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10-18-07 Tim Chiles,...
I was at SBU-26 from Sept 1991 to Sept 1995 and went "down
range" to Bolivia, Honduras, El Salvadore, Columbia, Equedor,
and Bolivia. We had several SBUs come down to SBU-26 to
cross train. I remember when you and your guys came down in
94....."Chilly" |
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Tim Chiles on PBR MkII |
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More Chiles Photos |
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PB842 being closest to camera. We are at the
log boom for the water range at Lake Gatun circ. 1992.We are
getting our 25mm chaingun quals. The trainee is me the
trainer is GMG2 York
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Cross training SBUXI Rat sets up twin 50s
with BFA setup on PBR MkII |
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Plaque photo
- Scott Cruise |
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Magazine article from Full Mission Profile
- Centinelas de Rios Y Costas by Lt George Hogan, Jr.,
USNR, SBU-Twenty Six. Located at Pier 3 on U.S.Naval
Station, Panama Canal, Rodman, Panama, is a command unique
to the US Atlantic Fleet. Although it appears unassuming at
first glance, the constant hum of activity soon makes even
the casual observer aware there is more here than meets the
eye.
Read More Here.
(Require Adobe Acrobat)
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07-12-07
Kevin O'Obrien I served
with SBU-26 at Rodman from 1990 to 1992. I was
assigned as an ETC(SW), then transferred as a CWO2.
LCDR Steven Siegel was my CO, and LT Brian Losey was
the Exec. Good to know you guys are here. Hooyah!
Kevin O'Brien, CWO USN (RET) Huntersville, NC |
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01-18-09
Howie Nash QM1 (SW/CC)
Why SBU-26 was the Best
It’s no secret that it takes a
greater amount of courage,
commitment, and willingness to
excel than the regular fleet
sailor, when you volunteer for
Combatant Craft
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duty. I’d say only about 5 % of
those that volunteered didn’t have what it took in the old
days. Hey, someone’s gotta man the armory
and the paint locker.
Read More Here.
More Howie Nash HERE
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The Patrol
Boat, Light or PBL, can
trace its lineage back to the
“Skimmer” of the Vietnam Era.
The Skimmer was generally a
13-15ft Boston Whaler, powered
by a single outboard with an
armed crew but no mounted
weapons.
Read More Here.
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Colombian Marine doing his
laundry on the platform of a Columbian Armored CCB |
Hasty Retreat, Colombia |
Making that long turn, Rio Bita,
Colombia |
Returning from patrol with the
Colombians, RIo Orinocco |
Vic enjoying the Orinocco
Sunset, Columbia |
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Ecuadoran assets. Note the
Lantana RAC and that's the ex- USS Cherokee, and ATF
in the back. |
Mike McGregor, Brian Wainscot
and Lenny James |
Opps! |
Vic and Me inspecting the
damage |
View of Equadorian Drydock |
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The boys before we replaced the
lower unit |
TCB Baby! |
Vic Maisonet and the EC RAC
Boys.JPG |
Sad ending for an old FRAM (Rio
Guayas, Ecuador) |
EN2 Rudy Zapata, doin what he
did best...gettin that PIG ready |
%20Jose%20Trevino.%20My%20Patrol%20Officer_small.JPG) |
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HTCS (SEAL) Jose Trevino. My
Patrol Officer |
Escorting the US Army 1097th
Boat Company on the Rio Chagres |
Inserting the boys. That's a
steep climb. |
Rudy, my engineer. I gave him
my other blouse after this patrol. |
Jungle School candidate. He
aint happy. Brian Smith standing took over my boat
when I left |
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%20Dave%20Wilson,%20ET2%20Greg%20Adkins_small.JPG) |
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Lt Rich Good |
Mike McGregor, My
partner in Crime. |
Mike McGregor's PBL 9105 with
Lenny James gettin some. |
Now that's Tight! |
R-L BMCS(DV) Dave
Wilson, ET2 Greg Adkins. |
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Mike was always fishin. |
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| NSW Riverine
Programs in Latin America |
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| SEALS and Special
Boats in SOUTHCOM |
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| The heavies of
26. L toR, MKIV PBs, 841,842,843, MKIIIPB 759. PBL 06
Command Boat from NAVSCIATTS (far right). Located at
RodmanNavSta Panama. SBU-26 Building in background. |
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MKIV PB
tranisited threw thru the Panama Canal. |
Ramo Raider -
PBL |
Night Gunshoot Lake Gatun |
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PBL patrol |
Latest version of the PBL note arch
modification and radar position.
