Brown Water Navy in RVN (Coast Guard and Army MRF too)

[Tonomachi]

Here is my one NAG beret in my collection.

 

 

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Here is a jungle jacket that was worn by a corpsman by the name of Fred Cox who may have been attached to or worked with a Seal Team during the war.  Supposedly he was with IUWG and was also an advisor for the SVN Navy.

 

 

[digi-shots]

Your NAG beret looks great… I really like the hand embroidered stitching.

[digi-shots]

Here’s a close up of a couple of theater made badges that belonged to a Master Chief Quartermaster who served on PCF67. He was badly injured and medivac’d when the keel of his swift boat hit a 300 pound bomb while on the Co Chien River in February 1969.

[Bearmon]

On 9/25/2021 at 3:04 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

 

SEAFLOAT - USS KRISHNA (ARL-38) ex-LST-1149, Tender and Mothership to the USCG Squadrons and PCF's in the Gulf of Thailand.

 

 

Partial DANFS History:  Vietnam War

From 1 December to 22 February 1965 Krishna reactivated USS Kirwin, and on 1 June she was assigned to Service Force, Pacific Fleet.

 

SERVPAC Japanese made three star version

 

Departing Little Creek, she steamed via Pearl Harbor and Guam for duty in the Far East. Operating out of Subic Bay, Philippines, she reached the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of South Vietnam 17 September and began duty as support ship for patrol craft of U.S. Coast Guard Squadron One, Division 11 based at An Thoi Naval Base on Phu Quoc Island. While the cutters patrolled coastal waters to prevent infiltration of ammunition and supplies to the Viet Cong, Krishna served as a repair facility and fueling station as well as an operations, communications, and command center. Later in the year she also provided services for eight Patrol Craft Fast (PCF) boats that arrived to strengthen the coastal surveillance program.

 

 

Krishna remained on station until 1 December when she departed for Bangkok, Thailand, arriving 3 December. She returned to her various support duties in the Gulf of Thailand 11 December. In February Krishna raised and salvaged PCF-4. On 30 April, men from Krishna helped extinguish a fire in An Thoi.

 

 

LOSS OF THE PCF-4 First Swift Boat mined and sunk during the Vietnam War

The crew of PCF-4 on February 14, 1966
Charles D. Lloyd, LTJG, Officer in Charge - WIA
Robert R. Johnson, RM3 - WIA
Jack C. Rodriguez, EN2 - KIA
Tommy E. Hill, BM2 - KIA
Dayton L. Rudisill, GMG2 - KIA
David J. Boyle, SN - KIA

 

 

FULL PHOTOS AND STORY HERE - The Loss of PCF-4 February 14, 1966 The Bay of Rach Gia

 

KRISHNA 1966 - She had a number of distinguished visitors through 1966, including Secretary of the Navy Paul H. Nitze on 15 July. On 21 July the landing craft repair ship headed for Sasebo, Japan with a stopover at Kaoshiung, Taiwan on 29 July to provide repair facilities, arriving Sasebo 9 August. Krishna departed Sasebo for Vietnam 22 September, arriving in the Gulf of Thailand 7 October to resume her WestPac mission. Krishna continued to patrol off the coast of Vietnam through 1966 into 1967.

 

 

MINED!

 

The enemy tried repeatedly but failed to put Sea Float out of operation. In April 1970, for instance, alert guards frustrated an attempt by VC swimmer sappers equipped with Soviet-made underwater gear and explosives. The defenders’ grenades and rifle fire killed four attackers. That July, mines tore a hole in Krishna (ARL 38) anchored in the Cua Lon but failed to sink the ship. Later in the month the enemy was more successful when they mined and capsized the VNN’s LSSL-225, killing 17 South Vietnamese sailors. 

 

Mine Damage to the USS Krishna (ARL38) This picture was taken on 6 July, 1970, the day after the ship hit a mine.

 

This picture was taken at the dry docks located in Saigon.

 

Krishna earned twelve battle stars for service during the Vietnam War.

CAMOGATOR

Decommissioned on 15 September 1971 at Subic Bay, Krishna was struck from the Naval Vessel Register the same day. Sold to the Republic of the Philippines 30 October 1971 and renamed RPS Narra (AR-88), she was decommissioned in 1992.

