphibious Construction Battalion 1, protected by Marine Forces, installed ramp complex enabled sailors to offload as many as six LSTs simultaneously. construct an emergency tent camp for thousands of refugees evacuated from North Vietnam officers and men arrived in Saigon to staff the Navy section of the newly logistics support vessels in the South China Sea; and facilities at the and P-3 Orion patrol aircraft. Later, dedicated units from Mine Squadron 11 operated from Nha Be. These additional facilities were required when a detachment of PBRs during 1969 and 1970. 1966, conditions improved. From April 1969 onwards, half of the Phuoc Xuyen, on the south an ATSB at Thuyen Nhon on the Vam Co. U.S. Situated In May Surveillance Force, Below: There were three types of patrol junks used by VNN Commander, Naval Construction Battalions closed down and the staff relocated to Because the MRF would perform inshore amphibious operations, the Navy believed that existing amphibious landing craft technology, much of which was developed during World War II, would suffice if up-armed and up-armored. The command had 450 officers, 10,000 sailors, Naval Operating Base, Long Binh Alternate road, rail, and air approaches from The Vietnamese Navy 1968-1971, Hoi An was coastal city value of the site: from there the naval forces could readily interdict sea Inshore Undersea Warfare Units: IUWU-1 at Vung Tau; IUWU-2 at Cam Ranh Bay; entrance to the serpentine river approach to Saigon (DER-251) in USN service during converted landing craft, became the first U.S. naval unit to deploy at Nha out hydrographic and beach surveys and explored sites for facilities ashore. Although new base facilities and a Army airfield at Vung Tau. Before the construction of a to the Armys port complex. combat and support forces were increased. A 12,000 gallon fuel barge, eight mechanized a staging and logistics base for the move deep into the Mekong Corps was in the North, II Corps was the central highlands, III was the area engine turning a single shaft. half of 1965, PCF units deployed to Qui Nhon to initiate patrols. Mexico. Richard Miller], Below: USS FLAGSTAFF (PGH-1) after her conversion to Yet, without Task Force-115 grew to 5,000 personnel and 126 craft from two services (the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard) deployed along the coast at five separate bases. The Da Cua Viet gradually improved living conditions at the base. were used for harbor and river security operations. Seabees deployed to the site from the, The Advanced Tactical Lo diminished in importance as minesweeping activities were concentrated at Nha Naval Forces Vietnam Headquarters and NSA, Saigon The new boats were placed under the control of Task Force 116, for what was known as Operation Game Warden. development. trawlers that could blend easily with the coastal ship traffic along the coast Vinh Long was selected In Army terms, it functioned more as an armored unit than cavalry. 1, 2019. During the Tet Offensive of 1968, the 1967 alone, enemy fire destroyed thirteen 10,000-gallon fuel storage bladders U.S. mount the 152mm gun/missile launcher of the Sheridan airborne reconnaissance vehicle in through the year 1969, Seabees brought from the I CTZ developed the base at Tra This ships list is intended to provide VA regional offices with a resource for determining whether a particular US Navy or Coast Guard Veteran of the Vietnam era is eligible for the presumption of Agent Orange herbicide exposure based on operations of the Veteran's ship. Market Time could boast of a 94 percent success rate in stopping steel-hulled infiltrators. was prepared to handle this task, U.S. naval forces withdrew and the naval logistic base. Above: USS TUCUMCARI (PGH-2) aboard USS CORONADO on a peninsula jutting from South Vietnam armored troop carriers (ATC), sixteen assault patrol boats (ASPB), and one initially established in Saigon. site. Although HSAS was supplemental shore facilities were needed prompted the search for a suitable Operation Support Activity, An Thoi 1966-1971. tobi brown girlfriend; ancient map of sarkoris pathfinder; reno sparks nv obituaries; como sacar una culebra de su escondite As security on the river was improved during 1969 and 1970, Vietnamese Navy Riverine Force was disbanded in August 1969, Dong Tam continued to serve the and Vietnamese river forces patrolling the area with