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Special Boat Unit ELEVEN, located at Mare Island, California
was established on 1 October 1978, and was charged with
maintaining the Navy's and U.S. Special Operations Command's
expertise In riverine warfare. Originally established as
Coastal River Division ELEVEN in June 1972, Special Boat
Unit ELEVEN is the proud successor to the Naval Inshore
Operations Training Center (NIOTC). From Its base at Mare
Island and throughout the sloughs and waterways of the Napa
and Sacramento River Deltas, NIOTC trained over 15,000
American and foreign students in riverine warfare between
1966 and 1972.
Read more here |
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View Pictures
from the
SEPTEMBER 26, 2009
CRD 11 & SBU XI
REUNION
AT THE
MARE ISLAND
HISTORICAL MUSEUM
VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA |
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Last Patrol for
HMCM "Doc" Michael O'Boyle
Doc was one of
the Best of XI Boatguys. From the days of
Coastal River Squadron One and Coastal River
Divison-11 to Special Boat Unit XI.
Everybody knew Doc. I always enjoyed his company
and "pearls of wisdom"... Except for him giving
me shots. He always told me this would hurt me
allot worse than him. He wasn't kidding. He gave
lousy shots.
Doc left us Jan
20th 2009 on his Last Patrol.
Here is his Obituary.
RIP Doc...Jim Gray |
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SBU-11 History - GMCS Clark
Gertner SWCC ret.
When the U.S. Navy’s involvement in
Viet Nam ended, NIOTC was disestablished and Coastal River
Division-ELEVEN was commissioned to carry on the responsibility of
maintaining the U.S, Navy’s riverine warfare expertise. Over time,
the primary mission of the riverine and coastal boat commands
shifted toward Special Operations, taking over the role of the Boat
Support Units of the Viet Nam era. Therefore, on October 1, 1978,
CRD-XI was disestablished and Special Boat Unit ELEVEN was
commissioned. Read
more here |
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07-29-06 Rob Gale, CDR Ret Hello, An old
friend GMCM Jim Gray contacted me about your site. It's a good one
and thank you for setting it up. Lack of time prevents me from
telling any stories but I do happen to have a digital copy of a Det
photo taken during an ORE about 91 or so. This Det was one of the
best I ever worked with or even knew of at that time. Good guys.
God, Country and Fast Boats
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11-05-07
Lawrence D. Albert HT2 USN
July1978-April 1984,
at SBU-XI known as Bert.
My Time at SBU-XI 78-81.
After graduating from HT "A" school I received ordersto Coastal River Division 11 Vallejo Calif. So after
a week home on leave, I flew into Oakland airport
then catching a shuttle to Vallejo to be dropped off
at the head of a pier at a guard tower.
more here photos too. |
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01-15-08
Mike McWilliams
BM2 I was a BM2 at Coastal River Division
-11 from 1975 to Plank owner at SBUXI till 1980. I
was a crewman on an ASPB which we called ALPHA 6.
SBU-XI had two ALPHA Boats 5 and 6. Sometimes I felt
SBU-XI didn't really know what to do with the ASPBs
because it was primarily a PBR and MATC unit.
However we did participate in the war games up in
the sloughs, and we would be part of the aggressor
forces. We would try and sometimes succeed in
ambushing the PBRs. We also had the duty of
escorting and guarding the CCB-18 in the war games.
The one thing I remember was when the war games were
over in the sloughs the PBRs and ATCs sped home, and
we being faster than the slow CCB we would tow her
back to base because we were faster than the CCB.
When the Alpha boats went away I went to the PBRs
and spent most of my time on PBR-211 for about a
year.
As a civilian I was a
police officer and was transferred to San Diego in
1980 so I transferred to
Special Boat Unit -13 and rode the PB MKIIIs with
you Jim. I had to leave in 1982 as the SDPD was not
very supportive of the Reserves. Being a River Rat
was a highlight in my life and I remember the days
fondly. I don't have many photos but here are a few
and some info on the ALPHAs....Mike. Napa, CA |
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ASPB photo sheet |
ASPB fact sheet |
River Rats on the MATC pier |
SBU-XI Alpha boat tied up to a yard
Tug near Alameda. |
SBU-XI salty old River Rats |
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Added 03-20-09 |
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PBR MkII on a weekend run |
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Riverine Assault 1980s |
This is the lastest info on MINI ATC for export to
Columbia |
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Unit Photo (US Navy photograph) |
CCB-18 Monitor. The last monitor left over fro the
old Vietnam days of when the unit was NIOTC. |
MK78, Twin M-60 on MATC. |
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John "Doc" Ford, one of the "Greats" of SBU-XI.
