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Guestbook entries
345 entries. Page 1 of 18.
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Robert Canavan · Dallesport
E-3 fireman rating attached to the USS Tutuila ARG-4. Assigned to ships company Damage Control. Arrived there in 1967 for a 13 month tour. Observed many of the riverine craft coming alongside for repairs or replenishment. I really learned a lot about life being only 18 yrs old. Served in the Navy until 1976. Being in the military helped me develop into what I am today. Never forget all those who served and those who paid the ultimate price. May you all have blessed days.
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Alfa Lee Arrington Battershell · Roseville
Hello! I am researching my brother's Vietnam Service. Unfortunately, he passed in 2006, and no one in the family seems to have any information on his service. My brother's name was John Preston Arrington who served on the USS Benewah (APB-35) during the Vietnam War, which operated in the Mekong Delta region. An officer told me some of what he was involved in. When I asked my brother, he told me that was classified information that should not be discussed for 50 years. The 50 years have passed and I would like to preserve his service contributions for his daughter, son, and grandchildren. I believe that he is probably eligible for the Navy Unit Commendation and possibly the USN Small Craft Insignia, but am not 100% sure. If anyone has pictures or stories related to his service, would love to hear from you. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Joseph Machado · Baltimore, OH
While researching the ship of a veteran I will be honoring this weekend, I ran across this website and will return when I have more time. The veteran was assigned to the USS Sphinx (ARl-24) during the Korean War and was discharged before the Sphinx was assigned to support the Vietnam War in 1968. His ship was initially at Vung Tau before moving to Dong Tam supporting TF-117. Sphinx also assisted the MRF along the Vam Co River. Sphinx was part of the MRF support until 1970 when she sailed to Bremerton, WA where she was decommissioned.
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Colonel Jeremy Crist, US Army Reserve Retired · Erie, PA
Hello! I am so excited that I found your website. I am researching my uncle's Vietnam Service. Unfortunately, he passed in 2011, and nobody else in the family seems to have any information on his service. As a fellow Veteran, I take service records and military history very seriously. My uncle, USN LT (O-3) Sidney "Sid" Snook, was the Commanding Officer of PBR Mobile Base 2, TF 116, near Tan An on the Vam Co Tay River (May 1970 - May 1971). I am trying to determine what awards, decorations, badges, medals he may be entitled to other than the NDSM, VSM, and RVCM. I believe that he also is eligible for the Navy Unit Commendation and possibly the USN Small Craft Insignia, but am not 100% sure. Any assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Donald F Furth Jr. · Cosmopolis Washington
Just received my lifetime membership card for MRFA and wanted to post an entry for all my fellow veterans. I am very happy that I found this site and thankful for all fellow vets work on it. I was on the recommissioning crew for the USS ASKARI ARL-30. We took the ASKARI to SV arriving on February 14th VALINTINES DAY 1967. I was attached to engineering division and after some time became the engineering log room yeoman.I passed my YN3 exam, but got a Christmas Cut and left Nam on 12/01/67. Have been working with the VA on affects of exposure to AO, diabetes, hearing loss (engine room & AC generator flats watch), and a fall down the ladder from main deck to 2nd deck---been denied twice ---so turned claim over to my attorney granddaughter's law firm specializing in veterans disability claims. Would very much like to hear from any fellow shipmates from the recommissioning crew. Email at dbfurth@comcast.net
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Phil Adams · Lincoln
Good afternoon all and welcome home!
My father served on YRBM 19 I think and 21. For understandable reasons he never talked a whole lot about his year in Vietnam. He was an E3 named Gary Adams. I'm really curious if anyone served with him. Thank you and God bless. -
Dale Veasey
Hi everyone,
I am researching the service of my father, YN1 Otis Marshall Veasey, who served as an Operational Combat Advisor with the Naval Advisory Group (NAG) Vietnam from approximately December 1969 to September 1970.
He was part of MOTRANSTEAM 10-70 (Mobile Training Team 10-70) based out of Cam Ranh Bay. During his tour, he was involved in the ACTOV program, specifically the turnover and training of the following vessels:
USS PROWESS (IX-305) / RVNS HA HOI (HQ-13)
USS AMHERST (PCE-853) / RVNS VAN KIEP II (HQ-14)
He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal with Combat "V"; for "Special Projects"; conducted during these training missions.
