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A Harbor Defense Unit One patch


Patchcollector
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Patchcollector

Happy New Year all,
Here is a Japanese made piece for Harbor Defense (Har-Def) Unit One.The "Harbor Defense Unit One" designation became "Inshore Undersea Warfare Group One" in the early 60's,when the unit went to Nam.I haven't been able to find much info on this little known unit.

I think that this is a tough patch to find,this is the only one I've ever seen.

 

 

post-13386-0-77139700-1483206285_thumb.jpg

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Wow nice find! I collect IUWG stuff and never knew about this unit to include it having operated out of the Presidio of San Francisco. I wonder what the mushroom cloud signifies for a harbor defense type unit.

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From what little I was able to find Harbor Defense Unit 1 operated out of the Presidio of San Francisco until 1962 where it was moved to Long Beach, California, as part of Pacific Mine Force with a name change to Inshore Undersea Warfare Group 1. Since they changed names they changed patches to I believe this one pictured below.

 

 

post-1389-0-60115000-1483214019_thumb.jpg

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Wow nice find! I collect IUWG stuff and never knew about this unit to include it having operated out of the Presidio of San Francisco. I wonder what the mushroom cloud signifies for a harbor defense type unit.

 

t could be part of a NBC (Nuclear-Bilogical-Chemical)? Cool patch and design

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Patchcollector

Thanks guys for the info and comments.

 

Tonomachi I have the Gator Navy IUWG-1 patch too.It's a nice big piece,as is the Har Def Unit 1 patch.I think those guys liked their patches to be seen! :)

As for the mushroom cloud on my patch,I too wondered what it signified.

It looks like the cloud from a nuclear explosion,but from what I 've read,the unit was involved primarily with mines.I did some research and found that the Navy briefly experimented with nuclear mines in the 50's.Not sure if this unit was involved.Or,as FF suggested,maybe there is a NBC connection.

Perhaps it's a symbolic image,kind of like the later made Gator Navy piece having the screw for a symbol. ^_^

 

I did find this small bit of info about the Harbor Defense Unit One.I'll post some excerpts from the statements that some former unit members wrote:

 

" I was stationed with Harbor Defense Unit 1 in San Francisco, CA. in 1961. It was located on the Army base at the presidio. It was classified as shore duty then, and in 1962 the whole outfit transferred to Mine Pac in Long beach, CA. When it relocated the name changed to Inshore Undersea Warfare Group 1. They formed 3 units called MIUW'S, 11, 12, & 13. We were classed as brown water navy, and placed in country by Da Nang."

 

"I was transfered to HDU San Fran in the summer of 1960 and shipped out to Pearl Harbor in Sept. 1961. I was a Radioman E-3. "

"Good morning, glad to hear from another MIUWS member. I was in unit 11 when we off loaded and went ashore in DaNang Vietnam. We were attached to the 9th marines. I guess the training we received from the marines paye'd off."

 

"In August 1962 I requested a transfer from the U.S.S. Excel MSO 439 to Inshore Undersea Warfare Group One and was assigned to team 12. I served in this unit for 18 months before being released from duty in March 1964.Your post is the first reference I have seen that even acknowledged this unit actually existed. So, I had to respond.There were two teams of approximately 30 men each stationed in Long Beach. Teams 11 and 12. We were classified as Sea Duty but served as a TAD component on serval ships including the Mine Countermeasures ship U.S.S. Epping Forrest. We did our WestPac tour on the E.F. and operated off Grande Island, Corregidor, Okinawa among others. We also participated in Operation Flagpole in Korea in 1963. The unit was strictly land based and all landings were via LST, LSM or LCM. Our field training was done at Camp Pendleton Marine basin in California with occasional trips to S.D. for amphibious assault training off LCVP's.I have no record of the team after I left in March 64 and internet searches have revealed nothing. Apparently, there was a unit transfer and designation change at some point after I left but to what I don't know."

 

"I was stationed there from April 1960 until August 1961 first working on the small boats that were on Fort Baker than sent to the Training Department which was located in the bldg next to the Mess Hall."

 

'Well I am glad some one else knows about harbor defense. You must have left Fort Baker about the same time I was sent to begin my Navy career. I worked on the small boats until they moved the unit to Long Beach. About the only thing we seemed to do was go out and pick up the jumpers from the bridge. What I would like to find out was, do you know if there was a patch for that unit back then."

 

"I was stationed there from April 1960 until August 1961 first working on the small boats that were on Fort Baker than sent to the Training Department which was located in the bldg next to the Mess Hall."

 

 

Here is a link to the site where I found the info:

 

 

http://navyvets.com/profiles/blogs/is-any-one-old-enough-to-remember-harbor-defense-unit-1-san-fran

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Salvage Sailor

Another one for you to search for, IUWG DIV 4-1 Command detonated sea mines (Harbor Defense) from my patch garden

IUWG DIV 4-1 001.jpg

IUWG DIV 4-1 002.jpg

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