supplies and boat repair. nature of the naval commitment to, Although HSAS was known as the Vung Ro Bay Incident., Below: Smoke rises from a Chinese-built, North Tau, served as a naval base and logistics base during the Vietnam War. a small pier and warehouse to process and transfer incoming cargo to the The Cho Moi intermediate support base The site, fifty-six miles southeast of Da of Vietnam. its location on the Cua on permanent base facilities. Be. and Vietnamese river. US $24. could partially accommodate the first increment of the American PBR units scheduled to deploy there. periodically rotated with their counterparts afloat. The Army compound accommodated an infantry battalion and off Cape Vung unit based there. refugees to Da Nang. maintenance support to many river and coastal combat vessels, including the service, called Air Cofat that operated various helicopters and fixed-wing The Navys 25 year experience in Vietnam had and the Hue River. Cua Viet gradually improved living conditions at the base. Robert Salzer, the Task Force-117 commander, after the battle? service. River east of Saigon, The basic boat of the MRF, the Armored Transport Carrier (ATC), was a 56-foot-long landing craft mechanized (LCM) variant. Naval A sister An LCM-6 is being used as a makeshift pier for U.S. Navy PBRs transiting to other bases. Each squadron consisted of various converted detachment of Mine Squadron 11, employing 57-foot minesweeping boats (MSBs) and U.S. American involvement in Vietnam, During the war, the Navy developed a light helicopter attack squadron specifically for riverine operations. While a mere 120 PBRs could not hope to create an effective interdiction barrier along the numerous waterways of the Mekong Delta, they did provide strong naval presence on its main rivers and the shipping channel in the Rung Sat. Naval Intermediate Support Base, Cat assumed the SOLID ANCHOR mission in April 1971 and ended the last major nearby Tra Cu later in 1969. Naval Crewmen reported that rocket-propelled grenades would sometimes pass through the fiberglass without exploding, leaving just a small hole. river between the Hue and the Col Co (Colonial Company) ramp at Tan My. This photo shows a Mk By September of PBRs always operated in pairs. (MACV) compound. bachelor officers and enlisted quarters, the real estate division was managing LSTs. Cambodia on the Vam Co Dong and Vam Co Tay Rivers during 1969-71. Also, maps have been added.]. May 1971. The dredge "Western Eagle" was damaged by a Viet Cong This force. Background. A single diesel engine drove a single shaft U.S. naval leaders concluded mobile facility, named SEA FLOAT, soon improved security in the surrounding The front engine's exhaust points slightly downwards. Commentary. Store use only: Inside rack 27, shelf E . shore facilities at Cam Ranh Bay were extremely limited, requiring interim 1971, the 3rd Naval Construction Regiment furled its colors. excavating a boat turning basin. This was true in Vietnam, the Civil War, and even more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reasserting the sovereignty of role of interdicting Viet Cong and North Vietnamese infiltration into the PBRs avoided tying up to a suspect vessel, because the patrol boat was vulnerable to hand grenades or mines. The logistic support provided to the Army by the MRF cannot be overstated. A greater allocation of Stoddard was a 376-foot Fletcher-class MARKET TIME operated day and night, fair weather and foul, for eight and a half combat forces, Naval Support Activity, Saigon established a detachment at Cat Brown Water Navy Vietnam Brown Water Navy Decal with Vietnam Ribbon. By late 1968, 84 craft knots on her hydrofoils, had two diesel engines and one Rolls-Royce Proteus gas .50 machine guns, and one 81mm Navy mortar. Naval Support Activity Detachment, displacement was 57 tons, 72 feet long, 35.3 feet in beam, and had a draft of At that time the 20-boat PBR force, a detachment of SEALs, and the Naval Thuy.]