My wife, Cathy, and I are volunteers aboard my old battleship, USS Missouri (BB-63). I am one of the Volunteer Supervisors. During 2008, I had the privilege of working with "Wounded Warriors" (Marines) back from Afghanistan/Iraq. A group of those warriors volunteered to come aboard and help in the repair and preservation of the ship.
I am frequently called upon to speak to groups visiting the Mighty Mo. I spoke to 57 newly appointed CPO's at the third CPO Legacy Academy held aboard the ship (2008). On 30 Aug 2011, I was guest speaker for the CPO Legacy Academy Class of 43 new CPO's. Command Master Chief of the Naval Surface Group, Middle Pacific, Patricia M. Roebuck and 7 Senior Chiefs from local commands were also in attendance. I was asked to speak during the CPO Legacy Classes of 2010, 2011, two classes in 2012, and will be speaking with the two classes of 2013.
I was asked to be the Keynote Speaker at the Veterans Day Sunset Ceremony held aboard the battleship USS Missouri on 11/11/11. More than 250 people attended; including a dozen or so active duty Flag & General Officers. I heard one of the best renditions of our National Anthem, sung by a TSgt Laura Murdzia, USAF. I was completely surprised when, at the conclusion of the Flag ceremony performed by the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Old Glory Detail, the ceremonial Flag was presented to me. It was, to say the least, an awesome experience! Please see "Family New" section for some photos.
As a result of an article I submitted to AMVETS Magazine, the Commander of Post #1 in Honolulu, Hawaii contacted me. After a rather lengthy discussion, I was offered the position of Post Legislative Director and Editor of the Post's Newsletter. I agreed, with one proviso; I would be a volunteer.
Other Comments:
In 1970, I was personally selected by RADM Dean L. Axene to be his Writer and Administrative Assistant. I was later officially assigned the duties as his Enlisted Flag Officer Personal Aide. I was, at that time, the first and only Enlisted Flag Officer Personal Aide in the U.S. Navy and I was issued shoulder Aiguillettes signifying that I was a Personal Aide to a Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy.
I also served aboard the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) in the Operations Office (1957/59), a couple shore duty assignments, 10 years with NATO Commands (including NATO HQ Paris, France and Brussels, Belgium) and a tour of duty as a Naval Advisor in Vietnam (1966/67) with MACV/SOG.
I am a member of The Battleship Missouri Association and am a Plank Owner/Crewmember of the "Friends of the Mighty Mo." I am also a member of the USS Missouri Association Legacy Society. I am a member of the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) Association .
Description This campaign period was from 15 March 1962 to 7 March 1965. In the early days of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Sailors worked with the developing Vietnamese Navy as advisors, helping them with such things as logistical support, vessel construction techniques, and so forth. As the Communist insurgency increased, the Americans became more and more involved in combat operations.
The average American naval advisor was dedicated to preparing the Vietnamese Navy to some day stand alone against the Communist foe. Often assigned to vessels or bases lacking even basic amenities, the advisor also shared the risks of combat with his hosts. His task was a heavy one. Not empowered to give orders, he could only hope to persuade his Vietnamese counterpart that a particular course of action was warranted. That advice often was ignored. Aside from the natural difficulty of getting others to accept counsel, the naval advisor was often hampered by the language barrier and differences in cultures, educational levels, and personalities that separated him from his counterpart. Furthermore, the one-year tour completed by most advisors did not allow them enough time to learn the job and bring about meaningful change. Despite all this, the Naval Advisory Group helped improve the Vietnamese naval service in important respects.
During this phase, The first significant U.S. naval engagement of the war was the famous Tonkin Gulf incident of 1964. On the afternoon of 2 August, three North Vietnamese motor torpedo boats attacked the destroyer Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin with gunfire and torpedoes. On the night of 4 August, Maddox and another destroyer, Turner Joy, reported fighting a running battle with hostile patrol craft in the middle of the gulf. Communications intercepts and other relevant information convinced Washington that an attack had taken place. At President Lyndon B. Johnson's direction, on 5 August navy carrier forces bombed North Vietnam. Two days later, the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, which Johnson thereafter used to wage war in Vietnam. A sustained bombing campaign of the North (dubbed "Rolling Thunder") began on 2 March 1965.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
January / 1966
To Month/Year
March / 1965
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember Colonel John K. Singlaub, USA (retired MGEN) Colonel Arthur D. "Bull" Simons, USA (deceased)
Memories Good Morning Vietnam! LOL :)
First, a warm "welcome home" to all my brothers/sisters who "been there - done that - and made it back." My thoughts will always contain my memory of those who gave their all for the American people.
I was working at SACLANT, Norfolk, VA when the call came out for volunteers (as Naval Advisors) for Vietnam (1966). Did the SERE, CI, Language thing on the way over and reported to MACV/SOG for duty.
