USN Harbor Pilots - Port Operations & Services

[Salvage Sailor]

Aloha Everyone,

 

Here's something you don't see often as there weren't very many US Navy Harbor Pilots in the service and at present there are still less than 20 on active duty.

 

2004 News Article: NAS Key West Sailor Selected to be Navy Harbor Pilot

 

USN Harbor Pilot

Port/Harbor Operations, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Da Nang

United States Naval Forces Vietnam (USNAVFORV)

 

 

Harbor Pilot Dies in Rough Seas Accident,
October 23, 1966

 

SUMMARY: On October 23, 1966, Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate (BMCS) Charles F. Busby, was fatally injured while serving as the chief harbor pilot at Da Nang Harbor, Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam. Busby, assigned to Port/Harbor Operations, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Da Nang, United States Naval Forces Vietnam (USNAVFORV), was to safely pilot ships to the pier in the busy port. He was boarding a merchant freighter from his tugboat (YTL-452) in rough seas, when he fell and was crushed between the two vessels. Busby was one of 11 men from NSA Da Nang who made the ultimate sacrifice during that 1965-1966 tour.  FULL DETAILS -->> HERE

 

[Salvage Sailor]

....and a USN Harbor Pilot 1951 hat from an auction listing for reference (not mine)

[Salvage Sailor]

USN Harbor Pilot plaque, Naval Base Yokosuka, Japan

Home port of the US 7th Fleet -The Foreign Legion

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Other Port Services patches from my collection.

 

 

Sasebo, Japan - an often used port by the 7th Fleet junk boat sailors aboard ARS's, ASR's, ATF's and Minesweepers

 

 

Harbor Pilots were primarily BM's and QM's who trained on YTB's and other yard tugs in Port Service groups (Fleet Activities) before being designated as Harbor Pilots.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Port Control Naval Station Adak Alaska

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Port Services La Maddalena, Sardinia

(Sixth Fleet in the Med)

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Naval Station Norfolk Port Operation

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USN Harbor Pilots (in khaki on right) guiding the Ticonderoga class Cruiser USS SHILOH (CG-67) into the Yokosuka dry dock

 

 

[KRIS FORD]

Never knew about these guys! I do recall Egyptian pilots coming on board for our Suez transits in a CVN.

[0bx]

Very nice collection and very unusual. Really like seeing US Navy related insignia. Thanks for sharing Salvage Sailor.

[Salvage Sailor]

NAVAL STATION EVERETT WASHINGTON, PORT OPERATIONS

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Caption: Harbor Pilots of the U.S. Naval Support Activity relax at their barracks between jobs and talk over the events of the day. From left: Master Chief Boatswain's Mate John Gonzales, Chief Boatswain's Mate William G. Fischer, and Chief Boatswain's Mate Harold W. Hurst. At Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, May 1968.

[Salvage Sailor]

James Warren David Harbor Pilot South Korea

 

He served in WWII, driving the Higgins boats as a barely-18 year-old coxswain in the Solomon Islands. He served in Korea as a harbor pilot and in Vietnam.