When The US Coast Guard Broke an Entire Foreign Country
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- The tropical heat was unbearable. Despite being inside a cutter with the air conditioner turned on, the Coast Guardsmen were sweating profusely. The eight-man crew had been inspecting Vietnamese sampans the whole day.
The men aboard the Point White cutter were part of Operation Market Time, a joint US Navy and Coast Guard program with the objective to cleanse the rivers and coasts of South Vietnam of enemy contraband.
Suddenly, a lone sampan emerged from the river, and one of the Americans shouted to stop as they approached the local vessel to inspect it.
The men quickly aimed their rifles at the Vietnamese, while others prepared to board the vessel. The North Vietnamese were known to hide between civilian fishermen and take the Americans by surprise. The operation was risky, but someone had to do it.
It was now time for another inspection.
Thank you for covering this. The Coast Guard/Revenue Cutter Service has been involved in every conflict this country has been in after the Revolutionary War, yet rarely gets a mention. Retired Coastie here, Semper Paratus.
Thank you for your service. Former USAF here, but my daughter chose a Coastie career and is now commander of Coast Guard Sector Anchorage.
Former MK2 here. It's very cool when we actually get a little sunshine ain't it?
@@mudhutproductions yes it is. Thank you for your service.
@@Bdub1952 Thank you for your service as well. Been to Anchorage a few times, tho not recently.
They were really after during D-Day when the Invasion Took Pl., France. Really interesting. The Coast Guard I’m referring to.
I was in the CG much later than Vietnam, but was on a 1943 era cutter in the Carib in the 80s. The AC was a basic swamp cooler unit that isn't very efficient in humid conditions at sea. A ship is a metal box that generates heat 24/7 from the engines. We woke covered in sweat, we worked in sweat all day and since we didn't make water like navy ships we were limited to 60 second "sea showers" every 48 hours. A lot of us just slept on deck, laying on the non-skid with a jacket or the like as our pillow for weeks at a time. It was well over 100 degrees down below in the berthing compartments. Our ops area was usually the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. We'd hide behind Mona Island and then shoot out to intercept any vessel trying to make the pass. You get into a routine where you lived by short stretches of sleep whenever you had a chance, those interrupted by boardings at all hours of the day and night. There is little danger in a drug boarding because you have a couple of M2s pointed at every vessel you board. What are they going to do? I'm sure conditions were the same in Vietnam, with the added burden of real danger on each boarding. Exhausted young men with M16s and shotguns boarding vessel after vessel.
Damn that sucks.. why weren’t you allowed to take dips into the ocean more often?? You’d think you should be allowed to do it whenever you feel it’s safe and not a detriment to operational tempo.
@@CKpremium1992 We did. Somebody with a rifle on the bridge wings for shark watch and we'd get a swim call.
@@kodiakkeith well that’s good. Id be jumping in every chance I got if I were you. But lol Friggin shark watch 😂 so those waters were pretty shark infested huh?? Talk about sketchy.
Nothing I hate more than humidity. Cali had a recent triple digit heatwave combined with 82%~ humidity. No AC. So I got a taste of what you were talking about. 😬
@@CKpremium1992 Yes the Caribbean is full of sharks. I've seen large mako's, tigers, bulls though usually closer to shore, further out a great white once, blue dogs, and Oceanic white tips etc.
We forget the Coast Guard is also a military force , we often only see them as the amazing search and rescue work they do.
They probably go through more risk and hazards than most Navy personnel over a career. Smaller boats, and they go out in just about any kind of condition, and that's all the time, not just during a war.
That's because the Coast Guard's primary role isn't national defense and doesn't operate under the USN or USNR. They are in fact under the Dept. of Transportation and only become involved in military operations when called on.
@@beebop9808 USCG operates under the US Navy in time of war.
@@beebop9808 USCG is now under Department of Homeland Security (DHS) since 2003. If you're interested, look up all the things that the Coast Guard did in war especially WWII.
@Bee Bop I do believe they were part of the Treasury Dept, not Transportation until 1967 then transferred to the Dept of Transportation. They were 1st established to intercept rum runners during prohibition.
Now, their mission is DHS, 2003.
