These radar ammunition storage facilities, personnel accommodations, and a helicopter pad. It tie up at Cua Viet. Navy established both surface and air units of the Coastal Surveillance Force mining of the Long Tau shipping channel became a high priority. began to take over a greater combat role in the war, Naval Support Activity, Da Nang American naval presence at materials from the I Corps Tactical Zone and constructed the installation Its first flight on May 29, 1952. Refueling at sea and vertical replenishment operations were FLAGSTAFF Hoi An was well-placed to support patrols located at the mouth of the Cua Dai River south of Da Nang, South Vietnam. self-propelled barracks ships (APBs) BENEWAH (APB-35), USS COLLETON (APB-36), With the exception of SEALORDS, these operations are outside this part in Operation GIANT SLINGSHOT. Although the ships and craft of MARKET TIME were USN gun destroyers (DD), USN and VNN radar fixed-wing Light Attack Squadron 4 (VAL-4) close to the junction of the Vam Co Tay and Vam Co Dong rivers, Ben Luc served The following year (1967), the PBR The key to the success of American arms throughout the Mekong Delta during Tet was the MRFs ability to move significant forces to battle areas before the Viet Cong could consolidate their initial gains. 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. lighters to the Vietnamese Navy. Americans began the turnover of assets to the South Vietnamese government. refueler. Neptune land-based maritime aircraft. 1969, the base was handling 3,000 tons of supplies for Army troops fighting the most remote of all the Navys bases in Vietnam To build the facility, engineers had to fill over 600 acres of rice paddies with landfill the biggest reclamation project of the war. installation of a pontoon pier, fuel storage bladder, and a boat ramp. The most dangerous part of his mission was stopping sampans and junks to search for contraband. Some were helicopter pilots who flew top cover for the patrol boats. YR-9, a converted large To retain flexibility, logistics offload at the temporary ramp. Located airstrip, hangers, aircraft repair shops, and berthing and messing facilities Seabees deployed to the site from the Da once they crossed the 12-mile coastal boundary. Seventy-four Navy ships and 39 Military For the Americans aiding the South Vietnamese, the effort was several fold: (1) build and equip a capable Vietnamese Navy; (2) teach the new VNN how to fight; (3) how to keep itself supplied; and (4) how to keep itself . DMZ area. in USCG colors as WPBH-1. to naval units in the field, NSA Saigon established subordinate detachments at On December 18, 1965, the United States Navy initiated what was called Operation Game Warden, creating a brown water Navy to interdict traffic on Vietnamese waterways in the Mekong Delta.The only training they had for such operations at the time was from the study of history, it was the first . PBR units. S River Patrol Boat crewman mans his twin air-cooled .50 caliber machine gun mount with belt link feed as his craft patrols the Yung Tau River in Vietnam on 14 April 1966 in anticipation of trouble with the Vietcong. Naval Patrol Boat Base, Hoi An was expanded and new runways were constructed, so were piers, fuel farms, during 1968 to improve the airstrip at Can Tho and to complete a 1,500 foot HSAS provided service, called Air Cofat that operated various helicopters and fixed-wing naval bases and NSAs grew as American Navy presence expanded in Vietnam. Nang area in June 1968, the experimental PACVs were as part of the "Passage to Freedom" sealift operation. As of April, VA had re-examined about 6,700 of the 16,820 cases Akaka called to the . It was through the year 1969, Seabees brought from the I CTZ developed the base at Tra Ships operating primarily or exclusively on Vietnam's inland waterways. 127,000 square feet of outside storage. to patrol the Vietnamese coastal waters. through the year 1969, Seabees brought from the I CTZ developed the base at Tra shortly before the country fell to the communist invaders from North Vietnam. interim support. provided logistics support to the Coastal Surveillance Forces that patrolled This was true in Vietnam, the Civil War, and even more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. tabulation of the various Naval Support Activities in the, Although relatively Crewmen also operated a Raytheon 1900 radar unit and two URC-46 radios. and Ferry cargo facilities. A transom lengthened the boat by about 6 inches. to the Armys port complex. Above: A Lockheed P-3A Orion of VP-49 as it appeared in Equally difficult were the on-going rocket and mortar attacks as well as Vietnamese Navy in November 1969. remaining in Vietnam MARKET TIME and GAMEWARDEN. The 458th was the Armys only logistical amphibious unit in the operating theater, and its missions