Vietnam Remembered

[Salba]

Buoy

I agree.  In standing Ocean Wx Sta Bravo or Charlie, we'd often run through sea ice... the swish, swish sound of the ice on the hull was kinduva soothing as you slept... weird the things we remember!

Best Wishes

[EX-CG-GM]

No doubt shortly after the picture was taken the Blackhaw crew liberated the grenades and traded them for beer in Vung Tau.

 

[vftb]

  

[vftb]

I was contacted recently by Dave Spencer BMC (ret.) in regards to getting a copy of my Pt. Clear picture.  During our email exchange he related a story about the Vietnamization of the 82's.  Having received his permission to do so, I'll pass along the story:

Hans, I came up from An Thoi (Div 11) in June (i think) and got off the Pt. Grace (326 Boat) and spent the rest of my time riding relief on several boats. As I said earlier, I was on the Clear at the turn over time. A real sad time, as we knew what her fate was going to be. Had to relieve the Le Van Duc  ( either the League or Gammon) after turn over down near the Co Chin river. We arrived, entered the river and saw the boat about 3/4 mile upstream firing the mortor. Went to GQ and flank to assist. Got within 1/4 mile and stopped. Something funny going on. They would fire 2 or 3 rounds straight up in the air, then back full for about 75 yds, then stop.  Well, we finally saw the small boat after the rounds hit the water and explode ,go up and pick up the fish floating on the surface.
Old Duke Gatto kept looking at the ammo reports and found those VN manned vessels rarely took on any 50 cal. Only 81mm rounds, and not much of that.
Go aboard one of them and the Eng room was the drying room for the fish. It REEKED down there.
One sad fate for such good boats.

If you're looking Dave, thanks for the story.  We're making an attempt to keep stuff like this documented.   

[BuoyJumper]

TIM BROWN'S VIETNAM

NOTE:  The photos of OFFSHORE DIESEL used
in this video have been approved by him.

[sparky]

I don't know if this is the forum or not but I wonder if there is anyone out there that served on the Pt. Grey in Viet Nam in 68/69 and served with my best buddy who was known as Wally or Skipjack and was a CS-2 or perhaps made CS-1 while serving on board. He came from the Acacia based in Port Huron, MI at the time and I think when he was tranferred out of Viet Nam he went back to the Acacia. He doesn't have any access to the internet but I told him I would try to locate any former shipmates.

[BuoyJumper]

I came across this photo of the Point Hudson at Freds.


Stan Feldman photo

[MastersMate]

Had this posted over at the other place just before the 29th of Feb. I put it up once but deleted it, kind of figured it just didn't really matter. Then I had second thoughts about this, might just be some semi - geezers from that era with a slight interest. And there were a few familiar faces that read it. Over here I find 11 pages dedicated to that past Coast Guard, and figured I'd transfer it over here, get it off my chest, if you don't mind.

February 29 , 1968

That Leap Year Date that comes around every four years, and may or may not hold much significance to most people. For me, I guess, every 20 years, it’s kind of a time check, for the ending of one quarter and the start of another.

It nears February 29, 2008 and I guess that realistically I’ll look at this as the start of the fourth quarter. Going into overtime wouldn’t be such a bad idea, but I appreciate that it is the start of the fourth.

As on most Feb. 29ths, over the last 40 years, I will dig out my cruise book from the Viet Nam deployment of the USCGC Androscoggin during 1967 & 1968. I look through the photos of each Division and Department and recall the faces, the names, of the shipmates that I served with in that Cutter. They were the men that I had the priviledge of sailing with at that point in time, that marked the end of the first quarter and the start of the second, in my life.

On February 29, 1968, four North Vietnamese Trawlers attempted to infiltrate along the South Viet Nam coastline. I was lucky enough to be in one of the Cutters that engaged, and won, that little fracus. The 82’ WPBs and 50’ USN SWIFTS, along with a US ARMY gunship, all did an important piece of work that evening.

It was an honor to be a part of that crew, that worked exactly as you’d expect, to make that Cutter, into the warship it was designed to be. From standing by the 24” searchlight on the signal bridge I got to witness the unfolding events. The incoming and outgoing rounds, the deck 50 cal. gunners protected by their small splinter shields, the 5" 38 performing as advertised.

The “OLD MAN” and the OPS right out in the open bridge wing conning the ship, ballsy-est ship handlers I’d seen. Operating in very skinny water. The “Old Man” recently made his way to Fiddlers Green. BM2 Bob Miner, strapped on to the open air Gun Director, through it all, he didn’t have the option to take cover. He and the FTs right out there in the line of fire.

As I looked through the photos once again, I remember that crew as we were. For the greatest part, young men, in our teens and twenties, a few chiefs, older, but not the relics you’d think. All of us, embarked on one of those voyages that has an influence on the rest of your life.

To those shipmates that may look in here, I will do everything I can to make the next reunion, I have been remiss in my duty to you. To those shipmates that have crossed the bar, and dropped the hook in Fiddlers Green, we will meet again.

When I look into the mirror and close my eyes, it is not that long ago afterall, and we were the “new Guard”.

http://www.fishing-boating.com/androscoggin/

http://pcf45.com/trawler/ducpho/ducpho.html


Blues from about 1972, just a bit snugger , flat hat is the original. I remember the one on the left.