I was Army 27 years and had opportunities to work closely with every branch and respected them all highly. The COASTIES, change from military to DOT/DHS a lot, but, I really respect them as brothers and sisters with a truly honorable mission and they are absolute professionals. Any Coasties here, SALUTE from a former Infantryman.
Back at you bro!
We didn’t change a lot, we’ve always been a part if the military and switched from DOT to DHS in 2003, this happened a little over a year after I joined.
@@extractedentertainment8213 Well, there was never a doubt in my mind about the quality, integrity and honor of the Coasties. I actually had a guy in my platoon when I was young (1983, my 2nd yr in) who was a Coastie in Vietnam. You drive on and be proud when you look in that mirror Wildman. My best from Bogota!
@@alabamacoastie6924 Thank you! My family! Every branch has its own mission and are very good at it. We may pick on each other in peace time, get in stupid fights etc., but at the end of the day, LOL, do not try that if you arent one of us or all of us will line up! You take care! PS: First time I went to Alabama was by parachute from Fort Benning. In the Infantry, we called it Fort "Beginning". SALAUTE!
Retired USCG LT (O3E) 24 1/2 years. Thank you all veterans.
As a Vietnam vet I either forgot or never knew the Coast Guard had units in Vietnam, much to my surprise. Way to go, Coasties! And forgive me- I’m getting old and my memory is fading, brothers and sisters. It’s been 50- some years ago now.
That's OK as I am 76 and was there in 68 and 69 on The Coast Guard High Endurance Cutter Wachusett W-44 and my whole life later people would ask me "What was The Coast Guard doing in Viet Nam ?? I tell them you had to be there~!! Take Care Brother Viet Vet~!
You guys didn’t get enough credit. I’m army now for over a year, thanks for putting your time in. Essayons
Thanks from a former Coastie!
You should meet our snipers.
They're on another level.
I did not know that the Coast Guard was that involved in Vietnam. Thank You for taking the time to make this video.
They often co deploy with the navy and handle ship boarding and searches in support to the navy's missions. They are also the only force authorized to carry out these missions in most US controlled waters.
Thanks for the coverage , approx 8,000 Coast Guardsmen served in Vietnam out of 38,000 at that time ( 1out of 5 ) EM-2 ( 70 to 74 )
I was a third class Radarman on The High Endurance Cutter "Wachusett" W-44 in Viet Nam and supported The Navy Swift Boats with Medical Care and Supplies and they would tie-up to us at night to rest and go up the rivers again at day break. Operation Market Time 1968-69. Swift Boats were Bad Ass~!!
Great Video and brought back tons of memories and thanks~!
Never underestimate the coasties! As if their maritime search and rescue work, often done in extremely hazardous conditions, isn't enough, their role in coastal defense, drug interdiction and other areas has repeatedly shown that under their "nice" image as maritime first responders is a tough military force to be respected and, if you're on the wrong side of the law, feared. In Canada we just marked the 105th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion. On that morning a US Coast Guard vessel was in the harbour and in the aftermath she and her crew rendered critical assistance to that devastated city. Semper Paratus, and thanks.
Dark docs are SOOO good. You are my guilty pleasure.
And that classic narrator voice, so soothing.
True...like vocal bourbon
@@simonyoung1265 🥃🤙
There were also high endurance cutters in VN. I served on the Taney much later, 1976, but it was in VN as were others. I also heard stories from many who served there about 378 footers as well as the 327s.
@Agile Malinois, I found the hull of what presumed to be a steel hull of a motorised catamaran over 30 years ago on the Mekong near Luang Prabang in Northern Laos over 30 years ago. Everything had been stripped but the hull was in good shape. Any idea what she may have been?
Don't forget the 210's!
We were there on a 255ft. WHEC-44 in 68 and 69 and she was a High Endurance Cutter also.
Love that shot of a bearded, slightly chubby, but well-muscled Coastie holding a Thompson submachine gun (5:20). He looks seriously unwilling to take crap from anybody.
My ship the USS Higbee, DD 806 a Gearing class Destroyer (seen firing a broadside) and the USS Black, DD 666 a Fletcher class destroyer were the first ships to conduct Market Time ops. We operated until the Cutters could be brought from the US and deployed. I remember it well. The shipfitters had to weld tripods on the bridge wings for the M2HB fifties. We had nothing smaller than the 5"/38's.