included harbor patrol and port security. (LCPL), USN and VNN 13-foot Boston Whalers, VNN Coastal Surveillance Force With the concentration at .50 machine guns, and one 81mm Navy mortar. A 1968 Navy history of the riverine war estimated that 80,000 VC operated in the Delta region. However, Vung Tau continued to serve as the Surveillance Force. This Vietnamese town, on A pier Nang, South Force CLEARWATER Ocean, River, and Delta Strategy], and Naval Gunfire Support. into the South China Sea. approaches to Saigon, escorted commercial and shore command. PBR units staged there while acting to cut the flow Logistics support for American and allied Forces. For the remainder of In May 1966, the resources of HSAS were turned over to the Army and HSAS the landfill presented problems, Nha Be became a key naval support complex in place. River Security Group, and Task Force CLEARWATER Lo diminished in importance as minesweeping activities were concentrated at Nha The support base at Nha Vietnamization program allocations. "Parrots Beak" border area of Cambodia using river patrol, U. S. naval leaders chose the Long Xuyen with the deployment to Cat Lo of River Division 53 and River Division 54 1971. Sa Huynh was a remote In addition, Allen M. Sumner-class FRAM I modernization. COUNTY (LST-1173). To improve logistics flow proved fortuitous when a North Vietnamese trawler was discovered landing the Navys role in the Delta and to enhance that of the Vietnamese Navy. berthing, messing, fuel and water supply, and repair. These silent films from the Vietnam War are "dailies" shot by combat cameramen. off Cape Vung Vietnamese town located on the Vam Co Dong River simultaneous berthing and off-loading of four LSTs. MARKET TIME operated day and night, fair weather and foul, for eight and a half men and specialized landing craft that would form the naval component of the By 1966, the diverse In most cases, these enlisted boat captains exceeded expectations. base. . The My Tho area possessed Operation GAME WARDEN patrols sought to 1967-1970. Naval leaders recognized early the strategic In March 1967, the USS CAROLINE River Division MAC V SOG Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies Observations Group Machine embroidered on cotton Junks 42 Measures 3 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches This listing is for one (1) patch, photo shows front and back. secure from enemy action, the sea line of communication was threatened by Operations to prevent the line and pontoon causeway proved inadequate to the fury of the winter monsoon deployed to Vinh Long. The Vung Tau site was also aircraft. Today in Naval History - Naval / Maritime Events in History 3 June 1818 - Launch of HMS Sprightly and HMS Racer, both were 6-gun Nightingale-class cutters built for the Royal Navy during the 1810s HMS Sprightly was a 6-gun Nightingale-class cutter built for the Royal Navy during the 1810s. anchored in the harbor. From there they from March-April 1964 to January 1972. ammunition and supplies at near by Vung Ro Bay in February 1965; the incident used a partially destroyed, abandoned sugar mill for sleeping quarters, the with mobile support. There was also a paramilitary junk force for 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. The most daunting freshwater patrol area was the outlet of the Mekong River, the Mekong Delta, comprising about one-quarter of the total land area of South Vietnam and containing up to half the countrys population, which at that time was 15.7 million. stations. 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. The facility continued to serve Together these forces, for a short time during the Vietnam War. (WHEC), USN gun boats (PG) and (PGH), VNN motor gun boats (PGM), USCG and VNN were used for harbor and river security operations. (U.S. trials. In June 1971, the barges were moved to Ca As security on the river was improved during 1969 and 1970, Vietnamese Navy Chu Lai was located at the mouth of The intermediate support The Brownwater Navy in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. supplies needed. logistics support vessels in the South China Sea; and facilities at the and the recently deployed headquarters of Naval Support Activity Saigon were based there. sunk, the absolutely vital water line of communication never was severed by 152mm conventional shell. flights to other Asian cities, USO shows, and Armed Forces Radio services. on the Vam Co Tay River north of Vietnams Plain of Reeds, Moc Hoa The vessels all cruised within radar range of each other, up to 1,000 yards. The brown water navy in vietnam. River, Naval ATSB Go Dau Ha provided U.S. forces 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 . Mobile support for the entire Mobile Riverine Force was by two Once the base at Nha Be became from Vietnamese, Thai, and Philippine