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!!! DANANG AND I CORPS !!!
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LCU 1475

LCU 1475

LCU 1475 Loading




Photo Courtesy of Bob Cross
EMAIL: Riverrat1475[ at ]aol.com
Bob Cross Served on the LCU 1475 from Aug68 to Aug69.
The LCU 1475 ran the Perfume and Cua Viet rivers to Phu Bai, Hue, Cua Viet and Dong Ha in I Corps.


This account courtesy of Ed Fink
[An "old salty dog"]
EMAIL: EMochamanII[ at ]aol.com

We worked out of DaNang and most of our crews came out of the "Gator Navy".  
In '65, as a BM3, I got my assault coxwain training  in Little Creek, Virginia.  
Went "in country" (DaNang) in January, '66.  
Initially, our unit went into DaNang in '65 as a shore based, 
CINPAC Fleet Amphibious unit and in late March or early April of '66 our 
change of command put us under Naval Support Activity, Danang (NSADANANG).  

Initially, we provided harbour shuttles for cargo using LCVP's and LCM's 
(Mike 8 boats).  For harbour security patrols (Operation Stable Door), we 
used the older metal hull LCPL's with one, .30 cal. side mount.  Our three 
man crews carried World War II issue "M-1 Gerands and .45 cal. pistols.  One 
of our LCPL crews carried the old Thompson .45 cal. machine gun.  It couldn't 
hit a floating 55 gallon drum at fifty yards but I clearly remember us always 
trying to "confiscate" it for our boat crew.  I guess it looked better than 
the M-1's.  We also carried percussion gernades and would randomly lob them 
overboard during night harbour patrols in the anchorage areas for the large 
merchant tankers bringing in the JP4 and JP5 fuels for the DaNang air base.
We also provided patrol and small craft support for the POL operations down 
at ChuLai working with the shallow draft AOG's bringing fuel in for the air 
base at ChuLai.   

In mid '66, and for a very short time, we started working with 3rd Marine 
recon units and rifle platoons running the Mike 8's up river beyond DaNang 
and into "Elephant Valley" .  I think the Marines preferred the helicopters 
rather than those slow moving Mike boats so those joint operations only 
lasted about two months.

At the same time, we started using the LCPL's to do some patrol work close to 
shore just oustide of DaNang harbour checking out water traffic in support of 
Opperation Market Time; however, the only time we interviened was when there 
weren't any swift boats or Coast Guard WPB's close by.

I went back to NSA DANANG in '67 for a 2nd tour.  By then, if we weren't 
working the DaNang area, we'd take a long boat ride (approximately 12 hours) 
up to TanMy or CauViet.  By then, we started seeing more Swift Boat's and for 
the first time, we encountered a PBR squadron on the Perfume River going up 
to Hue. Our old LCPL's were quite embarrasing compared to those PBR's!!

From viewing your web pages, I can tell you the rivers up in I-Corps were 
just as brown as the Delta!  
I have some fairly good photo's of the first few hours of Operation Double 
Eagle (largest amphibious assault in Nam just south of ChuLai).
Cruising through your web really brought back a lot of 
fond (good and bad but mostly good) memories and I thank you and those who 
helped.


This account courtesy of Dan Odenweller
EMAIL: DanOdenweller[ at ]compuserve.com


DREDGING A HOWITZER CHANNEL

	In the fall of 1966,"U"Boats from the Naval Support Activity, Danang,
opened a clear channel from the ocean to Dong Ha.  Using clamshell buckets on
cranes, from the well deck, we cut a channel inland , up the Cua Viet.

	Later that year, two "U" Boats, left Danang with four self-propelled
howitzers for the Marines at Dong Ha.  We looked like floating turrets, with
two barrels over the bow.  The guns, I recall them at 175's (but they might
have been 155's) were delivered on time, and we later ran projectiles (four
to a pallet) ashore during a huge storm.

	We always worried about the narrow channel (and who might have us
dialed in), but the Marines came to appreciate our deliveries, and often
escorted us with LARC's (see the picture).  We often traded potable drinking
water, fresh fruit, veggies and steaks, for toys (assorted "non-issue"
additions to our defensive armament).

