Squadron One - Triumph To Turnover, Dollars to Dong, 1969-1970.

April 21, 2006

A View From Above. Former Navy Hospital Corpsman John Jazdzewski loans some his photos of the CGC Point Arden (WPB 82309) on the DMZ in May 1968. John was stationed aboar the USS Boston (CAG-1 ). The Boston was one of the gun line vessels providing gunfire support with her 8"/55 guns for Marine and Army units ashore. This sequence depicts the Point Arden delivering a Marine FO (Forward Observer) liaision unit. The from above images give us a unique view of the deck layout of the WPBs in Vietnam.
Coming alongside Boston.	Taking the sea painter.
Stern view shows the tight arrangement. The "box" aft of the small boat is a makeshift ammunition ready service locker for the four after machine guns. The washing machine was a Sears wringer model and gave the crew more flexiblity for the usually very short inport periods.	The gunfire support teams gets aboard Boston. Note the top of the WPB is at deck level of the heavy cruiser.
The heavy ships on the DMZ gun line had a tough job. They had to be constantly ready to provide gunfire support. They rearmed and refueled on average every third day.	An excellent above view of the forward gun position. The 81mm Mortar/.50 caliber combination was a Coast Guard innovation and is still in use today. The "flare" on the muzzle of the mortar is from a 3"/50 cartridge case cut down to serve as a muzzle cover. Regulation 3"tompions were not always available. This was the same mortar that nearly a year later from being double loaded killing EN1 Painter and Ltjg Kirkpatrck.

Larry Webb's Vietnam.	Former Coast Guardsman Larry Webb donated the following photos from 1969.
Taken from forward of the bridge of the Point Cypress (WPB 82326). The Point Cypress is providing cover for the three U. S. Navy PCFs (SWIFTS) in the canal. The person manning the gun is not known.	This is an excellent photograph illustrating the narrowness of canal in the Mekong Delta. The PCF is 50 feet in lenght. This means a Point Class cutter could not turn around. Many had to back out such canals presenting inviting targets. The SWIFT in the foreground may be the PCF 102.
High and dry. The mud flats of the Mekong Delta experienced large tidal shifts. Here the Point Cypress awaits the next flood.	.The Point Comfort (WPB 82317) at Cat Lo, Division 13, in 1969. Note character on the flag bag. This one depicts the famous Yosemite Sam (see insert)

GM2 Bill Ross fires the M60 machine gun, from the shoulder, at a Vietnamese basket boat. These boats were found drifting and the WPB crews soon found that these palm leaf and tree pitch round boats were nearly unsinkable.
With A Little Bit of Loc
EN2 Charlie Smith and VNN Ensign Tran Trong Loc near Cap Mia on the way to board and inspect fishing sampans.	Ensign Tran questioning fishermen.	Ensign Tran learning the working parts of a .50 caliber heavy machine gun.
Remembering ENC Beeson. ENC Morris S. Beeson was killed in action on March 22, 1969 while on a small boat operation near Mui Batangan south of Chu Lai.
ENC Morris Beeson helps supplement the dinner table.	The Point Orient (WPB 82319) enters Qhi Nhon, Division 12's only official liberty port, and will moor to the U. S. Navy's small craft repari facility. L-R: ENC Beeson and ET3 Joe Laudenbach.	Looking for a few hours of liberty at Qhi Nhon are L-R: EN2 Charlie Smith, ENC Beeson, ET3 Joe Laudenbach and FN John McMillian.
Beeson HallDivision 12 headquarters in Da Nang was the only Coast Guard facility named for any of those Squadron One Coastguardsmen killed in action in Vietnam. The small building to the left in the photo was the beer hall. It began as an open storage shed but was enclosed then the Navy began not allowing the Coasties to use their facility next to YR-71. Ironically, the electric beer cooler used by the Navy was Coast Guard property and moved to the new beer hall. When Division 12 decommissioned in March 1970 the beer cooler was transferred to the Air Force.