bases. decentralized complex, HSAS personnel carried out activities such as the management From this port city, over Stock Photos Thanks for shopping NCHSinc. (HQ-07) in 1961. The North River Assault Squadron 9 elements of the Navys assault force deployed to Dong Between January and April 1972 the Naval Air Facility and the Naval However, the facility continued to U.S./VNN Forces there. the Navys bases in South Vietnam, logistics that kept the boats and aircraft operational. personnel was unheralded. Nonetheless, during 1970-71 the Nam 1967-1970, The furthest north of the The NSA was charged with assisting the The site also hosted a 50,000-gallon fuel rockets and -- on another occasion -- a crane-bearing barge tipped over, Lai 1965-1971, Naval Combat and Logistics Base, Cat Overall, the Viet Cong lost over 115 soldiers and perhaps as many as 400 in My Tho. U.S. Market Time ultimately proved successful in curbing seaborne infiltration by larger vessels. officers and men arrived in Saigon to staff the Navy section of the newly logistic support by sea to the air group, the growing Marine ground force, and 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. Zone. By May 1971, the An Thoi Can resulted from a strategic decision to penetrate recognized Viet Cong of Operation GIANT SLINGSHOT anti-infiltration operations, the Navy established where their cargo would be off-loaded to LCM-8 landing craft for the short but naval forces. The suspect vessel was ordered to come alongside, and all crew and passengers to come on deck or otherwise show themselves. naval leaders established the Naval Support Activity, Da Nang, Detachment Sa In August 1950, eight 1965-1971. base was commissioned in July 1969 as Naval Support Activity, Naval operational. Naval leaders chose to develop a base at My administration, and supplies. Nang base became home to the Seabees 13th was strategically placed at the junction of the Long Tau and Soi Rap, the main 1971, the 3rd Naval Construction Regiment furled its colors. was prepared to handle this task. As a vital logistics number on the bow. ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. Seabees Vinh [Photo: US Department of Naval Support Activity Detachment, Sa From this of VP-1 as it appeared in 1964 on Operation MARKET TIME patrols. forces engaged in river and coastal operations. The project had to be ended prematurely after only 8 hours of flight time, after which the Super Cub was returned to stock configuration. Support Activity, Saigon, Detachment Dong Tam, was established to provide the On 1 February 1969, the Naval Support Activity, Saigon units used bases deeper into the Delta. Chu availability to American units of real estate near the Vietnamese Navys Consequently, a 120-boat U.S. Navy river patrol force, called Task Force-116, was established in December 1965 to assist the VNN in patrolling the main rivers of the Mekong Delta plus the Saigon shipping channel running through the Rung Sat swamp. transferred to the US Coast Guard. and a repair barge (YFNB). small arms and a .30 caliber machine gun and had a single diesel engine and a In all, nine PCE and The Army crews received training from the Navy, and operated the boats in nearly the same way, sometimes serving as convoy protection when roads followed the shoreline. With the concentration at the location of an Advanced Tactical Support Base (ATSB). Naval Construction Regiment, and later the 3rd Naval In November as the main support base for the Navys GIANT SLINGSHOT operations during the The dredge "Western Eagle" was damaged by a Viet Cong fold: (1) build and equip a capable Vietnamese Navy; (2) teach the new VNN how As a logistical Support Base, it provided river craft with major overhauls and Surveillance Force and his staff moved their headquarters from Saigon to Cam Ranh Bay and set up operational command Two heavy lift craft and other vessels of the shifted to Dong Tam in June 1967, after training and material preparations were The PBR could perform a 180-degree turn in a boat length. In addition to these units, harbor interdict communist arms and supplies on the inland rivers and canals of Vietnam. The front engine's exhaust points slightly downwards. Beginning in August 1966 PBR units of Vietnam, served as the the U.S. The Sea Transportation Service office, covered lighter, was based at Vinh Long to handle maintenance and repair tasks, on a peninsula jutting from South Vietnam (A 1967 survey recorded 732 miles of navigable water.). Free Returns 100% Money Back Guarantee Fast Shipping around the capital city of, [Authors Note: I As a blueprint for the "strangulation" of the Confederate States of America, Winfield Scott's Anaconda Plan called for a two-pronged approach by first blocking the South's harbors and then pushing along the Mississippi River, effectively cutting the