COASTAL SQUADRON ONE

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(Last updated 8/5/2008)

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***All swift boat crew training was done in Coronado, CA until July 1969, when it was moved to Mare Island, CA***

 While conducting routine training operations to seaward of Bodega Bay at about 2200, Thursday, 18 December 1969, a training incident occurred resulting in the sinking of PCF 8 and the grounding of PCF 1. There were no serious personnel casualties. (1969 Classified Command History entry of the Naval Inshore Operations Training Center, Mare Island, CA)     story

- Boat was discovered in Panama, in the fall of 1994, and rescued from the scrap heap by numerous ex-swiftees.   The boat was restored and transported to Norfolk, VA, where it was used during the "Last River Run" reunion, at the Washington Navy Yard, June 1995.  At that ceremony it was donated to the Washington Navy Yard Museum, Washington, D.C., for permanent display.

- At 10am, 18 April 1998, PCF-1 was moved to its new permanent location, on a set of concrete pedestals at the far end of the seawall, along the Anacostia River, forward of where the USS Barry is berthed.  Her bow faces towards the river.....within a few feet of the water's edge.  The forward pedestal gives the boat a slight upward tilt.  The space itself, where the boat rests, is surfaced in a pattern of bricks, in a semi-circle, interspersed with a pattern of white concrete.  It gives the area a sense of permanence, focus, and dignity.

- At a ceremony held at 9am, 23 April 1998, PCF-1 was rededicated with a plaque placed on the forward pedestal of her stand.  She is still "Coronado" gray, but a check from the Swift Boat Sailors Association was presented to William L. Ball III, former Secretary of the Navy, to ensure that she gets painted in her battle-gray colors.  It is curious that she is one of the few swifts that never wore those colors, as she never saw the sun set over Vietnam.  Aft of the boat is an old brick building, that has been there since the days of Decatur, now designated as the site of the new Cold War Museum.  When completed, the Vietnam display will be moved there from the main museum.

PCF-1 Memorial Display at the Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.

***All swift boat crew training was done in Coronado, CA until July 1969, when it was moved to Mare Island, CA*** 

- Boat was discovered in Panama, in the fall of 1994, and rescued from the scrap heap by numerous ex-swiftees.  The boat was restored and transported to Norfolk, VA, where it was used during the "Last River Run" reunion, at the Washington Navy Yard, June 1995.  After that ceremony it was donated to Tidewater Community College, Virginia Beach, VA, for use as an oceanographic research vessel.  It is now painted teal (hull, doors, ladder, handrails, mast and ammo locker) and white (superstructure and the top of the ammo locker) and renamed the Research Vessel Matthew F. Maury.  It's named after one of the early oceanographers whose nickname was "The Pathfinder of the Seas."

PCF-2 now the RV Matthew F. Maury at Tide Water College, Norfolk, VA 

- Along with PCF 4, were the first boats to arrive in South Vietnam, at An Thoi, 30 October 1965.

- PCF 3 was almost lost 18 September 1967, when in transit from Cam Ranh Bay to An Thoi, after stress corrosion repair, when it's port shaft broke. This incident brought about a change in COMCOSRON 1 Standing Orders, "No PCFs may take unaccompanied trips."

- PCF's 3, 13, 23 and 42 were loaded aboard the USS Belle Grove LSD-2 on 29 November 1967, and then transported to the Naval Ship Repair Facility, Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. These were the first four boats, of an eventual 24, scheduled for out-of-country overhaul because of serious hull corrosion in the main cabin bilges. All PCF's scheduled for this program were to exit from and return to country from a centralized point at Cam Ranh Bay.  All ordnance equipment was off loaded at Cam Ranh Bay, prior to departure for the yards and would be overhauled by the Naval Support Facility, Cam Ranh Bay personnel.  PCF's going through the out-of-country overhauls were programmed to receive design improvements, in addition to the refurbishing of the existing equipment. Some of the more significant improvements to be implemented included a more reliable 24 volt electrical system, a higher capacity drainage system and installation of a more powerful AC generator. In the attempt to stop, or at least slow down the rate of hull corrosion in the remaining 62 PCF's not scheduled for these overhauls, a program was initiated involving the application of special anti-corrosive paint and placement of magnesium anodes throughout the bilges.

