Vietnam Remembered

[CGRDCS]

Hans and Stan

I seem to remember that the BLACKHAW had a smartass-devil may care attitude, towards your bigger
Coastie white ones.

As I recall, when Morganthau hit a previously uncharted pinnacle, Spring of 71, up near An Thio and turned herself into a large white bouy, It was the Blackhaw, that charted the pinnacle, recovered the Morg's props and sonar dome, then marked the pinnacle.

As I recall, the Notice to Mariners, it went something like, pinnacle now labeled Morganthau Pinnacle, and it marked by a can shaped bouy, with white and red stripes and 378 ft cutter cutout.


Do not know how that went over on the Morg, but we laughed our a**** off on the Bridge and CIC aboard RUSH.


Funny, I like many of my betters, can't seem to find my keys repeatly, but that and many others are  as clear as a bell.


Jack

[CGRDCS]

SAR in The Nam

New Year's Eve, 1971, Rush has departed Operation Market Time and is enrout first port call to Hong Kong.

On the mess deck, the movie The BIBLE is playing and then there is an annoucement< that we are diverting to meet an east german merchant ship, with a medical problem.  It seems tha the Chief Engineer aboard the merchant, ahd gotten into a fight with another crewman(crewmen) and was bleeding from his nasal and ears passages.  The ship was requesting a doctor's advice.   

As you may  recall, RON 3 cutters carried a PHS Doctor aboard during the cutters' deployment  Ours was Dr. Stephen Arluck.   So we rdvd with the East German in the upper South China Sea, Doc Arluck goes aboard via small boat to check out the patient.  He reccomends to the CO that we evacuate the patient to Subic. 

So the crew bundles the Chief up and he is transferred back to the RUSH via the small boat, we recover the boat and crew and take off on the Birds to Subic.

We arrive at Subic and moor alongside a WWiI Navy cruiser, ( you know the ones where the after turret had been replaced with missile launchers.

Well, you would have thought that the Navy had never seen a 378, because the entire side was mobbed by squids, trying to get a look at RUSH.

We put over a brow, and six of us start to carry the litter with the German in it towards the stern of the cruiser and their brow. 

Here comes the gag.  The biggest guy on the RUSH  an RM by the name of GEIGER, had a sp arm band and a night stick, He grabbed the smallest guy aboard, an RD by the name of Bradford, and holding Bradford by the shirt, started walking him towards the stern, after the litter, saying, "Damm it John, we told you not to hit him! " This Navy LCDR, was saying No Liberty, then it was like Moses parting the RED  SEA it was a clear path to the brow.

So, like any good Coasties, we got the patient to the ambulance, Geiger put the armband in his pocket, gave the nightstick to the HM, and we split to the club.

Oh, Rush was going to RON and leave in the morning.  As I recall, there were no fights that night at the club.   I wonder????????


Jack

[vftb]

Hans and Stan

I seem to remember that the BLACKHAW had a smartass-devil may care attitude, towards your bigger
Coastie white ones.

As I recall, when Morganthau hit a previously uncharted pinnacle, Spring of 71, up near An Thio and turned herself into a large white bouy, It was the Blackhaw, that charted the pinnacle, recovered the Morg's props and sonar dome, then marked the pinnacle.

As I recall, the Notice to Mariners, it went something like, pinnacle now labeled Morganthau Pinnacle, and it marked by a can shaped bouy, with white and red stripes and 378 ft cutter cutout.


Do not know how that went over on the Morg, but we laughed our a**** off on the Bridge and CIC aboard RUSH.


Funny, I like many of my betters, can't seem to find my keys repeatly, but that and many others are  as clear as a bell.


Jack

     I rotated off 10/70 so can claim no participation; sounds like something the Blackhaw would do though 

[EX-CG-GM]

Hans and Stan

I seem to remember that the BLACKHAW had a smartass-devil may care attitude, towards your bigger
Coastie white ones.

As I recall, when Morganthau hit a previously uncharted pinnacle, Spring of 71, up near An Thio and turned herself into a large white bouy, It was the Blackhaw, that charted the pinnacle, recovered the Morg's props and sonar dome, then marked the pinnacle.