 

 

 

 

Two star version of SERVPAC, Japanese made

 

That’s for joining in I was waiting for you.  

[Bearmon]

I don’t have the reverse of these right now will post over the weekend. Here are an assortment of Tonkin Gulf yacht Club patches. 

[Bearmon]

I broke out the patches from the above post so the different patches both Japanese and US made.  

[Salvage Sailor]

Very nice collection of TGYC patches, (although we're straying off into the depths of the Blue Water Navy)

 

Here are a few more different styles from my collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Meanwhile in the backwaters of the Delta.....

 

 

The Riverine Rocket Ships, including USS WHITE RIVER (LFR-536)  Caption:  Port bow view (right to left) of USS Clarion River (LSMR-409), USS White River (LSMR-536) and USS St. Francis River (LSMR-525) moored at Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan, in 1968.

 

USS White River firing a salvo of four rockets off the coast of North Vietnam at night

 

Trailing a streak of flame, a 5" spin stabilized rocket leaves its Mk-102 launcher on board USS White River (LSMR-536), in July 1966 bound for Viet Cong troop concentrations in the I Corps area near Da Nang.  US National Archives, Photo # USN 1117387

 

USS WHITE RIVER (LFR-536) - Japanese made patch circa 1969

Brown Water Navy website  USS WHITE RIVER

 

 

Mobile Riverine Force Association website HISTORY OF THE USS WHITE RIVER (LSMR-536) & (LFR-536)

 

USS White River (LSM(R)-536), Clarion River (LSM(R)-409), St. Francis River (LSM(R)-525) and Carronade (IFS-1) off Danang, South Vietnam in 1967

 

This patch came from a crewman along with his Vietnam Hunting Club patch.  Easy to date this one, she was LSMR-536 until January 1969 when she was redesignated in-country as Inshore Fire Support ship LFR-536.  With the advent of ACTOV and the folding of the Brown Water Navy colors, she was subsequently decommissioned and broken up in Japan in 1970.  The end of her three war USN career in the Pacific.

 

 

 

 

The White River VC Hunting Club in Action

 

The following month (June 1969), White River saw assignment to the naval gunfire support units for only four days, but she “displayed accurate marksmanship during one day of particularly impressive shooting…” On 16 June 1969, while operating in support of the 2nd ARVN Division eight miles northeast of Quang Ngai, she bombarded a Viet Cong assembly area, flushing out a squad of VC who soon began setting up weapons to return fire. White River observed a 20-foot surface burst some 2,000 yards off the bow, and numerous rounds of light weapons fire that all missed their mark.

 

 

With the coaching of an airborne spotter, the inshore fire support ship directed a ten-minute barrage of .30- and .50-caliber, 40 millimeter, and rocket fire onto the enemy, who broke and took cover leaving 11 of their number dead behind.  White River continued to pound the area until inclement weather forced the spotter to head for home. In addition to the 10 enemy corpses counted, the ship had destroyed 13 structures and 10 bunkers and damaged a further 21 structures and 11 bunkers, triggered three secondary explosions and started nine secondary fires. White River reprised her bombardment the next day (17 June) and accounted for another two VC dead.

 

Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 22 May 1970, at Yokosuka, Japan
USS White River LSM(R)-536 earned two battle stars for Korean War service and ten campaign stars for the Vietnam War
Final Disposition, sold in November 1970 to Nissho-Iwai American Corp, New York City, N.Y. for scrapping

 

 Combat Action Ribbon (3)17FEB67, 3NOV67, 5MAY69 - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (2) - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (8) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

[Bearmon]

This group came out of California. I wish I had a name to go with them.  My guess is these were for an officer who was in TF117. Possibly in a HQ role.   All of these came together.  The large river assault squadron fifteen is not often seen 

[Salvage Sailor]

On 9/20/2021 at 8:23 AM, PATCHRAT said:

I was asked to post this for a friend and fellow forum member who is looking for more info on this patch, he  brought it home  from 'Nam in June 1969, found it in a little sew shop in Saigon.

 

Thank you

 

RIP Tom, thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us over the years.  

