SEA TIGERS OF VUNG RO BAY
US Army 458th Transportation Co.
US Army 18th Military Police Brigade
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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)
PBR RESTORATION
After many years of effort, the Fort Eustis Transportation Museum finally managed to acquire a Vietnam-era River Patrol Boat (PBR). The vessel was donated to the museum by the US Army Military Police Museum in Fort Leonard Wood, MO, where it had been on display as a Military Police craft.
The Sea Tigers Association, a Vietnam Veteran's group made up of members of the US Army 458th Transportation Company and members of the US Army 18th Military Police Brigade, agreed to take on the task of restoring the patrol boat to display quality. The group operated 39 PBR's in nine outposts scattered throughout Vietnam. When completed, the restoration project will have taken three years.
Aluminum work and welding services provided by Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication of Poquoson, VA.
Canvas work by Pizzoferrato Enterprises of Richmond, OH
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The boat was not in very good condition upon it's arrival at Ft. Eustis. The craft had been flipped during a tornado at Ft. Leonard Wood a few years prior. The hull was in terrible condition and the coxswain's flat had been re-constructed at some point out of plywood rather than steel.
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The boat had several replacement sections made of plywood. All have been removed and replaced with new marine-grade plywood.
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The plywood coxswain's flat was removed and replaced with 1/4" aluminum panels
Above is a sample of damage issues to hull
The boat was required to be encapsulated for the sanding process.
The stern had a steel plate covering where the boat number had been cut out of the hull. It was glassed in, then the entire stern was filled and sanded several times.
90% of the hull was covered in pinholes
Four gallons of filler and a lot of sanding produced a finish ready for paint.
Reaching up under existing dash to replace gauges was deemed to be too difficult, so upper & lower dash panels were cut out to facilitate restoration. Steering wheel, hub, and shaft were dis-assembled, cleaned & replaced.
Upper dash panel & old gauges.
Upper dash panel with new gauges.
Old lower dash panel & switches
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Old siren was dented in several areas & did not work
New lower dash panel & switches
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Siren was restored to original condition by Norman Beaver & is now fully operational.
.50 caliber machine gun props were
constructed by Tom Farrell.
Gun covers are used over the props. Replica .50 caliber machine guns will be fitted for special events or exhibitions.
The bow was damaged during the tornado event, but was deemed too expensive to repair.
New canopy & gun covers fabricated by Dave Pizzoferrato
Mid-ships Ballistic Plates were installed in December of 2023.
Light Mast has had Nancy Beacon, Anchor Light, and ID Lights installed.
(Radar dome & Nancy Beacon donated by Bob Brower)
The completed project to date. The name Magic Christian is from a PBR that was destroyed in a
Viet Cong sapper attack in Vung Ro Bay, Vietnam on June 28, 1970.
Aft .50 caliber machine gun mount (tripod donated by Dave Pizzoferrato)
Honeywell 40mm Grenade Launcher
(Honeywell donated by Bob Brower)
Stern view with aft .50 cal covered
A period-correct compass was sourced on eBay.
The restoration of the Fort Eustis River Patrol Boat Magic Christian was completed in late August 2024.
A non-working Raytheon radar was also found on eBay.
A very special "Thank You" to:
Transportation Museum Foundation, Ft. Eustis, VA
Joe Scanlon, Director, US Army Transportation Museum, Ft. Eustis, VA
Greg Simmons of Precision Metal Fabrication, Poquoson, VA
Dave Pizzoferrato (Sea Tigers Assoc.), Richmond, OH
Tom Farrell (VP Sea Tigers Assoc.), Smyrna, DE
Bob Brower (Sea Tigers Assoc.), Bonney Lake, WA
Robert Webber (President, Sea Tigers Assoc.), Olney, IL
Jerry Wallace (Treasurer, Sea Tigers Assoc.), Arlington, TX
Norman Beaver, Beltsville, MD
Mike Hebert, (Sea Tigers Assoc.) Gloucester, VA