A daylight transit on the big north-south canal just east of the village we
called the "Annex" (the village , Ham
Rong, was about 5 km from SEA FLOAT). Both the MSSC and LSSC (to the
rear and right in the photo) are "on-step" and at maximum speed. Note the
7.62mm Mini-gun installation of the MSSC. Photo: Bob Stoner
MSSCs
from detachments "Charlie" and "Bravo" on
the beach at SOLID ANCHOR. EN2 Don King (kneeling) is talking to BM2
Austin Moore (mugging for the camera). Bravo's MSSC is getting
some maintenance done on its radar. Note the scrounged helo gunship
ammo boxes for the M-60 machineguns. Also, the mangled front
steps on the front of Charlie's MSSC. These steps were always
getting damaged or broken and were no help to SEALs on extraction.
Eventually, most dets just rigged a nylon cargo net over the bow to help
the SEALs get aboard. Photo:
Bob Stoner
An
M-60 gunner's perspective of a canal around SOLID ANCHOR. Note the
exposed bank. Operations were scheduled to take advantage of
in-coming tidal waters in the canals. If you were in one of the
smaller versions, and the tide was going out, you'd better get out because
you'd be high and dry until it came back in. Photo:
Bob Stoner
An early
morning extraction of a SEAL squad from the LSSC's perspective. Note
the two blue-lens strobe lights. This was the signal to come in for
the extraction. From the shadows on the water there are at least
four SEALs on the beach. Photo:
Bob Stoner
My
converted A/N M-3 aircraft .50 machinegun on the starboard weapon mount
of the MSSC. Note the ammunition feed arrangement. We used
bungee cords and nylon line to hold the ammo boxes to the outside of the
boat. This is a 426-round ammo box for .50 ammunition. Just
visible to the right is a box for 7.62mm ammo for the M-60. The
ballistic nylon, vinyl-covered "flak blanket" is
laced to the inside of the boat's interior. Underneath the flak
blanket were ceramic armor tiles. Photo:
Bob Stoner
Low tide
at SOLID ANCHOR. The armored troop carriers (ATC or Tango boats) are
beached. The piers at the rear have any assortment of ATCs and PCFs
("Swift" boats). Note the two sandbagged bunkers on the
river bank and the "two hole" head (white shack). The
guard tower at the rear marks the east edge of the base. Across the
canal and in back of it is the camp for the Vietnamese "Kit Carson
Scouts" (KCS), who were ex-enemy soldiers now supposedly working for
the South Vietnamese side. (Right! That's why one of the two
SEAL advisors was always awake while the other slept at their camp.)
Photo: Bob Stoner
The Det. Charlie
MSSC snuggles up to its Det. Bravo
sister at SOLID ANCHOR. The vulnerability of the aluminum boarding
step is clearly shown. My
AN/M-3 .50 is just ahead of the radar mast (side nearest camera).
The barrel of the portside M-2 .50 is at maximum elevation on the far side
of the canopy. The LSSC is in the background. To
the right and rear is what is left of the SEA FLOAT barges. The
local Vietnamese stripped them of their plywood for building materials.
These barges were used to rebuild Song Ong Doc (BREEZY COVE) after it
was destroyed. Photo: Bob Stoner
RM2
Jimmy Wells (left) converses with RD2 "Wally" Wallace (center)
on Det. Charlie's LSSC. The flak jackets in back of
Wallace are piled on the stanchion for the radar which was removed as
unnecessary. This is the usual armament arrangement for our two
LSSCs: two M-60s midships and a .50 BMG aft. Photo:
Bob Stoner
Det.
Charlie's LSSC just pulling back from the insertion of a SEAL
squad somewhere along the Song Cau Lon. This shot was taken from the
MSSC. Photo: Bob Stoner