No oerlikons?
@Amistrophy No, in 1963 the Higbee went through a FRAM Mk1 modification at Hunters Point Naval shipyard in San Francisco. The superstructure was razed down to the main deck and it main mission was antisubmarine. So only two of the three 5"/38' mounts were retained, one on the bow & one on the stern. Amidship was an ASROC missile launcher and a DASH Helicopter pad was on the o1 deck w/hanger. None of the original armament remained except for the two 5"/38 gun mounts. Just above the fwd gun mount on the 01 deck was a triple tube ASW torpedo launcher, one port, one starboard.
@@skipperclinton1087 My dad served aboard a Gearing-class.....USS Harwood (DD-861).
@Douglas Iles Interesting fact: Gearing's are a Sumner class with a 40' hull section welded into them for extended range for more fuel capacity.
The Arleigh Burke class DDG's now are the size of pre WWII Portland class heavy cruisers. Almost three times the weight of Sumner & Gearings and about 250' longer.
@@skipperclinton1087 when it came to tin cans, my dad started out on the Laffey (DD-724), then the Cromwell (DE-1014), then Harwood , and finally Dahlgren (DLG-12).
Just joined the U.K. Coastguard and I can honestly say that while awareness is generally improving most people still have no idea how much the service is called upon on a daily basis
Are y’all gonna stop the Boat People? It’s grossly unfair that illegal aliens are put up in 4- or 5-Star hotels in Britain.
@@jaybee9269 Not our role/purpose to decide who is rescued, that’s down to the U.K. Borderforce. Coastguard and RNLI rescue anyone in distress regardless of nationality or ethnicity.
It's good you keep this info alive. Viet Nam was hell for so many American's in the field and back at home, not to mention the hell brought upon the innocent people of Viet Nam. It is important this new generation of Americans witness the war and its effects on the nations involved. To this day, the damage continues.
That was a wonderful documentary. Thankyou
I knew Coast Guard was badass.
As a former "Coastie" I'd say you are correct. Been there, done that. Surfed it. 🏂...
@@billhart4710 Thank you for your service!
I was in the Coast Guard in Vietnam in 1970-71. This was very well done. Very accurate.
Side note: The boats CG number, first two numbers indicate the length of the boat. i.e. CG 82XXX means 82 foot cutter.
That's right! It applies only up to 95XXX (95 foot) hull numbered vessels of that era. I'm not certain what the current hull numbering scheme is, as the USCG replaced the 82 foot and 95 foot WPB's with a 110 foot class.
Additional side note: All CG vessels 65 feet and longer are called "cutters"; less than 65 feet and they're called "boats".
M16A2 was not introduced until 1981, and was not adopted by the Army until 1982 - long after the Vietnam War
I’m sure he meant to say M16 and M16A1.
I thought the same thing.
Would like to see an entire video of the hovercrafts used in Vietnam.
Laz: I saw them operating in the Delta. They couldn't sneak up on a glass of water! Noisy!
Thanks Skipper!
The USCG is a really underrated service
The USCG never gets enough credit for their contributions to our nation's military efforts.
Awesome video, I need to give that book a read
I was surprised to hear that Canada's Navy had a footprint there.
“…and most importantly, air conditioning. “
Humidity was awful, and the bugs!
These videos are top notch.
Best In Class, Best Overall... Well, I dunno. Perun is pretty good, too.
As Reagan said, the Coast Guard is the hard core around which the US Military is formed!
Quite possibly the dumbest man to ever ascend to the presidency until Trump.
@@keithsimpson2150 - I think you might be biased.
The Navy, not the Military as a whole.
Reagan said it was " . . . the hard nucleus around which the Navy is formed". I may be paraphrasing a bit but it was "hard nucleus" or "hardened nucleus" in that speech. President Biden also used the term when he gave the commencement speech to the 2021 Coast Guard Academy class.
Right on, good one!
