Anyone else that would like to contribute stories to Sea Stories is welcome to contact me.

Thanks Cambodge.

Thanks Cambodge!

[ 10-01-2004: Message edited by: CGT ]

Sailing up the Saigon [yes, we all know that's wrong now ] is certainly an experience, one I would love to take someday. I had a look around the web and came across the Saigon Pilot's Guide, which at the bottom has 3 maps of the river marking various hazards & the currents to look out for.

Fascinating story.. & I very much hope, in the future, to wake up to other reminiscences, on a Saturday morning. Thanks Cambodge.

Thanks for writing and illustrating these sorts of reminsicenses and also for the history lessons! Truth be known, I have learned more of the background and history of the transit than I ever knew when making it. Brings back many memories, (I was on that very PRESIDENT MONROE in 1964, and subsequently, APL freighters) several of which we have chatted about.

Now this is what I'm sure you had in mind when you suggested the establishment of the "Mid-Ships Lounge". Please keep it up.

Regards,

Jerry, do you have tales to tell?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:
Great stuff!

I do hope that Joe paid you a good advance?

---

[ 10-02-2004: Message edited by: desirod7 ]

quote:

---

One does not describe an upstream voyage from New Orleans to a point east of Pittsburgh as "going up the Allegheny." No, one sails "up the Mississippi", then "up the Ohio" to Pittsburgh, and only then, "up the Allegheny." In like manner, in departing Vung Tau, one sails up the "Long Tau Channel," then up the "Nha Be River." and finally, only for a very short for a short distance, "up the Saigon River." The Saigon River is actually a small tributary of the less romantically named "Song Nha Be." And the tidal "Long Tau channel," which wends its sinuous way through the
ominous mangrove swamps of the Rung Sat, is the actual primary shipping channel between Saigon and Vung Tau.

---

I read that the shallowest points are Near An Thanh Point(Pointe An Thanh) and Near Corail Bank (Banc de Corail) in the "Long Tau Channel(Song Long Tau)."

[ 10-02-2004: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

To Pam:
Thanks for the url to the Saigon/Long Tau page and the pilot's guide. I indeed used that site in the preparation of the piece, but I thought additional cartography might be overkill! But the photos add to the story, even though they were taken after our MM travels on the rivers. As you set it up as a reference, this leaves the choice to "gentle reader!" And I encourage visits to that site.

To Jerry and others:
Thank you for justifing my decision to include the history. I gave it considerable thought, "Was it 'offtopic?' "Google" provided pages of references. I boiled them down quite a bit in subsequent drafts. I thought it was interesting---I am glad others did too.

"The DOD/ARPA Field Unit, 'My Office'" in Saigon had a party in a luxurious villa in Cholon which was formerly the Binh Xyuen Headquarters. Tuxes, Military Whites, Ladies in long gowns. Yes, "What comes around, goes around." I guess. Or something.

[ 10-02-2004: Message edited by: Cambodge ]

A beautiful time document, exciting history of a small and exciting part of the world.

Do you mind when I say it has a Graham Greene-eque atmosphere ? Even in your postscript, the house of the bandits in cholon, but full of music, white tuxedos and champagne...

It was a difficult and perhaps not a very good time then, but people knew what to make of it, then...

BTW, the site of Philippe Ramona is very good, with beautiful pics and info on the ships, and quite a different atmosphere than on the english sites

But I must say "almost" since there were also those we encountered who were ignorant of what was going on, and determined to remain so throughout their "tour of duty" in Vietnam.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cambodge:
Johan:
Graham Green's "The Quiet American" was almost required reading for those few Americans stationed in Vietnam when Nancy and I arrived there in 1962.We certainly read it, as did most of our colleagues. He preceeded us by about four years.

---

I just wish I had Cambodge's ability to write!

quote:

---

Originally posted by nevadaflip:
Desirod 7, thanks for asking. Yes, like just about everyone who went to sea I have lots of sea stories. Some good, some less so, and of course, some that probably won't ever get told!

I just wish I had Cambodge's ability to write!

Jerry

---

Jerry,

I am sure that your writing style would be enjoyable as well. Plus, I don't mind editing - it's easier than writing. If you can find the time, feel free to email me anything you would like to share.

Jerry

In 1964, there was not a major level of USN activity or support in VN. So therefore, a couple of comments and possible questions come to mind.

I observed all kinds of smallish USN-type "boats" and similar craft being delivered as cargo to the VN Navy in the 1962-1964 period. But I do not remember that the VN Navy had Swift boats in their inventory. They did have, and my memory fails me here, what I believe were Patrol Motor Gunboats or PGMs which were similar, more heavily armed, but slower.

After the USA was more significantly in the action, the USN operated similar small craft. When I was preparing my piece, I googled using "Rung Sat" as my keyword, and came across many pages of "memoirs" of US outfits operating in the Rung Sat and their posted photos. Theyused many types of small craft.

OK, enough of that.

1. Newport was not yet built, when the Pres. Monroe tied up at the Cholon Docks, downstream from the MM building. Were there sufficient cranes ashore, or did a barge derrick offload the boats in question?

2. Newport was being built by the US when I lived in Saigon. When I "commuted" there from Bangkok (1965-1969) it was in full operation. I assumed your subsequent voyages brought you to Newport.

You are correct as I determine also from researching the web. The type of swift boat in the news was not built until 1965. The boats we had on board were different. As I recall, they were offloaded by heavylift crane on a barge.