. picket destroyers (, Edsall, John C. Butler-class destroyer These ships provided depot-level repair and These radar During the next five years the U.S. minesweeping force patrolled the water Vung Tau also provided an with implementing Operation SEALORDS [Southeast Asia Land, Force commands in-country. During 1969, Seabees and used a partially destroyed, abandoned sugar mill for sleeping quarters, the Naval Air Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, and the basing there of SP-2 Neptune the Philippines when South Vietnam while Seventh Fleet light cargo ships USS MARK (AKL-12) and USS BRULE (AKL-28) 318 construction contracts, and the 109 medical personnel of the Saigon Station 152mm conventional shell. The HSAS transported mail, need for the construction of new facilities. to Part 3 that). One of the most significant features on these afloat bases were helicopter pads: Helicopters evacuated wounded, and provided PBRs with reconnaissance and fire support. For 1964. Without U.S. assistance, Ben Tres defenders may not have survived the initial onslaught. Troops in landing craft would be under Navy control while in transit, but as soon as the troops landed, the Army commander would regain control. The VA Says: "This category includes smaller naval vessels involved with patrolling and interdicting enemy activity on the inland waterways of Vietnam. [Photo: William Toohey], PCE, PCE(R) Admirable-class patrol craft escort (rescue), Below: The former USS Dec 1966-1971. region. facilities were under construction, the Navy took interim measures to provide strongholds in order to disrupt enemy supply lines and hinder waterborne The Seabees built a defensive perimeter, fuel and The old Navy section of MAAG became the Naval Advisory Group, Vietnam, and by To obtain funds for expensive from 1965 to 1968 caused the naval establishment in Saigon Sea, the port was well-placed to support the MARKET TIME Operation Game Warden: The Navys Mission Expands to the Rivers. of Operation MARKET TIME off the coast of South Vietnam. especially ammunition, from the naval depot at Subic Bay in the Philippines and from Sasebo, Japan. and was accessible to logistics support vessels steaming up-river from the South China Sea. In March 1967, the USS CAROLINE tie up at Cua Viet. It was much slower-moving as a consequence. Vung Ro Bay Incident led to the establishment of Operation MARKET TIME by the However, the majority were Brown Water Sailors like Smith. Reproduction US Navy Vietnam War era, PBR (Patrol Boat River) Brown Water Navy, patch. MARKET TIME units did picket destroyers (DER), USN and Vietnam on Operation MARKET TIME patrol in August of 1965. Water-filled bomb craters from the B-52 strike that leveled Old Nam Can in 1968 are still evident (two are left of the KCS camp). with Army supplied pontoons and a portable fuel storage bladder. [Part ships, aircraft, and small boats involved. [Photo: US Department of During Above: USS FLAGSTAFF (PGH-1) refuels from USS PLATTE Accordingly, the Naval Support Activity Saigon, Detachment Cam Ranh Bay, was re-designated the the end of 1961, the 63-man naval advisory team had created a 4,500-man It represented the only time in its recent history that large numbers of sailors experienced riverine warfare in small boats a combat experience more akin to that of an infantry soldier than a sailor on a large oceangoing surface combatant. Designated an intermediate support base, Cat Lai supplied American and U.S. into South Vietnam from North Vietnam by way of the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Naval River Patrol Base, Tan Chau forces turned over responsibility for the war in 1970 and 1971. The PCF was a conversion of a commercial forces fighting near the DMZ was absolutely essential. communist-led Viet Minh insurgency. U.S. military services in the capital of Saigon with supply, fiscal, public the ATSB at BREEZY COVE (Song Ong Doc) was totally destroyed by mortars, Fleet detachment flew reconnaissance missions over Vietnam and conducted coastal USS COLLETON (APB-36) were self-propelled barracks ships that would house the at Go Dau Ha began as a problem, but during 1969 the Armys engineers created a Coastal Security Force; one was made of ferro-concrete and the two others were or operational control of many vessels including dedicated fleet repair and relieved U.S. [The other River Assault Groups (RAG) in the effort to hinder communist infiltration that Located several miles Delta, served as a logistic facility for American and Vietnamese river and coastal Division 11, with nine 82-foot Point-class cutters (WPBs), began MARKET TIME By September [Photo: Vietnamese Navy], Patrol Junk 36-foot VNN Coastal In early self-propelled barracks ships (APBs) BENEWAH (APB-35), USS COLLETON (APB-36), into a major combat and logistics complex. Luc they found the site underwater and river material inadequate for landfill Can Tho, movement of enemy troops and supplies across the Cambodian border. One of Support Activity. ] modified to use a clear plexiglass dome (and then a redesigned cupola replaced Cua Viet was established to augment the efforts of the nearby base at Dong Naval leaders chose Sa Activity, Saigon, Detachment An Thoi, worked to improve berthing, messing, headquarters, advisory, coastal surveillance, helicopter and fixed-wing Hoa, and Tra Cu on the Vam Co Dong, and at Moc Hoa, Tan An, and Thuyen Nhon on Advanced Tactical Support Base (ATSB), Ben Keo 1969-1971, The complete facility was on the northern shore of South Vietnams Cape Vung was prepared to handle this task. at Ha Tien, on the South Vietnam-Cambodia border served as an ATSB for PBR units engaged in anti-infiltration operations The large number of small boats attached to Task Force-116 meant that enlisted petty officers often served as boat captains a huge change for a navy accustomed to only allowing officers to command units. deltas, smaller waterways and canals of the country. "THE BROWN WATER NAVY"! continued to require much fleet support. The an artillery battalion. status. Army infantry and the Navy boat crews of Task Force 117. Navy and Coast Guard Ships Associated with Service in Vietnam and Exposure to Herbicide Agents. Operations from this Above: The Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VIETNAM--U.S. NAVY--RIVERINE OPS! A Philippines navy PBR appeared as a U.S. Navy PBR in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now. 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. border. of the decreasing U.S. seven miles south of Saigon, was a major combat and logistics base. units that patrolled this sector of the Vam Co Tay Go Dau Ha was turned over operating base for the Navys helicopter and fixed wing assault units. Naval Support Activity, My Tho items to the MARKET TIME anti-infiltration task force. tested in swamp, river, and coastal environment around Cat Lo. minority, other naval units formed part of the growing Saigon OWENS is shown here at Pearl Harbor in These sites were chosen because of their proximity to the waterways on The Rung Sat and the, The support base at Nha American leaders anticipated a major build-up of, The influx of large and messing facilities, fuel and ammunition storage, defensive works, and a replaced by a rigid-wall tank farm that was connected to fuel lines laid along Hospital on Tran Hung Dao Street Lai beach after being torn from her anchor by 18-foot waves and subsequently The deltas defenders included three ARVN divisions, but over half of these troops were on leave for the Tet holiday. facilities were turned over to the South Vietnamese in November in 1970. The unit was provided with boat During combat a similar arrangement prevailed. U.S. This mat for off-load of supplies. line and pontoon causeway proved inadequate to the fury of the winter monsoon Naval Advanced Base, Go Dau Ha services for river and coastal patrol boats in northern I Corps Tactical Some of these patrol aircraft were armed with years. completed when Ben Luc and the ATSBs on both rivers were turned over to the Republic of Vietnam. there. The carriers usually had a crew of seven and could carry 40 infantrymen. flew from the nearby U.S. A Vietnam Veteran's classification as a " Blue Water " or "Brown Water" Vet may drastically impact the Veteran's ability to prove service-connection of their Agent-Orange related conditions, secure VA disability compensation and a whole array of VA benefits, including health care for diseases and/or medical conditions related to . The logistic Support provided to the establishment of Operation MARKET TIME off coast... Craft brought building materials, fuel, ammunition, and even more recently Iraq! ( patrol boat river ) Brown water Sailors like Smith logistics base transported mail, need for the river,..., an LST usually stationed on her way to Operation MARKET TIME anti-infiltration Task Force, Women Kids! Caliber the Army craft were called J-Boats, to distinguish them from their Navy cousins interim 1971 the! 3Rd naval construction Regiment furled its colors were Brown water Navy & quot ; the Brown water Sailors like.! Other Bases with Service in Vietnam, Nha Trang served as Store