SEA TIGERS OF VUNG RO BAY
US Army 458th Transportation Co.
US Army 18th Military Police Brigade
During the Vietnam War the United States Military employed heavily-armed high-speed gunboats to intercept and disrupt enemy travel on the rivers and bays of South Vietnam. While the US Navy operated over 250 of these specialized watercraft, the US Army had less than 40.
Vung Ro Bay was one of nine outposts of the US Army 458th Transportation Company (PBR)
QUI NHON
In November, 1970, the base at Vung Ro Bay was closed. Most personnel, equipment, and supplies were transported to Qui Nhon by truck convoy.
Four of our Vung Ro brothers were killed in the convoy by a Viet Cong ambush on Hwy. 1-A. They were Frank Hiteshue, Charles "Shorty' Mitchell, John Conrad, and Benigno Zamudio.
None were 458th Trans. Co. or 127th M.P. Co. personnel.
The two River Patrol Boats at Vung Ro Bay joined up with an LCM from the 1099th Medium Boat Co. and the three vessels sailed from Vung Ro to Qui Nhon. Some of the personnel who were nearing the end of their tours spent a couple weeks at Qui Nhon, others were there for months.
Qui Nhon was a major port and staging area for the US Army. River Patrol Boats were tasked with dropping concussion grenades into the water near visiting merchant ships in order to deter enemy swimmers, or sappers, from placing explosives under the ship's hulls.
Photo Captions
1) Sign in front of PBR Compound 8) LCU docking area
2) Qui Nhon PBR docks 9) Military supply ships
3) Bridge to PBR docks 10) "Do Not Hang Clothers on Fence"
4) Beach next to PBR docks 11) Qui Nhon movie theater
5) Harbor Control Tower & LCU docks 12) Grenade run alongside merchant ships
6) General's yacht, US Army 65' Q-Boat
7) Inbound merchant ship
ALBUMS
1 LT Brian Sullivan's Album
Click photos to enlarge
