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WINTER 2015 from the Galley First of All I Want to Thank the Association’S

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WINTER 2015 from the Galley First of All I Want to Thank the Association’S A PUBLICATION OF VOLUME 24, NUMBER 4 THE MOBILE RIVERINE FORCE ASSOCIATION WINTER 2015 From the Galley First of all I want to thank the association’s Director members from Officersour Vice andPresident Board onof down for the hard work and effort they put in - Al Moore union such a great suc- tocess. making Most ofthe all 2015 I want re to thank you the member and your spouse and guests as well. Without your continuing support, these reunions would not be as successful as they have become. Although I was unable to attend, I was kept up- dated with e-mails and pictures and some from you the members as well three or four times a day by the Board. Everything that was sent was greatly Veterans Day 2015 Washington, DC appreciated. As for my health, it’s much better. I want to thank each and everyone who have asked ARTICLE AND MORE VETERANS DAY PHOTOS ON PAGE 7 about how I was doing. I hope and plan on being at Frank Jones did a great job for us setting the re- ourunion 2017 up reunion.and we could not have asked for better 2015 Reunion service then the Marriott gave us. We are all set to A-91-3 Crew Reunites The last time these four behold back on toat it the as longMarriott as they in 2017.give good Nowadays service, when good sailors were together was youfood, find clean a rooms,hotel, such a clean as hotel,the Marriott, and a friendly you better staff. I have received a number of e-mails on how that occurred while leading - duringa column an of intense RivRon firefight 9 boats eryone feel so welcome. In this edition of River to a landing zone in the Me- muchCurrents the, weOfficers did something and Board a Memberslittle different. made Weev kong Delta. added more pictures of the reunion, although we On May 8, 1968, ASPB- 91-3 was part of a group reunion. of boats conducting strike couldIf you not are fit anall AOLthe pictures user, you that may were not betaken receiving at the operations on the Song my e-mails when I send out my weekly History of Ba Lai, in support of Army the Vietnam War and other information. It seems units. As the assault craft all my AOL user’s e-mail come back as they have was proceeding to the been blocked by AOL as spam. beaching area, a large Viet I hope and wish for each and every one of you a - Albert Congtomatic unit weapons opened and fire small with Radioman Ed “The Greek” Gorczyk, Boat Captain Glenn Fitro, Twin 0.50 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. rocket, recoilless rifle, au positions at the water line. cal. Gunner Jim “Rapid Fire Rosie” Rozema, and Engineman Art Mann armsASPB 91-3fire fromwas hitbunkered by the The Officers and Board Members of uncontrollable engines revved and gained speed, as the alpha boat made an arcing turn and the MRFA wish you all a initialcrashed volley into ofthe enemy beach firejust that meters disabled from the controlenemy position.panel, steering, After hitting and engine the beach, throttles. the crew The Merry Christmas and was able to kill the engines and assess their situation. Multiple hits from enemy rockets and a Happy New Year! Thanks for all your support. RPGs had wounded the entire crew and there was smoke and fire emitting from the forward hull,wounds. coxswain’s flat, and 20-mm canon mount. An enemy rocket had made a direct hit on the coxswain’sA couple flatcrewmembers and the boat moved captain the was boat in seriouscaptain conditionto the stern with and multiple began deepadministering shrapnel CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 first aid as he laid on the engine covers while MORE REUNION PHOTOS ON PAGES 3-6 2 • River Currents, Volume 24, Number 4 • WINTER 2015 Lost on the Boats - I was and still am lost on the boats. I was technically a Naval Advisor. Having served at Nha Trang (Camp McDermott) at a communications sta tion called Tay Ket from November 1969 until sometime around late April or early March 1970. Jim Miller and I ran a small vehicle garage that was not our rate but we were good at it. We did get the VNs to order parts through a supply chain. Then I was transferred to Vung Tau for about 4 weeks andon the on Grand to Saigon Canal for mostly assignment tied up to at Tango Tan Chau. Boat In53. the A coupleday time of weus rodeset ambush PBRs all up the and way down to the the YRBM-21, Grand Canal which looking was atlocated the Plain close of toReeds. An Long We sup and- just downstream