 

PATCHRAT passes away

[Salvage Sailor]

The "U-Boats"  - THE SAGA OF THE YFU-79 & THE U-BOAT SAILORS OF I CORPS - "Skilaks" of the US Navy Mobile Riverine Force Association
(originally authored by Tom Lanagan, MRFA member and prior U-Boat crew member and first published in River Currents, Winter 2005, Vol. 14, No. 4)

 

Rather than write up some text, read the story on the link for the complete picture on the Alaskan "Skilaks" sent to RVN to support the BWN.

 

YFU-79 in a later life as HLT-1 IX-514 Helicopter Landing Trainer (the Navy's smallest aircraft carrier)

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

SOLID ANCHOR - NAVAL ADVISORY GROUP VIETNAM - NAM CAN ANCHORMEN at the southern tip of RVN

SEAL/MST OPERATIONS FROM SEA FLOAT/SOLID ANCHOR IN 1970 BY GMCM (SW) ROBERT H. STONER (RET.) From the MRF/BWN Association website

 

 

 

Don't have a rocker handy?  (UIM or Tab if you prefer...) 

 

 

...then make your own from a USS MARS rocker

 

 

EPILOG: SEA FLOAT/SOLID ANCHOR

SEA FLOAT was established June 25, 1969. SEA FLOAT moved ashore to SOLID ANCHOR in mid-September of 1970. The SOLID ANCHOR base was heavily rocketed and mortared in late January 1971. SOLID ANCHOR was formally turned over to Vietnamese Navy on April 1, 1971. The last Americans left SOLID ANCHOR on February 1, 1973.

 

What happened to SEA FLOAT? After the Americans moved ashore from SEA FLOAT to SOLID ANCHOR in September, the empty barges became the object of scavengers from the village called the “Annex” (Ham Rong) about five kilometers to the east. Building materials used to construct the hooches were recycled by the locals.

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS SUTTER COUNTY (LST-1150) In service 1945 to 1971 The Rambling Ram - Mobile Riverine Force 

 

 

During the Vietnam War USS Sutter County (LST-1150) served continuously in country and in contiguous waters, with the exception of overhaul periods, from late 1966 to mid 1970 participating in the following campaigns. Vietnam War Campaigns:  Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II, Tet 69/Counteroffensive, Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III, Vietnam Winter Spring-1970, Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII, Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V.  navsource.com

 

[River Patrol]

Any additional information on the Anchorman unit?  I've been looking for years for anything about their mission, beyond Advisory.

[Salvage Sailor]

2 hours ago, River Patrol said:

Any additional information on the Anchorman unit?  I've been looking for years for anything about their mission, beyond Advisory.

 

Nam Can Anchormen links

 

SEAL/MST OPERATIONS FROM SEA FLOAT/SOLID ANCHOR IN 1970 BY GMCM (SW) ROBERT H. STONER (RET.)

 

Sea Float - Ca Mau Peninsula - Cua Lon and Bo De Rivers

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Two BWN support units from my collection, previously posted by Bearmon

 

 

NAVSUPPACT DET DONG TAM, VIETNAM

 

NAVSUPPACT DANANG SCRF (Small Craft Repair Facility) - Proud to Serve

[Salvage Sailor]

 

USS ELKHORN (AOG-7) Three war Patapsco class gasoline tanker in service 1944 to 1972.  ELKHORN delivered fuel up and down the coast and in the inland water ways from Da Nang south and to the north. In 1969 relieved USS Genesis also an AOG in Da Nang delivering fuel up and down the coast north to Cửa Việt Base and areas south of Da Nang. Returned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii around November 1969. Returned to Vietnam for the winter and spring offensive in 1970.

 

 

She received eight campaign stars for Vietnam War service all while cruising the inland waterways delivering fuel to the Brown Water Navy

Vietnam Defense
Vietnam Counteroffensive
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase II
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase III
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase V
Vietnam Counteroffensive - Phase VI
Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

On 10/10/2021 at 10:08 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

Meanwhile in the backwaters of the Delta.....

 

 

The Riverine Rocket Ships, including USS WHITE RIVER (LFR-536)  Caption:  Port bow view (right to left) of USS Clarion River (LSMR-409), USS White River (LSMR-536) and USS St. Francis River (LSMR-525) moored at Naval Station Yokosuka, Japan, in 1968.