As I recall, the Notice to Mariners, it went something like, pinnacle now labeled Morganthau Pinnacle, and it marked by a can shaped bouy, with white and red stripes and 378 ft cutter cutout.


Do not know how that went over on the Morg, but we laughed our a**** off on the Bridge and CIC aboard RUSH.


Funny, I like many of my betters, can't seem to find my keys repeatly, but that and many others are  as clear as a bell.


Jack

     I rotated off 10/70 so can claim no participation; sounds like something the Blackhaw would do though 

I think it is the nature of buoy tenders to tend to look down their collective hardworking noses at the big white ones.  We ended up in a hellacious brawl with buoy tender sailors in Alaska one trip.

The incident you mentioned must have been between the time Hans left and I reported aboard.  I need to dig out my DD214 to see when I actually reported to the Blackhaw.  I know I was on board before Easter of '71 though.

[BuoyJumper]

The Formation of Coast Guard Squadron One (RONONE) Vietnam

By:  Commander Eugene N. Tulich, USCG Retired

INTRODUCTION:

Early in the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces obtained their supplies in many ways. The forces allied with the Republic of South Vietnam could not stop the enemy’s flow of men, arms and supplies.

During February 1965, a U. S. Army pilot flying over Vung Ro Bay near Qui Nhon noticed an "island" moving slowly from one side of the bay to the other. Upon closer observation he saw the island was a carefully camouflaged ship. Air strikes were called in and the vessel sunk. Intelligence sources determined the ship was North Vietnamese and engaged in supplying enemy forces.

A tight security and surveillance system was necessary. This would be no easy chore with 1,200 miles of coastline to patrol and over 60,000 junks and sampans to control. To provide this coverage the Coastal Surveillance Force was established in March 1965. Called MARKET TIME after the native boats using the waterways for fishing and marketing, this task force provided a single command to integrate sea, air, and land based units and coordinate U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and South Vietnamese naval units.

MARKET TIME units stopped many enemy vessels carrying supplies and men. The success of the operation forced the enemy to rely on the Ho Chi Minh trail to transport supplies. As many of the trawler kills were in southern Vietnam near the Ca Mau peninsula, the enemy had to carry supplies over an extraordinarily long distance.

U.S. COAST GUARD SQUADRON ONE

Shortly after the trawler incident, Commander, Naval Forces Vietnam (COMNAVFORV) considered maintaining surveillance and patrols on the inland and coastal waters of the Republic of Vietnam. Soon the need for Coast Guard units was recognized and the Secretary of the Navy asked the Secretary of Treasury about the availability of Coast Guard units. The Commandant of the Coast Guard said that 82-foot and 40-foot patrol boats were available. Coast Guard representatives and the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) met and decided that the Coast Guard would provide seventeen 82-foot patrol boats. The Navy promised two Repair Ships (ARL’s) in support of the seventeen. The Secretaries of Defense and Treasury sent a joint memorandum to the President for approval of the proposed deployment. On 29 April 1965, the formation of Coast Guard Squadron One was announced. On 6 May the Coast Guard ordered the deployment of the seventeen patrol boats and only twelve days later they were loaded on merchant vessels in New York, Norfolk, New Orleans, Galveston, San Pedro, San Francisco, and Seattle. At Coast Guard Base Alameda, Coast Guard Squadron One was commissioned in a ceremony that took place at 1000 hours, 27 May.

Initially, 47 officers and 198 enlisted were assigned to the newly formed Squadron One. These Coastguardsmen underwent survival training at Coronado, California, and were also instructed on such topics as the care and feeding of the 81mm mortar and the .50 caliber machine gun. Other subjects included NBC warfare, Damage Control, Navigation and Piloting, Organization, Rules of the Nautical Road, Boarding Procedures and Tactics, Lookout Procedures, Recognition, Combat Indoctrination, Radiotelephone Procedures, Water Survival, Hand to Hand Combat, and the Code of Conduct. After training, the personnel joined their patrol boats at Subic Bay, Philippine Islands.

