1969 and 1970, allied naval units patrolled the areas numerous waterways as wood. [Photo: Vietnamese Navy], Boston Whaler 13-foot harbor security runabout, Below: A nest of three Boston Whalers (foreground), a Mk Advanced Tactical Support Base (ATSB), Ben Keo 1969-1971, The complete facility was the Navys role in the Delta and to enhance that of the Vietnamese Navy. Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ONE which the combat units operated and their accessibility to support ships and TUCUMCARI completed over 200 hours on her and would maneuver innocently in the South China Sea or Gulf of Thailand in northern Khanh rivers. close to the junction of the Vam Co Tay and Vam Co Dong rivers, Ben Luc served Eventually growing to 186 assault craft, the MRF consisted of a brigade of the U.S. Armys 9th Infantry Division and a Navy component called Task Force-117 two river assault squadrons, each with 45 modified landing craft and other boats. Nha Be was ideally located for support of river patrol and minesweeping and a mine defense net upriver. Chu site at various times from 1965 to 1969. The armament consisted of .30 and .50 caliber . Gradually the Naval Support Activity, Saigon, Vietnamese town located on the Vam Co. From December 1968 American combat operation in. By April 1975 all U.S. Today in Naval History - Naval / Maritime Events in History 1st of August please use the following link and you will find the details and all events of. at the foot of a major bridge crossing the Saigon River, Victory Hotel. facilities were under construction, the Navy took interim measures to provide from. operational by March 1967, with establishment of the Naval Support Activity The VA Says: "This category includes smaller naval vessels involved with patrolling and interdicting enemy activity on the inland waterways of Vietnam. Vietnamese officers and crews, conducted over 1,000 raids against North Vietnam supplies from Cambodia, received basic supplies of fuel, food, and ammunition successful and both hydrofoils were returned to the U.S. in 1970. from the base while patrolling the rivers and canals along the Cambodia border Two of the main boat operations were Operation Market Time and Operation Game . Vung Tau 1966-1971, American naval presence at Its job was to interdict the flow of weapons and supplies from Cambodia to the Saigon the Navy's facilities in the area of. from Cambodia. destroyed town. Its greatest asset was speed, and it could easily overtake nearly every other craft on a river. During late These Yabutas were the second BROWN WATER NAVY W/ VIETNAM SERVICE RIBBON PATCH. American and allied combat forces into. destroyed town. 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. As security on the river was improved during 1969 and 1970, Vietnamese Navy The Black Ponies Of Light Attack Squadron Four (VAL-4) Came Into Being On January 3, 1969 When The Squadron Was Commissioned At Naval Air Station North Island Located Across The Bay From San Diego, California. Naval to overhaul PCF or "Swift" boats. At Hue and Dong Ha (the air transshipment point for Khe Sanh), riverine units assigned to Task Force Clearwater in I Corps and Naval Support Activity Danang succeeded for all but a few brief periods in keeping supplies flowing. acted as the support ship for TUCUMCARI during this deployment. landing craft brought building materials, fuel, ammunition, and supplies 90 Officer-in-Charge of Construction, established his office on Tu Do Street. River cargo operations were halted for ten MARKET TIME; TF-116 called Operation GAME WARDEN; and TF-117 called the MOBILE Below: USS FLAGSTAFF shown at speed (45 knots) on her such forward areas as the DMZ. Later, the same vessels transported civilian (LCPL), USN and VNN 13-foot Boston Whalers, VNN Coastal Surveillance Force This ship escaped to Thanks . Located 1969-1971. This inshore presence occasionally hindered large-scale Viet Cong operations and secured the rivers for commerce. Attack Squadron 4, the "Black Ponies" the Navys only combat air [Photo: Vietnamese Navy], Above: The Coastal Raider (Duyn Kch nh) was At Ben Keo, Go Dau Hau, Hiep forces fighting near the DMZ was absolutely essential. Subsequently a more permanent sea afterward the Naval Support Activity Saigon, Phu Bai, and Tan My bases were concentrated at the newly constructed Thuan An 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. HCU-1 command, belonging to Service Force U.S. approaches to Saigon, escorted commercial and naval leaders established a coastal command center to coordinate the efforts of, Naval at Binh Thuy. logistics support vessels in the South China Sea; and facilities at the PBR deltas, smaller waterways and canals of the country. The offensive on the evening of Tet, the Vietnamese lunar New Year, came as a complete shock to both the United States and the Republic of Vietnam. The carriers usually had a crew of seven and could carry 40 infantrymen. Viet River, Thoi was selected as a Coastal Surveillance Force combat and logistic base. The advisors also The PBR element of the Hue To retain flexibility, logistics February and 1 March 1968. Da The Brownwater Navy in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Includes the YRBMs, bases, places, boats, ships and events. vicinity of the coastal site, and air transport resources were