from Cambodia. I picked up Tango Boat 53 there. We too were not attached to any big unit. We spent all our time day and night Tho along with what I think are F-1 portedOur operation the ARVN changed ambush to teams convoy with support Sea Wolves and the off boats the YRBM-21 followed convoyand also to Binh Phnom Thuy Penh, who Cambodia. had Black We Ponies once and again Hueys. furnished Cobras air came support out operat of Can- 4s. We did go through turnover and I spent some time with eight Vietnamese and two Americans on the boat. ing from op base Tan Chau. We were around 153 and I want to say a Riv Div 55 was involved. AreThanks. you awareSteve Rouseof patrols T-53 on call the sign Grand Bogus Canal and maybe past Tram Chim to Phouc Xuyen? Phouc Xuyen was an ATSB on ammies (flat barges). You turned off the Mekong at An Long. REUNION away. Meanwhile, other alpha boats were mak- boat so that the more seriously wounded crew- Continued from page 1 immediate medical attention. ingenemy close-in from gunadvancing runs with on theirthe beached 0.50 cal. boat. and men could be flown back to the MRF ships for- embanked enemy. Ignoring their wounds, the 20-mmTheir effort canons resulted providing in more cover rocket fire to hits keep to the ing Alpha 91-3’s boat captain, who was later thedetermined remaining crew crew pounded began returning the enemy fire toposi the- assisting Alphas and additional casualties. Fi- That day saw 17 personnel casualties includ nally, a daring rescue of the craft was conducted not return to Vietnam. - flown to Japan for additional treatment and did tion with 0.30 cal. machine guns, M-16 rifles, who trained and fought together were thrilled M-79the enemy grenade position launcher, but andfailed 12-gauge to detonate shotgun be- byblank M-92-1, range. despite continuous rocket and au Now, 47 years later four of the original five fire.cause The the first round rounds hadn’t from traveled the M-79 far enoughlanded toat tomaticAlpha weapons91-3 was firesecured received alongside at almost the monipoint- - tor with heavy rope, dragged off the beach, and to see each other at the 2015 Mobile Riverine and using it much like a mortar provided the towed out of the kill zone. Force Association Reunion. The fifth★ crewmem armdistance itself. necessary Pointing thefor M-79the HE nearly rounds straight to arm up Further down the canal at a safer distance a Edber, Gorczyk, 20-mm gunner [email protected] Henry “Hank” Dotson hopes and explode on the enemy just a few meters Dust-off chopper was able to land on a Tango to attend with his crew in 2017. River Currents, Volume 24, Number 4 •WINTER 2015 • 3 2015 MRFA Reunion, Indianapolis, IN 2015 Reunion Feedback Dear Albert, and our spouses and all the volunteers who helped make the re- I wanted to take a moment to thank you and the many others involved with unionI personally a success, want but mostto thank of all all you our the Officers members and without Board yourMembers help the MRFA Reunion this past weekend. My sons and I found the experience to and support over the years the reunions would not be what they are be wonderful. It meant a lot for my boys to learn more about their Dad’s mili- today. Special thanks to my wife Linda and Georgie who kept me on a straight and narrow path. Memorial Service Participants: Dave, you always make me cry taryfrom service many howand timethey inmissed Vietnam. you. They I hope were that only your 10 healthand 12 will when improve he died. with - time.The flag and certificate will find a place of honor in our home. Also, I heard Thanks again and best wishes, Ellen Bergman (Lt. Henry Bergman II) whenwith the you Memorial do the Missing Service Man help Ceremony.make this reunion You do oneit with to remember the mem ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ bersand not with forget. nothing but class and dignity. You and the others involved Albert, Sorry you missed the reunion; it was one of the best ever. Take care Thanks to the hotel staff at the Marriott East, especially Christine of yourself and hope to see you next time. Thank you, Robert Bush B 3/47 9th Inf Div ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Noggle,great that for you their took outstanding the time toservice grace and us withhospitality. your attendance and Al: All the speakers did very well, and Chris was a big hit with Amazing yourOne singing last shout of Amazing out to Chris Grace Noel was for outstanding. attending ourThanks reunion. from Itus was all. Grace, it was very good. Her voice was very clear and sharp, well done.
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