At the coast guard Boot Camp, there’s a whole building dedicated to one of the members of Operation Market Time, Jerry Goff
If I remember right he preformed a similar action as Douglas Monroe, maneuvering his boat to assist a group of assist South Vietnamese Troopers
@@damoriejenkins4175 yup, and he lived to tell the tale. When the building dedicated to him opened up, Jerry Goff was there to inaugurate it.
hey just a thought, but two to three word transition slides do not need narration
Top notch episode
My high-school coach/principal (it was a small 1a school in North Central Texas)
Was in the Coastguard during this time.
He only mentioned it once and never again.
I'm immensely proud of my USCG service, tho no combat. I was on the USCG Confidence in Bering Sea Fisheries Patrol. Then to AD School at CGAS Elizabeth City, NC. Thence to CGAS Barber's Pt., HI. Pac Basin SAR on C-130's.
I was imagining a coast guard cutter hitting a small island and it just splitting like an iceburge lol
More coast guard videos please
Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up
Reminiscent of the "Junk Patrols" waged late in the Pacific War. Cod's final patrol was a Junk patrol we gunned down 26. What's sad is many of them had no say in the matter of transporting contraband and we sank their homes. Their way of living. We even had the famous "lost boarding party" event that patrol where a Zero jumped us and we had to dive. BLENNY found them, thank goodness. The crew transfer can be found on UA-cam, in color.
Whoo. That Hovercraft looks just like an SRN5?
At that time, the CG came under authority of the Department of Defense, not the Department of Transportation (the department that then during peacetime was in charge). Over the years, the CG has been under various departments, but in any time of war, the CG can again come under the Dept. of Defense. Why is this important? Mainly because of money. But is is also important because of coordination between the various branches (Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines) that Dept. of Defense authority offers.
"Mainly because of money"? Dude. Nothing is more important in the military than the chain of command, and during war, it's important that there be as few links as possible. Military forces are gathered under one command because it works better than having a bunch of uncoordinated forces running around.
@@eveningstarnm3107 I think you misunderstood. In peacetime, the CG has very little money. But when they are under the DOD, money flows and they can get things done they can't do in peacetime.
@@moodberry Coastie here, we got a lot more money since we became DHS but we're still not take seriously by Congress.
We can't stop all the smuggling of opioids and people but we're trying with what little we have and the massive demands put on by Congress which ranges from port security to stopping illegal Chinese fishing vessels and search and rescue.
@@MasonA2358 Yes, more money doesn't equal more results. It helps, but in fact, what we really need are more Coasties and more boats. Doing more with less, or even existing, resources can only go so far. If you stretch people too far they make mistakes, or quit trying. Right now, it is hard to get into the CG. Not saying they should make it easier, but they should open more billets so that recruiters can say "Come over here, don't go to those "other" branches"!
@@moodberry Yeah, no, I didn't misunderstand. I think you missed the point.
What an impossible war.......
America failed the war politically, military wise they won the war contrary to what people believed. The American ran out of will to fight and that was the Vietnamese’s goal the entire time. This would later be repeated by the Taliban, it’s oddly similar to how both war ended down to some minute details.
@@dannyzero692
I agree with you especially in a day and age where everyone's stories can be seen and heard and loss and misconduct can be displayed on the world stage. In a democracy/republic, if the people as a whole decide that the war is no longer just or is too costly in terms of lives and resources, they'll want out. Politicians who view otherwise will eventually be voted out, forced to resign, get impeached, or even face prosecution. (Though that's unlikely.)
Coasties do so much! Thank you!
Ahh yes the Tom Kin sub machine gun…
Not the Thompson, no no no… The "Tom Kin…"
my father was on point class cutters. amazing boats
Nice seeing PBRs as well even though they weren’t in Use until 67
With coastal forces out of Can Tho, in '66, i used a Stoner 63. Never saw an M16 when I was there. We seperated the mortar from the "ma deuce" and mounted it on the rail ( both port and starboard mounts) by itself so we could skip low rounds into heavily foliaged river banks.
Thank you. The Coast Guard is overlooked and mocked all the time. It's good to finally see their stories.
I think people say the Coast Guard is mocked more than they are actually mocked. I've literally never even seen a negative comment about them in the comment section.
Coasties are indeed a different breed among our military. They make us land lubbers in the military look like brainless barbarians that only needs to be pointed which direction the fray is compared to their vigilant professionalism
This retired Coastie thanks you;).