PCF-3 on the flight deck of the USS Gunston Hall LSD-5, for the return trip to Vietnam,
after it's corrosion repair overhaul at the US Naval Shipyard in Subic Bay, PI.
(photo by RM3 Michael Anderson)

- A large operation on the Cua Lon and Bo De Rivers took place on 29 October 1968. In this operation, three PCFs entered the Bo De River as four others came up the Cua Lon river. Heavy recoilless rifle and automatic weapons fire was encountered by PCFs 28, 32 and 103, about 3 miles up the Bo De River. The fire was suppressed and the three craft proceeded to rendezvous with PCFs 3, 36, 50 and 94 at a point 10 miles up the Cua Lon River. Here a wounded crewman from PCF 103 was transferred to PCF 94 for evacuation out the Cua Lon in company with PCF 50. The remaining five "Swifts" returned toward the mouth of the Bo De under cover of Vietnamese Air Force A-1s, methodically destroying craft and structures found along the waterway. The results included 17 structures, 170 sampans and one large junk destroyed plus 85 structures and 74 sampans damaged. Four other "Swift" boat crewman were slightly wounded.

- PCF-3 was heavily damaged, by the explosion of an enemy mine, under the hull, 13 March 1969.

- During a PSYOPS mission on the Dam Doi river, 30 December 1969, PCF-3 in company with PCFs 45, 52, VNN PCF-3810 and Zippo-2, was ambushed with B-40 rockets.  PCF-3 received one hit on the starboard side of the pilothouse that resulted in the wounding of the OinC and helmsman.

- While patrolling on the Rac Giang Thanh, 25 April 1970, PCFs 3 and 94 came under heavy AK-47 and B-40 rocket attack.  Three (3) B-40 rockets detonated close aboard PCF-94, causing shrapnel damage, the starboard bow was also hit by 9 AK-47 rounds.  One crewman on PCF-3 was also wounded when a probable recoilless round passed through the boat, from starboard to port, just aft of the cabin and exploded when it hit the water.   Flack jackets hanging over the cable lines around the rear deck likely saved his life.   The PCFs suppressed the fire and then spotted for a SEAWOLVE strike on the surrounding area.

- Along with PCF 3, were the first boats to arrive in South Vietnam, at An Thoi, 30 October 1965.

- Boat and four (4) personnel were lost to a remotely triggered mine explosion, a few hundred yards from shore, on the eastern edge of Baie de Cau Duong, 14 February 1966.  Although the boat was recovered, it was not repairable and was transferred to Subic Bay, PI, studied and then stripped for use as spare parts.

- PCF 4, and its crewmen, were the first Swift boat loses of the Vietnam conflict.   (Story)

- PCFs 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and their crews, were transported together, in the welldeck of the USS Catamount LSD-17, from Subic Bay to Phu Quoc Island (An Thoi) arriving 24 December 1965.

- PCF 5 was transferred from An Thoi to Cat Lo in mid December 1967, by LTJG Alexander John Ogrinz and crew, to begin the out-of-country overhaul program for PCFs with serious hull corrosion problems.

- PCF's 5, 37, 44, and an unknown fourth PCF, were loaded aboard a US Navy LSD on 20 December 1967, and then transported to the Naval Ship Repair Facility, Sasebo, Japan for out-of-country overhaul because of serious hull corrosion in the main cabin bilges.    These were the first boats to be overhauled at the Sasebo, Japan Naval Ship Repair Facility.  PCF's going through the out-of-country overhauls were programmed to receive design improvements, in addition to the refurbishing of the existing equipment. Some of the more significant improvements to be implemented included a more reliable 24 volt electrical system, a higher capacity drainage system and installation of a more powerful AC generator. In the attempt to stop, or at least slow down the rate of hull corrosion in the remaining 62 PCF's not scheduled for these overhauls, a program was initiated involving the application of special anti-corrosive paint and placement of magnesium anodes throughout the bilges.

- PCF's 5, 37 and 44 returned to Cam Ranh Bay on 30 April 1968, from out-of-country overhaul on in Sasebo, Japan on board the USS Comstock LSD-19.