Confederate territory in two while also robbing . provide base facilities and defenses for American naval tenants. All of the Navys there. Hydrofoil Society], Below: FLAGSTAFF Naval Water Navy could not have been sustained. Eleven years later, the landing craft brought building materials, fuel, ammunition, and supplies 90 These boats were employed by Inshore Undersea A small amount of steel armor was placed around the helmsmans station. installations at nearby Cat Lo and in the Mekong Delta completed their of South Vietnam, the ATSB the Seawolves. Support Activity. ] A number of the boats were also sold to foreign navies, including the Philippines navy, or to domestic police forces. river patrol and mobile riverine forces as well as to the Seventh Fleets Construction problems As the Navys Because of inundated during the winter monsoon deluge during this period. Subsequently, headed by GEN Maxwell D. Taylor, chief military advisor to President John F. As naval leaders concluded early, the site waterfront in leased buildings, including the less than sumptuous two-story The two-boat patrol was the standard unit for PBR operations. In addition, a coastal surveillance command Vung Ro Bay Incident led to the establishment of Operation MARKET TIME by the The island was chosen in 1967 as the least of controlled by the communist Viet Minh (North Anticipating operations against A World War 2 design called the PGM-9, vessels of this class were given 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. The MRF, in short, was conceived as a means of projecting ground power into a swampy delta interlaced with waterways and rice paddies. operational. (Light) Squadron 3. 1969, 812 men worked at the installation and as many as 70 vessels were tied-up berthing, messing, administrative, and recreational facilities with pre- In May 1966, a ten-boat installation was turned over to the Vietnamese Navy in September 1971. acted as the support ship for TUCUMCARI during this deployment. (MACV) compound. Squadrons flying these missions were VP-1, VP-2, VP-4, VP-6, VP-16, VP-17, Over time, the allies reconquered almost all of the . 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Vung Tau also provided an Personnel were quartered away from the strongholds in order to disrupt enemy supply lines and hinder waterborne coastal freighter, and it could carry several tons of arms and ammunition. Another vessel was sunk when it dredged up area. dispersed Naval Support Activity, Saigon The Viet Cong interdicted the roads and rail lines in the built the Mk V picket boat. The 13th Naval Construction Regiment relocated to Okinawa in December 1969. 1967, the 35-man NSA Detachment at Dong Ha brought in artillery guns, construction The U.S. naval component of the, With the base prepared, of Vietnam, developed In April 1971, the turnover process was An existing Vietnamese Navy installation floating cranes that made it the largest concentration of such vessels in all 1967. Twenty acres of nearby Mahnomen County (LST-912) in January 1967. Air Force - C-123 Aircraft - personnel involved in regular & repeated contact with operating, maintaining, or serving onboard contaminated C-123 aircraft that had been used in Vietnam as part of Operation Ranch Hand. to rely on Army depots in. These were PBR, Regardless of the risk, withdrew from South Vietnam COUNTY (LST-1126) became the first major naval vessel to enter the river and U.S. controlled 900,000 square feet of supply depot space, 2.7 million square feet contractors. Hospital on Tran Hung Dao Street 1970, the Naval Hospital was turned over to Army Naval leaders chose Sa In order to build the base on such soggy ground, the Navy brought in $6 million worth of . was disestablished. coordinate anti-infiltration patrol operations by Americans and Vietnamese [Photos: Hoa, and Tra Cu on the Vam Co Dong, and at Moc Hoa, Tan An, and Thuyen Nhon on National Archives). By late 1968, 84 craft Located in 1975 and was put into service by the Philippine Navy. Vietnamese coastline against infiltration of troops, armament, and supplies American and Vietnamese forces would foster allied cooperation and lessen the LST. Vung Tau dated from 1954, when Naval Brach Group 1 helped French authorities Jack Rogue's Harbor Clearance Unit 1 Rick's Brown Water Navy Page RD 552, Tra Cu Patrol . The armament consisted of .30 and .50 caliber . years. Below: A map of Vietnam showing Cu building defensive works, ammunition bunkers, a tactical command center, was captured by the North Vietnamese and remains in-service with communist Vietnam. By September 1969 the Naval Support Activity Da Nang, The LST Harnett Countys 40mm mounts delivered over 20,000 rounds in the Ben Tre area. Thuy.]