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SEALs and Boatguys the deadliest combo on water |
PBL carrying SEALs in Panama note name of
Boat Grim
Reaper |
SBU-26's home turf.
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PBR twin 50 gun mount. SBU-26 provided armed
escort for Nuke submarines through Canal transits. |
SEALs inserted by PBR the other PBR
provides cover.
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Gunner fires M60-E3 on PBMK-IV at twilight.
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Panama provided SBU-26 the greatest Training
and Op areas and live fire and explosives were the norm in
training. |
PBLs in a simulated ambush. Responding with
speed and
gunfire.
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1993/4 photo of PBL on Lake Gatun
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PBL patrol heading up river
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Cap explosion at night. Hooyah Napalm!!! |
SBU-26 MTT in Columbia training the host
nation crews on their own boats. |
SBU-26 "Down Range" in Bolivia working with
the
"Blue Devils" |
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Down range in Columbia. SBU-26 on MTT was at
it
best. |
Hot extraction Live fire EX. PBL with SEALs
on board gunners lay down suppressive fire. |
Hot extraction Livefire gunshoot, With SEALs
gone on first PBL the cover boat PBL is laying down
suppressive fire. Note 7.62 Mini Gun aft. |
MKII PBR shows its maneuverability in a high
speed
180 turn. Note weapons on board |
SBU-26 supporting Air Ops on Lake Gatun.
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Photos from Ted Walter |
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| SBU-26 MTT in El Salvador a
Lantana River Patrol Boat. Note Patrol Boats
underway in background. |
SBU-26 MTT El Salvador patrol
boats photo credit Ted Walther |
SBU-26 MTT note twin 50 cal Mgs
on El Salvadore Patrol Boat. |
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HARBOR PATROL UNIT/COMBAT
CRAFT DIVISION (HPU) 1975-1987
The Harbor Patrol Unit (HPU) was established in Panama in 1975
originally drawing active duty Crewmen and Boats from both
East and West coast Coastal River Squadrons during a time
when the U.S. was worried Communism was establishing a
foothold in Central America. Subordinate to USSouthCom, it's
mission the defense of the Canal Zone in Panama. The Panama
Canal was and is one of the worlds most Strategic waterways
in the world and the HPU for years provided waterborne
security that expanded into other missions. In 1987 HPU would
be established as Special Boat Unit-26. |
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The HPU Patch worn by the Boatguys |
HPU developed its own qualification
patches... Blue Star was Combatant Crewman....Red Star was
Boat captain.... White Star was Patrol Officer
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Harbor Patrol Unit - Combat
Craft Division - Naval Station
Panama Canal
HPU - THE BEGINNING -
1978-1987
01-18-09
I’m
QM1 (SW/CC) Howie Nash. I served in
Harbor Patrol Unit (HPU),
Combat Craft Division, Republic
of Panama in the mid 80’s and
SBU-26 of the same locale, in
the early 90's.
THE
BEGINNING
Around 1975-78, the expansion of
Communism in Latin America was
underway. The existence of Fidel
Castro and his government in
Cuba, the election of Salvadore
Allende, a Marxist in Chile, the
rise of Daniel and the
Sandinistas in Nicaragua, and
the Civil War in El Salvador,
was of great concern to the US
government.
Read More Here.
LIFE IN THE LOCKS
HPU was started in 1978, primarily to
provide High Value Transit (HVT) capabilities for US
Navy vessels of sensitive nature transiting the
canal. Most of these vessels where submarines due to
their lack of defensive capabilities when surfaced
and in highly restricted waterways. High profile
ships, such as the Battleships, where also escorted
through.
Read More Here.
Interesting
Facts, HPU and SBU-26, Panama
HPU patch used to
signify different levels of
qualification was authorized
locally in lieu of the Small
Craft/POIC pin. I think between
1973 until late 1984 the pin was
not authorized for issue. So, an
OD patch with a silver PCF . . .
Read More Here. |
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_small.JPG) |
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QM2 Howie Nash, PBR
Boat Capt, 1984. |
1984 Rt to L, Top-
BMCS R. Sulenberger, FN Unknown, EN1 R. Curtis, GMG2
H. Mueller, QM2 H Nash, EN1 R Billetti. BTM- GMG2 L.
Roop, ENFN J. Beavers, LT G. Spears, GMG3 D.