- PCF 3863 was destroyed by a mine explosion, killing the OinC and one other crewmember, midyear 1970.

- PCFs 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and their crews, were transported together, in the well deck of the USS Catamount LSD-17, from Subic Bay to Phu Quoc Island (An Thoi) arriving 24 December 1965.

- On 15 April 1968, a special PCF naval gunfire element consisting of PCFs 6, 11, 38 and 74 conducted an intensive gunfire mission in an area northwest of Rach Gia on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The area, which had been the scene of numerous hostile fire incidents in recent weeks, was saturated with 81mm mortars and .50 caliber machine gun fire. An airborne spotter reported all rounds on target, destroying 45 structures and killing one Viet Cong (probable). During the mission, the Swift boats received heavy hostile fire with PCF's 38 and 74 taking a number of hits.

- On 22 April 1967 boat transferred from An Thoi to Qui Nhon.  On 6 May 1967 boat transferred back to An Thoi.

- On 13 November 1968, while providing support for a VNN Coastal Group 41 operation at the mouth of the Cua Lon PCFs 6 and 36 encountered automatic weapons and rocket fire. One B-40 round hit PCF-36 causing moderate damage and wounding one crewman.

- PCF 6 was transferred to the Vietnamese Swift School in Saigon on 11 February and later returned to Cat Lo on 27 November 1969.

- PCF 6 sustained a 4' x 5' hole, port side frame #10, when hit by a Vietnamese water taxi, 23 September 1969.

***All swift boat crew training was done in Coronado, CA until July 1969, when it was moved to Mare Island, CA***

***All swift boat crew training was done in Coronado, CA until July 1969, when it was moved to Mare Island, CA***

- While conducting routine training operations to seaward of Bodega Bay at about 2200, Thursday, 18 December 1969, a training incident occurred resulting in the sinking of PCF 8 and the grounding of PCF 1. There were no serious personnel casualties. (1969 Classified Command History entry of the Naval Inshore Operations Training Center, Mare Island, CA)    story

- PCFs 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and their crews, were transported together, in the well deck of the USS Catamount LSD-17, from Subic Bay to Phu Quoc Island (An Thoi) arriving 24 December 1965.

- Three (3) personnel were lost and two (2) seriously injured, when the 81mm mortar inexplicably exploded, after the loading of a high-explosive round, while conducting shore bombardment in support of friendly forces, 18 October 1966.  Further Info

- On 3 January 1968, PCF 9 received hostile automatic weapons fire while on a routine patrol approximately eight miles northeast of Ca Mau Point.   While closing the beach to return and suppress the fire, one US Navy crewman suffered a bullet wound in the right thigh.   The hostile fire was suppressed and the Swift boat's guns killed one Viet Cong and wounded several others.

- While establishing a Waterborne Guard Post (WBGP), 22 November 1969, near the Cambodian border, PCF-9 was struck below the waterline of the bow, by a B-40 rocket, resulting in water damage to the interior of the boat and the slight wounding of one (1) crewmember.

- PCFs 9 and 96 came under heavy B-40 rocket attack, 6 March 1970, while patrolling the Rach Giang Thanh.  PCF-9 took one (1) hit and PCF-96 received three (3) hits.  One (1) VNN crewmember was slightly wounded.

- PCF 3904 and 3907 were lost on 2 November 1970, in the vicinity of  XR 645160, while transiting the Vietnamese coast, as part of a group of six Vietnamese PCFs en route to Cat Lo for repairs, they were overtaken by tropical storm NORA and sank.

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- PCFs 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and their crews, were transported together, in the welldeck of the USS Catamount LSD-17, from Subic Bay to Phu Quoc Island (An Thoi) arriving 24 December 1965.

- Boat was hit by a B-40 rocket and 75mm recoilless rifle fire 3 September 1969, in the Song Bo De river, where it joins the Rach Duong Keo canal.  It sank alongside the USS Windham County LST 1170, while being salvaged, a result of the battle damage, high winds and heavy seas, 6 September 1969.

- PCF-10 was recovered on 21 September and on 13 October 1969 was loaded aboard the USS Ajax AR-6 for transfer to the Naval Base, Yokosuka, Japan, for repair, arriving 28 October 1969.