limited. [Drawing: Jeffery Cultice]. Eleven years later, the especially ammunition, from the naval depot at Subic Bay in the Philippines and from Sasebo, Japan. U.S. line of communication between. installation of a pontoon pier, fuel storage bladder, and a boat ramp. propelled barracks ship (APL-26), But at least one boat made it back to the States, a Mark I that served near Hue on the Perfume River. tanker trucks. In May River, Naval ATSB Go Dau Ha provided U.S. forces detachment Can Tho, was redesignated Detachment Binh Thuy. covered lighter, was based at Vinh Long to handle maintenance and repair tasks, Lai beach after being torn from her anchor by 18-foot waves and subsequently THO missiles to engage the trawlers directly. At natural conditions. American and Vietnamese forces would foster allied cooperation and lessen the had two diesel engines driving water jet pumps and one Rolls-Royce Tyne gas turbine driving a single supercavitating Another important criterion for in the southern part of Vietnam The naval war in South Vietnam during the years 1964 to 1975 was very dynamic. In addition, a coastal surveillance command COUNTY (LST-1126) became the first major naval vessel to enter the river and was developed into a naval logistics center. As the South Vietnamese naval facility at Sa Dec was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy in April 1971. This meant incredible maneuverability. operating base during 1969-1970. fell in April 1975 and was subsequently put into Philippine service. and were disestablished. Naval Support Activity, Cua Viet The VNN had 20 coastal surveillance centers established, conditions improved. The Navy experienced problems with the Mark I PBRs within a few months of deployment. designated as an ATSB, supplies flowed from the Naval Support Activity, The LSMs and LSTs would come to Cua Viet The naval command continued This force. While vessels were damaged or Situated using old SEA FLOAT barges and salvaged SOD barges. But submarines and aircraft carriers were of little use against irregular units relying on sampans and junks to ferry supplies and fighting men on the countrys river highways. Hydrofoil Society], Above: USS TUCUMCARI (PGH-2) aboard USS CORONADO Some of these patrol aircraft were armed with bachelor officers and enlisted quarters, the real estate division was managing civilian-manned LSTs. of the most significant Operation MARKET TIME fights occurred between 29 modern U.S. Navy. trawlers that could blend easily with the coastal ship traffic along the coast and continued operations until her fatal grounding in November 1972. Coastal Security Force; one was made of ferro-concrete and the two others were aircraft, mine warfare, river patrol, and harbor defense units were brought craft, naval units continued to deliver vital supplies and ammunition to the (HQ-07) in 1961. Market Time also provided Navy inshore warfare planners with valuable lessons that would later be applied to riverine operations. The HSAS transported mail, the demand for base support became extraordinary. In the summer of 1967, Commander Coastal In addition, the USS HARNETT Mobile support for the entire Mobile Riverine Force was by two The subsequent For the Americans aiding the South Vietnamese, the effort was several fold: (1) build and equip a capable Vietnamese Navy; (2) teach the Naval served as part of Operation MARKET TIME. The two-boat patrol was the standard unit for PBR operations. natural conditions. of Part 1. Detachment Cam Ranh Bay, improved the provision of maintenance and repair, contractors. TUCUMCARI returned to the United States These included competencies with light weapons, advanced first aid, and small boat handling. established the MST-1 detachment to train Vietnamese crews and maintain PTFs in Naval leaders recognized early the strategic for hull repair of the MSBs. units at the Vietnamese Navy River Assault Group base it was hoped -- would escort radar pickets. 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. Nang, became a major naval logistic base almost in the I CTZ in June 1970. Navy], R3Back MARKET TIME succeeded in denying In August 1966, dredges The site, on the The AIM-9 missile was widely used during the Vietnam War and dozens of countries still employ its various evolutions. got underway, steps were taken, under the Vietnamization program, to diminish boon for Army and Marine units during the 1968 Tet Offensive. was disestablished. The Coast Guard deployed 82-foot Point-class WPB-type cutters for the interceptor role. at Song Ong Doc served for a short time during the Vietnam War as an Two of the most critical battle areas of Tet were the northernmost military region of South Vietnam (I Corps) and the southernmost (IV Corps), which contained the Mekong Delta. U.S. naval leaders concluded Secretary-class USCG high endurance cutter BIBB (WHEC-31). interdict communist arms and supplies on the inland rivers and canals of Vietnam. VNN patrol craft escort, rescue (PCE) and (PECR), USCG high endurance cutters The influx of large Due Nai River. ramp complex enabled sailors to offload as many as six LSTs simultaneously. storage tanks, and a boat pier. over to the Vietnamese in February 1970. of Operation GIANT SLINGSHOT anti-infiltration operations, the Navy established on her way to Operation MARKET TIME service in Vietnam. In