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!!! Death of PBR 750 !!!
Fatal Fire
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The Attack on PBR 750

The Attack on PBR 750

The Attack on PBR 750


Photo is courtesy of -
EMAIL: rhfries[ at ]pacbell.net"> Ralph J. Fries


This photo was taken while approaching the burning PBR 750.



This Page is dedicated as a Memorial
to the 3 Men who died
from an attack on the PBR 750.





The official United States Navy Story of Patrick Ford who died saving two Crewmen.


On 21 June 1968, Petty Officer Ford was serving as the after machine gunner aboard PBR-750 as part of a two boat patrol operating in the upper MY Tho river near the town of Cai Be.
The boats were maneuvering down the river when they spotted a sampan fleeing into a nearby canal.
PBR-750 gave chase and captured the sampan one hundred meters further up the canal.

As the patrol boat returned to the river with a Viet Cong suspect and the captured sampan in tow, it was ambushed by a Viet Cong patrol who unleashed an overwhelming barrage of heavy machine gun fire and rockets.
Two explosive B-40 rockets struck PBR-750 immediately killing the patrol leader, Lietuenant William E. Dennis and the boat coxswain, Boatswain's Mate First Class Scott C. Delph.

Within seconds the patrol boat was ablaze and out of control, heading directly for the Viet Cong positions. As the PBR veered toward the river bank, at least four additional rockets struck the craft.
Ford, being seriously wounded in the initial barrage, tenaciously maintained a steady volume of return fire from his aft machine gunner's station until he perceived that the boat was out of control.

In the face of enemy gunfire and with his clothing on fire, Ford assisted three seriously wounded shipmates from the PBR into the water.
Only after insuring that all the surviving crewmembers had left the boat did Ford make his way into the water.
He was the last man alive to leave what was left of PBR-750.

Soon after Petty Officer Ford entered the water, he was killed by a burst of enemy machine gun fire.

However, as a result of his fearless devotion to duty, he saved the lives of two of his shipmates.
For his "extraordinary heroism" in battle on 21 June 1968 and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Navy, Petty Officer Ford was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.

This excerpt was taken from the Commissioning book at the Commissioning ceremony of the USS Ford FFG-54 on June 29, 1985. For his heroism he had a Ship Named after him. The ship has a navy web site: http://www.ford.navy.mil


Robert Ford -- EMAIL: rford01[ at ]mail.state.mo.us - provided the above excerpt taken from the Commissioning book.

Robert Ford -- EMAIL: imisfl[ at ]juno.com - is interested in any stories that anyone who knew his uncle has.


This was the worst loss of personnel to date for River Section 535.


US Flag
MEMORIAL
PBR 750 CREWMEN

Lt. William Dennis
BM1 Scott Delph
GMG2 Patrick Ford

***

Panoramic Sunset




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THE PBR 750
EVENT
PHOTOS
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binoculars
CLICK ON A THUMBNAIL
FOR FULL SIZE IMAGE
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The following Six photos are courtesy of Ralph J. Fries
EMAIL: rhfries[ at ]pacbell.net


PBR 750
PHOTO 2

Being forced to beach a burning boat to prevent sinking is a major concern for every PBR Sailor.
A sunken boat can be recovered by the enemy



PBR 750
PHOTO 3

PBR 750
PBR crews of River Section 535 surveying the damage.



PBR 750
PHOTO 4

PBR 750
Searching for what is salvageable



PBR 750
PHOTO 5

PBR 750
PBR crews of River Section 535 salvaging what can be used again



PBR 750
PHOTO 6

PBR 750
Popular RVN Forces making a sweep of the area after the attack on and destruction of PBR 750 by the Viet Cong




PHOTO 7

June 1967, WO1 Ralph Fries at Nha Be boat pier
taking a break on the bow of a Mark I PBR.
He served with River Sections RS 543 6/67-9/67 and RS 535 9/67-6/68

Photo Courtesy of Ralph J. Fries
EMAIL: rhfries[ at ]pacbell.net




PostScript



This inquiry is courtesy of Dan Kleinhesselink
EMAIL: dandeb[ at ]oregontrail.net -- SDismuke[ at ]Continental-Acc.com

I was Scott Delph's forward gunner prior to April 1968. He replaced our boat captain who was seriusly injured by a RPG70D out of Can Tho.
At the time I left, Marc Cline,GMG3 replaced me as forward gunner. Eddie Johnson,EN3 was the engineman and Herman,GMGSN was the aftergunner.
The story of PBR 750 does not mention that Marc Cline was killed in that ambush and was part of that crew. I can only assume that something happened to Herman prior to the incident. I can only guess that he had been wounded or transfered to another crew and that Ford replaced him. I can also assume that Johnson was one of those seriously wounded in that incident.
Ralph Fries and I served in 543 together and transfered to 535 when it was formed in September of '67.

If you know anything about the 750 incident, please let me know. Those guys were effectively my crew. Not knowing what happened to the has caused a lot of grief over the years.


PBR high speed with Flag

A PBR displays the Flag on a high speed run

Photo is courtesy of Ralph J. Fries



Another Tragic End

PBR 64 recovered
PBR 64 recovered by the YRBM 16 on or about 25 Oct 1967 after burning and sinking after a rocket attack.
This is all that remained. Does not look much like a boat.
This happened in the Ben Tre Canal just upriver from where the YRBM 16 was moored.
Both PBR 64 and 62 in the patrol were hit with rockets.
PBR 62 managed to escape without being sunk.
The patrol officer and the forward gunner were the only ones who weren't seriously wounded on PBR 64.
The Vietnamese interpreter was killed.
Photo is courtesy of Dick Strandberg
EMAIL: dstrandberg[ at ]inficad.com





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