Needham, LT K. Butler, LT D. Johnson |
First Group to receive POIC pin
since the 70's. Rt to Lt - John Litchford, Howie
Nash, Bobbie Pinkerton, Tom Slicker. |
Kindle Liberty 85. |
My First HVT as Boat Capt. (USS
Iowa). |
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Official photo of PB842 taken
by Howie Nash. |
Tom Craig enjoying his first
time in the locks. |
PBR Lift. |
USMC RAC's 1992. |
EM1 Rob Harpel, The
Last PBR Boat Captain. |
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Class of 85 Jungle
Experts |
GMG Tom Craig, Mk56
Gunner and my Main Man on PBR's.jpg |
HVT early 90's. |
Rob Harpel & Henry
Menzel after I 'ambushed' 'em on Rio Indio. |
RIo Congo |
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68PB841 crew Oct 86: L to R Top BM2 Brinkley, GMG2 Lee Estes, EM1
Luis Mutero, EN3 Steve Johnson
L to R Bottom EN3 Mike McClure, QM1 Howie Nash, BM1 Kelly Webb |
Frankenstein, First PBL built from scratch by HPU and NAVSCIATTS |
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10-19-07 My name is
Scott Cruse and I am a retired BM1[sw] who was stationed at
U.S. Naval Station Rodman Panama Canal CZ from 1982 to
1988. I was attached to HPU as a
Boat Crew member and upper gunner of PCF6 , then
Boat Capt of PCF6 and later we became SBU 26.
more photos and stories here |
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HPU MKI and MKII PCFs escorting Sub through
Canal. |
A HPU PCFMKII
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A HPU PCF MKI in the Canal.
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MKIIPBR and MKIPCF in Locks of Panama Canal
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2 HPU PBRs and PCF transit through the Locks
of Panama
Canal |
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PCFMk2 and PBL on Lake Gatun |
HPU Combatant Craft, PBR, PBL and PCF in
Panama |
HPU PCFMKI note its modifications in weapons
mounts and radar up-graded from the Vietnam
version. Escorting Submarines and other Navy Capital ships
thru the Canal would be known as a High Value Transit( HVT) |
Boatguys of HPU Panama. A good view of the
MK-56 Twin 50cal gunmount on PCF MKII |
Ramo Raider PBL This craft was unusual as
gunmounts could be relocated anywhere on a rail system.
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U.S. Army rangers from Fort Sherman transist
on HPU
Swift boat.
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HPU Boat Captain checks alongside tow at
speed of Army
Mars inflatable boat.
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HPU PBL makes high speed run
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HPU Boatguy on PCF ready to return fire with
Blanks on exercise with Army
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HPU Boatcaptain on PCF note OIC Qual Pin on
Chest.
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Added 07-23-08 |
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Added 07-23-08 |
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PBLs make High Speed Run in firing Blanks
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PBRMKII of SBU-26 |
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07-23-08
John Thompson. I spent
some time with BM-1 Scott Cruse in
the Panama Canal Zone. I worked on every
boat they had, PBR, PBL, PB etc...I was
the only machinery repairman (MR)
on Rodman at the time. It was great reading his
article. Loads of memories. I was there when it was
Combat Craft in 1985 and when it later changed to
SBU-26.
Many of the names
in his article Commander Lucas, Webb, |
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Laconte, Fortier, Stoker, Manning...all
good friends. I was there when SBU-26
and Unit-8 went to war during
"Operations Just Cause". I spent some
time with Unit-8 during combat
operations, and later weapons recovery.
Plenty of war stories to tell. I retired
as a Senior Lockmaster in the Panama
Canal Commission in 1996. I really
enjoyed your web site. Great!!
Best
Regards, John Thompson Tel: 985
446-2083 |
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SBU-26 operating in Gatun Locks
Panama Canal |
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(12-20-09)
Jim, That's Kelly driving, alright. The kid on the bow is EN3
Danny Libbell. I can,t recognize the guy with Glasses. The Guy in
the Blue and gols looks like the subs SAR swimmer. The location
would bee the Gaillard Cut known today as the Culebra Cut. To us, It
was just "The Cut" |
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Ramo Raider |
MKIV PB |
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Added 12-11-2010 |
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Patch of the Panama Campaign |
SBU-26 boyz in the jungle |
PBR Coxswain |
Boats of SBU-26 PBMKIV PBR MKII and PBL too bad guns
not mounted |
Bill Harris on PBL
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(Added 01-24-2011)
Thomas Muir, ENC SWCC , Patrol Officer PB, PBR,
PBL Retired - I
was with SBU26 From Sep 87 to Oct 91 And also Feb
95 to Feb 98 When i retired.
