Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Share #1 Posted December 29, 2013 Aloha Everyone, A while back a storage locker auction cast a large Navy grouping to the winds. The contents belonged to a 30 year USN officer who began his career as a Gunner's Mate on submarines, making seven WWII war patrols in the Pacific. He had continued in the Submarine Service during the Korean War, advancing up the Warrant ranks. He served on several shipboard and shore gunnery assignments but also became a Navy Diver in 1959, commissioned officer and senior Salvage commander in Vietnam. The majority of his Submarine Service items went their separate ways, but I was able to keep most of his diving & salvage items together. What was overlooked by the submarine, uniform and medal collectors were the piles of documents, photographs and ephemera of this seadogs career in Vietnam and his postwar service on Sealab and other oceanographic projects. Included in this horde was his complete welcome aboard packet from his assignment to Naval Support Activity Saigon as senior salvage officer in RVN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted December 29, 2013 Upon reporting to the USN activity in Saigon, he was given this packet as part of his check-in process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #3 Posted December 29, 2013 Included in the contents were several items which detailed the status of the Brown Water Navy and the Vietnamese Navy which was then transitioning into our equipment as a cornerstone of the Vietnamization policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted December 29, 2013 He initially was billeted at the Annapolis BOQ. This booklet detailed all of the do's and don'ts of being quartered in Saigon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #5 Posted December 29, 2013 Also in the packet is a complete roster of all USN officers assigned to NAVSUPPACT Saigon at that time including their billets, phone numbers, duty assignments, etc. You don't see one of these very often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted December 29, 2013 It also contained a very interesting wrap up of the Brown Water Navy then being disestablished. This document alone probably deserves it's own topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted December 29, 2013 He also was briefed on the status of the growing Vietnamese Navy and their new capabilities. Part of his duty assignment was to oversee the training of Vietnamese divers and their diving platforms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted December 29, 2013 There's much, much more to this grouping, but I'll leave that for another day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted December 29, 2013 So there ya go..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 29, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted December 29, 2013 ...the Salvor who wore this Eagle served his country well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted December 30, 2013 Welcome Aboard - Summer 1970 Given to the LCDR when he checked in at Saigon for this third tour in December 1970 This is a great overview which touches on all of the USN In Country structure as it was during the transition from the Brown Water Navy to Vietnamization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #12 Posted December 30, 2013 The inside cover has telephone exchange info, very handy for your shopping and sightseeing outings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #13 Posted December 30, 2013 Welcome to the Republic of Vietnam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #14 Posted December 30, 2013 The Brown Water Navy, "Nearly gone now..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #15 Posted December 30, 2013 Vice Admiral King, COMNAVFORV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #16 Posted December 30, 2013 OPERATION MARKET TIME CTF-115 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #17 Posted December 30, 2013 Even though our Riverine force and Swift Boats had been turned over the Vietnamese, Market Time and the Coast Guard were still on the waters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #18 Posted December 30, 2013 and there was OPERATION SEA LORDS, still under command of the USN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted December 30, 2013 On call air support courtesy of HA(L)-3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #20 Posted December 30, 2013 Sealords AO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #21 Posted December 30, 2013 Operating from SEAFLOAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #22 Posted December 30, 2013 EOD and SEALS Besides EOD and SEALS, the USN Salvage forces (especially HCU-1) were busier that ever during this period having to support all US and RVN forces as necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #23 Posted December 30, 2013 as were the COAST GUARD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #24 Posted December 30, 2013 OICC - NAVFAC Construction projects were also controlled by NAVSUPPACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share #25 Posted December 30, 2013 as were the SEABEES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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