US Navy duty stations - picture gallery

[UtahPete]

This was my home for almost a year - YRBM-20 near Chau Doc, on the Bassac River, a tributary of the Mekong. I ran the electronics shop and was one of the senior NCO's on board so stood watch at the 'bridge' as OOD. The greatest threat to the barge was sappers or IEDs hidden in flotsam on the river, so the OOD and roving guard would shoot at any large piece of debris (usually branches and other foliage) coming down river toward us, using M-16 and Colt 45 mostly. Got pretty good at it.

During the monsoon season, which lasted several weeks, there was a constant stream of flotsam coming downriver so I got a lot of practice. Didn't blow up any IEDs, but it was a great excuse for hours of target practice. Before I was sent out to the YRBM-20, during the Tet offensive, the barge had come under intense rocket fire and several sailors were killed or wounded, so we also had an LCM constantly patrolling the river banks on either side, 24/7.

We supported (refuel and re-arm) two choppers at a time, plus an array of PBR's, LCMs and other watercraft. Sometimes we would take a Boston Whaler 50 miles up the Vinh The canal to the forward support base to repair radios and radars on station so the boats could keep operating.

Interesting time for a 21-year-old.

YRBM_20a.jpg YRBM_20 bridge.jpg YRBM_20-Cobra.jpg YRBM_20 PBRs.jpg