SwiftVets.com

[SBD]

I just added The Gun Boats of Vietnam to the Swift Boat Archives website. It was a great learning experience, especially for those of us who were never taught about Vietnam in High School. As I was watching it, I kept thinking to myself, How could Kerry accuse these fine soldiers of War crimes when just by looking at them, all you see are Patriots?

I split the documentary into 5 parts, IE no commercials. You can check it out by clicking here

Enjoy,

SBD

[mtboone]

Those archieves helped me locate a Ramiro Gonzales from the 72 boat for his fellow crew members, thanks.
_________________
Terry Boone PCF 90
Qui Nhon 68-69

[SBD]

No problem, glad I could help!!

One thing that I enjoyed from the Gun Boats of Vietnam, was being able to finally put a face to the names I have read so much about. The 4th Part of the files starts with Elmo Zumwalt in 1968 when he went to visit the Swift Boat crew and changed the way they fought the war.

Another story that stood out was how they overcame the obstacle of a bridge and being unable to get to the other side. Their solution, which suprised the enemy, was to pick up the PVR with a helicopter and lift it over the bridge. When it had completed the mission, they picked it back up over the bridge again to safety.

SBD

[Navy wife]

Terry,
You don't know how much we all appreciate your message that the documents on the Swiftboatarchives web site helped you find someone! Let me know if there are any other spot reports etc. that you think would help you in any way!! We will be back at the Archives hopefully in September.

Navy Wife!

[mtboone]

[SBD]

Have you checked this website?
http://www.swiftboats.net/index.htm#pcf89

SBD

[mtboone]

[SBD]

I live in San Diego, so if there is anything at Coronado that can help, let me know and I will take a drive over there.

SBD

[mtboone]

[Navy wife]

Terry,
We will make your request our top priority when we return to the Naval Archives! AND I certainly hope we can find the documentation that you need to clear this up.

Navy Wife

[mtboone]

[Navy wife]

1 September 2005

Report to M.T. Boone

RE: Need for documentation concerning incident involving PCF 87 on 2 July 1969. Was this the result of enemy fire or was it an accident?

Research conducted at the Naval Operational Archives at the Washington Navy Yard located the documentation to prove that the incident on 2 July 1969 was apparently due to an accident. Nine sources were found and there was apparently an investigation conducted and it looks as if the conclusion was that the incident was definitely an accident. The investigation determination was not found, however.

Below are abstracts of the documents found that relate to this accident. We located the spot report, the CASREP for Glen Keene, one of the casualties, the ordnance accident report which incorrectly identifies the PCF as 90 rather than 87, request for salvage assistance, posthumous award recommendation for Albert Fransen, response to Chief of Naval Personnel re GMG3 Keene, Coastal Division 15 Command History 1969, and Coastal Squadron One Command History 1969.

All of these documents have been turned into a pdf file and will be posted on www.swiftboatarchives.com

Sincerely,
Navy Wife (and husband!)

Documents found:
[1]
021439Z Jul 69 from COSDIV 15
Market Time spot report 02/1/COMCOSDIV 15/1
1. COMCOSDIV 15/ PCF 87, PCF 90, PCF 89, PCF 64, USCGC Spencer, PCF 47
2. CQ 3230
3. 021959H/022230H
4. While firing H & I from Coords para 2 with NGLO TUY HOA spotting, PCF 87 suffered an 81 MM Mortar casualty. Ammunition used; HE rd with bore riding pin XM-716 FUZE, Lot no. KN 6-2
5. NGFS mission
6. EN3 Albert M. Fransen, KIA, GMG3 Glenn C. Keene, KIA, SN Charles R. Coburn WIA. Coburn in serious condition. Large wound left thigh, severe wound rt arm, medevac to USA Hospital Qui Nhon.
Damage to PCF-87; 81 MM mortar mount destroyed, URC-58 Inop, PRC-25 Inop, DECCA 202 Radar Inop, superstructure damange of an undertimed [sic] amount, no hull or engine damage.
O-INC [sic] states accident was not repeat, not caused by a double load. Investigation will be conducted.

[Source: COMNAVFORV CTG 115.2 Box 196 Mar-Apr 70]

[2]
021552ZJul69 from COMCOSDIV 15
PERS CASREP GMG3 Glen Cameron Keene, Jr., USN
Killed in action.
021959H Jul69. CQ 3230, 50 miles south of Qui Nhon, RVN. While conducting H&I fire, death result 81MM mortar casualty.

[Source: COMNAVFORV CTF 115/213, General Messages, Box 173 Jun 65-Feb 72]

[3]
021640Z Jul69 from COMUSMACV
A1. (U) Ordnance accident
A2. (U) 02 July 1969
H. (C) At 1959H, USN PCF 90, assigned to 115.2, experienced accidental mortar explosion on board while performing harassing fire mission. Two USN killed, one wounded. Investigation being conducted by CTU 115.2.1.