	I was told that Hanoi Hannah warned us about shelling the north from
our terror ships, but we never heard the broadcast.  Given the thickness of
plating left on the hull of our WWII leftovers, firing one would have sunk
us.


This account courtesy of Doug Yelmen
EMAIL: dougyelmen[ at ]earthlink.net

ASSULT CRAFT UNIT 1

	I was on a LCM-8. we were called assault craft div 12, that was changed to
assault craft unit ONE while in vietnam. We were based at NAB, coronado. 
	We left coronado aboard the U.S.S. Monticello (LSD-35) in feb. 68. We
landed in danang in the middle of march 68. We spent some time there, then
went up to Hue on the river of perfume, then from there up north to ride the
cau viet river (what we called it) between Dong Ha and Quang Tri. Was there
for the battle of dong ha. 
	We were relieved in June 68 from guys from our unit at coronado.


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DANANG AND
I CORPS
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THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE THE COURTESY OF BOB CROSS

EMAIL: Riverrat1475[ at ]aol.com
YFU 69
PHOTO 101
YFU 69.
Mined LCU hull
PHOTO 102
Mined LCU hull on the Cua Viet river in 1968.
35 LCPL Patrol Boat
PHOTO 103
35 LCPL Patrol Boat on Cua Viet River in 1968.
The 35 was eventually replace by the Mark 1 PBR.


Hue
PHOTO 10
Hue on the Perfume River.
Photo Courtesy of Bob Cross
EMAIL: Riverrat1475[ at ]aol.com





THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE THE COURTESY OF DAN ODENWELLER

EMAIL: DanOdenweller[ at ]compuserve.com
YFUs
PHOTO 201
YFUs photographed from YFU54 on the Cua Viet river in 1966.
Small Boat
PHOTO 202
LARC Boat on the Cua Viet river.
Small Boat
PHOTO 203
LARC boat behind LCU 54 on the Cua Viet river.


Mark 1 PBR
PHOTO 11
Mark 1 PBR near the remains of the YFU 62 which was mined in 1968.
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Criscione
EMAIL: stewburn[ at ]hvc.rr.com





THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE THE COURTESY OF JOSEPH CRISCIONE

EMAIL: stewburn[ at ]hvc.rr.com
LCU1499
PHOTO 301
LCU1499 being loaded in Danang.
LCU1499
PHOTO 302
LCU1499 being off loaded at Dong Ha by the bridge..
LCU1499
PHOTO 303
LCU1499 being loaded directly from an aircraft carrier in the middle of Danang Bay.
LCU1499
PHOTO 304
A truck being hoisted off LCU1499 to a ship.
LCU1499
PHOTO 305
What's left of a tank being loaded on to LCU1499 at Dong Ha ramp for a trip back to Danang.
LCU1499
PHOTO 306
A company of marines being ferried down from Dong Ha to Cua Viet on board LCU1499 for three days of R&R..


Tank loading onto a LCU
PHOTO 12
Tank loading onto YFU80. Also called the Ski Lak.
There were about 14 or 15 YFUs starting with YFU 70
Built for Nam and started arriving in 1968.
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Criscione
EMAIL: stewburn[ at ]hvc.rr.com





Mark 1 PBR
PHOTO 13
Mark 1 PBR the LST ramp on the Cua Viet River in I Corp.
Photo Courtesy of Joseph Criscione
EMAIL: stewburn[ at ]hvc.rr.com





THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE THE COURTESY OF JOSEPH CRISCIONE

EMAIL: stewburn[ at ]hvc.rr.com
YFU from LSD
PHOTO 401
a YFU being off loaded the stern of an LSD in Danang Bay.
YFU 1617
PHOTO 402
YFU 1617 in Danang at the base of Monkey Mountain.
Dredge
PHOTO 403
A dredge near the mouth of the Perfume River



Mouth of the Cua Viet River
PHOTO 14
Mouth of the Cua Viet River.
From NSAD Cua Viet.
Photo Courtesy of Bob Ahten
EMAIL: bahten[ at ]earthlink.net





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DANANG NSA PATCH
This Patch is Courtesy of Dan Odenweller
EMAIL: DanOdenweller[ at ]compuserve.com

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