I am looking to connect with anyone who may have served on these vessels during the 1970 turnover or anyone who remembers the MOTRANSTEAM 10-70 advisors. If you have any photos, stories, or documentation regarding the "Special Projects"; or the daily operations of the training teams at Cam Ranh Bay, I would be very grateful to hear from you.
Thank you for your service and for any help you can provide.
Dale A. Veasey
Dale.veasey@gmail.com -
Ron Scoville · New Kent
I served at Nha Be, Vietnam from March 68 till December 1969 as Engine man in several areas, including the Packard Diesel shop, Detroit Diesel shop on 6-71, 8V71, 12V71 and 6V53N engines as well as many other repairs to the boats as required.
170 I was transfer to An Thoi (Phu Quoc Island) on the ARG-4 USS Tutuila, for 12V71 engine rebuilds for swift boats, TDA June 1970 to ARL-38 USS Krishna for three days till hit with a mine. Set to Operation Sea Float maintaining PBR till October 1970 and set back to Nha Be till discharge out if country November 1970.
Home by December 1970 to a very unwelcome return. -
George Alan Reischling · Rutledge
"To those who have fought for it, Life has a flavor that the protected will never know!"
Between mortars, rockets, RPGs, booby traps and bullets, there was no safe place in for a soldier in Vietnam.
Remember your Christmas in the Nam? Mine was spent on an ambush patrol near the Cambodian border.
25th Infantry Division-3/22nd Battalion, Tay Ninh, Vietnam-We may have served in different units in different AOs but our mission was the same! -Courage on the Mountain- Free to Amazon Prime members- Over one hundred 5 star reviews- courageonthemountain.com
Glad that you made it home brother!
George Reischling
courageonthemountain.com
greischling@hotmail.com -
Dennis Wriston · Scarbro,WV
I have been working on a remembrance project on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund sight, And i've ran into a small problem. Can anyone tell me waht brigade the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, was assigned to for the 9th Infantry Division.
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Justin Simundson
I really appreciate the MRFA for keeping the memory and legacy of this unique part of the Vietnam War alive. I am a historian at the US Air Force Academy and am currently beginning research for a project focused on the Rung Sat forest. I'm very interested in hearing from veterans who had experience operating in the area, so if anyone would like to share their stories please feel free to reach out to me at justin.simundson@afacademy.af.edu. Thank you!
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peter dowd · marshfield
IM A LIFE MEMBER PETER DOWD AND SO WAS MY BUDDY DOUG BROWN ALSO A LIFE MEMBER WHO DID THE PRINTING FOR THE ASCO FOR A WHILE DOUG BROWN PASSED AWAY ON NOV 27 2025 SERVED IN ARMY ON RIVER BOATS 2 BRONZE STARS WITH VALOR DID ALOT FOR MRFA WHEN HE FIRST JOINED STARED TO GET SICK
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Terry Werstlein · Casa Grande, az
I served on the Benewah as the Operating Room Tech- HM2 at the time from late 66 to Mar 68. Problem was we didn't really have an operting room. Go figure. Went on some of the river patrols relieving the corpsman who went on R&R. That was an eye opener for sure. Left Nam and was assigned to the USNH Orlando FL. for a year. Promoted to E6 HM1. Then assigned to I&I Staff 3rd Plt, Apha Co, 4th Amphibious Assault Batt with the USMC based in Gulfport, MS. Left the service in Jan 71. I've always wondered what happened to the others I served with in the Medical dept. Good days behind us. More good days ahead I hope.
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John Howard Adrians · Fontana
Good morning,
It is with a heavy grieving heart to inform your association of my uncle Donald Howard Cobb's passing he was a United States Navy veteran served as a member of UDT team 11/SEAL team 1. He was a decorated vietnam veteran he earned both the bronze star and silver star. He survived two tours in vietnam in 1966 recieving his first of two purple hearts first one on August 21, 1966 and the second February 14, 1968. He was awarded the bronze star on August 21, 1966 and the silver star on February 14, 1968. He was present in country in Vietnam during the Tet offensive. He was attached to Mobile Riverine Force 61. He was also awarded the Vietnam Galantry Cross, Joint service commendation medal, Republic of Vietnam Battle Wound Medal Saigon Army Hero medal, Navy achievement medal, and many others. He suffered from PTSD. And he was spit on and assaulted upon his return home from Vietnam. He served in the United States Navy from 1964 to 1970. I have written to President Trump by email in hopes my Uncle could be awarded the Navy Cross posthumously. I am in the process of requesting to fulfill his last wish to have his cremated remains dispersed at sea off the stern fantail of United States Navy destroyer as he had also served aboard the USS ENGLISH DD-696, and also Aboard the USS NEW JERSEY BB-62. I an humby asking if there could any type of remembrance for my Uncle. His service number while he was in the army was 915 38 68 .