On 12 June 1965 Coast Guard Squadron One came under the authority of the Navy when it changed operational control to Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINPACFLT). The Coast Guardsmen of Squadron One were given orientation and refresher training at Subic Bay Naval Base. While the cutters prepared for their voyage to Vietnam, Squadron One established a liaison office at the Headquarters of Chief, Naval Advisory Group in Saigon to help resolve any problems.

The boats of Coast Guard Division 12 departed Subic Bay for Da Nang on 16 July, and eight days later Division 11 sailed for An Thoi in the Gulf of Thailand. Upon arrival, both units changed operational control to Commander Task Force 71. They were only under CTF 71 a few days until Commander Task Force 115 (Market Time) was established on 30 July 1965. Five Coastal Surveillance Centers were set up under CTF 115 and located at Da Nang, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, and An Thoi. These CSC’s coordinated the patrols of the Squadron One cutters and directed significant operations.

[BuoyJumper]

THERE WERE TWENTY-SIX, 82-FOOT PATROL BOATS ASSIGNED TO SQUADRON ONE IN VIETNAM

There were three divisions of 82-foot patrol boats strategically located to help provide as much coverage as possible along the 700 miles of South Viet Nam coastline, roughly the length of the California coastline.  The total number of 82-foot Coast Guard patrol vessels that were attached to the Squadron was twenty-six, each manned by eleven men, including two officers.

RONONE Division 11 (nine 82-footers) operated to the south out of An Thoi, Phu Quoc Island.  RONONE Division 12 (eight 82-footers) patrolled out of DaNang to the north, while Division 13 (nine 82-footers) patrolled in the central area out of Cat Lo, near Vung Tau, about 40 air miles southeast of Saigon.

Divisions 11 and 12 first arrived at South Vietnam on July 29, 1965.  Division 13 was added months later, arriving at Cat Lo on February 22, 1966."

THE 82-FOOT PATROL BOATS ASSIGNED TO DIVISION 11

Point Banks (WPB 82327), Point Clear (WPB 82315), Point Comfort (WPB 82317), Point Garnet (WPB 82310), Point Glover (WPB 82307), Point Grey (WPB 82324), Point Marone (WPB 82331), Point Mast (WPB 82316) and the Point Young (WPB 82303).

THE 82-FOOT PATROL BOATS ASSIGNED TO DIVISION 12

Point Arden (WPB 82309), Point Caution (WPB 82301), Point Dume (WPB 82325), Point Ellis (WPB 82330), Point Gammon (WPB 82328), Point Lomas (WPB 82321), Point Orient (WPB 82319) and the Point Welcome (WPB 82329).

THE 82-FOOT PATROL BOATS ASSIGNED TO DIVISION 13

Point Cypress (WPB 82326), Point Grace (WPB 82323), Point Hudson (WPB 82322), Point Jefferson (WPB 82306), Point Kennedy (WPB 82320), Point League (WPB 82304), Point Partridge (WPB 82305), Point Slocum (WPB 82313) and the Point White (WPB 82308).


Our fellow Coastie OFFSHORE DIESEL was on this 82-footer in Vietnam, the Point Mast WPB-82316.  vftb (Hans) came up with the photo on the right (earlier in the thread) and I just came across this one of Point Mast being loaded onto the Pvt. JOSEPH MERRIL at the Long Beach Naval Base for transport to Vietnam.

 

LEFT CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO SEE THE FULL SIZE IMAGE.

[Tnafbrat]

We were at Hickam & Pope/Ft Bragg for most of Viet Nam and even I wasn't aware of the Coast Guard being in VN.  This has been an education for me, interesting and enjoyable learning about it.

