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Strike Assault Boat Squadron Twenty
STABRON20

OVERVIEW

By Ken Burkett

STABRON 20 was the brain child of Vice Admiral Zumwalt.  He and his staff were impressed with the 16 LSSC’s that had been built by Grafton Boat Company for the US Navy SEALS. Vice Admiral Zumwalt wanted a small quiet stealth craft with high speed and maneuverability that was capable of being airlifted by helicopter into remote zones to deliver quick deadly attacks on unsuspecting enemy targets. 
 

In 1969, a $2.2 million dollar contract was issued to Grafton Boat Company in Grafton, Illinois, for construction of 22 new aluminum hulled Strike Assault Boats to be known as STABS.  These boats were built in an abbreviated 90 day schedule. Grafton used the proven 24 foot SEAL LSSC design but added two 427 ci  Mercruiser III engines with stern drives and propellers instead of water jets. Grafton added 3 flotation boxes to the stern and added tubing between the flotation boxes to protect the stern drives and propellers.  This increased the overall length of the STAB to 26 feet 2 inches long. Grafton still used the 24 foot designation of the LSSC attaching hull numbers of 24UB7001 thru 24UB7022 to the STAB hulls which caused much confusion between the LSSC and the STAB in later years. Twenty of these boats, STABS,  did service in Vietnam hence the name of our unit becoming STABRON 20. Two of these craft remained in NIOTC for training purposes.

CDR John Kirk Ferguson was chosen to command STABRON 20 and the Officers and crews were trained in four waves at NIOTC in the Mare Island Naval Station, Vallejo, California, as STAB 1 thru 4.  Even though all of the boats being built were not completed in November of 1969, STAB 1 and STAB 3 were deployed early to Vietnam and were sent TAD to PBR, RAC and Operation Duffle Bag units until the 20 boats arrived in Vietnam by mid February 1970.  Only STAB 2 personnel were used as security for the transportation of twenty STAB boats aboard the USS Tioga County (LST 1158) to Dong Tam, South Vietnam.  The STAB 4 personnel arrived in Vietnam at approximately the same time as the boats.  All TAD STAB personnel were relocated to the USS Benewah and the 20 STABS began operations. The STABS were the fastest boats in the Brown Water Navy and we delighted in out running, SWIFT boats, LSSC’s and literally running circles around the PBR’s in the Mekong River. STABRON 20 operated as part of Operation Barrier Reef on the Grand Canal, the May, 1970 Cambodian invasion, Operation Tran Huong Dao EIGHT out of Dong Tam and as shipping protection on the 25 mile Long Tan shipping channel. STABRON 20 performed multiple roles in Vietnam including ambushes (Water Bourne Guard Posts), vessel searches on many waterways, ARVIN, PF and SEAL insertions, and shipping protection to name a few. STABRON 20 was never operated by SEALS but worked with SEALS stationed in the Dong Tam region.  At the end of our deployment in October, 1970, the STABS of STABRON 20 were packed up and returned to the USA by LST and the unit was disbanded. 

STABRON 20 may have been one of the most fortunate Brown Water Navy units in Vietnam suffering 4 KIA’s and one Medevac during our tour.  I still believe it was due in part to our high speed, low silhouette,  and the super quiet operation of our boats.  I am proud to have been a small part of this highly specialized, short lived unit.

● Download the complete unit history HERE.

The STABRON20 Vietnam tour video is composed  of 1085 images set to music. This .wmv video will play for 1 hr 15 minutes and is 451mb in size. It may take up to an hour to download, depending on your broadband speed and video  player.

Nightmares  I was born and reared in Tennessee doing my patriotic chore never scared me When my country called it was clear this proud young man would volunteer I left my home and my family and marched off to war oh so proudly but I could not see and no one could tell that we were all marching straight into hell War so long in the past I never dreamed the nightmares would last but like a tired old song they still come and haunt me all night long I still see clearly the eyes of the dead each night as I toss and turn in bed Savagely we fought shoulder to shoulder I was only nineteen but they never grew any older War so long in the past I never dreamed the nightmares would last We may not have smelled the brimstone but believe me that old devil was right at home With all the bleeding, suffering and dying at times there seemed to be no hope yet we kept right on trying War so long in the past I never dreamed the nightmares would last Should my country call again "Hell Yes!" I will answer but next time I hope and pray they let us fight to win. William “Tennessee” Davidson STABRON 20 (1969-1970) Written 1984