This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Barbara Gilmartin-Family
to remember
GILMARTIN, John L. (Gil), GM2.
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Contact Info
Home Town Haverhill
Last Address John was born and died in Haverhill, MA USA
Date of Passing Oct 28, 2008
Location of Interment Saint James Cemetery - Haverhill, Massachusetts
John L. Gilmartin passed away on October 28, 2008 at his home surrounded by his loving family after a lengthy illness. He spent 31 years employed by the State of Massachusetts at the Annisquam River Marine Fishers Station before retiring in 2007. John was a true nature lover who spent much of his free time tending his flower gardens with his wife, Sandra, and strolling around the woods of Crystal Lake admiring the wildlife near his home. The entire family took great pleasure in his vast knowledge of all things outdoors. All who knew him will sadly miss John.
While in Vietnam John served with River Assault Squadron 15 as a Gunnersmate onboard C-151-2 from August 1968 to June 1969. He then became a Naval Advisor to the South Vietnamese Navy during his second tour of duty. John was a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal w/V, Navy Achievement Medal w/V, two Purple Hearts and several other unit awards to include the Presidential Unit Citation.
Other Comments:
BATTLE STREAMER : VIET-NAM SERVICE
US Navy Viet-Nam : Seventeen Campaigns
John L. Gilmartin, GMG 2nd Class
Republic of Viet-Nam: 1968-1970
Served in Seven Campaigns, 8 through 14
From August 1968 to June 1969 Mobile Riverine Force/ RAS 15/ CCB151-2
From June 1969 to September 1970 Naval Advisor to Viet Riverine Force RAID73
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase VII Campaign (70-71)
From Month/Year
July / 1970
To Month/Year
June / 1971
Description This Campaign was from 1 July 1970 to 30 June 1971. In July the Vietnamese Navy assumed sole responsibility f or the Ready Deck operation, which was given a Tran Hung Dao designator like the other former SEALORDS areas. Also in July, the U.S. Navy ceased its combat activity on I Corp's Cua Viet and Hue Rivers. The Americans then transferred the last combatant vessels of Task Force Clearwater to the Vietnamese. A final turnover of river craft at the end of 1970 enabled the Vietnamese Navy to take charge of the Search Turn, Barrier Reef, and Breezy Cove efforts deep in the Mekong Delta. Except for continued support by HAL-3 and VAL-4 aircraft and SEAL detachments, the U.S. Navy's role in the SEALORDS campaign ended in April 1971 when Solid Anchor (previously Sea Float and now based ashore at Nam Can) became a Vietnamese responsibility.
The Vietnamese Navy, which grew from 18,000 men in the fall of 1968 to 32,000 men at the end of 1970, instituted organizational changes to accommodate the new personnel, material, and operational responsibilities. The Vietnamese grouped their riverine assault craft in riverine assault interdiction divisions (RAID) and their PBRs into river interdiction divisions (RID) and river patrol groups (RPG). They also augmented the existing RAGs and coastal groups, the latter now consolidated into 20 units for lack of sufficient patrol junks.
This dramatic change in the nature of the allied war effort reflected the rapid but measured withdrawal from South Vietnam of U.S. naval forces. NAVFORV strength dropped from a peak of 38,083 personnel in September 1968 to 16,757 at the end of 1970. As Admiral Zumwalt transferred resources to the Vietnamese Navy, he disestablished U.S. naval commands and airlifted personnel home. With the redeployment of the Army's 9th Infantry Division and the turnover of 64 riverine assault craft in June 1969, the joint Mobile Riverine Force halted operations. When the Riverine Assault Force (Task Force 117) stood down on 25 August 1969, it became the first major naval command deactivated in Vietnam. By December 1970, COMNAVFORV had transferred to Vietnam the remaining river combatant craft in his command, which included 293 PBRs and 224 riverine assault craft. That month, the River Patrol Force was disestablished and the Task Force 116 designator reassigned to Commander Delta Naval Forces, a new headquarters controlling SEAL and naval aircraft units still in-country.