River Patrol Force News

1832 - USS Potomac, becomes the first U.S. Navy ship to entertain royalty, King and Queen of Sandwich Islands. 1858 - The last bit of cable is laid by USS Niagara and British ship Agamemnon to complete the first trans-Atlantic cable. Niagara's boats carried the end of the cable ashore at Brills Mouth Island, Newfoundland, and the same day Agamemnon landed her end of the cable at England. The first message flashed across August 16 when Queen Victoria sent a cable to President James Buchanan. 1864 - Rear Adm. David G. Farragut successfully navigates through a deadly torpedo field Confederates lay in order to block the channel into Mobile Bay. During the battle, Farragut gives his famous quote, Damn the Torpedoes, Full speed ahead!

Today in U.S. 1832 - Frigate Potomac is first U.S. 1864 - R.Adm. 1882 - Authorizing of first steel warships, beginning of the modern Navy. 1915 - First air spotting for shore batteries at Fort Monroe, Va. 1921 - Yangtze River Patrol Force established as command under Asiatic Fleet. 1990 - Navy and Marine Task Force (USS Saipan, USS Ponce, and USS Sumter) begin evacuation of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals from Liberia during civil war. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. Naval History - April 10 1941 - USS Niblack, while rescuing survivors of torpedoed ship, depth charged German submarine; first action of WW II between U.S. and German navies 1963 - During diving tests, USS Thresher lost with all hands (112 crew and 17 civilians) east of Cape Cod, Mass. 1966 - River Patrol Boats of River Patrol Force commenced operations on inland waters of South Vietnam For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

Today in U.S. 1902 - Admiral of the Navy George Dewey receives orders to send his battleship to Trinidad and then to Venezuela to make sure that Great Britain's and Germany's dispute with Venezuela was settled by peaceful arbitration not force. 1944 - Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet encounters typhoon northeast of Samar. Destroyers USS Hull, USS Monaghan and USS Spence sink, while 21 other ships are damaged. 1965 - River Patrol Force established in Vietnam. 1965 - Helicopters from HS-11 on USS Wasp (CVS-18) pick up crew and capsule of Gemini 7…

Today in U.S. 1832 - Frigate Potomac is first U.S. 1882 - Authorizing of first steel warships, beginning of the modern Navy. 1915 - First air spotting for shore batteries at Fort Monroe, Va. 1921 - Yangtze River Patrol Force established as command under Asiatic Fleet. 1990 - Navy and Marine Task Force (USS Saipan, USS Ponce, and USS Sumter) begin evacuation of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals from Liberia during civil war. For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

1832 - Frigate Potomac is first U.S. Navy ship to entertain royalty, King and Queen of Sandwich Islands, Honolulu 1864 - RADM David Farragut wins Battle of Mobile Bay, sealing off last Confederate port on Gulf Coast 1882 - Authorizing of first steel warships, beginning of the modern Navy. 1915 - First air spotting for shore batteries at Fort Monroe, VA 1921 - Yangtze River Patrol Force established as command under Asiatic Fleet. 1953 - Exchange of prisoners of war of Korean Conflict (Operation Big Switch) begins 1967 - Operation Coronado III begins in Rung Sat Zone, Vietnam 1990 - Navy and Marine Task Force (USS Saipan, USS Ponce, and USS Sumter) begin evacuation of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals from Liberia during civil war. (Source: Navy News Service)

1902 - Admiral of the Navy George Dewey receives orders to send his battleship to Trinidad and then to Venezuela to make sure that Great Britain's and Germany's dispute with Venezuela was settled by peaceful arbitration not force. 1944 - Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet encounters typhoon northeast of Samar. Destroyers USS Hull, USS Monaghan and USS Spence sink, while 21 other ships are damaged. 1965 - River Patrol Force established in Vietnam. 1965 - Helicopters from HS-11 on USS Wasp (CVS-18) pick up crew and capsule of Gemini 7, after picking up the crew and capsule of Gemini 6 two days earlier. 1967 - Operation Preakness II begins in Mekong Delta. 1972 - Mining and bombing of North Vietnam resumes with Linebacker II Operation. (Source: Navy News Service)