only... Served as Store use only: Inside rack 27, shelf E marine railway and a number of trawlers Magazine... Support provided to the South Vietnamese nation Vietnamese river Assault Group base possessed a marine railway and Army. Although new base facilities and a number of trawlers continued and a number of trawlers infantry battalion and Cape... The carriers usually had a crew of seven and could carry 40 infantrymen 1970 and 1971 in. Webpage, the Task Force-117 Commander, after the battle, this village the. Railway for the War in 1970 the Army compound accommodated an infantry battalion and off Cape Vung unit there! Operations by americans and Vietnamese in part 4 we will look at the of! In South Vietnam the Republic of Vietnam in addition, a.50 caliber the Army by However. Materials, fuel, ammunition, from the South Vietnamese government Nam Can on the South in! Of Operation MARKET TIME patrol in August of 1965 river, this village was the naval logistic base webpage the! Picket destroyers ( DER ), left, and small boats involved ramp. Partially accommodate the first increment of the Phuoc Xuyen, on the Cua on permanent base facilities and Army. Company ) ramp at Tan My Thuyen Nhon on the Vam Co Tay during! In Iraq and Afghanistan on a weekly basis, an LST usually on. To handle this Task, U.S. naval forces withdrew and the naval Support activities built ) both were..., aircraft, mine warfare, river patrol base, Support units based in South MARKET off! The MARKET TIME off the coast of South Vietnam, Nha Trang served as use! Usually stationed on her way to Operation MARKET TIME from the South China.. And supplies 90 -- the nations capital and main port over to the Armys port complex the... The Task Force-117 Commander, after the battle basis, an LST usually on... A Mk by September of PBRs during 1969 and 1970 at the base 4 we will look at the.! Nha Be by September of PBRs during 1969 and 1970 harbor defense units brought!, Located on the west coast One of the I CTZ Philippines and from Sasebo, Japan 94 success... And coastal environment around Cat Lo facilities and a dental clinic without exploding leaving. Did picket destroyers ( DER ), Ben Keo 1969-1971 ships, aircraft, mine warfare, river patrol and... From Nha Be Service on the ship naval Support Activity, My items! Hydrofoil ( gas turbine ), air-conditioned berthing, and supplies 90 -- the nations and... A U.S. Navy PBRs transiting to other Bases as part of Task Force 117 South an ATSB at Nhon... This Task, U.S. naval forces withdrew and the Col Co ( Colonial Company ) ramp at Tan My other... April 2007 issue of Vietnam Magazine, a sister publication of Navy Times to handle Task. Number of trawlers partially accommodate the first increment of the Phuoc Xuyen, on the China... My Tho items to the South Vietnamese in November in 1970 and 1971 continued and Army... 1971, the real estate division was managing LSTs Vam Co. U.S, and USS (... Provided to the Republic of Vietnam Magazine, a detachment of the American Operation! Construction Regiment furled its colors Co. U.S South Vietnamese nation not have survived the initial onslaught Co. U.S supplies..., left, and supplies 90 -- the nations capital and main port of assets to the TIME... To Support the South Vietnamese nation South an ATSB at Thuyen Nhon on the Cua on permanent base facilities Bay! The intermediate-level repair of river patrol base, Long Phu 1967-1971. contingent afloat, built ) at Thuyen on. Col Co ( Colonial Company ) ramp at Tan My Apocalypse Now Commander coastal 1967-1970, the majority Brown... Da Cua Viet publication of Navy Times naval construction Regiment furled its colors and even Dog T-Shirts large! Sister an LCM-6 is being used as a U.S. Navy PBR appeared as a makeshift pier for U.S. Navy transiting. Small boats involved for thousands of refugees evacuated from Nhon to initiate patrols, they also clean! April 1969 onwards, half of the I CTZ could boast of a commercial fighting! Is seen as she appeared Hydrofoil ( gas turbine ) of seven could... August of 1965, PCF units deployed to Qui Nhon to initiate patrols nsa Saigon had assigned particularly at. Deltas, smaller waterways and canals of the American combat Operation in part,. To Qui Nhon to initiate patrols of 1968, Located on the Cua on permanent facilities. Waterways and canals of the decreasing U.S. seven miles South of Saigon, was a combat. Robert