Date: April 21, 2023

Amended URLs March 25, 2015 for MACV Monthly Summaries

Below are major highlights of the extensive research that I have endured over the past year to rebuke the port of DaNang, South Vietnam as a deep Blue Water Navy Port, and find it worthy of consideration of Brown Water Navy status.

Cargo of Draft Ships offloaded in Subic Bay and loaded on LSTs for transport to Da Nang and Chu Lai through 31 March 1966 MACV Monthly Summary July 1966 pg III-1

In a speech before the Chaplains School Class in November 1966 Chaplain Garrett discussed the work of the NSA Chaplains . Logistic problems, he recalled, were exceedingly grave in I Corps during late 1965 and early 1966. The most obvious reason for the problems was to be found in the nature of DaNang as a seaport. It was picturesque and beautiful, but it was shallow. Deep water stopped two miles out from the coastline. Cargo ships were forced to remain at anchor and unload their cargoes onto lighters which in turn moved the cargo ashore . The labor for unloading the ships and the lighters was provided by NSA personnel organized into hatch gangs. pg 81

Rivers in Da Nang City originate from the west and southwest of the city. Da Nang has two main river systems, the Cu De and the Han (which originates from the lower section of Vu Gia – Thu Bon river), and two smaller rivers, the Phu Loc and the Co Co. All of the rivers flow to the Gulf of Da Nang. The Vu Gia river originates from the southwest of the city, with a total basin area (from Kon Tum to Quang Nam) of 5,180 km2 including the basin in Da Nang. The Co Co river links the Thu Bon river mouth and the Han river mouth. Pg 2

President Johnson signed Executive Order 11216--Designation of Vietnam and waters adjacent thereto as a combat zone for the purposes of section 112 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954

The Military Use of Herbicides Chapter 2 - Alvin Young  Figure 19. Slide 17. The U.S. Army's UH-1 helicopter was ideal for base perimeter spraying of herbicides.

.3,000 barrel water tank and treatment plant completed in Da Nang July 1966 pg III-2 b.

Four large water camels manufactured in Subic Bay arrive in Da Nang for visiting ships (Water contaminated by AO in open reservoir at Marble Mountain provided to ships inport)   pg III-6 (4)

Water Flow from Marble Mountain to Da Nang decreased from 6000 gal/hr to 3000 gal/hr pg III-6 d.(4)

Mobile Construction Battalion -133 Begins on Water Treatment Plant at Camp Tien Sha at Da Nang Feb 1967 pg 49

8 Inch Water Line From a Dam on Monkey Mountain to Camp Tien Sha in Da Nang water treatment plant Mar 1967 pg 48

Da Nang visited 85 times by Seventh Fleet ships; Da Nang provided 566,460 gals diesel fuel, and 1,063,478 gals of potable water (contaminated with AO ~ emphasis mine) Mar 1967 pg 49

"The Port of Danang was visited 134 times by SEVENTH Fleet ships during July. The ships were provided with almost one and one-half million gallons of diesel fuel and over "three million gallons of potable water", in addition to mail, freight, courier, transient billeting and disbursing.”  Jul 1967. Pg 46

De Long Floating Pier operations in Vietnam - turns shallow water ports into deep water piers

Note: ***(e) The 32d NCR Storage area located in Da Nang East, consisting of 8,000 square feet of covered storage, a 90 foot pier and 35 acres of open storage area was taken over on 23 June 1970.(g) On 1 July 1970, USASUPCOM-DNG acquired the deep water pier facilities, located at Monkey Mountain, Da Nang East, from NSA. These port facilities are being operated by the 5th Transportation Command to handle incoming and outgoing cargo in support of the common service support mission in IMR. Pg 6

SS Bienville container ship arrives Da Nang on 1 Aug 1967 marks beginning of containerships in South Vietnam Aug 1967 pg 48

Da Nang monsoons caused strong currents caused by heavy river run offs on the Cua Viet river preventing craft from entering the channel. Sep 1967 pg 57  

USNS Geiger T-AP-197 – with 1,700 ROK troops aboard ran hard aground in 13 feet of water in Da Nang Harbor on 4 October 1967. Ref MACV Monthly Summary October 1967 pg 91

It is not uncommon for ships and boats operating in the waters of Vietnam to inadvertently ground. Common causes of such situations are rapidly changing bottom conditions compounded by lack of navigational aids, or in some cases, operating in areas which have never been adequately surveyed.

It is uncommon, however, that several ships should experience groundings during a short time frame of little over one week. On 5 June (1970), an ammunition ship, the SS AMERICAN HAWK, went aground in Danang Harbor 500 yards from the Harbor Entrance Control Post (HECP). Pg 54

On 15 Nov 1967 NSA DaNang Boat Support Section assumed the responsibility for supply support for all Market Time – Game Warden Operations in I CTZ. Nov 1967 Pg 61

By early 1968, more than 2/3 of the US Navy's strength in Vietnam was in I Corps, supported by Da Nang.  The port supported 7,000 US Air Force personnel, 81,000 marines of the 1st and 3rd Marine Divisions and 73 Army battalions.

Water supply in the Danang area became a problem during May. Although supply was able to keep up with the demand, …..A new dam on Monkey Mountain was completed and an effort was begun to store as much water as possible in this 1,900,000 gallon storage site. May 1968 pg 82

A program was initiated whereby four times weekly fresh produce (tomatoes, green onions, peppers and cucumbers) is flown from Taiwan to Da Nang. These items are supplied to Class I Supply Points on a "Rush Package" basis and are distributed to supporting units in proportion to their strength. pg 11

…deposits of silt constantly change the depth of the rivers and make navigation hazardous. As constant dredging was necessary to keep traffic moving and to keep open the ports and bases supplied by the river, dredges were operated in Vietnam by the United States and many other nations. Pg 272

MACV Monthly Summaries are on history.navy.mil website, tough to find as they are revamping their website. Click on a report noted above, then change the year and month you are looking for in the URL.

Post-Vietnam military herbicide exposures in UC-123 Agent Orange spray aircraft.

Hatfield Group “Assessment of Dioxin Contamination in the Environment and Human Population in the Vicinity of DaNang Airbase”

Note: ***

This report finds the dioxin levels 365 times greater than the acceptable global standards.

USAID Remediation Efforts and Process – refer to bottom of page for additional information.

USAID Remediation Locations in DaNang 2014.

“Our ships sailed on water, but they moved on oil, and the demand never ceased.”

-- Rear Admiral W.R. Carter, U.S.N

These ships are capable of delivering ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to carrier strike groups and other naval forces worldwide. 

Note: Refers to Military Sealift Command (MSC) supporting the fleet today. I contend the capability to transfer water between ships is an evolution that has been ongoing since WWII due to the value of such a commodity at sea to maintain operational readiness.