It is VERY hard to believe that 40 years and 5+ months ago, I reported aboard the USCGC Point Young (WPB 82303) in DaNang, VIETNAM - - yes, good old sunny SE Asia - at the ripe old age of 24. Looking back, I thought Korean War vets were old then - - and yet, in what seems like a blink of an eye - 40 plus years have past along with over 58,000 souls memorialized by a long black wall that will help us to remember those who could not be with us now - When I hit the tarmac in DaNang, Vietnam, late March of 1969 I was really overwhelmed at our commitment there. The sheer numbers of men, the equipment, the traffic (troops, APC's, tractor trailers, ships, boats, planes and on and on and on) - - was staggering. The USCG Squadron One (Division 12) was located on the Navy base in DaNang harbor. The number of USCG personnel assigned here was very small, our uniforms, were the same as the Navy and we blended in with the exception of "US Coast Guard" above our left pocket - - If recognized, there was always the typical "What are you guys doing here?? Make a wrong turn coming out of San Francisco??" and so on - - The photo is my first look at my new home, the Point Young is shown nested alongside the YR-71 (our mother ship) during "in ports" where we took on supplies, ammunition and repairs.
2 comments:
Good timing WO Meyer, first I am glad you made it home safely, there are more than enough names on that wall and many left behind both from the FFL and US Forces. Yesterday evening I had an e-mail from my former CRO of 1967,after 42years. He had been 'Googleing' and came across my Blog NAUTICAL LOG. Decided to get in touch so between us we are finding out what we have been doing and what happened to our lads. Once again the power of the Internet. I still have my Logbook and copied him a page with his signature, as you can imagine he was overwhelmed.
Good Watch
Capt D - Thanks!! - and you are so correct with regard to the "wall" - - I still keep in touch with several "mates" from the Squadron One days - As we roll in to the "off season" months I will be posting more RVN picts and stories which reflect the USCG's involvement in that "conflict"?
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