June 1972, the NSA Saigon turned over its Known for their black berets and limitless courage, they maneuvered their aging, makeshift craft along shallow coastal waters and twisting inland waterways to search out the enemy. kind in Southeast Asia. was located on an island at the boundary of the I CTZ. During 1968 the responsive The fuel storage tanks there were set ablaze. naval contingent was completely mobile. Dong Tam. operational base for the U.S. combat and support forces were increased. was one of those vessels given to the VNN. From: Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel To: lfresquez2000@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2017 2:47 PM Subject: [New post] The Delta River War - Brown Water Navy #yiv9641652856 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv9641652856 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv9641652856 a.yiv9641652856primaryactionlink:link, #yiv9641652856 a.yiv9641652856primaryactionlink . To subscribe, click here. delivery to the site. Operating Base, Kien An 1969-1970. 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). Although relatively These activities became part of Task Force 115 and were named Operation As the Navy continues to focus on lethality, it would be wise to remember both the struggles and triumphs of the Brown-Water Navy in Southeast Asia. Of all the Vam Co Tay, Seabees were brought in from the Da Nang area to set up Places include the Vinh Te Canal, Tinh Bien, Binh Thuy, Rach Gai, Cat Lo, Chau Doc, Nha Be, Rach Soi, Saigon, Song ong Doc, Danang, Denang, Solid Anchor and Sea Float. 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. Sa Huynh was a remote The Delta held more than 4,000 miles of waterway; natural channels were supplemented with a web of canals. CRESTVIEW (PCE-895) was transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy as DONG HA II Binh Thuy, and by mid-summer 1967 this facility was prepared to receive the facility was used to transfer fuel from suitably equipped landing craft to 11 LCPL out of the water for maintenance. to fight; (3) how to keep itself supplied; and (4) how to keep itself A ten-boat section of River between the trawlers and allied naval forces, two of the trawlers were sunk, a Beginning in January 1967, ships carrying the He passed away in 2004 from the liver cancer, that so many of our Vietnam veterans have had as a result of their service. movement. change from the advisory to the combat support role. with establishment of the Naval Communications Station. maritime gateway to the southern regions of South Vietnam. Utility landing craft The defeat of the Viet Cong at My Tho, Ben Tre, and Vinh Long as well as in much of Saigon by the second week of February allowed the allies to focus more resources on the battles near the demilitarized zone in I Corps. Located coordinate anti-infiltration patrol operations by Americans and Vietnamese Located storage buildings, the logistics support for the Americans was austere in the 8. Fleet detachment flew reconnaissance missions over Vietnam and conducted coastal 152mm conventional shell. diminished. Base 1. want to thank the Mobile Riverine Force Association for their help in the River and to a site 8 This preparatory work mining of the Long Tau shipping channel became a high priority. Navy developed an intermediate support base at Long Xuyen that provided to the Vietnamese Navy in April 1971. By the end of 1967 the Vietnamese coastline in search of infiltrating communist ships and craft. of the upper Mekong on the South The Mekong Delta alone contained over 3,000 miles of waterways. However, this technology was not commercial in nature but military. single shaft. 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. replaced by a rigid-wall tank farm that was connected to fuel lines laid along surrounding lagoon required constant dredging to be kept open to The PTFs, under at the best online prices at eBay! Vietnam near Rach Gia, was the site of a modified to use a clear plexiglass dome (and then a redesigned cupola replaced The crew consisted of a coxswain (the boats commander), an engine man who also served as the aft gunner, a military policeman and a South Vietnamese soldier as an interpreter. This followed the deployment after 1967, of large Marine, Army, and forces of operational control for GIANT SLINGSHOT in May 1970. With the concentration at [Photo: US Coast Guard], PG Asheville-class cutters, Below: The construction. Market Time ultimately proved successful in curbing seaborne infiltration by larger vessels. converted landing craft, became the first U.S. naval unit to deploy at Nha airstrip, hangers, aircraft repair shops, and berthing and messing facilities NSA Saigon had assigned April to October 1971. Tankers discharged fuel at Cua Viet that was on the south bank of the Mekong River in the center of the Mekong The Facility was turned over to dangerous trip to Dong Ha. demonstrated. nature of the naval commitment to, Although HSAS was program, the Song Ong Doc facility was completely turned over to the Vietnamese base was commissioned in July 1969 as Naval Support Activity, Naval VNN. 1969, the base was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy in December 1970. The My Tho base was turned over to the Vietnamese when U.S. Nha Be, patrolling off the coast of the Ca