Patches
Journalist Helen Musgrove watches and photographs the awards ceremony for GM1 Jerry Goff and EN2 Larry Villarreal (both Silver Star awardees) at Cat Lo in January 1970. She was known by the nickname "Patches" (for her jacket). She worked for the Jacksonville (Flordia) Journal and interviewed the men from that state.
Helen spent six and one half years in Vietnam and true to her name collected 421 patches and tweleve pounds of pins. She was a fan of the Coast Guard and recognized that the small service rarely got the recognization it deserved. She died of a heart attack in 1989 but not before completely a two volume work of her Vietnam service; Vietnam: Front Row Center.

This Ain't No Shrimp!
(L -R)EN2 Barney Phipps looks around at the prawn that GM2 Bill Wells traded for from a sampan. The Point Glover crew supplemented their government issue diet with fresh seafood. Prawns, rock lobster, squid, and other seafood were traded or bought from the fishermen. The Vietnamese were especially fond of potatos. The crew would often "find" extra crates of potatos among the Navy's stores in Da Nang.

Glover's Crew
(1969 photos courtesy of [former Coast Guard Seaman] MSG Leo M. Vissers, U. S. Army (ret))

ET2 Fred Dailey on bow of CGC Point Glover (WPB 82307).	ET2 Fred Dailey next to the Glover's 81mm mortar. In the background is possibly Cu Lao Re, an island 16 miles off the coast from Chu Lai and a favorite stop on the way off patrol. The WPB crews used it as a brief R&R stop. And yes, that is a Schafer's Beer in Fred's hand.	Seaman Leo Vissers. The background may be northern side Mui (Point) Da Nang.	Leo of the Watch. Seaman Leo Vissers stands a "squid" watch on board the Point Glover (WPB 82307) in 1969 at Da Nang. This watch was two hours long during which the watch was given a case of concussion grenades to throw into the water. The watch could throw all, some or none of them. It was totally random and used as protection against sappers. (Photo by GMCM Bill Wells, USCG (Ret))
GM1 R. P. McDonald prepares C-4 blocks for use. Note his real cool eyeglasses.	GM1 R. P. McDonald loads an 81mm Illumination round into the mortar. SN Leo Vissers is in the mount captain's position behind the gun.
Glover's Logo Patch courtesy of [former Seaman] MSG Leo M. Vissers, U. S. Army (ret)). The Glover crew was asked about January 1969 for a design for a unit logo. This was the design that evolved from many suggestions.	The logo on the "flag bag" of the Point Glover.( Photo by Bill Wells.)
Laundry Day. ET2 Fred Dailey (foreground) and EN2 Barney Phipps (background) put up their laundry on the CGC Point Glover (WPB 82307). The pink ammo box to the right is the laundry pin box. Former green boxes became lost in the hundreds of others on board. As can be seen the trash was kept on board until the boat went on patrol then it was dumped at sea. (Photo of Bill Wells)	Fred Rotates Home. When people left the boats it was bitter sweet. Glad they were going home, sad at their leaving especially those who had the respect of the entire crew. Fred Daily had that respect. He was transferred to Fire Island from the Point Glover in August 1969. (Anyone knowing of his whereabouts today please let me know). (L-R) BM1 Bill Wright, FN Danny Moore, ET2 Fred Dailey, BM2 Harvey Salmon, GM2 Bill Wells, and (PO?) Toliver on the table. (Photos of Bill Wells)	Enough Seating For Everyone. Top to Bottom. CS2 Bob Kidd, FN Danny Moore, and GM2 Bill Wells. This Fall 1969 photo on board the CGC Point Glover (WPB 82307) lampooned the Vietnamese sailors who were, whenever possible, asleep and usually piled up on each other. (Photo of Bill Wells)
Coast Guard Day 1969 Photos of Bill Wells At the real China Beach R & R Center in Da Nang. (L-R) SN Leo Vissers, BM1 Bill Wright, and ENC Bill McNeely from the Point Glover celebrate Coast Guard Day.	(L-R) SN Leo Vissers, GM2 Bill Wells, CS2 Harvey "Little John" Heath, FN Danny Moore, BMC Sherman Colbourne, ENC Bill McNeely, LTjg Barney Ross (CO, giving a salute) and Ltjg. S. M. Thomas (XO).

