Vietnam Veterans Tell of the Brown Water Navy

Vietnam veterans who served in the Brown Water Navy joined the panel in the latest Patriots Point symposium to share the stories of their service during the Vietnam War along the coast and in the shallow inland waterways. Initiated into service through Operation Game Warden in 1965, the Brown Water Navy was critical to patrolling the waterways of Vietnam to intercept ammunition being moved into place and to prevent enemy troops from moving throughout the country.

The veterans of the Gamewardens Association, the oldest, continuously-operating Brown Water Navy veterans group in the United States represents the men who served Naval Task Force 116.  These veterans served on the panel for this event, including:

- NCCM James D. Davy

- CWO2 Gerald Gandy

- Captain Allan Weseleskey

The men talked about the extreme danger of their mission and how they relied on the speed of the PBR and the support of the Hueys provided by the Seawolves to keep them alive.  The experiences in Vietnam have bonded them together for a lifetime. As one of the panelists said, "We came as strangers, and we left as brothers."

A gallery of photos from the event is at the bottom of this post.  To watch the recorded event in its entirety, check out the Livestream link below:

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