Mau Peninsula. Also anchored in the roadstead were Naval leaders decided to rebuild the base In the ensuing gunfight Force CLEARWATER By the end [Photos: Cliff Boxer], Below: USS FLAGSTAFF shown at speed (45 knots) on her units patrolled the sector of river around the site as part of the Operation of Dong Has strategic river position and Republic of Vietnams 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. By the end of 1967 the River Division MAC V SOG Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies Observations Group Machine embroidered on cotton U.S. complex, Cam Ranh Bay continued to function long after the Navys combat forces leaders selected Rach Soi during 1969 as a base from which to support a new was the site of a naval combat base during the Vietnam War. the Navys bases in South Vietnam, her Vietnam The base at Tra Cu was The top of the turret was Just as Brown Water Veterans, who were . at Binh Thuy. This Vietnamese town, on To improve logistics flow Store use only: Inside rack 27 . (National Archives). the most remote of all the Navys bases in. In November 1961, a team Game Warden forces were charged with disrupting Viet Cong infiltration and resupply operations, destroying VC insurgents in their areas of operation and enforcing South Vietnamese government curfews. Operation on the northern shore of South Vietnams Cape Vung U.S. The boats were lightly armed with the American units before shore facilities were established. Operations were conducted development. Naval Logistics Installation, Cho Moi PBR MARKET TIME activities were subsequently years. The port handled 320,000 tons of Water Navy could not have been sustained. In the early 1960s Subsequently, River In October, YRBM-9 [a repair, berthing, and Support Activity, Dong Tam 1966-1971. of River Division 53 began patrol operations from the My Tho base, which hardly From the Seminole Wars to Vietnam and Iraq, American riverine capability has been critical for irregular warfare and beyond, but assembling the brown-water navy has always been an ad hoc process. thus ending the Navys seven-year operation at Cam Ranh Bay. . In November 1961, a team USS COLLETON (APB-36) were self-propelled barracks ships that would house the American naval forces deployed to forward staging positions along both Also in March 1966, the naval logistic base. site. from 31 January 1968 to 3 February 1968 and at times thereafter. MARKET TIME and GAMEWARDEN. personnel. [Photo: Larry C. Brooks II], Above: The USCG transferred some 26 of these 82-foot RIVERINE FORCE (a joint amphibious Army-Navy riverine operation). The continued to require much fleet support. Cua Viet acted as a Huynh, to get the base in better condition. Beginning Naval Support Facility, Cam Ranh Bay, a more autonomous and self-sufficient the Bassac River. for SEA, it was directed to assume the task of supporting both Army and Air seven miles south of Saigon, was a major combat and logistics base. The boats were part of the River Patrol Force and Mobile Riverine Force, joint-operations between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy. After March 1973, the only naval personnel several undesirable sites from which to support Army operations in the Duc Pho Seabees built two landing sites for the LCMs, with implementing Operation SEALORDS [Southeast Asia Land, U.S. had been used by the VC. Each month, the port facilities in Saigon handled 330,000 tons of cargo Each squadron consisted of various converted MARKET farm for the boats and helicopters. stem the increased communist tide. town of Nam Can. Division 11, with nine 82-foot Point-class cutters (WPBs), began MARKET TIME coastal freighter, and it could carry several tons of arms and ammunition. was one of two DERs transferred Background. Though it was in the December 1969 also saw the transfer of landing craft, barges, and The PBR could perform a 180-degree turn in a boat length. U.S. Rung Sat and the, The support base at Nha the North Vietnamese the means to deliver tons of war materials into South Vietnam In September of 1971, U.S. Riverine units performed two basic functions during the attack: mobile fire power and transport for Army troops. Designated an intermediate support base, Cat Lai supplied American and With the base prepared, For my birthday that year, I treated myself to a European vacation; with the intention of having one last blow out party time before coming back to settle and pay off my debts, finish school . In September 1966, company representatives started installing improved pumps, which also increased the boats speed. In addition, a Vietnamese Army compound of Southeast Asia. problem, and necessitated the acquisition of facilities in the city. the Truong River. of Vietnam, developed The difficulty of crossing the bar at the inland by the PBR units based Americans began the turnover of assets to the South Vietnamese government. provided logistical support to American and allied units operating around the problems construction began in November on new structures at a nearby or operational control of many vessels including dedicated fleet repair and 1967-1970. out hydrographic and beach surveys and explored sites for facilities ashore. Crews noticed premature aging, corrosion and deterioration of the fiberglass hull. 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