[Source: COMNAVFORV CTG 115.2 Box 196 Mar-Apr 1970]

COMMENT: This message contains an error that clouds the issue. It came from COMUSMACV and was probably written by a staffer in Saigon who had the wrong information and wrote PCF 90 when it should be PCF 87.


[4]
040625Z Jul69 from CTF 115
A. Request for Salvage Assistance
B. COMCOSDIV 15 021429Z Jul69
1. While firing H & I PCF 87 suffered an 81 MM Mortar explosion apparently in bore.
2. Damage to PCF 87; 81 MM Mortar Mount destroyed and blown overboard, URC-58 Inop, PRC-25 Inop, DECCA 202 Radar Inop and superstructure damage. Personnel casualties; 2 USN KIA (1 body not recovered to date), 1 USN WIA.
3. Location: CQ 3230. Location not bouyed however OINC of PCF 87 feels sure he can return to approx location of accident.
4. Time of casualty 021959H Jul 69.
...
8. All physical evidence of mortar explosion blown over board from PCF 87. Request assistance locating and salvaging 81 MM mortar mount to assist [?] in determining cause of accident. Weight of mount intact 584 pounds.
9. LCDR G. M. Elliott, Commander Coastal Division 15, may be reached by phone through CSC Qui Nhon.
10. Depth of water 60 feet. Some 81 MM HE rounds damaged in the explosion were thrown over board from PCF 87 after the accident in this general area.

[Source: COMNAVFORV CTG 115.2 Box 196 Mar-Apr 70]

[5]
040955Z Jul69 [2 pp.] from COMCOSDIV 15
Posthumous Award recommendation (KIA)
Albert Merk [sic] Fransen, EN3
1. Navy Commendation Medal with combat V.
2. While serving as a patrol craft inshore engineman attached to Coastal Division 15, from 16 Aug 1968 to 3 July 1969.
...while conducting NAMAL gunfire support on the night of 2 July 1969, Petty Officer Fransen was killed in an accidental explosion of an 81MM mortar.
GMG3 Glen Cameron Keeene is also being posthumously recommended for the Navy Commendation medal.

[Source: COMNAVFORV CTF 115/213 General Messages, Box 173 Jun 65-Feb 72, 2 pages.]

[6]
070715Z Jul69 from COMCOSDIV 15
“IAW REF A [CHNAVPERS 032159Z Jul69] GMG3 Keene died of sever [sic] of right cardiac artery caused by explosion of his boats 81MM mortar caused by possible defective ammunition. Sole survivor of 3 man mortar crew states round exploded as it seated in mortar. Keene also suffered a severe wound of the left arm.

[Source: COMNAVFORV CTF 115/213, General Messages, Box 173 Jun 65-Feb 72]

[7]
Coastal Division 15 Command History 1969
Part I Chronology of outstanding events
p. 7 of 9
2 Jul
The night of 2 July was marked by a tragic mortar accident aboard PCF 87, at CQ 308304. While firing support for the ROK NILO, a round of 81 MM HE exploded in the mortar killing EN2 Albert Fracen [sic], GMG3 Glen C. Keene and severly [sic] wounding SN Charles R. Coburn. PCF’s 89,90 and 64 were called in to provide SAR assistance for Francen who was blown overboard by the blast; Keene and Coburn were Medevaced by Tuy Hoa Pedro Helo to Tuy Hoa AFB, where Keene died.

Part II Narrative of Command Organization
p. 1
Command Organization:
A. ...Command was assumed by Lieutenant Commander George Elliott, USN, on 13 May 1969...

p. 4/5
Casualties:
2 July
EN3 Albert Fransen KIA
GMG3 Glen C. Keene KIA
SKSN Charles R. Coburn WIA

[Source: NAVFORV Post Jan 1946 Command File. ]

[8]
Coastal Surveillance Force Summary
p. 33
“...During July two Navymen were killed and ten wounded while enemy losses to the naval gunfire of Market Time units came to 57 confirmed.”
Note: Nothing was written up for 2 July 1969 in the 2nd Coastal Zone Market Time Ops.

[Source: COMNAVFORV Monthly Historical Summary July 1969]

[9]
Coastal Squadron One Command History 1969 [did not copy]
p. 4
2 Jul [69] a 81 MM mortar accident took the lives of GMG3 Glen C. Keene and EN3 Albert M. Fransen and caused permanent injury to SN Charles R. Coburn.

Narrative summary
p. 10
On 2 Jul 69, PCF 87 had an 81 MM mortar accident. The preliminary investigation reve[a]led the possibility the bore riding safety pin was missing from the XM717 fuze. Action was taken to remove all rounds from PCFs utilizing a bore riding safety pin and use only M524A5 fuzes.

[Source: Post Jan 1946 Command File Box 852]

[mtboone]