Qualified 9533. SBU crew wore the black beret with pride. |
MKII PBR - 1986 on exercise in Washington. Note
special blank firing adapters on 50cals and MK-60s. |
CCB-18 was the floating command center for SBUXI
assets during "Operation Northern Hawk" 1986 exercise. |
Mini ATC at pier 22. (photo-Cliff Murphy) |
1991-Board search and seizure of a hostile craft
without SEALs. The Hostile training craft is the Iranian Bogghammer
captured during "Earnst Will", now operated by SBU-13. |
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Rare "Hardtop" MKII PBR in the
Suisun Sloughs. Some of the Hard Top PBRs were exported to Israel. |
PBR crews practice board and search. Training cell on
boat "searched. Made realistic and interesting scenarios. Based on
lessons learned from Vietnam. |
MATC high and dry. The tides went out fast in
Washington during 1986 "Op Northern Hawk." |
SBU-PBRs cruise up the canal. Weapons are trained on
both river banks. Ranges for a firefight on a river is extremely
close. |
MBR-MKIIs transit the small canals of the Suisun
Sloughs. The sloughs are the main training area for the Navy in
riverine warfare from Vietnam, NIOTC, CRD-11, SBU-11 |
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Photos Courtsey the SBU-11 CD. |
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Bobbit on the M-60/60mm Motar
Piggyback |
River Rats all showing the 9533
Qual badges White, Red, Blue |
SBUXI's only PBRMKI in 1986
modified with MK56 twin 50s forward and MK78 twin M-60s aft |
Cliff Murphy shows how a River Rat should
look in the early 80s wearing Qualified 9533 Black Beret and White
Patrol Officers Patch. |
Mini ATCs alongside conducting
50cal live fire gunshoot in San Pablo Bay |
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SBUXI in the 90s regularlly did
MTT in Thailand and rode Royal Thai Navy PBRs and other
Riverine Craft. |
SBUXI static weapons display. Of
course everyone remembers the Baccicco Twins. Ex-Army SF who
like being River Rat Reservists better. |
River Rat acting as beachmaster for the Mini ATC Assualt with Marines Op
Northern Hawk 1986 |
CCB-18 at Full Speed! |
SBUXI forward base camp and PBR
MKIIs |
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SBUXI PBR MKIIs, Note variations
in Radar domes. Note also the modified Twin 50cal Mount.
This version ran on hydraulics and was very heavy! |
SBUXI PBRs nesting up during ORE
1991 in San Diego. |
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Added 01-05-08 |
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A great CWO McAllister cartoon |
An MATC holding its nose on the
riverbank |
SBUXI's classic PBR MKII
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PBR MKII showing its maneuverability |
Pulling an engine from a PBR MKII |
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Added 05-08-08 |
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An agressor shows his spiderhole
position from which he will ambush passing
riverboats. |
CCB-18 and Mike-8 at the pier
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PO1 Smith on USS Fort Fisher 1986,
now he organizes the SBUXI reunions with his wife
Mary. |
LTJG Fisk ( SEAL)on his first tour at
SBU-XI he would return and Command SBU-XI
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MATC-12 in slough and alert for
agressors |
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The Classic PBR MKII on step |
A varation on SBUXI Patch
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A SBUXI PBR MKII in Persian Gulf near
Bahrain 1988 |
A Mini ATC view from PBR gunmount
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a PBR patrol cruises by a Mini ATC on
waterborne Guard Post |
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Added 08-23-09 |
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SBUXI Challenge Coin |
SBUXI Insignia |
SBUXI PBRs and MATCs |
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PBLs put on a Demo in Sacramento |
MATC on step circ 1996 re-engined with 6v92s she was fast! |
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50cal. gunshoot on MATC |
ATCs and PBLs |
SBUXI PBLs and MATCs Nesting near Sacramento |
MATC and PBRs |
SBUXI |
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SBUXI's PCF's hull showing her age. |
"Old School" SBUXI River Rats on CCB San Pablo Bay Gunshoot |
Purple Smoke and River Assault except that damn Jet bucket is stuck
again on MATC |
MATC Gunshoot San Pablo Bay coming alongside for next set of
shooters |
MK56 twin 50cals on PBR MKII
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PBR
coming alongside CCB to switch out shooters... San Pablo Bay
Gunshoot. |
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