A Colorado native, before graduation from Westminster High School in 1966 I enlisted in the Naval Reserve on what was called a minority enlistment (I was only 17). My basic training at RTC San Diego began in August 1966. Following basic training, I was first assigned to USS Greenlet (ASR 10) home ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. During my time on the USS Greenlet I made numerous WESTPAC cruises with a port visits in Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines and assignments in Vietnam. Following my promotion to Signalman Third Class I was assigned to the USS Dale (DLG 19) -- home ported in San Diego, CA. Another WESTPAC cruise was made in 1969 with notable port visits in Japan, Gulf of Tonkin with the USS Enterprise, Philippines, operations resulting from the attack by North Korea of an EC-131 aircraft, crossing the Equator and cruising to New Zealand. Upon return to San Diego in September 1969, my enlistment ended and I returned home.
In 1979, I re-affiliated with the Naval Reserve as a Signalman Second Class and joined a Naval Control of Shipping Reserve Unit (NCSO FE 118). My assignments included Merchant Ship Boarding officer and Career Counselor. During this tour with Naval Control of Shipping, I participated in naval control of shipping exercises in the United States and Japan. During my time with the unit, I submitted an application for a direct commission and was selected as a Restricted Line officer with a designator for Intelligence (1635) and commissioned as a new Ensign in 1984. I was assigned to an Intelligence Reserve Unit, Fleet Intelligence Rapid Support Team, Pacific (FIRSTPAC 0571) (JICPAC 0571) with subsequent assignments to NR FIRSTPAC 1371(JICPAC 1371) as a plank owner, and NSIU 0171 (U. S. Space Command) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In October 1996, I returned to JICPAC 0571 and held assignments as an Intelligence analyst, awards officer for JICPAC 0571 and Reserve Intelligence Area-5, Assistant Officer-in-Charge (AOIC) and Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of JICPAC 0571's Second Drill Weekend including duties as the Production Chief to the Reserve Production Center Denver at Buckley AFB.
In 2002, as a Commander, I was selected as Commanding Officer for NR Office of Naval Intelligence 1071. Upon completion of my command tour, I was assigned as the Deputy OIC for the Navy Reserve Element NR NORTHCOM to the J2 of NORTHERN COMMAND.
In 2006, I was Selected and promoted to Captain. My assignments included staff positions with Reserve Intelligence Area Commander Five and Reserve Intelligence Area Commander Southwest in Denver and San Diego.
In 2007 I retired as a Sergeant with the Denver Police Department after serving as a police officer for 32 years.
In 2008, I submitted my retirement request and officially retired in October 2008.
Among my service awards and military decorations, are the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medals and Armed Forces Reserve Medal. I reside in Thornton, Colorado with my wife Karen.
Description This Campaign period was from 9 June to 31 October 1969. In the Mekong Delta proper, Swift boat, PBR, riverine assault craft, SEAL, and Vietnamese ground units struck at the Viet Cong in their former strongholds, which included the Ca Mau Peninsula, the U Minh Forest, and the islands of the broad Mekong River system.
After raiding and harassing operations like Silver Mace II, the combined navies often deployed forces to secure a more permanent Vietnamese government presence in vital areas. In June 1969, for example, the U.S. Navy anchored a mobile pontoon base in the middle of the Ca Mau region's Cua Lon River. This operation, labelled Sea Float, was made difficult by heavy Viet Cong opposition, strong river currents, and the distance to logistic support facilities. Still, Sea Float denied the enemy a safe haven even in this isolated corner of the delta. The allies further threatened the Communist "rear" area in September when they set up patrols on the Ong Doc, a river bordering the dense and isolated U Minh area. Staging from an advance tactical support base at the river's mouth, U.S. and Vietnamese PBRs of Operation Breezy Cove repeatedly intercepted and destroyed enemy supply parties crossing the waterway.
By October 1969, one year after the start of the SEALORDS campaign, Communist military forces in the Mekong Delta were under heavy pressure. The successive border interdiction barriers delayed and disrupted the enemy's resupply and troop replacement from Cambodia. The raiding operations hit vulnerable base areas and the Sea Float deployment put allied forces deep into what had been a Viet Cong sanctuary. In addition, American and Vietnamese forces captured or destroyed over 500 tons of enemy weapons, ammunition, food, medicines, and other supplies. Furthermore, 3,000 Communist soldiers were killed and 300 were captured at a cost of 186 allied men killed and 1,451 wounded.
.png?ixlib=java-2.3.0&w=100&s=190c7c54aa8c600445ff231611de4381 "Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific (JICPAC)")
