01-02-07 -
When I first got to CRD-11 in 1972 - along with about 25 MK
II PBRs and
two MK Is - we had two ASBPs (don't recall the numbers), as
well as
CCB-18, along with 2 older LCM version of the ATC.
Additionally we had
two PCFs - a MK 1 and a MK-22 (828).
The MATC arrived in late 1973 or early 1974. Most of us
didn't much
like the MATC - too open - needed foul weather gear in a
slight chop.
They didn't dig in like a PBR would in a high speed turn -
mostly just
slid around.
Jerry |
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PN1-Popovice SBU-11, 1974 |
EN1 Gaunce conducting agressor briefing |
Popovice onSBU-11 PBR 723 |
Popovice conducting agressor force briefing |
/PBRs
204 and 723 at NAS Alameda 1974 |
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SBU-11 agressors 1974 |
QM2 Fuchseland SBU11 co-agressor 1974 |
SBU-11 US Customs Training 1976 |
SBU-11 Finger Pier Mare Island 1974 |
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SBU-11 PBRs on the Columbia River 9/1974 |
SBU_11 PBRs @ Lake Chelan, WA 9/1974 |
SBU-11 PBR 336 en-route to Lake Chelan, WA 1974 |
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SBU-11 PBRs at Lake Chelan,WA 1974 |
FN Lopez and SK3 Balcazarw SBU-11 PBR 336, Lake Chelan, WA
1974 |
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SBU-11 HQ Building Mare Island 1975 |
SBU-11 Awards presentation 1975 |
SBU-11 Commendation presentation |
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| Q: When
asked about wearing the black Berets:
A: In answer to your questions
regarding the berets:
Initially, in early 1973, only those
individuals who actually served in-country, who were
authorized to wear the Combatant Craft Crewman pin
individuals with at least 6 months duty in a combat zone
aboard a Riverine type craft), were permitted to wear the
berets - but only around the compound or out on the boats
(since Navy Uniform Regs did not recognize the beret as part
of the uniform - NAVBASE Mare Island would not allow us to
wear them around the base.)
In 1974, when BUPERS authorized the 9533, only those of us
who received that code were permitted to wear the berets,
and again, only around the compound or when we were on the
boats. It was also at this time that the command developed
the look-alike Combat Craft Crewman patches worn over the
right breast pocket - red for Crewman, black for Boat
Captain, and white for Patrol Officers.
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Attached is a
picture taken in January 1976 - the first Patrol Officer
Course for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.The CRD-11
instructor personnel are: Lower left - BMC Gadsden, lower
right - LCDR Callaway. 2nd row, left to right, BM2 Andrews,
EN2 Kuhlman, PN1 Popovice, EN2 Morelock, ET2 Shindeldecker.
To the extreme right, 2nd row, CDR Dunbar. You will notice,
since it was an official U.S. Navy photograph, that we wore
the utility cap and not a beret, even though we were in the
compound area.
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The students in
the picture were U.S. Customs and Border Patrol personnel.
There were two courses held in 1976 for the Customs and
Border Patrol - the second one was in June of that year. We
taught the same curriculum to these folks that we previously
taught the Malaysians, Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Thais.
Early in 1976 we started the administrative process that
would establish the criteria allowing the wearing of the
Combatant Craft Crewman pin for all individuals who attained
the 9533 SNEC. The request was later submitted to BUPERS and
the Uniform Board for approval. I believe it was in1978 that
BUPERS finally authorized the wearing of the Combatant Craft
Crewman pin for those who had earned the 9533 SNEC.
I was directly involved in both the admin process as well as
the qualification requirements for both the SNEC and the
Combatant Craft Crewman pin for non-combat personnel.
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| In one of your
recent e-mails you mentioned about the "heavies" at
SBU-11...thought you would like to see the picture of the
ASPB that I've attached. Hope that
answers your question. Don't hesitate to ask if you need
additional information or clarification.
Take care. - Jerry |
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My 3 1/2+ years that I spent
at CRD-11 were some of the best years in my 20+ year Navy
career.In 1977
I returned to CRD-11 to
reenlist on board a PBR- this would be my last reenlistment
before transferring to the Fleet |
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Reserve. My CO
at the P-3 squadron, to which I was attached, allowed one of
our pilots and crew to fly me to Travis AFB in one of our
birds. From there CDR DUNBAR (the then COMCOSRIVDIV-11)
arranged for transportation to Mare Island and the PBR that
we used for the swearing in ceremony. I've attached a couple
of pictures of that event. The officer administering the
reenlistment oath was my Department Head - he was also the
P-3 pilot.
Take care. - Jerry |
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Jim - As
for your question about the Aggressors. We used one -the old
36 foot, wooden hulled boat. I believe the call sign was
J-13. Most of the time we just worked from the shore or used
small skiffs and ZODIACs to do our dirty deeds. Because the
old junk was so slow (only had a 6-71 - single screw) we
used it primarily as a diversion during exercises.
While I was there we had two locations for our aggressor
camps - one right across the slough from "Base Camp"
(which was erected by NIOTC and quite comfortable - that one
we
could access via POV - which we demolished in late 1973 or
early 1974 because the land owner (State of California)
wanted us out of there. The second one was established on
privately held land with two new metal pre-fab buildings up
the slough from Base Camp towards Suisun City - on the same
side of the slough as Base Camp (that way we could mess with
the "good guys" without using boats).
There were times that we would insert our aggressor groups
just off I-680 by truck and walk to Hunters Cut, the Base
Camp or other areas where we could initiate ambushes as
called for by the OP Orders.
As aggressors we lived a fairly good life. Since we were
mostly in some sort of civilian clothes during the day we
would be able to go into town for food, etc., or even back
to the base to take care of various issues and then come
back at dusk and to "do our thing"...
Jerry |
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