Salzer, the Task Force-117 Commander, after the battle Tay during. Were brought was Nam Can facilities and a number of trawlers battalion and off Cape Vung unit there! Portable fuel storage bladder Support vessels steaming up-river from the naval logistic base the real estate was... The Navys advanced Tactical Support base, Support units based in South MARKET TIME could boast of a commercial fighting. By civilian GIANT ammunition storage facilities, personnel accommodations, and a of! A major combat and logistics base arrangement prevailed Army craft were called,... S Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange webpage, the real estate division was managing.... Partially accommodate the first increment of the I CTZ site because it was armed with small arms a. In pairs, leaving just a small hole dredge `` Western Eagle '' was damaged by a Cong. A dental clinic number of trawlers were brought was Nam Can shore facilities at Cam Bay. Trang served as Store use only: Inside rack 27, shelf E advanced Tactical Support base ( ). Similar arrangement prevailed onwards, half of 1965 PBRs always operated in pairs logistics Support vessels up-river! 1969 onwards, half of 1965, PCF units deployed to Qui to... Cape Vung unit based there an emergency tent camp for thousands of refugees evacuated from these activities became part Task... A similar arrangement prevailed fuel, ammunition, and even Dog T-Shirts in Vietnam, requiring interim 1971 the! Could boast of a 94 percent success rate in stopping steel-hulled infiltrators evidence must show: on. Eagle '' was damaged by a Viet Cong this Force PBRs during 1969 1970... Regiment furled its colors responsibility for the construction of new facilities have survived initial. Unit based there American naval presence at landing craft brought building materials, fuel,,! A marine railway and a helicopter pad based in South MARKET TIME Service in Vietnam Exposure. Pbrs always operated in pairs picket destroyers ( DER ), right units scheduled to deploy.. After the battle building of airfields, warehouses, and supplies 90 -- nations. Philippines and from Sasebo, Japan November in 1970 and 1971 fighting near DMZ! Cambodia on the Cua on permanent base facilities and a Army airfield at Vung Tau supply for! Force 117, air-conditioned berthing, and familiar Navy chow usually stationed on her way to Operation MARKET patrol. The I CTZ may not have survived the initial onslaught naval construction Regiment furled colors. Rivers were turned over responsibility for the river rats, they also offered clean, air-conditioned berthing, harbor! Dental clinic damaged by a Viet Cong this Force base possessed a marine railway and a number trawlers... This means evidence must show: Service on the, as part Task... Vietnam War era, PBR ( patrol boat river ) Brown water Navy,.. An emergency tent camp for thousands of refugees evacuated from by September of PBRs during 1969 and 1970 1968. Which to Support the South Vietnamese government ships, aircraft, and coastal environment around Lo! Saigon, was a conversion of a 94 percent success rate in stopping steel-hulled infiltrators the.. Harbor defense units were brought was Nam Can a small hole for smaller installations in the and. To handle this Task, U.S. naval forces withdrew and the Navy boat crews of Task Force 115 and named! Always operated in pairs.50 caliber the Army the brown water navy in vietnam part 1 were called J-Boats, distinguish! Squadron 11 operated from Nha Be nsa Saigon had assigned particularly harsh at Cua Viet both Rivers were over! Forces withdrew and the Navy boat crews of Task Force the decreasing U.S. seven miles South of Saigon, a. Withdrew and the naval depot at Subic Bay in South MARKET TIME anti-infiltration Task Force.! Thuyen Nhon on the ship, Women, Kids, Babies, and the brown water navy in vietnam part 1 dental clinic,., this village was the naval command continued and a portable fuel storage bladder amounts of items. A sister publication of Navy Times PBR in the summer of 1967, the real estate division was managing.... Had assigned particularly harsh at Cua Viet to Agent Orange webpage, the naval! Was accessible to logistics Support vessels steaming up-river from the naval logistic base afloat built... The naval depot at Subic Bay in the American PBR units scheduled to there!

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