Thank you 

[OFFSHORE DIESEL]

MEMORIES OF OFFSHORE DIESEL ... Vietnam in 1967
EN2 Mike Voges ... CGC Point Mast 82316

I was in Vietnam with the Coast Guard in 1967, but I was not aware until later years when I became active with other Vietnam Vets, how few of us Coasties were there. At the time I thought we were just doing our typical Coast Guard jobs. My main personal mission was to find cold beer and not get killed. I have talked about writing a book from a young enlisted point of view, but since I am 60 now, still younger than Master Chief Wells, I have to work for a living keeping Detroit Diesels running in NY Harbor. No time for book writing.

But let me tell you a little.
In 1966 I heard that the CG was looking for Petty Officers with at least two years remaining in their enlistment for a one year tour in Vietnam. So I volunteered. This was a hot request for volunteers, because my request was accepted in 24 hours. That was fast for the CG back then.

We, meaning myself and other volunteers went to California for survival school. This was a US Navy / USMC operation for non combat types that were going to end up in a combat zone. We had a mixed bag of various naval service participants. We had some helicopter pilots, medical people, Coasties and "Brown Water Navy" troops. The plan was to teach us how to survive in a combat environment with special weapons training, survival training and other things like fire fighting and living off the land. We also participated in a simulated prison camp environment. This training took about five weeks. I have not gone "camping" since then.

Next, we fly as individuals, not a group to Saigon. The plan was fly to Hawaii, then to the Phillipines, then to Saigon. Uniform of the day for travel was "Dress Whites". My 'plane landed in Alaska in the middle of winter in the middle of the night to refuel. The AF guy that opened the door to the 'plane had a good laugh about my Uniform. Then we flew to another AF Base in Northern Japan, Yokuska, I think. Winter there too, and a blizzard going on.

I made it to Saigon and got another much smaller 'plane to An Thoi. I thought An Thoi would be a good place for a resort. White sandy beaches and palm trees. The runway was metal plates like you see in a WWII movie.

USS Krishna Navy Repair Ship     Pulling an engine and hoisting it out of an 82-footer was a real team effort.

           
I end up on the USS Krishna, a Navy Repair Ship anchored off the beach. I was assigned to the CG Engine Repair Team. We swapped and fixed the machinery on the WPB's. My berthing was with the Navy Snipes and we lived with them as best as possible. Every Coastie on that ship had something on their uniform that said US Coast Guard. We did not have to stand their watches, but we were on call 24-7. We were expected to repair anything that the boat crews couldn't get to.

At my post the .50 Cal Ma Deuce machine gun on the starboard side and automatic weapons on the bow of Point Mast

I did that a few months and then volunteered for boat crew. I got the CGC Point Mast. My Station for General Quarters was a .50 Cal Ma Deuce machine gun on the Stbd side. I was also given the job of climbing down unto the fishing junks that we were boarding to check under the fish nets for contraband. This job was done with no body armor, no life jacket, and no helmet because we had to crawl into some nasty spots on their boats. The guys on the 82 covered us from the deck with automatic weapons. I think I got this job because I was single and from NY. We patrolled the inshore West Coast of Vietnam looking for boats coming in with weapons, supplies and troops.

Here I am boarding and checking a Vietnamese junk for hidden weapons and explosives

There were other missions that the ground troops requested. We did some fire support, we ran a ferry service for the Green Berets into strange places. My favorite was riding up the rivers at night in our 13' Boston Whaler to see if we could find trouble. If someone fired at us, the WPB would mortar them and call for air support. This was kind of like using live eels to catch Striped Bass.

As I said back in the beginning, at the time, we were just doing our job. To this day, people still tell me they did not know the Coast Guard was in Vietnam. I have a million more stories to tell, but I also have a business to run and no time to do both.

Remember, my Coast Guard History is also your Coast Guard History. Think about that.

Thank You for Your Service.
Offshore Diesel

[OFFSHORE DIESEL]

I would like to thank Buoy Jumper for putting the above story, photo album and ribbon bar together for me.
 