Thank you for any assistance you can give. God Bless.
Best Regards,
John Adrians
17525 Mesa Ave.
Fontana, CA 92336 -
S Pratt · Detroit
Great Site
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Oakes · Lynden
Hello, My Dad was in the Navy from about 1965-1971. He went to Danang, Vietnam 10 Aug 1965. I am wondering if anyone served with My Dad. I unfortunately never really asked him much of anything about His time in the Navy. He died in 2010. His name was David (Gunner's Mate, & Shellback). He was on USS MARS (AFS-1) (1966-1967), USS GUADALUPE (AO32) (1968), & USS SACRAMENTO AOE1(1969) that I know of. Thank You for any information You can give Me.
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Walter D Nicholson · Texarkana
June 1969 I was aboard the LSD-18 USS Colonial we brought barges up the River. We had Seal Team One and some UDT guys that where helping to set them on location! Our first night the Seals caught a Zapper under the Colonial he had stuck a Boom under the Port Fireroom, they killed the zapper and removed the boom. Then for the next six days they were droppig percustion granades over for points of the ship every 30 seconds.
Thans for this wedbpage! Something for my family to see!
BTFN Post Fireroom -
Jeremy Dugan · Maysville,Ky
Hello all. My uncle, John F Dugan served in the army's 9th Infantry division 2nd 60th I believe in late 67 through 68. John currently lives in Aberdeen Ohio and definitely is one who does not want to talk much about his experiences. I do know by reading a couple of the old letters that my dad had given me years and years ago that he was wounded in combat from sniper fire the first time and wounded in the back and legs from shrapnel this second time. I was in contact with a couple of guys I believe several years ago and I have completely lost all contacts of those individuals. They actually were going to send me some photos that they had of them in Vietnam. Anything or anyone who could help me or may know of John and have served with him over there with stories comments or photos or all of the above, it would be more than appreciated. Thank you guys so much thank you for your service. Jeremy D - duganjdjs8376@yahoo.com
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George Alan Reischling · Rutledge
"To those who have fought for it, Life has a flavor that the protected will never know!" This was the maxim of the Vietnam soldier and those of us who served fully understand it. I served in the infantry for 6 months and then was rotated to Long Binh to work with soldiers suffering from combat fatigue. My Combat Infantryman Badge allowed soldiers to feel comfortable talking with me. I chronicled my experiences into a memoir titled "Courage on the Mountain" which is a free read for Amazon Prime members. It has received over 900 five-star reviews and been read by thousands of our brother and sister veterans. As I said, it is a free read and I would be honored if you chose to view the introduction on Amazon and even more so if you decide to read it. I'm sure that you will find it captivation! May God Bless! Courage on the Mountain- courageonthemountain.com
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Charles D. Crippen · NORTH OGDEN, UTAH
I just stubbled upon the MRFA publication River Currents, Vol 19, Number 1, Spring 2010. This article caught my eye: Memorial for Seven Men Who Died on YRBM-16. The author writes in the first person of having been assigned to the YRBM-20 during the same timeframe I was assigned to the 16. In late May or early June of 1970, the 16 (barely) steamed downstream with numerous PBRs tied along side, crossed over to the Mekong River via the Kênh Xáng Canal, and headed north to within one klick of the Cambodian border. My USNR active duty tour ended that September 1970. Due to the mine explosion and resultant deaths and injuries in 1967, the watch crews (of which I was one assigned to deck and Boston Whaler watches) were hyper vigilant. My very first watch was on the forecastle in early October near the start of the monsoon season. I expended nearly 1,000 shells from my shotgun into the flotsam of river bank overgrowth. After beating both of my shoulders up for about an hour, I became very accurate shooting from the hip. Two shipmates drowned in the Mekong due to horseplay. One was two weeks away from being married on his R&R, the other a career sailor with a family. I am looking to connect with my fellow deck force shipmates. Look me up on Facebook and message me or Google me.