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Casualty Info
Home Town Granada Hills
Last Address Granada Hills
Casualty Date Jul 16, 1969
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Artillery, Rocket, Mortar
Location Vinh Long (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park - North Hollywood, California
Posted on 2/17/05 - by Gary Holmes (former EN2 - Riv Div 535) gpholmes@sbcglobal.net . Bob Easton was in the same river division as me - River Division 535, a PBR (River Patrol Boat) division working off of the LST USS Garrett County near Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta.
I didn't know Bob all that well as I had only been in the division a little less than 2 months and we were in different patrols. At the time, the division patroled an area east of Vinh Long in a smaller river south of and off the main Ham Long River (my spelling probably isn't right).
Bob's two boat patrol came under rocket (RPG-7/B-40) attack from the shore. Bob's boat was the only boat hit (multiple times) with one round hitting right next to Bob. The call was put out on the radio to SCRAMBLE all boats. By the time my boat got there it was all over. Following this attack, the area, which had been considered "pacified" became a "free fire" zone thereafter. TAKE THAT, "CHARLIE"!
I've included a photo taken from the "Task Force 116" web site. I didn't take this historically significant photo, but was there at the time. I hope the photographer is okay with it being posted on this site as well. The damaged boat (724 or 725) was being lowered into the hold of our support ship, the USS Garrett County for repairs. The photo captian says 725, but of this number, I am not sure.
For those of you who don't want to see a damaged PBR where our river brother died, don't look! There is no blood or such things in the photo. For the rest of us, this photo shows what happens when explosives meet fiberglass. Note the spiral burn pattern caused by one of the inbound rocket grenades. I think there was perforation of the hull at the center of that spiral pattern. NASTY THINGS!!
Bob was right next to that damage hole up near the life ring. This was, by some accounts, a "minor" hit compared to those in some other fire fights. Not to take anything away from those injured or killed, the point being that many boats were damaged far worse. This was a very hostile environment for all those in PBR service.
We miss you, Bob, and I for one, will never forget that awful day. This was my first experience at the terrible loss of a "river brother".
