More southern combat regions were covered by River Assault Squadrons 13 and 15 in conjunction with Vietnamese Marines (VNMC), Vietnamese Army (ARVN) and Regional/Popular Forces (RF/PF). The areas closer to Saigon were protected by River Assault Squadrons 9 and 11. Dong Tam, an Army/Navy base, was built from scratch to house additional support elements of the Mobile Riverine Force.īattles were taking place all over the III and IV Corps Regions. Two Mobile Riverine Bases, made up of various support ships and craft, were in place along the main rivers to support the infantry and riverine craft on a daily basis.
By June of 1968 River Assault Squadrons 13 and 15 had joined the force. The Mobile Riverine Force played a key role in saving the Mekong Delta from enemy control during the 1968 TET Offensive. During the 4 hour battle, in which half of the boats were hit by heavy enemy fire, 3 Navy men were killed and 77 wounded. The September 1967 battle on the Ba Rai River turned out to be a prime example. The Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers were initially surprised by the efforts of the joint Mobile Riverine Force, but they soon began developing resistance tactics. 30 caliber machine guns, small arms and various other weapons. All of these craft were heavily armed with 20 MM cannons, Mark-19 Grenade Launchers. 6) A Tango boat that was outfitted with high pressure water cannons to dispose of enemy bunkers. 5) An Assault Support Patrol Boat that was equipped with sonar and V-12 engines for minesweeping purposes. 4) A Command and Communication Boat that provided logistics for each operation. 3) An Armored Troop Carrier, dubbed the "Tango", that was used to ferry infantry troops from one location to another. 2) A flame boat called a Zippo that could spray napalm hundreds of feet. Later the Program V monitors had 105 howitzer mounts. The styles included: 1) A Monitor boasting a 40MM cannon on it's bow. Most were 50-55 feet in length and propelled by twin V-6 engines. The assault craft were mainly formed from older Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) 6 hulls. River Assault Squadron 9 was soon joined by River Assault Squadron 11. The Mobile Riverine Force began operations in January 1967. Mobile Riverine Force arrived in 1967 many of the older French craft were still being used by the South Vietnamese Naval Forces. The United States never built another wooden battleship.ĭuring the Indochina War the French Navy successfully utilized riverine assault craft against Viet Minh forces between 19. These were but two of the many ironclad vessels used during that era. The confederates were resilient, though, and raised the vessel, refitted it and she played a major role in naval history. Merrimack, it's own vessel at the time, early in the war in order to keep it out of confederate hands. Ironically, the Union Navy had purposely sunk the U.S.S. Merrimack, a Confederate States vessel, made history while battling one another on March 9, 1862. Until then all hulls were wooden structures.
Civil War saw the first ever ironclad vessels pitted against one another. The Mobile Riverine Force concept was based upon tactics from two previous wars. Later the Army 3rd Brigade joined the alliance. The Navy Mobile Riverine Force and Army 2nd Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division were soon to become partners in the war effort. naval and army forces in an attempt to thwart the enemies efforts. In early 1967 Mobile Riverine Force/Task Force 117 was formed. Operation Game Warden took it to the enemy with fierce determination.Ĭommander Naval Forces Vietnam, realizing that more manpower was needed, decided to expand operations. As new river divisions were formed the frequency of contact increased.
The PBR sailors had their hands full from the beginning. The primary vessel used was the Patrol Boat River (PBR). The official name became the River Patrol Force. This led to an increased movement of arms and supplies via inland waterways.Īs the movement of enemy supplies increased on the inland rivers and canals the U.S. It became obvious to the enemy that they needed to switch strategy. In July of 1965 the Coastal Surveillance Force/Task Force 115 was activated and took command of all coastal interdiction.įrom the onset North Vietnamese and Viet Cong vessels were being encountered and sunk by the joint forces. Coast Guard launched the new tactic with immediate success. Working corporately with the Vietnamese Navy (VNN), the U.S. In March of 1965 a coastal interdiction force named Operation Market Time was put into place. Marines were making beach landings, Army air mobile forces were put into action and it was determined by the higher ups that something serious needed to be done to slow down the enemy supply routes in the South China Sea, Gulf of Tonkin and the Gulf of Siam. By early 1965 the Vietnam War was escalating at a rapid pace.