The Coast Guard in Viet Nam BMC Patterson Honored

[Tamaroa]

Posted: November 20, 2002 at 6:30 p.m.

PETALUMA (KRON) -- You might expect to hear war stories when Vietnam vets get together.

But the story told by U.S. Coast Guardsmen at a ceremony in Petaluma Wednesday was one many might like to forget - even though it has a heroic ending.

In a ceremony at the Petaluma Coast Guard Training Center, the words of Admiral Thomas Collins, Commandant of the Coast Guard echoed through the Gym: "...and courage in the face of great personal danger, continued to serve as inspirational reminders to us all.."

The words accompanied the unveiling of a plaque dedicating the gym and recreation center to former Chief Boatswain's Mate Pat Patterson, and indirectly his crew. Finally, recognition, honor and glory, 36 years after a tragic event in an inglorious war.

Former Chief Patterson recalled the morning of August 11, 1966. "I got blowed off the ladder, woke up, there's a fire on the stern."

The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Point Welcome, on patrol in Vietnam's Cua Tung River, had come under heavy fire, said Patterson. "We knew who was firing. It's the reason we didn't fire back, because we knew who it was. And it don't make sense, two wrongs don't make a right."

The American Coast Guardsmen were being bombed and strafed by American pilots in a horrific 35 minute "friendly fire" mistake.

"I went up on the bridge and the captain was dead," recalls Patterson. "Executive Officer Ross Bell was laying on the deck with his foot about blowed off. I took over, had 'em move everybody down below decks and that was it."

Not quite. Patterson took control of a bombed and bullet riddled crippled ship, with a gasoline fire on board, and the steering blown away. Alternately throttling the twin engines, Patterson managed to outmanuver the attacking air planes and get his crew to shore.

Said crewman David O'Connor, "There's not a day that goes by since that day in August of '66 that I don't thank God for this fellow (referring to Patterson). If it weren't for him, none of us would be here."

The cutter's cook Donald Austin was wounded and ended up in the water and was rescued. "It was a hell of a time, though. I tell you that much," said Austin. "It was bad. We went through hell. But we helped each other out, we stuck together, that's all that counted."

Patterson received a bronze star for his actions, and is quick to share credit with his crew.

"We just did our job," said crewman Virgil Williams. "Like all veterans did. Everyone in Vietnam did their job. It's time that someone was recognized for what we did, what they did."

Houston Davidson, another cutter crewman, recalled: "We had fires, fires all over the stern, and it was just havoc from there on out. We just did what we could to put fires out and keep the boat underway and all."

"Was it adding insult to injury to come under fire from your own side"" Davidson was asked.

"I guess, I don't know. It was a mistake. That's all I could say."

A mistake that provided a painful lesson on the failure to communicate. Patterson said, "The main thing, I tell everybody in every part of the service - communications. You got several forces working together, communicate together."

Thursday, the Coast Guard survivors will cruise San Francisco bay on a cutter much like the one they were on when U.S. planes attacked them in Vietnam 36 years ago.


(Copyright 2002 KRON 4 News. All Rights Reserved.)

BillD

[Boats]

BillD,

Sounds like the system was flawed. Friendly fire kills are not that prevalent but they happen. My heart goes out to the crew and the families of those lost or wounded.

Events are what they are and until we discover a way to prevent such practices they will occur from time to time.

Being a sailor I can relate to those feelings of panic and heart break but they did their job and they'd do it again. I wish the events could have been different but something good always comes out of something bad.

Let's salute them for their cause and and forgive those who put the hurt on them. They too must carry this burden and it;s something they can change. I'm sure there had to be a mix up in signals or orders within that river zone. Someone had to drop the ball in order to allow one of our own to be attacked.

I'm sure today we are better at preventing friendly fire accidents but they will happen periodically. It's a terrible thing to presume ever happening to our own soldiers. Let's hope all wounds will heal and that lives can move on.

I've known of other such events that I will not go into - but things happen - or as some have said "shit happens" and it does believe me it does.

I will put a prayer tonight for those who've died and for those who had to live this event.

Great Regards

[JeffL]

Thanks for posting this, Bill. Maybe you've solved a years-long mystery for me.

When I was stationed at CGAS San Diego in 1965, I was a YN3 and had YN duty one weekend. Everything was nice and quiet, but all of a sudden the teletype lit up and continued for about 15 minutes. It printed out everything I needed to IMMEDIATELY cut the orders for one of the first Points to be sent over to 'Nam. Within about two hours I had a line of very surprised Coasties filing past my desk to pick up their transfer papers.

Through the years I forgot the name of the boat, but I had heard that was almost blown out of the water by friendly fire due to its unfamiliar silhoutte. I heard that it was the first Point to go over there, and then I heard that it wasn't the first one.

I do remember the name Point Welcome, but now I guess I'll have research where the boat was homeported before it was sent to 'Nam.


Jeff