USCGC Point Arden (WPB-82309)
Encyclopedia
USCGC Point Arden (WPB-82309) was an 82 foot USCG Point class cutter
constructed at the Coast Guard Yard
at Curtis Bay, Maryland in 1961 for use as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat. Since the Coast Guard policy in 1961 was not to name cutters
under 100 feet in length, it was designated as WPB-82309 when commissioned and acquired the name Point Caution in January 1964 when the Coast Guard started naming all cutters longer than 65 feet.
, where she served as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat.
At the request of the United States Navy
, in April 1965, she was alerted for service in Vietnam
and assigned to Coast Guard Squadron One in support of Operation Market Time
along with 16 other Point class cutters. While the crew completed overseas training and weapons qualifications at Coast Guard Island
and Camp Parks, California
, Point Arden was loaded onto a merchant ship, and transported to Subic Bay
, Philippines
in May 1965 where she was refit for combat service. Shipyard modifications included installation of new single-sideband radio equipment, additional floodlights, small arms lockers, bunks, additional sound-powered phone circuits, and the addition of 4 M-2 machine guns. The original bow mounted machine gun was replaced with a combination over-under 50 caliber machine gun/81mm trigger fired mortar that had been developed by the Coast Guard for service in Vietnam. For service in Vietnam, two officers were added to the crew complement to add seniority to the crew in the mission of interdicting vessels at sea.
Point Arden was assigned to Division 12 of Squadron One to be based at Danang, along with , , , , , , and . After sea trials, the Division left Subic Bay for Danang on 16 July 1965 in the company of , their temporary support ship. After almost two weeks at sea, they arrived at their new duty station on 20 July and began patrolling the coastal waters near Danang Duty consisted of boarding Vietnamese junks to search for contraband weapons and ammunition and check the identification papers of persons on board. Permanent engineering and logistic support of Division 12 was provided by a U.S. Navy non-self-propelled floating workshop, YR-71. During this time, the WPB's were directed to paint the hulls and superstructures formula 20 deck gray to cover the stateside white paint. This increased the effectiveness of night patrols.
On 10 March 1968, Point Arden was refueling from the U.S. Navy oiler just south of the mouth of the Cua Viet River when Viet Cong mortar fire ignited some ammunition and flares on the ramp or the Naval Support Activity Detachment (NSAD). The commanding officer of Point Arden directed his crew to offload firefighting gear to the shore to assist in the containment of the fire and he then went to the other side of the ramp with the cutter and the crew used fire hoses to help suppress the fire. Several large explosions occurred during the firefighting and one explosion shattered all the glass on the bridge of the cutter and injured several of the crew. The crew of the Point Arden were commended by the commander of Navy Task Group 115.1 for their firefighting efforts.
On 9 August 1969, during a harassment and interdiction mission using the cutter's mortar the Executive Officer, LTJG Michael W. Kirkpatrick, and an engineer, EN1 Michael H. Painter were killed by a misfired round in the mortar. They were two of seven Coast Guardsmen killed in action during the Vietnam War.
On 14 February 1970, Point Arden was turned over to the Republic of Vietnam Navy
as part of the Vietnamization
of the war effort and recommissioned as RVNS Phạm Ngọc Châu (HQ-710).
USCG Point class cutter
The United States Coast Guard Point Class Cutters were a class of 82-foot patrol vessels designed to replace the aging 83-foot wooden hull patrol boat being used at the time. The design utilized a mild steel hull and an aluminum superstructure...
constructed at the Coast Guard Yard
United States Coast Guard Yard
The United States Coast Guard Yard or just Coast Guard Yard is a United States Coast Guard operated shipyard located on Curtis Bay in northern Anne Arundel County, Maryland, just south of the Baltimore city limits. It is the coast guard's sole shipbuilding and major repair facility, and part of the...
at Curtis Bay, Maryland in 1961 for use as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat. Since the Coast Guard policy in 1961 was not to name cutters
United States Coast Guard Cutter
Cutter is the term used by the United States Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. A Cutter is or greater in length, has a permanently assigned crew, and has accommodations for the crew to live aboard...
under 100 feet in length, it was designated as WPB-82309 when commissioned and acquired the name Point Caution in January 1964 when the Coast Guard started naming all cutters longer than 65 feet.
