Special Boat Unit

On Sept 31 1978, Coastal River Squadron One dis-established, and on 1 Oct. 1978 Special Boat Squadron ONE was established spawning 3 Operational Units SBU-11,SBU-13 and SBU-12. At its establishment Special Boat Unit 12 was comprised of all active duty personnel and its assets were 2 PTFs ,5 MkIII PBs (two on det.) and numerous MK11 LCPLs. and the ASDV-1 which was a mothership to support Swimmer Delivery Vehicle (SDV) training. Its tasking was to support in CONUS, simulated ship attacks, and UDT/SEAL support and and evaluation of special boat projects.

It maintained a constant commitment to provide Special Boat Detachments (SBDs) to NSWU-1/MST-3 Subic Bay P.I. as well as ARGs supporting NSW operations deployed in the Western Pacific. In 1982 SBU-12 took delivery of its first SEAFOX (SWCL) to replace the aging LCPLs as the prime SEAL support craft on ARG deployments, and to MST-3. SBU-12 would deploy 2 MKIII PBs to support NSW ops.

In 1987 SBU-12 from MST-3 would deploy to the Persian Gulf supporting Operation Earnst Will and would continue to operate in the Gulf to curtail Iranian maritime terrorism against oil tankers in the northern Persian Gulf until 1989. The 1990s were an evolutional period for type craft and in Desert Shield/DesertStorm1990/91 SBU-12 provided The HSB (High Speed Boats) for combat operations, SBU-12 would also support NSW Cold weather training with 24' RHIBS in Kodiak Alaska. During the 1990s the Rigid Inflatable Hull Boat (RHIB) would become the mainstay in overseas deployment with the 24' RHIB, 10 meter RHIB, and the 30' IRHIB.

Patch final version

SBU-12 would be involved in Somalia operations and other real world events during this period, It would continue to support the Western Pacific with ARGs even after NSWU-1 transferred from Subic bay to Guam. In 1994 SBU-12 would integrate the veteran disestablished SBU-13 Reservists into its organization and become NR SBU-12, and support the active duty on operations and backfill.

In the early 1990s the HSB and PBMKIII would be phased out for the MKV SOC and 11 meter SOCRHIB. SBU-12 would continue supporting NSWU-1 and also support the new NSWU-3 in Bahrain.

SBDs from SBU-12 can be found serving on MTT Exercises all over the Far East, in Korea, Thailand, Australia, and Singapore, as well as Kuwait and
Bahrain.

In OCT. 2, 2002 Special Boat Unit -12 became Special Boat Team TWELVE and has served with distinction in Iraqi Freedom and continues to serve in the Global War on Terror (GWOT) to bring the fight to our nations enemies.


01-16-07 Mal Flisk mal.flisk@MarshCreekLLC.com Best tours I ever spent. '83-'89. Have some great pics of pier in Subic with Seafox, MkIII and LCPL tied up, etc. Let me know if you need 'em. Only served in SBU-12, trained with 13, and with 11 up in Vallejo. Served in the Gulf 2 times with SBU-12 (Wim Brown 7). Read More Here

16 Mar 2007 - Jim, Thanks for passing this on to me. It's truly an excellent site. It's good to see you and others are keeping the history and culture of "the boats" alive. Keep me informed if you organize any SBU or CSBR reunions. Best regards, Tom Campbell [C.O. SBU-12 and CO of SBR-1 - Jim]

Rick Doughman - I have a ton of Pictures from SBU13 I know you will recognize....I knew I remembered you...you and Jeff Maddox Pictures of just about the entire SBU 13 Admin Guys....I also have some great Pictures from being part of MST3 Det Juliette as a SOC (Special Operations Crew Member) and some ship attack shots of seal team doing their thing and we had a Photographers mate with us who was filming it. . . View Here

06-24-07 Mike Price RMC - I read your story. I remember RADM Richards quite well. I deployed to Korea for either Team Spirit or Foal Eagle (I went to all of them for 4 years) when I was CPOIC of NSWG-1 Mobile Comm Team and he was Team One's CO. I saw your pics & remember seeing you when you came in for drill weekends and I had SBR-1 OOD before I put on the "Hat". I was with Rorey Towne on his deployment and will forward the "complete" Malaysia trip story soons as I have time to write it out along with a couple of SOC memories. I had some great times, met some great people and, I hope did some good work. I like to think that we had a big part in getting SWCC to where it is today and am quite proud to have been part of that lineage. I don't have many pictures of those days. Unfortunately I lost a bunch of that stuff during a PCS move so some of Rorey's and Mal Flisk's pictures are real memory joggers. If you want to know who yer talkin to go to Roreys SBD story and look at the picture of the Det on libs in Olongapo, I am front row, 3rd form the left (With goatee). (To the right of LT Colvin) I'll be in touch, and great job with this site. Run, Shoot, Communicate - Mike Price Read More Here

