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PhuCat to Phu Quoc
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 110
Location: California
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 Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 3:44 pm Post subject: Corpsmen on Swift Boats |
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I don't believe I ever heard of a Hospital Corpsman being assigned regular duties on Swift Boats, but maybe I missed something 35 years ago.
This item from http://www.kerrylied.com/ caught my eye this morning. - "Photographer Bill Lupetti, who is currently visiting Vietnam, took the photographs in Saigon during his recent visit there. Lupetti, a former Hospital Corpsman, is also a Swift Boat veteran."
I recall Swift Boat crew as Gunners Mates, Quartermasters, Boatswain's Mates, Radarmen, Enginemen, and various strikers and non-rated being standard complement, along with the Ensign, JG or LT OIC.
But Corpsmen on a Swift? Was that routine? I'd have guessed maybe carrying a Corpsman when doing PSYOP involving delivery of health care advice to some ville or maybe one Corpsman on one boat in a patrol group. Can somebody clear this up for me?
Somewhere stored away with my VN stuff I've got a nice, full-color PSYOP poster that promoted dental hygiene in Vietnamese, given to me by a Swifty. They wouldn't need a Corpsman or DT for that. |
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DougReese
Former Member
Joined: 22 May 2004
Posts: 396
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| Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 4:38 pm Post subject: Re: Corpsmen on Swift Boats |
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| PhuCat to Phu Quoc wrote: | I don't believe I ever heard of a Hospital Corpsman being assigned regular duties on Swift Boats, but maybe I missed something 35 years ago.
This item from http://www.kerrylied.com/ caught my eye this morning. - "Photographer Bill Lupetti, who is currently visiting Vietnam, took the photographs in Saigon during his recent visit there. Lupetti, a former Hospital Corpsman, is also a Swift Boat veteran."
I recall Swift Boat crew as Gunners Mates, Quartermasters, Boatswain's Mates, Radarmen, Enginemen, and various strikers and non-rated being standard complement, along with the Ensign, JG or LT OIC.
But Corpsmen on a Swift? Was that routine? I'd have guessed maybe carrying a Corpsman when doing PSYOP involving delivery of health care advice to some ville or maybe one Corpsman on one boat in a patrol group. Can somebody clear this up for me?
Somewhere stored away with my VN stuff I've got a nice, full-color PSYOP poster that promoted dental hygiene in Vietnamese, given to me by a Swifty. They wouldn't need a Corpsman or DT for that. |
Here's a guess -- it doesn't say that he was a Corpsman and a Swift Boat guy at the same time. I was an FO and an Advisor, but not at the same time.
He could also have been a Corpsman out on an LST and/or at one of their bases.
Doug |
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PhuCat to Phu Quoc
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 110
Location: California
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| Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 3:45 am Post subject: Re: Corpsmen on Swift Boats |
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| DougReese wrote: | | PhuCat to Phu Quoc wrote: | I don't believe I ever heard of a Hospital Corpsman being assigned regular duties on Swift Boats, but maybe I missed something 35 years ago.
This item from http://www.kerrylied.com/ caught my eye this morning. - "Photographer Bill Lupetti, who is currently visiting Vietnam, took the photographs in Saigon during his recent visit there. Lupetti, a former Hospital Corpsman, is also a Swift Boat veteran."
I recall Swift Boat crew as Gunners Mates, Quartermasters, Boatswain's Mates, Radarmen, Enginemen, and various strikers and non-rated being standard complement, along with the Ensign, JG or LT OIC.
But Corpsmen on a Swift? Was that routine? I'd have guessed maybe carrying a Corpsman when doing PSYOP involving delivery of health care advice to some ville or maybe one Corpsman on one boat in a patrol group. Can somebody clear this up for me?
Somewhere stored away with my VN stuff I've got a nice, full-color PSYOP poster that promoted dental hygiene in Vietnamese, given to me by a Swifty. They wouldn't need a Corpsman or DT for that. |
Here's a guess -- it doesn't say that he was a Corpsman and a Swift Boat guy at the same time. I was an FO and an Advisor, but not at the same time.
He could also have been a Corpsman out on an LST and/or at one of their bases.
Doug |
Yes, he could have been a Swifty first and a Corpsman later, or a Corpsman first, and a Swifty later, but I don't think so. Once the lengthy and costly Corpsman training was completed I doubt if there was a reprieve, maybe going the other way from Swifty to Corpsman, hmmh, maybe.