OFFSHORE DIESEL'S 1967 AN-THOI PHOTO ALBUM

A beautiful sight, the RONONE Division 11, 82-footers at An-Thoi, Phu Quoc Island

Smallboat Ops ... (L)  Point Mast's 13' Boston Whaler with a Vietnamese long shaft outboard for night ops.  (M)  Loading the Boston Whaler for a recon patrol (R)  A Navy Swift boat pulls up along side the Point Mast

The U.S. Navy's Swift Boat fleet at An-Thoi, Phu Quoc Island

Refueling at sea

Time for a little R & R and a Beach Party on An-Thoi Beach

(L) A beautiful stretch of An-Thoi beach  (M)  VN Navy Advisor and I sharing a cold one on the beach  (R)  An-Thoi International's "Control Tower"

(L)  Vietnamese Navy Junk Force Base  (M)  Vietnamese Navy Junk  (R)  Our Chief returns from liberty

The next time I go to the war of my lifetime, I will try to bring a better camera.

Thank you for Your Service.
Offshore Diesel
NY

[EX-CG-GM]

Diesel-

When I was deployed on the Mighty Mellon, Great White Hero Cutter, we spent quite a bit of time around An-Thoi too.  Seems most of our time was spent around Song Ong Doc blowing up palm trees and water buffalo though.

And at least YOU brought a camera.  What the hell was I thinking?  Oh, now I remember.....there wasn't much to see inside a 5" mount.   

[OFFSHORE DIESEL]

Stan.

When I was deployed on the Mighty Mellon, Great White Hero Cutter, we spent quite a bit of time around An-Thoi too.  Seems most of our time was spent around Song Ong Doc blowing up palm trees and water buffalo though.

My memories are fading, but I think that Song Ong Doc was Charlie's beach in 1967. There was a Special Forces Camp on the North side and they were always taking fire from the other side of the River. We never went in there for beach parties. We always took fire when we went in there. One of my favorite things was calling all of our friends for fire support when they shot at us. We could sit at the mouth of the river and watch all the incoming. There were big Coast Guard White One's and Navy Destroyers offshore of us just looking for something to do. Every now and then we would get air support. It always impressed me to see big jets or helicopter gunships blowing up the jungle where some fool tried to shoot at me. I heard from my Navy buddies in the MRFA that when the PBR's got over there, they could run all the way into Central Vietnam, to Dong Tam, but that trip was pretty scary. Later on, the Navy learned to bring the Army 9th Div. troops in and clean out the bad guys. After TET 1968, there was a lot of that going on in IV Corps.

And at least YOU brought a camera.  What the hell was I thinking?  Oh, now I remember.....there wasn't much to see inside a 5" mount.

I brought a Kodak 110 "Instamatic". I was 20, what did I know about camera's and the preservation of history. Next time I do this, I am going to bring a real camera and lots of film.  So Stan, I guess Gunners were not allowed outside to take pictures during fire support missions. I bet there were some Quartermasters or other tourists out there taking pictures. We will have to ask them.

By the way, ladies and gentlemen, I privately asked Buoy Jumper to help me with my story and pictures. He did a fine job. I am pleased with the results.     

Thank you for Your Service
Diesel
NY   

[Tnafbrat]

   Still hanging out, reading and enjoying it .... Thanks

[EX-CG-GM]

One of my favorite things was calling all of our friends for fire support when they shot at us.

Our C.O. was pretty ballsy.  He'd bring us in as close to shore as possible so we had more range with the 5".  There was an LST close by (my brain just flashed Floyd County up, but that could be wrong) and we used to watch the choppers take off from there and rearrange the landscape.  Sometimes, at night, one would go high and turn off all his lights.  The other would fly low with his lights on.  If the low one started taking fire they would then both fly down and tear **** up.  If it went on for any length of time we would start moseying up towards the mount cuz we knew they'd be calling for some support.

I will say, after firing 10 rounds for effect....or 20...or 30....it tended to cause a significant decrease in the enemy fire!   

[PFran358]

  Real good job Mike..saw the pics..great shots...thanks for serving...semper paratus!  Paul

[EX-CG-GM]

Paul,


Looks like we may have overlapped.  Where were you stationed?

I was on the following:

Taney
Dexter
Barataria
Chautauqua
Mellon (Vietnam)
Planetree
Blackhaw (vietnam)