ATC 152-1 Pictures

Continued

The Brown Water Navy fought in Mekong Delta of Vietnam utilizing Civil War style ironclad vessels. My goal is to educate as many as possible about our exploits by sharing my Vietnam Pictures, Military Memorabilia, Military Medals acquired during my tour with the Mobile Riverine Force.  A seven man crew lived together in less that 1,000 square feet for a year.

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Sam Gardner guiding us down a canal towards the Cambodian border. The Mekong Delta was extremely flat. If you look in the background of this picture you'll see a mountain or two.

Who's who here? I've traded hats with my Vietnamese friend. This was taken at Rach Soi.

Robin and Dewey with the kids at Rach Gia. This was the village that we always waited until the PBRs (Patrol Boat River) showed up so we could go out on night operations. I have returned to this village in 1994 and 1999. I've taken "kid" photos back to them and was able to meet the 2 girls on the right side of this picture. They are in their 30's and 40's now.

Jim Cunningham passing parts of a weapons cache up onto the flight deck down near Rach Gia. The Ruff Puffs (Vietnamese Regional and Popular Forces) had searched this same area to no avail. Then these soldiers came and found a lot of munitions. Everyone in their unit wore burgundy berets.

 Tom Brunner horsing around in his MK-19 Grenade Launcher turret. He has his steel pot on without the liner and has removed his front denture plate. He'll kill me if he sees that I've let everyone on the Internet see him. Humor played a huge part in our survival in Vietnam.

"Who said that we couldn't fish? Lures? Uh, we're using concussion grenades warden." I'm holding the fish while Pat Denny, Sam Gardner, an unknown Vietnamese Fish and Game person and Jim Cunningham look for more fish swimming upside down.

Is that fish in the pan? Nope. What could it be? Looks like steak to me. It is...! Vic Diiorio was the best "Cumshaw" artist in our unit. We would give him our gear and he'd come back with goodies. This time it was a pack of frozen steaks off one of the ships. What a treat. Notice the Falstaff beer can sitting on the table? How about the Alfred E. Newman poster? This is in the well deck where we lived for our tour. Robin and I had purchased a kerosene stove at the market. We had to make due.

While at the Vietnamese Naval Base in Rach Soi we would provide beer and the Vietnamese families would feed us. We sure had some wonderful meals and fellowship. Left to Right: Vietnamese sailor, myself, Vietnamese officer, Robin Lee, Pat Denny and one of the wives of the VNN guys.

Not every boat had someone from Hawaii onboard to teach us how to assemble camouflage head gear to protect us. Here I am with some of his camo. Thanks to Robin Lee, we made it.

Robin Lee enjoying Thanksgiving Dinner 1968. My plate shows off some of the ham and turkey that was flown into us at the small Vietnamese Naval Base at Rach Soi. Can you tell that Robin in an Engineman? Note the rags lying at his feet.

Plankowner? No, just a friend who used to drink beer with us at Rach Soi. We'd save a little in the bottom of the can and he'd go to it. After a while he couldn't climb up into his cage. He was a mean drunk too. I still have scars from his bites. When he raised his eyebrows up high ... then you had to really watch out ..!