The FReeper Foxhole Revisits The U.S. Merchant Marine in Vietnam - May 22nd, 2004

http://www.usmm.org/index.html ^

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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The FReeper Foxhole Revisits

Military Sea Transportation Service
(MSTS)

In February 1951 the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) aircraft carrier Windham Bay, was the first large ship to navigate the Long Tam River since 1925. While the ship was docked at Saigon (French Indochina) 17 hand grenades were tossed at the ship by terrorists.

The Military Sea Transportation Service was established in 1949 to provide sea transportation to the military as a successor to the Army Transportation Service. MSTS operated a fleet of ships and had charter agreements with commercial shipping firms. MSTS was succeeded by Military Sealift Command.

In 1954, after the partitioning of Vietnam, MSTS evacuated Vietnamese refugees from North to South Vietnam. USNS Howze was one of many MSTS ships involved in "Passage to Freedom" bringing 300,000 refugees and 200,000 tons of Cargo from North Vietnam.

The Military Sea Transportation Service had the job of bringing war supplies to Vietnam -- 10,000 miles from the Pacific coast. MSTS had four separate customers to serve: the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. MSTS ships were staffed by "civilian" crews, but carried 95% of the supplies used by our Armed Forces in Vietnam including bombs and ammunition into combat zones under fire. Crew members were given Navy grades and rank identification in event of enemy capture. During Vietnam, MSTS first utilized roll-on/roll-off ships and container ships which speeded loading and unloading.

SS Overseas Rose with landing barges lashed across her deck

MSTS took about 100 Victory ships out of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (mothball fleet), repaired them, and assigned them to private companies for operation to carry ammunition across the Pacific. MSTS carried guns, tanks, trucks, trains, riverboats, barges, helicopters, bombers, fighters, reconnaissance planes, food, fuel, and medical supplies. By 1965 MSTS had 300 freighters and tankers supplying Vietnam, with an average of 75 ships and over 3,000 merchant mariners in Vietnamese ports at any time.

Early in the Vietnam War, troop ships such as the USNS Upshur, Geiger, and Gordon carried two thirds of U.S. troops to Vietnam; later, most American troops traveled by air. However, Korean troops were transported by MSTS throughout the war, with the first 2,000 coming on the MSTS Mann in March 1965. In August 1966 USNS Patch and Darby carried troops 12,500 miles from Boston to Vietnam, the longest trooplift in U.S. military history. In October 1966 the converted Liberty ship SS Benjamin Chew and the SS Meredith Victory were added as troop carriers. Men and equipment of the Army 1st Cavalry Division went to Vietnam aboard the baby flattops USNS Kula Gulf and Point Cruz which were taken out of mothballs to transport the 434 aircraft and other equipment. Other escort carriers which saw WWII duty included the USNS Core, Card, Croatan, and Breton.

Da Nang harbor was the home of the Marine Amphibious Force Logistic Command which handled the gear necessary to support 81,000 Marines. MSTS brought 96% of their war materiel including tanks, airplanes, ammunition, and food -- including ice cream.


USNS Point Cruz loaded with CH-47 helicopters, F-5 fighters and truck trailers in 1968

Between 1965 and 1969, MSTS carried 7.6 million tons of supplies for the Air Force, about half going directly to Vietnam, the rest to staging areas in the Pacific. MSTS delivered the goods "Special Express" and kept some of its 19 ammunition ships anchored offshore near combat areas as floating warehouses to ease storage problems experienced by the Air Force. SEA Express was the name of the program which delivered other Air Force supplies from Oakland, California to Saigon between 1965 and 1967, in an average of 23 days.


Damaged SS Baton Rouge Victory under tow

In 1965, US Coast Guard Squadron One, composed of 17 patrol boats was sealifted to the Philippines for Vietnam duty on the SS Pioneer Myth, SS Transcaribbean, SS Aloha State, and the SS Ocean Cloud. MSTS delivered bulldozers, cranes, steel and cement for use by Navy Seabees. MSTS and the Merchant Marine transported oil and aviation gas to support Navy fleet operations.

In 1968 MSTS sealifted 19 million tons (39 billion pounds) of cargo to Vietnam for the Army at a cost of $570 million. The MSTS Corpus Christi Bay, which housed an Army aviation-maintenance battalion, was positioned as necessary along the coast of Vietnam to provide aircraft maintenance facilities.