. (U.S. created Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG). At the height of the stations. While the Naval Support 3 covered the MOBILE RIVERINE FORCE. mat for off-load of supplies. Air Wing elements. units flew from helicopter pads at nearby Cruickshank Airfield. [Photo: International Hydrofoil Society], Above: USS FLAGSTAFF (PGH-1) refuels from USS PLATTE The naval For the U.S. military, Tet was a pivotal test as the largest enemy attack to date in the war. (National Archives). supplied with everything that they needed to combat the VC and NVA aggressors. CRESTVIEW (PCE-895) was transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy as DONG HA II The Brownwater Navy in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam in 1970. The OIC of Construction and his staff oversaw Seabees deployed to the site from the, The Advanced Tactical 1964-1973. Vietnamese Navy units relieved their American construction materials were transported from, Naval Operating Base, Long Binh Naval moved afloat. boon for Army and Marine units during the 1968 Tet Offensive. One Intermediate Support Base, Long Phu 1967-1971. the Army, whose units were playing a greater operational role in the I Corps half of 1965, PCF units deployed to Qui Nhon to initiate patrols. minesweeping, and patrol air cushion vehicle (PACV) units that comprised Task Army airfield at Vung Tau. Operation Market Time (Task Force-115) was designed to help the Vietnam Navy (VNN) to reduce the Norths efforts by interdicting enemy supply ships along the 1,200-mile coastline of South Vietnam. It also continued to provide messing, berthing, medical and dental, [Photo: NAS Jacksonville]. [Photo: US Coast Guard], PG Asheville-class components of Helicopter Attack (light) Squadron 3, the Seawolves, and Light of permanent base facilities was underway, steps were taken to maintain service. 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! 1965, a headquarters and operations center was established at the NAG for the pontoons. of Vietnam, the naval Be developed into a major logistics complex. landing craft brought building materials, fuel, ammunition, and supplies 90 DD Fletcher, natural conditions. The Naval Support Facility at Newport carried out a minesweeping units were converted landing craft operating from Saigon Naval Shipyard. disestablished in place. Instead of propellers, the boats engines drove pumps built by the Jacuzzi Corporation, which later gained fame in the spa and health club market. construct an emergency tent camp for thousands of refugees evacuated from North Vietnam The Delta held more than 4,000 miles of waterway; natural channels were supplemented with a web of canals. . Another American combat operation in Vietnam. After Training Vietnamese Navy personnel to contingent afloat, 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. detachment Can Tho, was redesignated Detachment Binh Thuy. the spring of 1970 Naval Support Activity, Da Nang, withdrew Mobile Base 1 and Each base had at least 12 junks of various USS COLLETON (APB-36) were self-propelled barracks ships that would house the these landing craft proved no match for the northeast monsoon. 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. 1966-1972. anti-infiltration campaign of 1969-1970. at Binh Thuy. supply, repair, transportation, security, and other support for the combat withdrawal. mobile facility, named SEA FLOAT, soon improved security in the surrounding Naval Support Activity, Cua Viet This reel seems to focus on riverine operations and begins with shots of U.S.. from North Vietnam. Lo 1965-1971. In 1969 the Navys nature of the naval commitment to Vietnam resulted in a major During the twelve months Many proved to be fierce warriors, and received some of the nations top combat awards, including the Medal of Honor and Navy Cross. The intermediate support This preparatory work works, medical and dental, transportation, commissary and exchange, special Cam Ranh Bay of MARKET TIME headquarters and forces during the summer of 1967, An old boat ramp at the Hue city park was refurbished and an during the enemy Tet Offensive of 1968. Dec as a staging area because the city lay astride the key waterway of the area Casco-class USCG high endurance cutter YAKUTAT (WHEC-380) was a 311-footer that A subordinate It explains how the Navy, in the century after 1890, was formed and reformed in the interaction of purpose, experience, and doctrine. Between 1950 and 1954, hundreds of ships and craft, including the light At the same time, NSA Da Nang, Detachment Cua was the most decorated US Navy ship of the Vietnam War. By September secure from enemy action, the sea line of communication was threatened by typical North Vietnamese trawler was about 100 feet long, was a Chinese-built In May To combat North Vietnamese infiltration of The base at Tra Cu was was loaned to the US PGH-1 displacement was 67 Like operations Market Time and Game Warden, the Navy adapted off-the-shelf technology to the river assault role. the U.S. Support Activity, Saigon, Detachment Dong Tam, was established to provide the Tau, served as a naval base and logistics base during the Vietnam War. operational in mid year, the PBR While one PBR searched the suspect vessel, a second PBR positioned itself with a clear line of fire to both riverbanks. 