- PCFs 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and their crews, were transported together, in the welldeck of the USS Catamount LSD-17, from Subic Bay to Phu Quoc Island (An Thoi) arriving 24 December 1965.

- On 15 April 1968, a special PCF naval gunfire element consisting of PCFs 6, 11, 38 and 74 conducted an intensive gunfire mission in an area northwest of Rach Gia on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The area, which had been the scene of numerous hostile fire incidents in recent weeks, was saturated with 81mm mortars and .50 caliber machine gun fire. An airborne spotter reported all rounds on target, destroying 45 structures and killing one Viet Cong (probable). During the mission, the Swift boats received heavy hostile fire with PCF's 38 and 74 taking a number of hits.

- Boat departed Qui Nhon 25 October 1969 for Saigon and turnover to the Vietnamese Navy.

- PCFs 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, and their crews, were transported together, in the welldeck of the USS Catamount LSD-17, from Subic Bay to Phu Quoc Island (An Thoi) arriving 24 December 1965.

- On 21 August 1969 boat transferred from DaNang to An Thoi.

- PCFs 13 thru 18 were delivered to DaNang, from Subic Bay, PI, onboard the USS Fort Marion, LSD-22 on 23 January 1966.

- On 18 February 1966, PCF-13, while patrolling south of DaNang, was the first Swift Boat attached to DaNang to be taken under hostile fire.  PCF-13 received five (5) rounds of mortar fire from the beach about two (2) miles north of the Cua Dai river.

- PCF's 3, 13, 23 and 42 were loaded aboard the USS Belle Grove LSD-2 on 29 November 1967, and then transported to the Naval Ship Repair Facility, Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. These were the first four boats, of an eventual 24, scheduled for out-of-country overhaul because of serious hull corrosion in the main cabin bilges. All PCF's scheduled for this program were to exit from and return to country from a centralized point at Cam Ranh Bay.  All ordnance equipment was off loaded at Cam Ranh Bay, prior to departure for the yards and would be overhauled by the Naval Support Facility, Cam Ranh Bay personnel.  PCF's going through the out-of-country overhauls were programmed to receive design improvements, in addition to the refurbishing of the existing equipment. Some of the more significant improvements to be implemented included a more reliable 24 volt electrical system, a higher capacity drainage system and installation of a more powerful AC generator. In the attempt to stop, or at least slow down the rate of hull corrosion in the remaining 62 PCF's not scheduled for these overhauls, a program was initiated involving the application of special anti-corrosive paint and placement of magnesium anodes throughout the bilges.

- LTJG Robert Leroy Crosby, CosDiv 12 staff, wounded 24 September 1969, by an accidental discharge of the rear .50 caliber machine gun on PCF 13, while tied up to the YFNB-2 in DaNang. He died 26 September 1969, at the 3rd Army Field Hospital in Saigon.   Investigation details

- PCFs 13 thru 18 were delivered to DaNang, from Subic Bay, PI, onboard the USS Fort Marion LSD-22 on 23 January 1966.

- Boat damaged, OinC and BM1 injured in an attack in the Cape Batangan area, 31 August 1966, south of Chu Lai, by shore positions using small arms and small automatic weapons. They were wounded by shrapnel resulting from the enemy fire hitting their boat.  These were the first two (2) DaNang based swift personnel to be wounded.

- At 0733 on 21 February 1967, PCF 14 recovered a US Marine aviator who had ejected from his A-4 aircraft 80 miles southeast of DaNang.   The PCF sighted the chute while it was still airborne and proceeded to pick up the pilot from the sea.   The Marine was unhurt and was later returned to Chu Lai by helicopter.

- PCF 14 capsized, sank and was lost while transiting heavy surf conditions, in an attempt to rescue local fisherman from several overturned sampans, at the Cua Viet river channel entrance, 30 November 1967. PCF 55 took an 85 degree roll and had all but one man washed overboard during rescue operations. The one remaining man held on and PCF 55, as well as all PCF 14's crew members and the Vietnamese personnel were returned safely to port.
Because of the continuation of deteriorating sea conditions generated by the Northeast Monsoon, the Cua Viet detachment operations were terminated on 30 November 1967.