November 1969, after riverine warfare training in Vallejo, California; I detached and reported to rivers quadrant 13 in Vietnam in December 1969. I was reassigned to river division 131, located in the Mekong delta. The Home base was called Sea float/solid anchor, our home base is located in the middle of the San Cua Long River by South China Sea. Our mission is to patrol the river for enemy forces transiting the river. Therefore at night, we provide fire support. I was assigned as the boat captain in monitor patrol boat, code name M-2. The weapons on the M-2 consists of the 105 howitzer canon with the twin 50 caliber machine gun mounted on top of the howitzer, and with a 20 millimeter gun and numerous M-16 machine gun and small arms. we engaged the enemy daily and I was wounded in December 1970 while on patrol. Then I was medevac’d to a field hospital in Bien Theue and then to a medical hospital in Saigon. I was eventually transferred to the US Naval Hospital on Guam. I joined the US Navy July 1957 and retired July 1985 as a Master chief petty officer. I am from Dededo, Guam and married to the former Teresita A. Quintanilla and seven children.
We honor you, Jack Shimizu.