GMG1 Brian Eschbuagh, OIC of a Fountain 33' HSB for SBU-12 in 1991. Tactics: Generally patrols are conducted with two boats running in a 7/1 formation, that is at 7 o'clock and one boat length away. Seal Support, Zodiac carried on Bow of HSB. Read More Here


				25mm Chain Gun on low profile stabilized mount on SBU-12 PB MKIII

From Jim Gray:

Aerial view Of WIMBROWN VII in Persian Gulf 1988 base of NSTWU Middle East Forces Pacfic. Note MKIII PBs	Sand Storm in the Persian Gulf at sea 1988	SBU-12 24' RHIB conducting gunshoot San Clementi Is.	24'RHiBs underway


SBU-12 Reserves on MKIII PB supporting Army 12th Special Forces Group 1994	PB775 typical day in Gulf 1988	Maintenance on SOCRHIB Maintenance while not glamorous plays a major roll in the SBU world	PB776 The Bat Boat 1988 Op.Earnst Will.	MKIII PBs tied to WB7 Persian Gulf 1988. Note Weapons positions on Barge.


SBU-12 SWCC (BoatGuys) train with hand guns at La Posta 1997	Practical jokes were common place amongst boatguys	SBU-12 detachment Operation Earnst Will, Persian Gulf 1987	10 meter RHIBs prep for ops, background is Squadron One building and static display of 23mm guns taken off of an Iranian gunboat.	Matt Knight In Persian Gulf 1988


SBU-12 new MKV SOC arrive 1996 NAB	10meter RHIBs with Coronado bridge in background	Pat Shima photo of his 120lb Cobia in the Persian Gulf in 1988, caught on the 776 BAT boat.	Beer Mess Directive Letter submitted by Pat Shima.	SBU-12 MKIIIPB off San Clemente Is


SEAFox Recovering Combat Swimmers - SBU-12	SBU-12 with UDT-12 Aboard at San Clementi Is	Barge Hercules Captured Iran Ajar alongside taken from SBU-12 PBMKIII	SBU-12 Op Earnst Will, MKIIIPB at Harqus Island	SBU-12 Op Earnst Will, 1987 note SWCLs & 57' MSB

More SBU-12 photos

SBU-12 SWCL of Southern Calif.Coast in 1987	SEAFOX idling, note its low-profile in water 1987	SEAFOX was a WET RIDE at speed and worse in heavy seas!	a 30'RIB towing a Zodiac Refuels alongside a PC 1996	24' Rib with all the "gear" on Board where do we put the SEALs?? 1996


1996 SWCC crewman shoots a M-60 mg off 24'RIB at SCI 1996	30' RIB with Consol aft	10Meter RIB of Pt Loma	The Brand New MKVs arrive	30' RIB with SEALs on Board

The 33' Fountain HSB (High Speed Boat.) They were the cutting edge for NSW boats in Desert Storm/Desert Shield in 1990-91.

06-23-07 LCDR Jack Spratt (Biography Here) Here is a couple of photos I scanned. Two are the effects of running the boats in the oil slick. There are two are pix of Thanksgiving barbecue on the pier at Ras Al Mishab. And last, I'm adding two pix of the swari (sp) patrol boat that was in Kuwait Harbor the day of the cease fire. I believe the gun on the front is a ZSU-24, like the one that SBU 12 had in their old compound. Visit Jacks PCF-48 Website at http://www.geocities.com/swift48rvn/ and to his Navy Mustang website at http://www.geocities.com/sprattj/





The Case for High Speed Boats in Fleet Support		Headed back to NAB Coronado


	SBU-12 Scorpian HSB	Desert Shield/Storm 1990 Scorpian and Setton HSBs transfer gear along side "Happy Duck" the mother ship and one of the survivors from the Kuwaiti Navy that escape Iraqi Invasion.	The Setton and Scorpian would be the First Boats in the Gulf during Desert Shield. Later 33' Fountains and 24'RIBs would follow.	Scorpian HSB would receive major hull damage trying to rescue a downed pilot in heavy seas during DESERT STORM

		Added 01-05-08 ->
Desert Storm 33' Fountain HSB rehearsing SEAL Support Op. Note Zodiac on Bow.	Towed 33' Fountain HSB in Post Desert Storm Victory Parade in Downtown Coronado Calif.		24' Hurricane RIB took 4 of these craft to support a Seal PLT.	30' RIB det. holding comm. checks at dusk. 90% of all SWCC ops are done at night.


30' RIB with SEALs onboard towing a Zodiac	SBU-12 Halter HSB	Halter HSB showing console, gun and pax positions	Some of SBU-12's HSB BOYZ	SBU-12 first type HSB the Setton. This flying boat is driven by Jack Spratt.

Added 05-08-08
	SBU-12 combatant craft formation circ 1998.IN SBU-12 inventory MKVSOC, 11meter RHIBs 10meter RHIBs, 30' IRHIB, and 24' Hurricane RHIB	The clean lines and cool cammo of a Halter HSB	A SBU-12 armed Halter HSB and rigged for a fast tow.

Warboats.org

Special Boat Unit - 12