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Dont Get Out of the Boat! US Navy Riverine Operations in Vietnam
The brown-water Mobile Riverine Force, a collaborative effort between the Navy and the Army, drew inspiration from earlier French riverine and coastal patrols in the First Indochina War
March 1, 2024
On December 18, 1965, marking the first occurrence since the American Civil War, the United States Navy established its novel brown-water navy in Vietnam. Initially, this navy patrolled the Mekong River's inland waterways, primarily utilizing South Vietnamese river craft boats inherited from the French Navy during the previous conflict. These boats were, in turn, received from the U.S. as military aid in the French fight against the Viet Minh, the Communist-led Vietnamese alliance. The introduction of the new fiberglass Patrol Boat, River, equipped with water jet propulsion, subsequently became the primary interdiction vessel for patrolling Vietnam's Mekong River region.
For coastal duty, the South Vietnamese Navy initially employed larger seaworthy craft, later replaced by newer U.S. Navy Swift Boats (PCF—Patrol Craft Fast, aluminum 50 footers) and United States Coast Guard Point-class cutters. By the late 1960s, Swift Boats commenced operations alongside the PBRs in inland waters while maintaining coastal operations. Navy and Coast Guard ships assumed coastal duties. The Swift boats, operated by small crews, became essential assets in riverine operations, patrolling waterways, conducting special operations, providing gunfire support, and inserting troops into enemy territory.
For coastal duty, the South Vietnamese Navy initially employed larger seaworthy craft, later replaced by newer U.S. Navy Swift Boats (PCF—Patrol Craft Fast, aluminum 50 footers) and United States Coast Guard Point-class cutters. By the late 1960s, Swift Boats commenced operations alongside the PBRs in inland waters while maintaining coastal operations. Navy and Coast Guard ships assumed coastal duties. The Swift boats, operated by small crews, became essential assets in riverine operations, patrolling waterways, conducting special operations, providing gunfire support, and inserting troops into enemy territory.
A group of "Swift Boats" works their way up a section of river.
The brown-water Mobile Riverine Force, a collaborative effort between the Navy and the Army, drew inspiration from earlier French riverine and coastal patrols in the First Indochina War (1946–1954). Initially, the force comprised mostly modified surplus U.S. World War II landing craft, including LCMs, LCVPs, and LCIs. The only entirely new riverine boat from the French Indochina War, the French-designed STCN, influenced the design of the U.S. Navy's sole original riverine boat for the Vietnam War—the 50-foot all-steel hull, aluminum superstructured Assault Support Patrol Boat (ASPB) or "Alpha Boat," built by the Gunderson Company in Oregon, USA. Reinforced for mine survivability, the ASPB earned a reputation as the "minesweeper" of the riverine forces.
Here we see some "Alpha Boats" tied up at their pier. These boats were low in the water and slow, but extremely heavily armed and armored.
Together with PBRs, other riverine craft like PCFs, ASPBs, and monitors formed the Mobile Riverine Force, utilizing supporting facilities such as Yard Repair Berthing and Messings, advance bases, LSTs, helicopter units, and Seawolf units.
The brown-water navy, in coordination with efforts like Operation Market Time and Operation Game Warden, largely succeeded in preventing North Vietnam from using South Vietnamese coasts and rivers to resupply its military and the Viet Cong. The flow of weapons and ammunition virtually halted during Operation Market Time from 1965 to 1970.
The PBR crews were a rare breed, similar to those PT Boats crews of WW2. Here a PBR crewman shows off his favorite Tommy Gun.
Formalized in January 1967 with the arrival of the 2nd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division under Major General William Fulton, brown-water river assault units, in conjunction with U.S. Navy Task Force 117, formed the Mobile Riverine Force later that year. In 1970, marking the last instance since the Civil War, the Navy deactivated its remaining brown-water navy units, transferring them to the South Vietnamese and Cambodian governments under the Vietnamization policy.