tommuir091959@hotmail.com |
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Operation Just Cause History |
PBR Boyz of SBU-26 |
Hot Extraction of SEALS on PBL |
PBL with Mini Gun on stern |
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(below added 04-21-2011) |
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PBR MKII Note MK-19 on Aft Mount |
PBRMKII in Panama |
Great study of a The classic PBR MKII |
Crusin' the Canal |
PBR MKII in Panama Canal |
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Is That Nasty Nash?? |
Driving the PBMKIV in Hot Panama |
PBMKIV and PCF and PBR and PBL leave to conduct a
HVT. |
a Ramo Raider putting on a Demonstration. |
Good study of Ramo Raider |
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HVT in the Canal |
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(added 06-24-2011) |
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SBU-26 Rat and guns guns guns on PBR MkII |
SBU-26 Coastal Div. PBs MKIVs and a III |
PB MKIV escorting a Big Boy |
"The Fog of War" at the Log Jam |
Jungle School Record Holders |
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Harold Ross and da BOYZ |
SBU-26 PBIV in Rough Sea one of the joys of Coastal
Div |
26 PBL nesting with USMC RACs |
SBU-22 came down and worked with 82nd ABN on
Chagres River |
PBL in the Narrows Chagres River |
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26 Boyz on PBL with the Bimini top up. |
SBU22's the Griff EN1 Griffen |
USMC RAC and 26 PBL in 1993 |
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SBU-26 Gunshoot at the log jam |
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(07-20-2011)
Ray Ashcraft EN1 - I arrived at HPU in 1982
as a EN2 and boats engineer on a PCF under CPO Bill
Pressler. I attended the Army's Jungle Warfare
School, with CPO Tony Laconte and about 12 others.
Giant 100 photo page
here. |
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(Added 05-30-2012)
Jim Vann photos |
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My
skull and boom box and 45 Pistol and a truck
steering wheel. |
Firing blanks with M-60 on MATC. |
Live fire 50cal on MATC Panama 1997. |
MATC makes firing run in Panama. |
The Det Skull. I still have to remind me when I was
cool! |
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Det Bravo Billy G-Money Gordon on MATC in the Locks. |
Rounds expended, a good day. Doc, Willie Dockery was
the Best Engineer in world but the worst Line
handler. |
HTV view from a MATC. |
Me on a PBL flying down river in Bolivia. |
PBL 1997. |
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SBU-26 PBMKIV sporting a new Cammo 1997. |
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SBU-22 MATC det in Panama Oct-Dec DET Alpha Jan-Mar
Det Bravo GM2 Tomlin Boatcaptain. RIP Tomcat. |
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(added 10-29-2012)
Brad Oliver 1990-1991 |
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Nesting PBRs |
Truck ride with the Boyz |
Puerto Bello |
PBR in the Panama jungle |
NAVSCIATTS and Noreigia's yachts |
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Captured Noreigia' Yacht |
Deep in the Chagris River |
You'll
never forget the Jungle |
Going up the Chagris |
Lunch |
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PBR insertion |
Rodger Edison and Robert Harpell going thru the
Locks |
Deeper
in |
This and Vampire Bats at Night |
Brad Oliver |
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(added 10-29-2012)
Hoop Adams, ET3, HPU 1981-1984 |
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MCPO Strewart |
PCF-MK1 |
High Value Escort |
HV Escort 2 |
Trip to Honduras |
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I must have past this sign 80 times in the 4yrs I
was at HPU |
Inside a PCF Wild Bill's way of maintaining a tight
boat |
After a Long Hard Day of being a Bad Guy Time to
grill a dead bird .. as the ARMY marches off |
PBR surfing the Swifts wake
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In
the Locks on PCF. Sam Green on Con and Myself and
Lance Shadle handling lines for the lock ride. |
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My Position in Transit .. love my Twins. Twin 50 Cal
MGs on PCF |
Transit back to Rodman after Ops with Tony LaConte |
The ARMY wouldn't play in the rain so we went
fishing |
BMC "Wild Bill" Pressler |
Barnes, Forbes and Spanky |
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First Navy females to go thru the ARMY's Jungle
Expert Training. EN3 Vicky Phelps, GMG2 Kathy
Schwartz, EN3 Linda Giberson, FN Terry Cyrus |
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An
SBU-26 PBR does a Board and search on Tramp
steamer in Panama during Just Cause. |
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(added 04-22-2013)
John Gerving |
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A Puppy and Little girl during Board and Search
during Op. Just Cause. |
PBR Crew post Op. |
Captured Noriga Yacht. |
SBU-26 Rat picture from Hoop Adams. |
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%20Jose%20Trevino.%20My%20Patrol%20Officer.JPG)
%20Dave%20Wilson,%20ET2%20Greg%20Adkins.JPG)
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