A Navy Man Reconnects / USS Surfbird ADG-383

"Though we only spent a relatively short time together in the Navy, that common experience continues to be the catalyst for maintaining long term friendships."

In writing the book, I referred primarily to my Navy experience on PBR’s in Vietnam. However, prior to going to Vietnam, I had served as Operations Officer on a ship, USS Surfbird ADG-383, which was home-ported in Japan. 

In writing about my R & R trip back to Japan, I mentioned this ship (p. 172) and this week, out-of-the blue, got an email from an old, fellow sailor, Bruce Stevens. To be honest, I can’t remember a lot of the names of men I served with on that ship. However, he had signed his email: “BM 3, 67-70.” That meant he had been Boatswains Mate 3rd class in 1967-1970.

When I responded to his email, I asked him if we had served together, and he sent me a wonderful letter naming various people we had both served with on that ship. He has maintained his friendship with them over many years. Bruce said that he had read the book and “enjoyed it very much.” But, of course, our correspondence dealt primarily with our old comradeship on the USS Surfbird.

One of the benefits of writing a book comes when it helps resurrect old friends and old memories. This reconnecting also is indicative of Navy men. Though we only spent a relatively short time together in the Navy, that common experience continues to be the catalyst for maintaining long term friendships. I am sure the same thing goes on today for those who serve on ships in the Navy.

Rolly Kidder

>> See the real Surfbird: Calidris Virgata

French "Dinossaut" Riverine Craft

For those who served on the Mang Thit River, 1969, these were the type of boats that were operated by the South Vietnamese Vinh Long Battalion. Captain Bob Olson, who died during this operation, and Mike Paluda both operated as Army advisors with this outfit. The boats were reliable but slow and made a lot of noise. The Vinh Long Battalion was associated with the PBR effort here to open the Mang Thit to commercial activity. The VC had closed the waterway, primarily by taxing boat traffic, and the U.S./Vietnamese effort here was successful in reopening the river to commercial traffic.  This note below is repeated from Mike Harris, of the Mobile Riverine Force Association.

Rolly Kidder

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Hello Everyone, 

First, allow me to pleasure of wishing you all a very good 2015! 

Rich Lorman (T-152-6 — 7/68 to 6/69) sent me the query on this photo:

Here's a photo of a totally new version of Riverine craft I hadn't seen before: 

It is actually an altered version of the old French Dinossaut (STCAN/FOM) craft. The bow has been cut off as you will see below. Probably due to damage. These are like the one that I spotted sanded in on the shore in Northern Laos in the mid-90’s (see below). I just found this model on the Internet. There were two sizes. 8 meter and 11 meter: http://fieldsoffireonline.freeforums.org/stcan-fom-boats-t1873.html 

Here’s an image that I found on the Internet years ago. I believe that it is in Ed Marolda’s “By Sea, Land and Air”. I seem to recall that LT. Meyerkord received the Navy Cross Medal earlier in the 60’s as a Naval Advisor on these boats. 

This is the one in Northern Laos. I wish that I could have initiated a salvage of the craft, but it would not fly in communist Laos. FYI, the boat in the background was very unique. It had a 4 cylinder car engine and very little keel. We were given motorcycle helmets and looked like we were on a Shuttle launch the way our facial skin pushed back due to the speed of the boat. They slid around bends so the driver had to really know the boat. 

Here is a nice article I just found on the Dinossaut boats. Click on any underlined craft and scroll through photos of all of the different boats. We all saw many of these craft still in operation when we were there. Interestingly several of them had 20 MM weapons as well: http://indochine54.free.fr/cefeo/dinassau.html 

Here’s an old video of a “French Commando Raid”. Looks pretty staged though: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/indo-china-french-commando-raid 

Warm Regards, 

Mike Harris