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THE ZIPPO, AND WATER CANNON BOATS
OF THE BROWNWATER NAVY
USA and South Vietnam
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Water Cannon Boat

Water Cannon Boat

THE IRMA LA DOUCHE
ATC-14 WATER CANNON BOAT




Photo courtesy of Ray F. Longaker Jr.
EMAIL: longaker[ at ]kendaco.telebyte.com

Water Cannon boats were used with Zippo Boats to clear riverbanks.
Water Cannons were especially effective in washing away bunkers or flooding tunnels.
Often more effective than explosive weapons in removing earthen structures.
The Irma la Douche is getting new engines, propeller, bow armor and other repairs.
It is on a float for only a few days, tied to the USS Saytr.




Bobby Freeman gives this account
EMAIL: cwofreeman[ at ]yahoo.com

The famed Douche Boat, consisted of an invention of an Engineer at the David Taylor Model Basin in Virginia! His name was Barry Phfiffer [sp] and I met him when he came into country as a Civil Service [Sandcrab type] to do some testing with this new innovation!

The Mike Six that carried this Douche system consisted of not only the Mike Six, but a 12V71 V-12] Detroit Diesel Engine for the driver and a huge 3000 psi centrifugal pump with a Titanium impeller that discharged the water via some special nozzles [two Titanium lined nozzles on the Port and Starboard sides of the Mike Six] and discharged the water in a sufficient amount so as to actually destroy a Viet Cong Bunker!

The Navy's 105 Howtzer's couldn't knock out a dirt bunker alongside the Mekong riverbanks, but the Douche Boat could go in and with the 3,000 psi water pressure, actually "wash" the bunker away! Of course there was all kinds of support fire to clear the way for the douche boat to go in! The USS Askari [including myself] fine tuned the engine and pumping unit so that it would properly work and to the specifications of Mr. Barry Phfiffer of the David Taylor Model Basin in Virginia! What a story!!!

The above events occurred during my tour from 1967 to 1968. After that I was detatched and ordered to report to NAVSEC HYATTS HEADQUARTERS outside of Washington D.C.. I was the 1st and last Chief Warrant Officer [Engineer] ever to be assigned to Naval Ships Engineering Headquarters in the history of the US Navy! My boss was Vice Admiral Harry Mason USN [1400 ED].




Bill Gallerie gives this account
EMAIL: kbbg3[ at ]ttlc.net

I was in the Delta from 68-69 with conrivron 151-1 zippo 1.
We modified the boat and placed a 50 cal on each side of the boat between the 20s.
I ended sitting on the hatch cover and it was a pain in the butt.
After a while I even learned to sleep on the hatch cover.







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Three Junks on river Panorama
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BROWNWATER NAVY
ZIPPO AND WATER CANNON BOATS
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THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE THE COURTESY OF RAY F. LONGAKER JR.

EMAIL: longaker[ at ]kendaco.telebyte.com
Baby Giant Diver Boat
PHOTO 21

A Diver Boat Called the Baby Giant
Used to recoved sunken boats
Zippo firing
PHOTO 22

A Zippo starts firing Napalm to provoke a response
This is a Sunday special Raid in the Can Geouc Region.
The ATC-14 and the U-F Zippo Refueler were there.
Zippo pours on the Heat
PHOTO 23

The Zippo's Fire clears the Banks



Zippo Flame PHOTO 2

Zippo Flame

Photo Courtesy of Mark Fontaine
EMAIL: mark.fontaine[ at ]madison.osha.gov




The Sweet Peas. PHOTO 3

The Sweetpeas - A Zippo boat and a Howitzer Monitor

Photo Courtesy of Tom Byrnes
EMAIL: tombyrne[ at ]bellsouth.net




Zippo operators view
PHOTO 4

The Zippo operators view

Photo Credited to Gene Frederickson





THE FOLLOWING ASSAULT BOAT PHOTOS ARE THE COURTESY OF TOM LEFAVOUR

EMAIL: jlefavour[ at ]mediaone.net
CCB monitor, Water Cannon Boat and an armored LCM -8
PHOTO 31

A photo of a CCB monitor, Water Cannon Boat and an armored LCM -8.
Photo taken at the Na Bhe docks
CCB monitor, Water Cannon Boat and an armored LCM -8
PHOTO 32

A photo of a CCB monitor, Water Cannon Boat and an armored LCM -8.
Photo taken at the Na Bhe docks

Zippo Boat at a Bridge
PHOTO 5

A Zippo Boat parked near a bridge.
This canal was near the Mekong River north of Chou Doc.




Water Cannon Boat PHOTO 6

Water Cannon Boat at the Nha Be Docks

Photo Courtesy of Matt Zimmer --
EMAIL: rmzim[ at ]sisna.com




BOAT LINKS



Assault Boats Page Created - November 1998
Zippo page Split off - March 2002
Last Major Edit -

Sampans on the Silver river

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River Assult Division 91
This Patch is Courtesy of Jim Smith
EMAIL: gilsmith[ at ]chorus.net

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