[BuoyJumper]

Thanks for sharing Dana and yes it does matter.  I know so many here can relate to your story having served in Vietnam during that time.  We were the new guard and now we're old.  Here are some photos of your shipmates from the Andy's deployment.  You've probably seen them before, but I'm sure most haven't.












"Sister ship to the Viet Cong infiltration vessel that you attacked [1 March 1968]."






Thank you for your service shipmate,

Buoy   

[vftb]

Great stuff Dana, thanks for sharing 

[sparky]

Appreciate the sharing. I'm one of those guys that had the white dixie cup hat when I went in and just before I got out received the donald duck hat..which I still have. I had an opportunity to volunteer to go to Viet Nam but chose not to. Never being one to regret the past I do wonder at times what would be different if had said yes. But in any case, I appreciate all that did go, volunteer or not. We can't forget those from then and now that sacrifice much.

[ronone]

Dana,


Send me your email address. I've misplaced it. 

Bill

[EX-CG-GM]

Hey Bill!

Nice to see you pop up from time to time.  I'm thinking I may actually break down and join the CGCVA pretty quick here.  I'm just so lazy I hate filling out forms.  Ill work on that though since the CGCVA Reunion and Doak's are back to back next year.

[vftb]

Here's a little nostalgia for Pachesma (John).  PBR Da Nang, circa late 69, early 70.

[pachesma]

WOW, is all I can say!!! Too ALL 11 pages of this thread.

I was in the USN when I was "over there", and It looks like I was "over there" after all you gents. I'll be 55 in about a month. We worked the more inland reaches of the Giang Thanh river, Vinh Te Canal, and around the area where the Vinh Te met the Bassac.

And lemme just say that from the time period that you boys were "over there" to the times I was there the mood and attitude had changed ALOT. Pi$$ing upa rope and exercise in futility were the expressions that come to mind quick relating to my time in paradise.

You guys were fighting a war, we were kinda mostly just mopping the floor!!!

The pic on page 3 of this here thread of the Pt Marone going up the canal made the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up!!!!

On the 40 boat thread here I alluded to running MkIIPBR's and STAB's, and VF said he didn't know what they were. You mighta known them as something else and I betya somebody on here has a picture of one of 'em.

S.T.A.B. stood for Strike Team Assault Boat and it was a "generic" name we used for any small boat that was open and fast and used for "I&E" work.

You guys mighta known them as something else, mainly L.S.S.C., or Light Seal Support Craft. Like 24 feet long, all open witha crew well deck, powered by 2 marinized chevy big blocks turning a couple of them big huge older generation Mercruiser outdrives. You'd tilt them drives up and two block them throttles you'd be doing 55 knot+ in 10 seconds or less, long as they were running right. Which they very often weren't. AVGAS made 'em run a whole heck of alot better!!!

As to what our mission "over there" was, well, you've already kinda alluded to it in this thread talking about another USN classed boat. Note the geographical locations I said we worked around, I'm pretty sure you guys can figure out what we were up to.

I was in the USN, got out in 75, went to Franklin Inst of Boston for automotive technology, graduated end of 76, absolutely no work, joined USCG in early 1977.

Reading this thread was VERY enlightening to me about what the CG did "over there", I knew the CG was over there, just didn't know much about what ya did. Now I do.

My most heartfelt hats off to you all. I can't imagine doing some of the stuff ya did. Taking an 82ft patrol boat up that dinky little canal??? Holy Crap, we did the same thing but on boats that were small, fast, and could spin around ona dime and give ya change back.

Its funny what ya learn on these military forums. When I was a kid growing up my best friends Father was in the USCG in WWII. Was a coxswain ona landing craft. Brought the boys ashore at Normandy. Yeah, so what, drove a boat, dump the troops off, and beat feet outa there. Then; someplace on the "WWW", I found a forum where the guys that had done stuff like that talked about what they had done. Then I found more online and read about it. Simply amazing!!!

The Fathers name was Holden, he was a Boston Firefighter afta the war, and passed away quite sometime ago. Wish he was still alive so I could shake his hand with a deep respect.

Its kinda funny ina not so "ha-ha" way how ya become so "amored" about combat and war. I grew up(as I'm sure many of you did) ina neighborhood in Weymouth Mass where EVERY mother & Father was touched by WWII and/or Korea. EVERY Father wasa WWII vet, EVERY Mother wasa WWII sweetheart, worked ata WWII shipyard, and/or had a male family member in the war. My Fathers Mother had a banner with 3 blue stars on it hanging in her front window during the war. After the war it was replaced witha banner with one gold star. But that what we all grew up with.

Going to war was kinda like reciting the pledge of allegiance everyday at the start of school, everybody did it, and everybody was gonna do it. Most of you folks did it, I did it, and hundreds of thousands of our "Brothers(and now Sisters) in Arms" did it, and are still doing it today.

Heck, sorry, just "thinking out loud" here, have no idea where I'm even going with this drivel.

Anywho, THANK YOU to all that posted here about the USCG in Vietnam. It was very interesting, it was very informative, and from this former squids perspective I guess I'll just have to do more research about what you boys did "over there"-JRC