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Featured Military Association: Swift Boat Sailors Association

The Swift Boat Sailors Association is a fraternity of 'Brown Water Navy' veterans that were involved in Swift Boat operations during the Vietnam War. About 3,500 Sailors, crew members, and support personnel were a part of that chapter of Naval history. 

Every-other year the Swift Boat Sailors Association has a reunion and for the 2017 get-together, San Diego was the setting. For this group, a town the Chamber of Commerce has called 'America's Finest City' for years is a great location. Swift Boat training was initially held at the nearby Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado. The Vietnam Unit Memorial Monument at that base saw a gathering for a Memorial Ceremony on April 29, 2017, to honor the 50 Swift Boat Sailors that did not return home and are 'Still on Patrol'.

The ceremony began with the laying of a wreath adjacent to the POW/MIA table; the wreath was made by Val Bolger, wife of Swift Boat sailor and 2017 reunion committee member Bob Bolger. That was followed by the arrival of the official party; the parade of colors, performed by the Paloma Valley High School NJROTC Color Guard, was next. The national anthem was sung by Paloma Valley High School NJROTC cadet Victoria Marquez. Her rendition was exceptional.  The colors were then posted and the invocation was delivered by Lt. Cdr. Paul Kim, CHC, USN. Sue Edwards, the daughter of a Swift Boat sailor and founder of Legacies of Swift Boat Sailors, a group dedicated to Swift Boat decedents and the developer of the Swift Boat Sailors Memorial website (http://swiftboatsailorsmemorial.com) delivered a heartfelt observation about the ceremony.  Bob Barnett, Command Master Chief, USN (Ret) and S.B.S.A. Executive Vice President made the 'Welcome' comments.

The event speaker was Capt. Scott Tait, USN, Commanding Officer, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000). Captain Tait shared information about his family members that had served in Vietnam. I have been honored to be a member of the Swift Boat Sailors Association for 10 years and having the skipper of a ship named for Admiral Zumwalt, Commander, Naval Forces, Southeast Asia as the Speaker for the Memorial Ceremony was a perfect fit. Following Capt. Tait's remarks, he introduced Ann Zumwalt, the Admiral's daughter. Understandably, she was greeted with a long-standing ovation. Her father was, and is, held in high regard by Navy veterans. Ann let everyone know that her father had a deep appreciation for Swift Boat Sailors; I can assure you that was a two-way street.

Following the conclusion of Ann's comments, the reading of the names of the 50 Swift Boat Sailors 'Still on Patrol' was read. After each name, a bell was rung once to honor those who gave their all in honorable service to this nation. The Memorial Ceremony, always a thought provoking event, was closed with a rifle salute from the 82nd Airborne Association -  All Airborne Chapter.

I was not a Swift Boat crew member. I was station aboard the USS Krishna in An Thoi from 1968-1969 as a maintenance/repair electrician. That being the case, I was frequently on several Swift Boats a day but was never 'at the tip of the spear.' A number of Swift Boat Sailors have said 'Thanks for fixin' 'em when we broke 'em'. Gentlemen, when I was doing that I had no idea it would eventually make me a member of a great veteran's organization. 

If you would like more information on the Swift Boat Sailors Association, please contact TWS Member Tom Edwards or click here to go to their website: http://www.swiftboats.org/