Sorry, but the United States did not issue the M-16A2 until 1983 to the USMC, and 1986 to the US Army
Please do a video about Laffey(Benson class destroyer)
SEMPER PERATUS!
GUNNER MATE'S RULE!
Semper Paratus,
Sorry Guns,
Boatswains Mates rule. ;-)
Naw fuck that gun's don't listen to ol' boats over there. Death By Destruction any day!
@@rafalganowicz1939 ? Maybe???
But y'all are there to get the guns into position! HA HA!!??
@@rebelbatdave5993 DAMN, I almost miss the rating bashing. :-)) twenty years was a long time ago.
@@rafalganowicz1939 AMEN TO THAT!
SEMPER PERATUS!
How do you Botch my last name and arguably the most iconic looking SMG? Tompkins SMG lmfao.
Much love for the coasties after helping while guiding our sister ship USS GEORGIA through the strait of Hormuz.
Coasties!
My Dad was a flight engineer in a P2 (unpressurized) and P3 (pressurized) in Vietnam. His crew was awarded medals for spotting a Russian submarine and calling it in to be destroyed. He says as they flew by and photographed it, the gun barrels on the top deck followed them as they went by but never fired. He also said when they switched to the P3 their rifles were taken away and they were given 1911 pistols instead, 1 hour in country the whole crew “acquired” whatever armaments they wanted from grunts on the ground! During landings with the P2, one crew member would spray the tree lines next to the airfield with an M60 to keep “one shot Charlie” from shooting at the plane.
During the Tet Offensive, Vietcong ran through the airfield rapidly dropping satchel chargers in random places. He remembers one satchel charge blew up the restroom in one hanger that he was headed to just before the attack commenced.
Coastie here, the mission is now larger and global , we got a lot more money since we became DHS but we're still not take seriously by Congress.
We can't stop all the smuggling of opioids into the US and people but we're trying with what little we have and the massive demands put on by Congress which ranges from homeland port security to stopping illegal Chinese fishing vessels and search and rescue.
Semper Paratus, and carry on, smartly, shipmate.
The M16a2 was not available until Feb 1982. You probably meant M60 machine-gun.
Your writers need to fact check. Thompson SMGs, not Tompkins. Highly unlikely that the Coasties were issued M16A2 rifles in the 1960’s since that model wasn’t developed for issue until 1979 with the DoD officially adopting it in 1983.
24yr USCG Retired. I remember those days
Ah the war on Drugs that's been another smashing success, right?
Mike: Success at eating up a lot of money and not stopping sh..t!
The war on drugs is a lie.
Now you're talking politics. That's a different subject, isn't it? Someone else has probably done a video about it. This video isn't one of them.
MK1 1979 to 2000 proud to serve.
One of the ironies of Viet Nam was that a lot of men enlisted in the CG to avoid the draft thinking they would avoid combat guarding the coast. Turns out, because of the small boat expertise of the service, they wound up doing some of the most dangerous work in the whole war. I didn't get in until the mid 70s but we heard a lot of stories from more senior personnel who had been there running up and down the rivers supporting ground troops.
HA HA HA this is exactly what happened to me. I remember mailing a letter in a post office that had the recruiters offices for the various services in one section of the building. (By that time I was 17 and had drawn # 100 on the draft lottery, which meant unless I went to college I would be drafted into the Army.)
Anyway, after mailing the letter I saw the Coast Guard office that had a poster of a boat speeding across the water, a helicopter flying, and other action stuff. That poster worked. On seeing it I stuck my head into the recruiter's office and lamely asked "Are you open?" (I imagine him thinking "Well yeah dumb ass, the door is open; that's the universal sign that an office is open.")
One of the first things he said: "Only 3% of the Coast Guard goes to Vietnam." He then said a lot of guys know that so they are trying to get in, but to weed out the bad ones you have to take a test and pass it with an 80%. So I took the test right then and there. He called a week later to proudly say I passed and asked when do I want to be sworn in.
I did well in boot camp, scored and placed in the top five graduates, so I got to choose my first duty station. I chose Hawaii, which sounds like a smart move, but it turned out to be a BIG mistake.