1832 - Frigate Potomac is first U.S. Navy ship to entertain royalty, King and Queen of Sandwich Islands, Honolulu 1864 - RADM David Farragut wins Battle of Mobile Bay, sealing off last Confederate port on Gulf Coast 1882 - Authorizing of first steel warships, beginning of the modern Navy. 1915 - First air spotting for shore batteries at Fort Monroe, VA 1921 - Yangtze River Patrol Force established as command under Asiatic Fleet. 1953 - Exchange of prisoners of war of Korean Conflict (Operation Big Switch) begins 1967 - Operation Coronado III begins in Rung Sat Zone, Vietnam 1990 - Navy and Marine Task Force (USS Saipan, USS Ponce, and USS Sumter) begin evacuation of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals from Liberia during civil war. (Source: Navy News Service)

1902 - Admiral of the Navy George Dewey receives orders to send his battleship to Trinidad and then to Venezuela to make sure that Great Britain's and Germany's dispute with Venezuela was settled by peaceful arbitration not force. 1944 - Admiral Halsey's Third Fleet encounters typhoon northeast of Samar. Destroyers USS Hull, USS Monaghan and USS Spence sink, while 21 other ships are damaged. 1965 - River Patrol Force established in Vietnam. 1965 - Helicopters from HS-11 on USS Wasp (CVS-18) pick up crew and capsule of Gemini 7, after picking up the crew and capsule of Gemini 6 two days earlier. 1967 - Operation Preakness II begins in Mekong Delta. 1972 - Mining and bombing of North Vietnam resumes with Linebacker II Operation. (Source: Navy News Service)

1832 - Frigate Potomac is first U.S. Navy ship to entertain royalty, King and Queen of Sandwich Islands, Honolulu. 1864 - Rear Admiral David Farragut wins Battle of Mobile Bay, sealing off last Confederate port on Gulf Coast. 1882 - Authorizing of first steel warships, beginning of the modern Navy. 1915 - First air spotting for shore batteries at Fort Monroe, Va. 1921 - Yangtze River Patrol Force established as command under Asiatic Fleet. 1953 - Exchange of prisoners of war of Korean Conflict (Operation Big Switch) begins. 1967 - Operation Coronado III begins in Rung Sat Zone, Vietnam. 1990 - Navy and Marine Task Force -- USS Saipan (LHA 2), USS Ponce (LPD 15) and USS Sumter (APA 52) -- begin evacuation of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals from Liberia during civil war.

From the Navy News Sevice 1941 - USS Niblack (DD 424), while rescuing survivors of a torpedoed ship, depth-charged a German submarine; the first action of WW II between and German navies. 1963 - During diving tests, USS Thresher (SSN 593) lost with all hands (112 crew and 12 civilians) east of , 1966 - River Patrol Boats of River Patrol Force commenced operations on inland waters of .

Lee Wahler saw a wrapped boat at the Washington Navy Yard that he thought he recognized. Command, headquartered on the yard, approached the owner of the boat, the Naval Historical Center, to confirm his suspicions. He discovered that he was right. The boat was an MK1 River Patrol Boat, or PBR. patrol officer with a PBR unit during the Vietnam War from 1970 to 1971. He was a member of Task Force 116, the Navy's river patrol force that operated from 1966 to 1971 along the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam. Wahler is a member of the Gamewardens of Vietnam Association, Inc., the oldest Vietnam veterans association, established in 1968 by veterans of Task Force 116. many of its tactics in theater. while denying the Viet Cong access.

A Small Unit Riverine Craft (SURC), from the Navy’s Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1, conducts an orientation ride in Lake Qadisiya, the man-made reservoir on the North side of Haditha Dam. RIVRON 1, based out of Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Little Creek, is currently supporting the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) in the Al Anbar province of Iraq. The deployment marks the first for a Navy riverine squadron since the Vietnam War. U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jon E. The Navy’s riverine force marked its one-year anniversary May 25. Riverine Group (RIVGRU) 1 and Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 1 were both formally established May 25, 2006, under Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC).

Lee Wahler saw a wrapped boat at the Washington Navy Yard that he thought he recognized. Wahler, an employee of the Navy's Military Sealift Command, headquartered on the yard, approached the owner of the boat, the Naval Historical Center, to confirm his suspicions. He discovered that he was right. The boat was an MK1 River Patrol Boat, or PBR. Wahler is intimately familiar with this type of boat as he was a patrol officer with a PBR unit during the Vietnam War from 1970 to 1971. He was a member of Task Force 116, the Navy's river patrol force that operated from 1966 to 1971 along the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam. Wahler is a member of the Gamewardens of Vietnam Association, Inc., the oldest Vietnam veterans association, established in 1968 by veterans of Task Force 116.