Special Boat Unit

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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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

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

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.

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

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

PBR MkII on a weekend run

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.

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.

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

Photos Courtsey the SBU-11 CD.