SOG was Special Ops Group until some pussy-footin lawmakers in D.C. began to worry that Special Ops might tell Americans in the U.S. that our government was participating in the war. "Never been there - Never done that! :)
So they changed it to a more innocuous title, " Studies & Observations Group." What a joke!
SOG was, simply stated, a covert/clandestine unit formed to takeover CIA's Southeast Asia programs. Several things occurred that delayed SOG's formation until January '64: Namely, the overthrow of S. Vietnam's President Ngo Dinh Diem, JFK's assassination, and the fact that the Military Assistance Command (MaCV) had not yet created a unit to take over the job.
Although SOG was nominally a subordinate command under MACV, it was virtually an independent command. MACV had cognizance of SOG ops, because MACV did not have an official charter authorizing ops outside of S. Vietnam (Cambodia, Laos, and/or N. Vietnam). SOG's direct superior was the Special Assistant for Counterinsurgency and Special Activities (SACSA). SACSA in 1966 was headed by Colonel Blackburn (former chief of SOG).
SOG was a Joint Servic e Command with its own air, sea, and ground forces:
The Maritime Studies Group (OP-32) based at Da Nang, South Vietnam, provided the naval assets; U.S. Navy SEALs, South Vietnamese Underwater Demolition Teams (Sea Commandos), and Fast Patrol Boats.
The Psychological Studies Group (OP-33) located in Saigon, with an antenna in Hue and Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.
The Air Studies Group (OP-34) based at Nha Trang, South Vietnam, provided SOG�??s air power; the 90th Special Operations Wing with a squadron of USAF �??Green Hornet�?? UH-1F helicopters, a squadron of USAF C-130�??s, a squadron of covert C-123�??s (former CIA aircraft) manned by Nationalist Chinese and the 219th HC-34 Helicopter Squadron.
The Ground Studies Group (OP-35), with headquarters in Saigon, South Vietnam at MACV I (General Westmoreland was headquartered at MACV II). OP-35�??s mission included, but was not limited to, Military Intelligence, Psychological Operations (PSYOPS), and Reconnaissance Mobile Launch Teams (RT�??s). The RT�??s were originally launched out of Hue Phu Bai, Khe Sanh, Kham Duc and a base near Kontum, South Vietnam.
Shortly after my arrival in South Vietnam, the OP-35 Section was reorganized into three subordinate commands:
Command & Control, North (CCN) at Da Nang Command & Control, Central (CCC) at Kontum Command & Control, South (CCS) at Ban Me Thuot
CCN conducted their operations mainly in Northern Laos and North Vietnam. CCN Reconnaisance Teams (RT) were code-named after states and reptiles. CCC conducted their operations mainly in Southern Laos and Northern Cambodia. CCC RT�??s were code-named only after states. CCS, the smallest of the three commands, operated in VC-dominated South Vietnam and most of Cambodia. CCS RT�??s were code-named after tools (e.g. Hammer, Chisel, Spike, etc).
From 1964 to 1972, approximately 2,700 cross-border operations were conducted by SOG! It must be understood that these over-the fence ops were covert, clandestine, extremely dangerous missions conducted by small groups of highly trained Americans and indigenous military personnel! Attesting to that danger, five of the ten Medals of Honor awarded to SOG personnel were awarded to members of RT�??s operating out of CCC, Kontum! SOG RT�??s earned the nickname, �??Sneaky Pete�??s�?? for their innate ability to accomplish their missions without having been detected! The enemy knew that small groups were sneaking in and out of their �??safe�?? areas, but they could not catch them! The VC and the NVA came to fear the Sneaky Pete�??s and the Phoenix team members more than any other opponent! The skill of RT members is attested to by the fact that only 103 U.S. Green Berets were killed during these operations.
During my one-year tour in Nam, I visited the HQ of CCC in Kontum, S. Vietnam on numerous occasions.. I managed to wangle my way into participating in several localized patrols. I never actually encountered the enemy, but the experience is everlasting. A photo of my coffee table reveals some photos taken at CCC and you can get a glimpse of me in battle gear. There is also a highly sought after knife made by some of the Montagnard RT members.
As our plane was taxing down the runway to leave Vietnam, the Captain said, "uniform for the stewardess will be topless micro-mini skirts and the beer is free!" As our plane touched down at Travis Air Force Base, California, there was an anti-Vietnam/Anti-war demonstration in full swing at the airport. As we passed through the gates, we were pelted with rotten tomatoes, eggs, and other smelly items! The angry mob cursed us and called us names like �??War Mongers�?? and �??Baby Killers!�??
Although I had the opportunity to extend my stay with SOG in Nam, my spine had again taken a beating due to some arduous training that I participated in while in Vietnam.
I received a LD Phonecall from the NATO personnel detailer and they gave me my choice of duty at any U.S. Embassy or any NATO command. Duh! I asked if I could return to Paris. I knew that NATO was moving to Brussels, so that sounded interesting. I received message orders the next day sending me to the NATO HQ in Paris.