Construction details
Point Arden was built with a mild steel hull and an aluminum superstructure that could accommodate an 8 man crew. She was powered by two 600 horsepower VT600 Cummins diesel main drive engines and had two five bladed 42 inch propellers. The main drive engines were later replaced by 800 horsepower VT800 Cummins engines. Longitudinally framed construction was used to save weight. Water tank capacity was 1550 gallons and fuel tank capacity was 1840 gallons at 95% full. Frozen food storage was 23 cubic feet. Accommodations for a 13 man crew were installed for Vietnam service.History
After delivery in 1961, Point Arden was assigned a homeport of Point Pleasant, New JerseyPoint Pleasant, New Jersey
Point Pleasant is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,392...
, where she served as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat.
At the request of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, in April 1965, she was alerted for service in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and assigned to Coast Guard Squadron One in support of Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
along with 16 other Point class cutters. While the crew completed overseas training and weapons qualifications at Coast Guard Island
Coast Guard Island
Coast Guard Island is in the Oakland Estuary between Oakland and Alameda, California. The island is situated in the historic Brooklyn Basin, now known as Embarcadero Cove. It is within the Alameda city limits, but is accessible, by car, only via a bridge to Dennison Street in Oakland.The Island...
and Camp Parks, California
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area
Parks Reserve Forces Training Area is a United States Army facility located in Dublin, California that is currently a semi-active mobilization and training center for Army Reserve Component personnel to be used in case of war or natural disaster....
, Point Arden was loaded onto a merchant ship, and transported to Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in May 1965 where she was refit for combat service. Shipyard modifications included installation of new single-sideband radio equipment, additional floodlights, small arms lockers, bunks, additional sound-powered phone circuits, and the addition of 4 M-2 machine guns. The original bow mounted machine gun was replaced with a combination over-under 50 caliber machine gun/81mm trigger fired mortar that had been developed by the Coast Guard for service in Vietnam. For service in Vietnam, two officers were added to the crew complement to add seniority to the crew in the mission of interdicting vessels at sea.
Point Arden was assigned to Division 12 of Squadron One to be based at Danang, along with , , , , , , and . After sea trials, the Division left Subic Bay for Danang on 16 July 1965 in the company of , their temporary support ship. After almost two weeks at sea, they arrived at their new duty station on 20 July and began patrolling the coastal waters near Danang Duty consisted of boarding Vietnamese junks to search for contraband weapons and ammunition and check the identification papers of persons on board. Permanent engineering and logistic support of Division 12 was provided by a U.S. Navy non-self-propelled floating workshop, YR-71. During this time, the WPB's were directed to paint the hulls and superstructures formula 20 deck gray to cover the stateside white paint. This increased the effectiveness of night patrols.
On 10 March 1968, Point Arden was refueling from the U.S. Navy oiler just south of the mouth of the Cua Viet River when Viet Cong mortar fire ignited some ammunition and flares on the ramp or the Naval Support Activity Detachment (NSAD). The commanding officer of Point Arden directed his crew to offload firefighting gear to the shore to assist in the containment of the fire and he then went to the other side of the ramp with the cutter and the crew used fire hoses to help suppress the fire. Several large explosions occurred during the firefighting and one explosion shattered all the glass on the bridge of the cutter and injured several of the crew. The crew of the Point Arden were commended by the commander of Navy Task Group 115.1 for their firefighting efforts.
On 9 August 1969, during a harassment and interdiction mission using the cutter's mortar the Executive Officer, LTJG Michael W. Kirkpatrick, and an engineer, EN1 Michael H. Painter were killed by a misfired round in the mortar. They were two of seven Coast Guardsmen killed in action during the Vietnam War.
On 14 February 1970, Point Arden was turned over to the Republic of Vietnam Navy
Republic of Vietnam Navy
The Republic of Vietnam Navy was the naval force of the former Republic of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. The early fleet consisted of boats from France. After 1955 and the transfer of the armed forces to Vietnamese control, the fleet was supplied from the United States...
as part of the Vietnamization
Vietnamization
Vietnamization was a policy of the Richard M. Nixon administration during the Vietnam War, as a result of the Viet Cong's Tet Offensive, to "expand, equip, and train South Vietnam's forces and assign to them an ever-increasing combat role, at the same time steadily reducing the number of U.S....
of the war effort and recommissioned as RVNS Phạm Ngọc Châu (HQ-710).
External links
- The Coast Guard's Vietnam Augusta State University website