MSTS and chartered ships delivered to many ports in Vietnam during this "War Without a Front." The following were among the 46 precautions to be taken by the crew of the SS President Garfield (and other ships) during the particularly hazardous 35 mile river transit to Saigon:

• Bridge personnel in helmets and flak suits.
• Sandbags around bridge. Wheelhouse doors and windows open.
• Grenade screens secured on portholes.
• Engineers to go to full engine speed at first indication of attack without notifying bridge.
• Only necessary persons on duty in Engine Room or on open deck. Off duty crew spread out in alleyways.
• Purser standing by with medical kit.
• Fire fighting equipment ready.
• Bilge and ballast pumps warmed up, ready to use.
• Towing wires ready for tow without assist from ship crew. Both anchors ready for dropping.
  

Security for arrival of the USNS Core in Saigon, whose sister ship, USNS Card, was sunk in 1964 by a mine placed by skin divers

Just as in World War II and Korea, merchant mariners in Vietnam were subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Effective December 1966, the military was granted authority to take disciplinary action against merchant mariners.

In 1975 MSTS helped evacuate refugees from Da Nang and later, Saigon. On March 28, 1975 the Pioneer Commander, the Pioneer Contender and the Navy's U.S.S. Miller evacuated about 10,000 refugees each. Returning the next day when the Communists had already overrun Da Nang, the ships evacuated thousands more.

On May 12, 1975, the SS Mayaguez was seized by Kmer Rouge. US marines suffered heavy casualties during the attempted rescue of the 39 seamen and the ship. Six mariner volunteers from the USNS Greenville Victory received Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for their role during the action.
Capture and Release of SS Mayaguez by Khmer Rouge forces in May 1975.


Harbor at Cam Ranh Bay

A Special Thanks to Dan and Toni Horodysky,
Who so graciously allowed me permission to use the information on their Site.

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[snippy_about_it]

Facsinating story. Thanks Gator Navy. Looks like they got less than they deserved. Grrr.

[PhilDragoo]

My older, wiser brother was Class of 1965 U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York.

He sailed for a time thereafter delivering ammunition to Vietnam.

I have shoveled some files but cannot unearth a few notes from him at the time.

From memory, they would anchor offshore and be offloaded from there to avoid attacks.

During shore leave they would avoid bars without antigrenade mesh. He commented that a shoeshine boy or a newsboy might have a bomb in his shoeshine kit or paper bag.

In reading Mark Berent, Rolling Thunder, and Stephen Coonts, Flight of the Intruder, it became apparent how LBJ's micromanaging of target lists lost the war being otherwise won.

Kerry did his part leading the fifth column in CONUS. Beyond this veil of tears thousands of better men wait patiently to welcome him--see the Patrick Swayze Demi Moore film GHOST for details of that homecoming.

Despite rain Kerry volunteers continue canvassing unabated.

Not shown: Kerry leaving with three bandaids and a bag of Whoppers.

The Foxhole is the first to be advised I have ordered the attacks on Teheran, Damascus and center mass of Yassir Arafat to begin in five minutes.

And now to clear up the mystery surrounding John F. Twinkie's retreat from accepting the nomination of the french communist party:

[snippy_about_it]

As badly as I may have wanted off ship for a time I would have been very nervous going on shore leave. We are grateful for your brother's service in the Merchant Marine.

Whatever is up J F Twinkie's sleeve I await rejoicing in the streets to the dems loss in 04. Please oh, please let it be so.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Professional Engineer]

I cut my teeth "rodding" radiator's. Learned all about soldering with an acetylene torch and the whole bit, back when radiators could still be repaired.

*snif* I miss my grandpa.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Phil Dragoo.

I can only hope Kerry gets the "Ghost" welcome home. HE sure deserves it.

The Foxhole is the first to be advised I have ordered the attacks on Teheran, Damascus and center mass of Yassir Arafat to begin in five minutes.

LOL! Reagan defeated the one Evil Empire without the bombing, I don't believe we can defeat the new Evil Empires the same way.

[Darksheare]

Now they have plastic and fiberglass on them, making repair almost impossible.
Because if you try to remove the plastic 'carrier', they fall apart.

[Samwise]

Not shown: Kerry leaving with three bandaids and a bag of Whoppers.

LOL

[kilowhskey]

Do you have any detail as to the location of that aerial photograph you posted at #62?

[SAMWolf]

I'll tell you radiators sure are different from when I used to work on them. Look like they're all plastic like the rest of the car now adays.

[PhilDragoo]

I got that from this site: Mobile Riverine Force Association and it is labeled Cam Ranh Bay.

[kilowhskey]

I was in CRB for two years. I never discovered that little cove.

[PhilDragoo]

Here is the page with that photo and its credit:

Miscellaneous Member Photos

Thanks to Michael Brophy for this aerial shot of Cam Rahn Bay and the shot of PCF's 44, 42 and 51 heading out for patrol from CRB around early 1967.