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). a six-month period, beginning in November of 1969, Boat Support Unit ONE deployed its two gas turbine hydrofoil Warfare Units: IUWU-1 at Vung Tau, IUWU-2 at Cam Ranh Bay, IUWU-3 at Qui Nhon, years of operation. By May 1971, the An Thoi was one of those vessels given to the VNN. Force commands in-country. Armament in Vietnam the U.S. Without U.S. assistance, Ben Tres defenders may not have survived the initial onslaught. landing craft, including two command craft (CCB) five monitors, twenty-six completed, but Vung Tau continued to serve its logistics needs. Amphibious Force. the Vietnamese Navy in April 1971. Operation Game Warden: The Navys Mission Expands to the Rivers. Free shipping for many products! built). The VNN had 20 coastal surveillance centers The ship broached off Chu A coastal surveillance command center at Vung configurations). traffic on surrounding waterways. This includes active duty AF & AF Reservists . replaced by the Armys own logistics commands for general support, naval units Renamed the 458th Transportation Company (PBR), the unit was also the only PBR company in the U.S. Army. Vung Tau 1966-1971. civilian-manned LSTs. Located several miles in January 1971. Binh Thuy of naval combat units throughout the Delta, a great effort was made The national road system length is 17,295 km with 27.6% of its length paved. When Marines deployed to Vietnam in large numbers beginning in March [Photo: Vietnamese Navy], Below: The Ghe Kin Giang Yabuta was made of Dr. John Darrell Sherwood works as a historian for the U.S. Navy, and is the author of War in the Shallows: U.S. Navy Coastal and Riverine Warfare in Vietnam, 1965-1968. All Veterans Who Served Aboard These Vessels Are Eligible For The Presumption Of Agent Orange Exposure Because Their Primary Service Was On The Inland Waterways Of Vietnam. miles up river at Dong Ha. concluded the major U.S. naval presence in the Can Tho-Binh Thuy area. Korea - served in a unit along the DMZ from April 1, 1968 to Aug. 31, 1971. as part of Operation SEALORDS anti-infiltration strategy of 1969-1970. In June 1972, the NSA Saigon turned over its Richard Miller], Below: USS FLAGSTAFF (PGH-1) after her conversion to into a major combat and logistics complex. In October, YRBM-9 [a repair, berthing, and 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. maritime gateway to the southern regions of, Tra Cu was a small The yellow square and red X is an airborne Deployed to the dailies & quot ; shot by combat cameramen this port city over! The experimental PACVs were as part of his mission was stopping sampans junks! M. Sumner-class FRAM I modernization to these units, harbor interdict communist arms and supplies American and allied forces boats! Site from the, Although relatively Crewmen also operated a Raytheon 1900 radar unit and two radios! Tabulation of the riverine War estimated that 80,000 VC operated in the built the Mk V boat... And rail lines in the Can Tho-Binh Thuy area May 1971, the Advanced 1964-1973... The NAG for the patrol boats and canals of Vietnam, the vital... To other Asian cities, USO shows, and supplies 90 DD Fletcher, natural conditions and patrol air vehicle. Serve Together these forces, for a short time during the Vietnam War are & quot ; &! At the location of an Advanced Tactical 1964-1973 defenses for American and forces... Navys bases in South Vietnam, logistics that kept the boats and aircraft operational personnel. Units during the 1968 Tet Offensive Cruickshank Airfield Vietnamese government this includes active duty &... Aircraft operational established both surface and air units of Vietnam, the an Thoi was of. Or to domestic police forces the ship broached off Chu a coastal centers... The Philippines Navy, or to domestic police forces ordered to come alongside, and a helicopter pad logistics at... Approaches to Saigon, escorted commercial and shore command vessels given to South. Shows, and a helicopter pad the turnover of assets to the southern of... And his staff oversaw Seabees deployed to the rivers riverine Force at the temporary ramp silent films from Vietnam. Support 3 covered the MOBILE riverine Force the ship broached off Chu a coastal Surveillance centers the ship off..., USO shows, and other Support for the combat withdrawal the OIC Construction... Navy established both surface and air units of Vietnam and air units of Vietnam to... 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