 

USS White River firing a salvo of four rockets off the coast of North Vietnam at night

 

Trailing a streak of flame, a 5" spin stabilized rocket leaves its Mk-102 launcher on board USS White River (LSMR-536), in July 1966 bound for Viet Cong troop concentrations in the I Corps area near Da Nang.  US National Archives, Photo # USN 1117387

 

USS WHITE RIVER (LFR-536) - Japanese made patch circa 1969

Brown Water Navy website  USS WHITE RIVER

 

 

Mobile Riverine Force Association website HISTORY OF THE USS WHITE RIVER (LSMR-536) & (LFR-536)

 

USS White River (LSM(R)-536), Clarion River (LSM(R)-409), St. Francis River (LSM(R)-525) and Carronade (IFS-1) off Danang, South Vietnam in 1967

 

This patch came from a crewman along with his Vietnam Hunting Club patch.  Easy to date this one, she was LSMR-536 until January 1969 when she was redesignated in-country as Inshore Fire Support ship LFR-536.  With the advent of ACTOV and the folding of the Brown Water Navy colors, she was subsequently decommissioned and broken up in Japan in 1970.  The end of her three war USN career in the Pacific.

 

 

 

 

The White River VC Hunting Club in Action

 

The following month (June 1969), White River saw assignment to the naval gunfire support units for only four days, but she “displayed accurate marksmanship during one day of particularly impressive shooting…” On 16 June 1969, while operating in support of the 2nd ARVN Division eight miles northeast of Quang Ngai, she bombarded a Viet Cong assembly area, flushing out a squad of VC who soon began setting up weapons to return fire. White River observed a 20-foot surface burst some 2,000 yards off the bow, and numerous rounds of light weapons fire that all missed their mark.

 

 

With the coaching of an airborne spotter, the inshore fire support ship directed a ten-minute barrage of .30- and .50-caliber, 40 millimeter, and rocket fire onto the enemy, who broke and took cover leaving 11 of their number dead behind.  White River continued to pound the area until inclement weather forced the spotter to head for home. In addition to the 10 enemy corpses counted, the ship had destroyed 13 structures and 10 bunkers and damaged a further 21 structures and 11 bunkers, triggered three secondary explosions and started nine secondary fires. White River reprised her bombardment the next day (17 June) and accounted for another two VC dead.

 

Decommissioned and Struck from the Naval Register, 22 May 1970, at Yokosuka, Japan
USS White River LSM(R)-536 earned two battle stars for Korean War service and ten campaign stars for the Vietnam War
Final Disposition, sold in November 1970 to Nissho-Iwai American Corp, New York City, N.Y. for scrapping

 

 Combat Action Ribbon (3)17FEB67, 3NOV67, 5MAY69 - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - China Service Medal (extended) - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - Navy Occupation Service Medal (with Asia clasp) - National Defense Service Medal (2) - Korean Service Medal (2) - Vietnam Service Medal (10) - Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (8) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

 

Sorting old patch stashes, found my USS CARRONADE (IFS-1) patch, Flagship of Inshore Fire Support Division 93 (IFDIV 93)

The Busy Beaver

 

USS Carronade (IFS-1), an inshore fire support ship, was commissioned on May 25, 1955, at Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company, Seattle, Washington.   Designed to replace the LSMR (Medium Landing Ship, Rocket), she participated in tests in the Pacific Ocean to demonstrate her effectiveness with amphibious exercises and with inshore fire.   Decommissioned in February 1960, she was recommissioned in October 1965 for service in the Vietnam War.  Becoming the flagship of Inshore Fire Support Division 93 (IFDIV 93), Carronade participated in numerous Vietnamese Counteroffensives and the Tet Counteroffensive in 1968.  Redesignated LFR-1 in January 1969, she continued her Vietnam service until January 1970.   Carronade was decommissioned that July, struck from the Naval Register in May 1973, and finally sold for scrapping in September 1994. 

 

USS Carronade (IFS-1) operating off shore, south of Da Nang, Vietnam, ready to provide fire support for US Marines, 11 November 1967.
US National Archives, Photo # USN 1127944 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.

 

 

 

[Bearmon]

A recent pick up  nice used River Division 594 Japanese manufactured 

[Salvage Sailor]

Bad Guy Territory

"Snoopy's Nose"

Rach Ba Rai River

USN Zippo Boat

 

 

Assault Support Patrol Boat River Assault Squadron 11 "Light My Fire"

Large jacket patch 11" h x 8" w

 

[Bearmon]

Nice patch