While I was leading the Life of Reilly in Hawaii (mowing lawns during the day, banging beaver at night in our station vehicle), an emergency a single billet for Vietnam duty was sent to the commanding Admiral in Hawaii. (That's how small the Coast Guard was and remains, that the commanding Coast Guard commodore in Vietnam put in a request for a lone E3 seaman rank to report for duty in Vietnam.)
Trivia: The commodore rank is in effect a one-star admiral, but in the Navy and Coast Guard the rank is "commodore." The U.S. land and air services call the rank "brigadier general."
I had three hours notice I was going. I want everyone to know I did valiantly try to get out of going. My effort went something like this:
Lt. Commander: Pack your stuff, you have been selected to go to Vietnam. Your ride to the airport leaves in three hours. Here's your orders.
Me: I can't do that sir.
Lt. Commander: This isn't voluntary, but I'm curious, why not?
Me. Well sir, I have two washing machines filled with my clothes. I can't pack and also get that laundry dried in time.
Lt. Commander: So you want me to tell the Commodore that cannot do as he has ORDERED because you're doing your laundry?
Me: I'll pack the wet clothes in plastic trash bags; may I go sir?
So I loaded up my sea bag with WET laundry (making it weigh double what it should have been), caught a Pan Am jet to Subic Bay, Philippines, where the base laundry dried all my stuff and neatly folded everything, for about $2. From there it was to Saigon, then flew on a C-47 (DC3) to my boat.
Bottom Line: Had I not chosen Hawaii out of boot camp I would not have been there for easy pickings to head off for Vietnam (trivia: the reason the Commodore in Vietnam chose someone in Hawaii, well, that would cost less for travel to get the Coastie to Vietnam. I didn't know the Coast Guard was so desperate for cash).
@@FoundingUA-camr-2005 something similar happened to me when I picked CG Air station San Diego out of boot camp in '76. Living the life in the sun until 10 months later when they needed 3 nonrates for operation deepfreeze on the CG Cutter Glacier out of Long Beach.
I like the President Nixon reference. Now that we see what he was up against, no one can blame him for playing the Ds at their own game.
Coast guard underrated
Did anyone else see that terrible trigger control? Dude is just casually resting his grubby fingers on the trigger.
There was no M 1682 rifles in Vietnam since this is the prayer of the 1980s most beautiful rifle ever made by the way
It is a real stretch to send your own coast guard to another country
Why? They got a Coast don't they?
Ironically, the only casualties the Coast Guard suffered in Operation Market Time was at the hands of the U.S. Air Force. Look up the CGC Pt. Welcome.
That was the biggest casualties, but not the only ones. A few crew from other cutters were KIA from small arms fire, and a couple of CG pilots flying Air Force helos were shot down and killed.
@@1976Boats I know about the CG pilots and the Pt. Welcome. And you are correct, there were a couple of other Coast Guardsmen killed. I should have said, "the most casualties suffered at one time."
Guess you'll have to do a another video about the PBRs
I'm sure there's a documentary about Pabst beer somewhere. 😁😁
How were m16a2 issued in Vietnam?
Video about the coast guard academy please!!
Good video for the most part. Forgive an old sailor but at numerous times and points in this video the term "swift boat" is used to ID the vessel type and it's missions when the screen is showing tape of a PBR. They are not the same type, make nor did they have identical "load outs". I should know. I drove a squadron of PBR's at one point.
Never get out of the boat.
Eyes on the boat!! Firefirefire!!!
They should have built an airboat with a single 30mm autocannon or atleast a 40mm Bofors setup for direct fire in the quad setup, on an airboat would have been awesome, the buoyancy is good enough a small arms shield could probably be installed on the base hull......
What is that boat in the thumbnail?
Imagine if the leaders were as good as the service men they might not have lost the war.
Imagine if the US has dropped Atom bombs instead.
While the politicians did contribute to the failure in Vietnam, they were far from being the only significant factor.
@@bufordhighwater9872 How so ?
@@sauravrollins6779 That would have been a bigger loss.
@Mr. Kim Civilians were not in control of war plan , intelligence , allocation of the army navy air force , final objectives , logistics or any of the critical decisions to win this conflict . The leaders had total control meaning the decision makers at the top.