Holy Sat Cong, Batman!.
This patch was used by the crew of the CGC Point Orient (WPB 82319) in 1969 at Da Nang. Although difficult to read the patch reads "Sat Cong" at the bottom. (Patch image donated by former Lt. Wess Wessling, USCG, last CO of the Point Young)

Cat Lo Bunch
Two unidentified Coast Guard 82' WPBs moored at Cat Lo in 1970 prior to turnover to the Vietnamese Navy. A good indicator of date is the U. S. Ensign being flown from the yard instead of the truck. The ensign was ordered to the yard to put the Americans on "equal" footing with the Vietnamese who flew thier national ensign on the opposite yard. This scene also demonstartes the importance of coastal interdiction and patrol. Nearly everytype of patrol craft used in Vietnam can be seen in this photo. Moored opposite of the WPBs are excellent representations of the U. S. Navy's IUW-65 Class harbor patrol boat. (Photo donated by MCPO Bill Winters, USN (ret). Bill is a master diver and was assigned to Harbor Clearance Unit 1 at Cat Lo.)

Cummings on Cummins Power.

EN1 Cummings of the Division 12 Repair Force stands next to an overhaul Cummins V-12 ready for exchange in the Point Glover (WPB 82307) in 1969 at Da Nang. By 1969 engine replacement could be accomplished in twelve hours and was done about every 600 hours of engine operating hours.
(Photo by GMCM Bill Wells, USCG (Ret))

Bad Day for Charlie.

The CGC Point Glover (WPB 82307) fires on a Viet Cong position in Operation Market Time Patrol Area 2E. BM2 Harvey Salmon loads an 81mm WP round (note exploded round on hill side to right. GM2 Bill Wells readys the next round and ENC W. O. McNeely (behind Wells) is the mount captain.

(L-R) EN2 Mike Perrino, FN Danny Moore and BM2 Harvey Salmon prepare for a 1969 boarding from the Point Glover. Note weapons. The M2 Carbine (.30 cal) was "modified (sawed off)" by former GM2 John Dexter who was the GM onboard the Point Glover from April 1967 to April 1968. Also compare the uniforms as to those worn in contemporary law enforcement boardings.

Rock 'n Roll Vietnam Style.

Big Monsoon Bounce.
The CGC Point Dume (WPB 82325) comes along side Point Glover to receive area files. Life on the WPBs during the monsoon season was, to say the least, uncomfortable for the crews whom spent 75-85% of their time on patrol. 1969 photo by Bill Wells. (15K) [Go to WWII page and see a similiar scene]

Publicity Will Make You a Hero.

This staged photo of GM2 Bill Wells was part of a series taken in Da Nang to illustrate the turnover to the South Vietnamese Navy in December 1969. USN Photo.

GM2 Bill Wells practices his grenade skills on the beautiful beaches south of Chu Lai. BMC Paul Jennings in foreground. The M79 grenade launcher saw much use on the WPBs. 1969 photo (25K)

Line 'em up.

Taken from the signal deck of thePoint Glover looking toward the small craft quay at Da Nang. This photo shows the distance the WPB crews had to hand carry all their supplies and ammunition. The WPBs were moved further out to make room for the Navy's hydrofoils SSTucumcari and USS Falstaff. The Tucumcari can be seen past the SWIFTS (PCF-69 first in line). Directly aft of the SWIFTs are the barracks barge YFBN-2 and repair barge YR-71. Notice the white washing machine on board the WPB. Although everything else turned gray in Vietnam the Sears and Roebuck washing machines kept their at home colors. 1970 Photo by Bill Wells. (46K)

Although this hometown news release photo was captioned "No Training Needed Here" the caption was far from the truth. The use of clothes pins, as well as doing laundry, was foreign to the Vietnamese Navy personnel assigned to the WPBs for training. Here BM1 Tin learns the use of clothes pins on board the Point Glover (WPB 82307) in December 1969. USN Photo.

Division 12's Last Day.

On March 16, 1970 the cutters Point Kennedy(WPB 82320), in foreground, and Point Young(WPB 82303) became the last to be turned over to the South Vietnamese Navy at Da Nang. On the same day Coast Guard Division 12 was decommissioned and all remaining assets turned over to the U. S. Navy. (USN Photo).

In 1969 the U. S. Coast Guard hired artist Noel Daggett to create a series of paintings of the Coast Guard's actions in Vietnam. This depiction is of the CGC Point Banks(WPB 82327) boarding and searching sampans. (124K)