But, I think your second guess is more likely closer to correct, possibly assigned to the CTF but riding an LST, or other support vessel, or support ashore. But, you were Army and 9ID correct? No offense, but I am waiting for some authoritative answers from Swift Boat officers and sailors or maybe somebody from NSA or COMNAVFORV that was involved in manning and assignments. |
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DougReese
Former Member
Joined: 22 May 2004
Posts: 396
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| Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 3:57 am Post subject: Re: Corpsmen on Swift Boats |
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| PhuCat to Phu Quoc wrote: | | DougReese wrote: | | PhuCat to Phu Quoc wrote: | I don't believe I ever heard of a Hospital Corpsman being assigned regular duties on Swift Boats, but maybe I missed something 35 years ago.
This item from http://www.kerrylied.com/ caught my eye this morning. - "Photographer Bill Lupetti, who is currently visiting Vietnam, took the photographs in Saigon during his recent visit there. Lupetti, a former Hospital Corpsman, is also a Swift Boat veteran."
I recall Swift Boat crew as Gunners Mates, Quartermasters, Boatswain's Mates, Radarmen, Enginemen, and various strikers and non-rated being standard complement, along with the Ensign, JG or LT OIC.
But Corpsmen on a Swift? Was that routine? I'd have guessed maybe carrying a Corpsman when doing PSYOP involving delivery of health care advice to some ville or maybe one Corpsman on one boat in a patrol group. Can somebody clear this up for me?
Somewhere stored away with my VN stuff I've got a nice, full-color PSYOP poster that promoted dental hygiene in Vietnamese, given to me by a Swifty. They wouldn't need a Corpsman or DT for that. |
Here's a guess -- it doesn't say that he was a Corpsman and a Swift Boat guy at the same time. I was an FO and an Advisor, but not at the same time.
He could also have been a Corpsman out on an LST and/or at one of their bases.
Doug |
Yes, he could have been a Swifty first and a Corpsman later, or a Corpsman first, and a Swifty later, but I don't think so. Once the lengthy and costly Corpsman training was completed I doubt if there was a reprieve, maybe going the other way from Swifty to Corpsman, hmmh, maybe.
But, I think your second guess is more likely closer to correct, possibly assigned to the CTF but riding an LST, or other support vessel, or support ashore. But, you were Army and 9ID correct? No offense, but I am waiting for some authoritative answers from Swift Boat officers and sailors or maybe somebody from NSA or COMNAVFORV that was involved in manning and assignments. |
Sure -- that's why I said it was a guess. No offense taken.
I did spend a little time on the Swifts, and know that Corpsmen aren't a normal part of the crew, but that's about all I can say.
Doug |
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PhuCat to Phu Quoc
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 110
Location: California
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 8:12 am Post subject: |
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Couldn't get a reply from a genyouwine Swifty so I went out and asked and this just in from brown water historian Ralph Fries.
"Good Evening Rich,
Bill Luppeti was a Corpsmen at a forward base in the Delta. He probably rode Swift's at various time but Corpsmen were not directly assigned to them unless they were a Seaman first and went up for Corpsmen. There were many people who rode the different boats in the Delta but were not part of the assigned crew.
Ralph" |
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rbshirley
Founder
Joined: 07 May 2004
Posts: 394
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:02 pm Post subject: |
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Corpsmen regularly rode Swifts on MEDCAP missions. These ranged from
being rewarding to being heartbreaking to being terrifying. Examples of all
three:
.
http://pcf45.com/hearts/hearts.html
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Both the audio and the post script story are worth viewing / listening to.
.
Bill Lupetti was with Swifts out of An Thoi and also with PBRs in the delta.
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PhuCat to Phu Quoc
Lt.Jg.
Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 110
Location: California
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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| rbshirley wrote: | .
Corpsmen regularly rode Swifts on MEDCAP missions. These ranged from being rewarding to being heartbreaking to being terrifying. Examples of all three:
.
http://pcf45.com/hearts/hearts.html
.
Both the audio and the post script story are worth viewing / listening to.
.
Bill Lupetti was with Swifts out of An Thoi and also with PBRs in the delta.. |
Thanks RB, that's pretty much how I figured it was, I just didn't have the details.
RB, were you a Swift Boat sailor? |
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