The PCF Losses

Eight Swiftboats were lost to accidents and enemy fire during the years 1965 thru 1970. This quiz will try to make those losses a bit more significant in your mind and thoughts.

The first Swiftboat lost during the Vietnam Conflict was PCF 4. It was lost in a location known as the "Three Sisters," where was this location?
1. Baie de Cau Duong
2. Rach Gia Bay, on the Western coast of the Mekong Delta
3. Bernique's Creek
4. Five miles south of the DMZ at the Cua Viet river.
The loss of PCF 4 was caused by:
1. A command detonated mine
2. Two 75mm recoilless rifle fire hits
3. Three B-40 rocket hits
4. Launch bomb hit
Four persons from the crew of PCF 4 died on Valentines Day 1966, they were:
1. LTJG Charles David Lloyd
2. RM3 Robert R. Johnson
3. EN2 Jack Charles Rodriguez
4. BM2 Tommy Edward Hill
5. GMG2 Dayton Luther Rudisill
6. SN David Joseph Boyle
On 22 May 1966, PCF 41 was on patrol in the RSSZ, in support of a US Army operation, when it came under fire from a heavy caliber weapon on the east bank of the Dinh Ba river. What was the cause of the sinking of PCF 41?
1. 57mm recoilless rifle fire hits
2. B-50 rocket hit
3. Mine explosion
4. Heavy caliber artillery fire from the beach
PCF 41 ran aground on a sandbar while trying to escape the kill zone. How was the crew saved.
1. The crew abandoned PCF 41 and set off down river with the wounded man in their life raft, the others were in the water and hanging on.
2. The remaining boats in the operation came to the location, suppressed the fire and then removed the casualties and other crewmembers.
3. The crew was able to back the boat off the sandbar and then move out of the fire zone and again beach the boat.
4. Seawolf helicopters were called in by the other boats on the mission, they suppressed the fire and PCF 37 was able to then remove the casualties and other crewmembers.
One member of the crew of PCF 41 died on that operation, he was:
1. BM2 Raleigh Lee Godley
2. LTJG Alexander George Balian
3. RM3 Robert L. Keim
4. EN3 Charles Eugene Barham
5. GMG2 Glenn D. Greene
6. SN Ralph Eugene Powers
PCF 76 was lost while making a weather probe on 6 November 1967. Where did this take place and how did it occur?
1. PCF 76 was trying to exit the Cua Viet river and was lost while trying to transit the heavy surf conditions.
2. PCF 76 ran aground while leaving Cam Ranh Bay, extensively damaging the underside of the boat.
3. Numerous B-40 from a river ambush site.
4. PCF 76 hit a sunken, old French F.O.M. patrol craft.
What were the casualties on board PCF 76 when it capsized and sank?
1. None!
2. Two - LTJG Daniel W. Daly Jr & BM1 William Fielder
3. Four - BM1 William Fielder, EN2 Oscar Edward Wells, RD2 Michael Harvey Newcomer & SN Bobby Lee Buck II
4. One - LTJG Daniel W. Daly Jr
On 15 November 1966, PCF 77 was lost near the Provincial City of Hue; why was it lost?
1. It sank after being hit by a 30 foot monsoon driven wave, as the crew was trying to rescue a crewman from PCF 22, who had been swept overboard.
2. B-40 rocket hit
3. 57mm recoilless rifle fire
4. Hit an underway obstruction at high speed and tore the bottom of the boat open.
Three people on board PCF 77 died that day, they were:
1. LTJG David Garner Wilbourne
2. BM1 Alma Twichell
3. EN2 Arthur Buddy O'Neal
4. GMGSN Thomas Doyle Hodson
5. BM3 Harry Giles Brock
6. RM3 Bruce Allan Timmons
7. MRC Willy Scott Baker
On 30 November 1967, PCF 14 was lost. The loss caused a base to be temporarily shut down. How was PCF 14 lost and why was this base closed?
