Da Nang Diving-Barge Life at 1966-67

# Viet Nam 001. We are at Tin Sha Ramp and are watching a Diving Job. Left, sitting is our Offer LT Bechtel, the one standing I do not remember; sitting with short hair was Watson. Right is BM 2 DV Fitzgerald, my best buddy there.

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This is a collection of pictures from my 1-year service (1966-67) in Viet Nam on the Da Nang Naval Support Activity Diving Barge and shows our daily life of my shipmates and me.

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# Viet Nam 002. We took turns cooking, used C-4 to start the BBQ. In the back are the 3 APLs, already moored at the new Small Craft Repair Facility. That is where we took a hand scribbled list and drew food, whatever we desired, at reasonable amounts! Right is my boss, John T. Brady DC2 DV1

# Viet Nam 003. Rusting never stops, not even in a war zone, and we were of course our own Deck Seamen (Deck Apes).

# Viet Nam 004. Only the sailor in the middle I remember, he lives now, like I, in the Philippines (John T. Brady passed away a few years ago). The person on the left was a SeaBee Diver and was strong like an ox.

# Viet Nam 005. We were living on board and cooked for our self. Today it is Hamburgers on the BBQ. We were able to requisition anything we wanted within reason from the Supply Officers on board the APLs. Right is my boss, John T. Brady DC2 DV1

# Viet Nam 006. This is in 1966; the bay is full of ships, customers of ours. The Deep-Water Pier is not ready yet. We are still controlling the outboards standing alongside.

# Viet Nam 007. This pic is unique because it shows all 3 APLs, the berthing barges, are still anchored out. Prior to this many of the sailors were berthed on a Fleet Attack Personnel Transport (APA).

# Viet Nam 008. Our Diving Barge was set up in a most ideal way. That was my bunk. In the morning, the 1st boat, needing help, was alongside. We got up, opened an air valve, put on a Jack Brown hose mask and jumped in; what a great way to do diving jobs.

# Viet Nam 009. Not a good pic but it shows how trim I was. And it shows we are still controlling the outboard engines standing by them.

# Viet Nam 010. Watching the pets, look, how young we were!

# Viet Nam 011. I was and am a proud US Sailor, having served proudly under the American Flag.

# Viet Nam 012. This is my Diving Officer LT Doege, like with most Officers in my 30-Year Navy career, was an excellent officer. Note, I still put my nickname Fritz on my shirt which I received in my 1st Command, on the USS Belle Grove LSD-2. My Petty Officer in charge then just had come from the Rhine River Patrol Command, 1960 and thought that was a fitting nickname.

# Viet Nam 013. We are at the same location as in the previous pic, alongside the floating drydock. BM 2 DV Fitzgerald with another pet dog.

# Viet Nam 014. Squatting down outboard, stbd., on our barge. Note the drain ends of our high-pressure air tanks, and I cannot squat down like the natives.

# Viet Nam 015. BM 2 DV Fitzgerald with a monkey; I guess we had one for a while. This is on our bridge, astern. The remote control for our outboard engines is in place and he is driving.

# Viet Nam 016. We had running water on board for this activity and cooking. We put water in one of the pontoons, the barge was made of, pressurized it and we had running water.

# Viet Nam 017. We enjoyed life in the tropics. By the way, there was no liberty for any US Service men in the Greater Da Nang Area. The Reason, our dollars had too much negative effects and it kept us out of trouble.

# Viet Nam 018. Many units had pets where it was possible. I only remember the brown one. BM 2 DV Fitzgerald is holding it.

# Viet Nam 019. In the Da Nang Bay we came across this boat drifting about. Our resident Snipe (engineer), EN2 Starcher got it running again and got them underway.

# Viet Nam 020. These were the other passengers on that boat and were appreciative of our help.

# Viet Nam 021. This is up the Da Nang River, in town. This is where the German Hospital Ship tied up. We were making sure nothing was left sticking out of the mud from the wreck site that was lifted from here by HCU-1 and us.

# Viet Nam 022. Kids are kids; we gave the kids some candy just then. This is in Da Nang town. We used explosives here to cut any more wreckage sticking out of the mud at a certain depth.

# Viet Nam 023. Cannot remember this shipmates name, even though I met him again in Washington DC and Barbers Point, in Hawaii. He got diving disqualified because of lung damage from diving.