Ah yes, the famous Tomkin sub-machine gun. This guy's good for at least one flub per video.
Sometimes, more than one flub. Without basic knowledge of recent history, it might be easy to assume Market Time saved the Saigon regime from being over run and that the War on Drugs has given us a society free of illicit drugs.
Indeed. “sailors” are part of the U.S. Navy, not the US Coast Guard. I doubt that a USCG film (at 8:41) would feature the voice of a sailor rather than that of a Coast Guardsman.
FYI, it is a "Thompson sub-machine gun". We all make mistakes, so be a little humble.
@@chuckcts-v3460 Most of us know that... It's just a few getting together to have a little fun finding the flubby "easter eggs"... ;o)
@@tbraihl Coast Guardsmen are most assuredly called sailors. It is not a moniker exclusive to the Navy.
I'd pretty much rather have any US older weapon than the M16.
That was awesome. Who knew the Coast GUard took such an active role in the VIet Nam War?
Everyone knew someone who had been to Vietnam, and everyone knew someone who knew someone who had been killed or wounded there. And everyone had a strong opinion. Everyone was involved in the Vietnam War. But we weren't convinced by that lesson until we repeated it again and again, the last time resulting from HIllary's murderous inhumanity. Even the elite were somewhat disturbed by what she did. Hopefully, we'll remember this lesson for more than a couple decades or so. Unfortunately, we're a greedy bunch, so we'll probably find an excuse later.
@@robyenney951 Does the Coast Guard get much SERE training? I can imagine that it would be a low priority for them.
@@robyenney951 Welcome home, and thank you for one helluva service.
You know it never made sense to me why they put an 81 mm motor onto a swift boat when that same position and all that weight for ammunition could have been used for either one of the hand cranked grenade launchers, or another dual 50 mount. You're in a boat that's rocking in three axes. And somehow you're going to lob a mortar round, which is dependent upon having a base that is stable, and expect it to hit anywhere within 100 m of where you're aiming. It's just silly. Not to mention the poor SOB that had to drop rounds down the tube is completely exposed while the guys in the 250 mounts are pretty well sitting in an armored tub. And the bullets they're firing are actually having an impact on the enemy on the shoreline unlike the mortars
M16A2 wasn't adopted until the 1980's.
what is a tompkin smg? 5:19
The Ho Chi Minh Trail was both tortuous and torturous.
I was there on PCF 46
5:20. Did this man just call the Thompson Thompkin,
When you said Tonkin way too many times lol, probably just a hiccup by him
@@dannyzero692 lol
This video confuses the swifboat- an aluminum boat - with the PBR, a smaller, much more numerous, fiberglass boat, a la Apocalypse Now.
Military Assistance Command Surveillance and Observation Group !!!!
Semper paratus, i got outta the USCG back in 12. The branch has come a long way, but Cape May hasnt changed a bit LOL! all you other coasties know what i mean
Big Navy changed the name from RIVRN to something stupid around 2012. Did they change it back yet? Lol
The M16A2 was not adopted by the U.S. military until 1983 when the Marine Corps got the 1st ones in the U.S. military ever. So no, the coasties didn't use M16A2s in Vietnam.
Thanks for help my people against VC…and CG did a good jobs so VC had to use HCM trails
But it’s not what you think.
Nice one!
Of the Operation Market Time assets transferred to the South Vietnamese Navy cited in the video, starting @10:35, many of these assets are still in commission to this day by the current Socialist Republic of Vietnam. After the fall of South Vietnam, the conquering North Vietnamese took custody of these naval platforms and made them part of the unified government's armed forces.
The Swift boats were PCF, not PFC.
The war on drugs... Talk about the wolves guarding the sheep...
One lost war to another Nixon was on a streak I respect all who served just politics that got in the way
A good, well researched video. However the USA does tend to portray that they were victorious in Asia. It should not be forgotten that so many Americans died in a humiliating defeat. Watching Hollywood movies they also depict how the USA single handed won WW2.
So many lives lost to the stupidity of man. Do we never learn.
5:23 Check out this guy hooking his nose-picker deep into the bang bang button