1. PCF 14 capsized and sank while trying to transit heavy surf conditions, in an attempt to rescue some local Vietnamese fisherman.
2. There were deteriorating sea conditions, because of the onset of the Northeast Monsoon, and PCF 76 had been lost only 15 days earlier.
3. Cua Viet was a notoriously dangerous base and it was felt that it should be closed until the area could be swept by the Marines so that no further boats could be ambushed.
4. B-40 rocket and 75mm recoilless rifle at the mouth of the Cua Viet river.
What were the casualties on board PCF 14 when it capsized and sank?
1. None!
2. One, RMSN James Stephen Matheny
3. Two, GMG3 Buzz Oliver Boyd & BM3 Allen Held
4. Three, LTJG Donald G. Kaiser, GMG2 Emory Harrison Stephens & EN2 Robert "Tiny" Herndon
The highest casualty count of any swift boat loss, took place on 16 June 1968 when PCF 19 was lost in patrol area 1A1. How was PCF 19 lost?
1. PCF 19 was lost after taking at least 5 rocket hits from enemy aircraft, probably a helicopter in the vicinity of the Cua Viet river.
2. PCF 19 was attacked by friendly aircraft, probably US jets, firing numerous air to ground missiles.
3. PCF 19 was struck by enemy artillery fire, fired from above the DMZ.
4. Numerous heavy weapons hits, below the waterline, caused PCF 19 to sink.
Who were the casualties on board PCF 19 the night it sank?
1. GMG2 Billy Stanley Armstrong
2. QM2 Frank Bowman
3. BM2 Anthony Gordon Chandler
4. EN2 Edward Cruz Cruz
5. VNN Interpreter Bui Quang Thi
6. LTJG John David Davis
7. GMGSA John Robert Anderegg
PCF 43 was lost 12 April 1969 in a Duong Keo river sweep. How was PCF 43 lost?
1. A large scale enemy initiated firefight, by an estimated two Viet Cong companies, was unleashed about 4 miles upstream from the river's mouth.
2. PCF 43 was hit by recoilless rifle and B-40 rounds which disabled her steering gear.
3. The boat beached at high speed into the center of the ambush site, as B-40 rockets continued to smash into her.
4. PCF 43 had on board approximately 1000 pounds of C4 explosives, which caught fire, due to the overheating of the engines, which continued to run after the beaching but with no cooling water.
The casualties that day, to the 17 embarked Navy men on PCF 43, were two dead, six seriously wounded, six wounded and three somehow unscathed. The two Killed In Action were?
1. LTJG Donald Glenn Droz
2. LTJG Peter Upton
3. HMC Robert Worthington
4. SM3 Art Ruiz
5. SN Michael Sandlin
6. SM3 Robert Lowry
7. SN William Piper
8. GMG3 Ricky Hinson
PCF 8 sank at about 2200, Thursday, 18 December 1969 to seaward of Bodega Bay. What was so unusual about this incident?
1. PCF 8 sank while conducting routine training operations off Bodega Bay on the Sonoma County coast of California.
2. PCF 8 sank because a cooling boot on the starboard engine came loose and flooded the engine room, thereby causing the boat to go under stern first.
3. PCF 8 was lost due to negligence of a sea cock being left open and the bilges filling with water and causing the boat to sink.
4. PCF 8 was sunk by a mortar round going off in the ready service locker, puncturing the bottom of the boat, near the stern.
What was the cause of PCF 8's California sinking.
1. Heavy seas and small craft warnings that were ignored.
2. Inexperience of the involved crews.
The loss of PCF 4 holds a special place in the hearts of all Swiftboat veterans as there were a number of unique facets to her story ... they include which of the following?
1. One of the first two Swiftboats to arrive in Vietnam on 30 October 1965.
2. The first Swiftboat lost in the Vietnam conflict and the first Swiftees to lose their lives in battle.
3. PCF 4 was the only boat that was sunk and then salvaged, not to return to service.
4. The hulk of PCF 4 was used as a spare parts store for other damaged boats.