A request for assistance...

SAMPAN Incident
VUNG TAU Harbour 1967

Seeking information or recollections of Harbour Patrol Craft activities in VIETNAM at Vung Tau Harbour on 21 April and 30 April 1967. During Service operations on Australian Warship (Carrier) HMAS SYDNEY a small non-military craft (Sampan type?) was recalled as having exploded after being on fire, also a small military type Patrol Craft (nationality unknown) was recalled as being active in the same vicinity.

Australian and American military records of that time indicate no such type of incident with any such Craft occurred as no information was recorded or considered important enough to record during and around the time of Operation Market Time. Declassified Intelligence from that date record “…heightened alerts in place against Viet Cong underwater swimmers…some ships were content to rely on local US Navy Boat Patrols for their defence…and use of Stun Grenade activity…”

Recollections, comments or records of those times and events will help establish credibility of recall and research for VIETNAM VETERAN. Please contact Sampan Incident at jgodwinall@nor.com.au

Received this request from a Aussie Vietnam vet. Anyone out there have any information for this party, contact him directly at the address jgodwinall@nor.au