U.S. Navy Command Structure – IV Corps Area – Vietnam

 

  1. This acronym was coined by RADM House, the past commander, with what might have been a whiff of the old British Fleet. It means "Southeast Asia Lakes, Oceans, Rivers, and Delta Strategy." The staff has begun moving to Binh Thuy and will have completed the move in August when the Admiral will move in quarters there.
  2. CTF-115 maintains security of the coastal regions and patrols the coastline as well as some distance up the coastal rivers.
  3. CTF-116 is known as COMRIVPATFLOT FIVE – River Patrol Flotilla Five. This command is responsible for security and patrol of the rivers and canals in the Delta Area. Its headquarters is at Binh Thuy as well as the Operational Control Center.
  4. CTF-117 is an amphibious operation. It provides transportation and support for U.S. Army, SEAL, or ARVN ground units.
  5. Light Helicopter Attack Squadron Three operates about 30 HU-1Bs borrowed from the U.S. Army and maintained by contracted Army maintenance. They have recently moved headquarters from Vung Tau to Binh Thuy and maintain six or seven detachments in the Delta. They anticipate delivery of six Navy helicopters in the near future.
  6. LT ATKRON FOUR headquarters is located at Navy Binh Thuy and the squadron maintains two detachments; DET ALPHA at the Binh Thuy VNAF Base and DET BRAVO at the Vung Tau Army Air Base. Like HAL-3, the officers in charge (oinC) of these detachments fall under the operational control of the Task Units or Task Groups in the area in which they are assigned. They become almost operationally autonomous from their parent squadrons. Tactical utilization and application of the detached aircraft and crews is controlled by the unit commander, although he may receive policy and some specific direction from CTF-116 staff.
  7. The Fleet Air Detachment is comprised of the two squadrons and the supporting Fleet Air Service Unit. CAPT Beckwith, being the senior officer in the group, becomes the FAD Commander as well as commanding HAL-3. He is responsible for some administrative control over both squadrons in this capacity and receives direction from COMFAIRWESTPAC. He is qualified in the OV-10A.
  8. FASU is the Intermediate Maintenance Activity for the two squadrons. Since the HAL-3 helicopters were maintained by Army contracted maintenance, FASU consisted of about 30 personnel and little equipment before the arrival of VAL-4. Shortly after arrival, VAL-4 was directed by COMFAIRWESTPAC to transfer their spares and support assets to FASU along with several maintenance personnel. There are plans for expansion of the FASU and the present OinC (a lieutenant) will be relieved by a full commander.
  9. Headquarters for the patrol boat squadron and the SEAL unit are also at Binh Thuy. They also are detached and operationally controlled like the air units.
  10. The PBRs maintain scheduled patrols and also engage in special operations as required. The specially-trained SEALs (Sea Air and Land) are exclusively engaged in special operations. Combinations of the two air and two ground units are frequently engaged in a particular operation, and occasionally all four may become involved in an impromptu situation. All Game Warden operations are supposedly limited to areas within six kilometers of the major rivers and canals, but this restriction is often violated when air or ground units become temporarily lost. Surprise meetings between SEALs and Army Special Forces or ARVNs are avoided when possible. The SEALs monitor radio frequencies and often know that air support is near-by when the airborne units may not know of their presence in the area. Air assistance is made available with armed patrols and ready alert aircraft around the clock.
  11. The Task Units and Task Groups are formed by combinations of units in the
  12. CTF-116 organization as required to accomplish their assigned missions. They operate control centers monitored and guided by the CTF-116 center and the Navy Operations Center (NOC).
  13. The Naval Support Activity (NSA) provides logistics support for all Navy units in country, and provide and maintain facilities for operating activities. There are a number of detachments throughout the country. The Binh Thuy Navy base is maintained by an NSA detachment.