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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.
I later qualified and became Boat Captain of PBR
3..I also continued my training under "Wild Bill"
Pressler and eventually became Boat Captain of PCF-5
and was promoted to EN1 and received the Navy
Achievement Medal.
I also received The Small Craft Command Insignia. I
was offered one of the new 68' PBMKIVs that were
coming if I would extend a year.. and like a dumb
ass, did not and I left HPU in Nov 1985. |
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Two unarmed MKII PBRs of HPU |
PBR MKII On step and gunned up |
PCF Swifts of HPU |
PBRs and PCFs were the Workhorses of HPU in the
Canal Zone. |
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PCFMkI on step on river |
Swift boats at sea |
Twin Detroit Diesels Engines powered the PCF |
HPU PCFs two MkIs and a MKII Hull #'s
4, 5 and
6 |
The classic photo of the PBR MKII here in Panama |
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PBR MKII pulls up to the pier. |
The beginning of pulling the boat from water |
Coming
out, note the lifting rig. |
Just
about there. |
The
crane lifts the PBR over the cradle. |
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Swinging her over and around. |
Now they guide her into her cradle. |
Now
the work begins putting her back into shape. |
Boat captain proud of his Texas roots. |
Boathouse of HPU. |
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Cast and recovery off PCF |
Cast
and recovery IBS and PCF |
Kicking
back on towed IBS |
Lounging
in IBS |
Guillermo in IBS |
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Yep..you can eat them. |
Jungle living. |
Going
thru a detainee search. |
Jungle school Grads LT I can't
remember his name but Nice guy. Front row Chief
Lancontte, Ray Ashcraft, GMG2 Wysocki Backrow: En2
Wyatt (Grit) Hart, Instructor, Pinky,or K-Dog and
Guillermo. |
under the Bahia This Op with Doctors
practicing Jungle Medicine. Chief Pressler, Hoop
Adans, and one fine Doc ...LOL
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More HPU Jungle school Grads and Army Instructors. |
Seems like only in Panama do you get such great mix
of people in such as small place. |
High Value Transit (HTV) escorting and force
protection of USN assets transiting through the
Canal. |
Nuke subs like OHIO even got air cover on a HVT. |
HVT
with sub, locks drained and Mr Whitingham and Ray
Ashcraft share a word. |
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Locks full and high. |
HVT
with the Battleship New Jersey. |
A
Battleship is a TIGHT fit in the Locks. |
Going
through the cut and two PBRs flanking. |
Meeting the HVT at sea and all the way thru the
canal and back out to sea. Once released from escort
duty there is a race for Home at Rodman |
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Ramo Raider floats on ocean waiting
to go hot on live fire exercise. |
Some things never change like.. hurry
up and wait. |
Going HOT Ray Ashcraft on 50cal, Howie Nash oversees. |
Mind the swells or you put holes in
water. |
HPU PBR waiting to go Hot with Twin
50s. |
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PBR waiting to go HOT. |
HPR Rats waiting their turn to shoot
and watch the the shoot. |
Bores clear, Rounds expended, Job
satisfaction. |
Ray Shooting a 40mm Grenade from
M-203 off PCF. |
The 50 Cal./ 81mortar Piggyback on
PCF note flash reducer on 50 barrel. |
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Ramo Raider bobs in the waves |
HPU Swifts set smoke float for gun
shoot |
Another HVT..... |
The War Game begins when an Aggressor
boat darts out of Jungle spotted by Helo and PCF |
The Helo on top of the Aggressor boat
as it nears Sub |
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The HPU River boats engage with
firing of Blanks and Maneuvers |
The Aggressor Boat the" Frankenstein"
whaler of HPU its mission is to try to penetrate the
HPU protection and hit the Sub (by throwing flower
sacks at sub to simulate explosives.) |
The aggressor maneuvering and a PBR
on its heels. |
Gunner on PCF tracks and fires M-60
blanks at aggressor boat while the PBR closes in
firing. In reality real bullets would have killed
the aggressor boat early on. |
HPU PBR Patrol. |
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PCF and Aggressor craft at each
others throats. |
PBRs close in on Aggressor craft seen
from PCF. |
PCF approaches the river bank at
night. |
PCF settling in for a night in the
jungle. |
Swift boat moored in jungle. |
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Jungle living. |
Jungle living with all the critters
Howling Monkeys, cutter ants, vampire bats and the
list goes on. |
Taking a nooner in the PCF. |
Killing time in a Swift boat. |
Chief Wild Bill Pressler. |
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PCF 5 a MkI Swift Boat at HPU. |
PCF - I started out as engineer on
here later Boatcaptain. |
The main Craft of HPU, the PBR and
PCF. |
PCF surfing the wake of another. |
Anything
mechanical will break PCF-9. The MKIIP CF under tow. |
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PCF in the wake. |
A
Rat a PCF and a PBR. |
Armed SWIFT boats get underway from
Rodman. |
Ramo Raider alongside PCF. |
Panama and here comes Trouble! |
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The HPU PCK MkI was different from
Vietnam PCFs as you can tell from radar and the MK56
Twin 50cal MGs. |
Riding the wake near Pearles Islands. |
Getting ready to tow local native
boat. |
Bring Navy Doctors Back to PCF after
visiting a Village. |
The high speed tow. |
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Woman
and son approach PCF near Miguel de La Lorda. |
"Hoop" Adams on M-60 on modified
stantion on PCF. |
Ray in the Rain and a cigarette. |
Panama Weather. Awsome water spout
behind Bridge of the Americas. |
San Lorenzo on mouth of the Chargres
River was captured by the Pirate Henry Morgan in
the 1680s |
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Ray
Ashcraft and Wyatt Hart receive their Small Craft
Insignia from the Brass. |
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Ray
Ashcraft receives the Navy Achievement Medals for
services at HPU. |
Ray
Aschroft is Pinned with the small Craft insignia for
command of a Combatant craft for over six Months. |
PCF
doing a high speed tow with native boat. |
There she is!!! PBR1 drifted away after getting
loose from her mooring lines.
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PBR1 high and dry being examined after escape from
the Navy. |
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