Coast Guard Cutter "Point Young" on patrol off South Vietnam (1 of 26
Coast Guard crewed, 82 foot "Point Class" Cutters, turned over to Vietnam in 1970)

PHOTO DATE UNKNOWN - (CIRCA 1965-66)

U.S. Coast Guard Heritage Museum

Barnstable Village on Cape Cod, MA.

The "Cover" which was custom carved in Philippine's by the 1st Point Young Vietnam crew, served over 4 combat years on deck of the "Young" - now cracked and a bit heavier - - (like all of us), it serves as a memorial to ALL CG Combat Veterans.

The "tater-bin" cover also seen HERE, (COAST GUARD WARRIORS, Part of the MIx, Vietnam)

Squadron One - Experience and Excellence, 1967-1968, "Article, Article". "Tater Bin Cover to First Aid Station" The paragraph briefly describes some of the things the cover was used for it also says - -"What became of the cover is unknown" - - UNTIL NOW - - -

The cover is very much alive and well - When the "Point Young" arrived at the yards in Singapore in late 1969, the "Cover", which was cracked and worn, had to be replaced as part of the full "yard" period the boats required before being turned over to the Vietnamese Navy - - - I asked the skipper if I could have the "cover" and he agreed, - I took it to the wood work shop at the yard in Singapore and asked them to "reinforce it, for shipment back to the states as I feared the crack down the middle would totally fracture and the cover would break in two. I gave them three (3) cans of coffee. I mentioned to them that I planned to make it in to a coffee table when I got it back to the world - - - 4 days later they called me down to the shop to pick it up - - - Much to my surprise, THEY HAD PUT ANOTHER WHOLE PIECE OF MAHOGANY ON THE BACK, TRIMMED IT AND MADE 4 LEGS AND SHIPPING CRATE! (My coffee table was done and ready to ship!). I sent it back to the states prior to departing Singapore. IT HAS ONLY BEEN ON PUBLIC DISPLAY ONCE SINCE 1970, FOR A USCG AUXILIARY DINNER IN 2008 -

Possibly one of only a few "tangible" pieces of RONONE (Coast Guard Squadron One) history from the 26 boats left in RVN - - I felt the cover should go to a Coast Guard Museum - - the COAST GUARD HERITAGE MUSEUM contacted me and requested to put it in their new CG Vietnam display, Arrangements were made and the 80 lb cover was shipped to Cape Cod in late March of this year.

REUNION

Coast Guard Vietnam Combat Veteran and former RVN "Point Young" crewman (circa 1969-70) RE-UNITES with carving at the "Heritage Museum" he hadn't seen since 1970 - -

Steve Watts recently visited the Heritage Museum and was the 1st of former Point Young crewman to reunite with the carving - - Steve also provided the Museum with the U.S. Coast Guard Ensign and Commissioning Pennant flown on the Point Young when her colors were "struck" on March 16, 1970, Da Nang, Vietnam, where she was turned over to the South Vietnamese Navy along with the Point Kennedy. (WPB82320).

DECEMBER 1969, the Point Young is just returning to South Vietnam from Singapore after complete yard overhaul, in preparation for being turned over to South Vietnam - Steve Watts is holding what may have been the LAST beer he brought back from Singapore - -