The Vietnam War's Patrol Boat, River

The Vietnam War was a long, divisive, and costly conflict between the communist government of North Vietnam and South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. More than 3 million people, 58,000 of whom were Americans, were killed in the Vietnam War, sending the United States into a tailspin of division and opposition to the war. The American troops were withdrawn from the conflict in 1973, and in 1975, South Vietnam was seized by Communist forces. 

The Patrol Boat River, or PBR, used in specific scenarios in the Vietnam War, is now a standout among the conflict's avid collectors and COBI Building Block model builders.

The Patrol Boat, River (or PBR)

The Patrol Boat, River (PBR) is the designation given by the United States Navy to the small patrol boat used in the Vietnam War from 1966 to the end of 1971. PBRs were deployed in a force that grew over time to 250 ships and was the most common craft in the River Patrol Force, Task Force. This Task Force used the boats to stop and search river traffic in the Mekong Delta, Saigon River, Rung Sat Special Zone, and I Corps in the Task Force Clearwater. 

PBRs were used in an attempt to disrupt weapons shipments throughout the combat regions of Vietnam, and they frequently became involved in firefights with the enemy on other boats and along the shores. 

Design Of The PBR

Designed for versatility, the PBR was built with a fiberglass hull and a water jet drive, which enabled it to maneuver in Vietnam's often shallow, weed-filled rivers. The boat only drew two feet of water when fully loaded and could be pivoted to reverse direction or come to a complete stop from full speed in only a few boat lengths. 

The PBR was manufactured in two versions. The first version had a 31-foot length with a 10.7-foot beam. The Mark II version was 32 feet long and had an 11.7-foot beam with improved drives to reduce fouling and aluminum gunwales for durability. Typically, the PBR was operated with four enlisted men, one of whom was designated the Boat Captain. However, sometimes a junior officer was assigned as Patrol Officer of two boats. 

Armament Of The PBR

The PBR was considered heavily armed, with four crew members for its size, armed with twin M2HB .50 machine guns forward in a rotating tub, a single rear .50 caliber, and a Mk 19 grenade launcher, and a side-mounted M60 7.62mm machine gun. On some vessels, a 20mm cannon was mounted. 

The boat's machine gunners were protected with small ceramic armor gunshields. The rest of the crew relied on speed and firepower for protection.

Operations

PBRs were in operation with the U.S. Naval Reserve until 1995 at Mare Island, California, before the base was closed later that year. During the war in Vietnam, Mare Island was the home of the U.S. Navy's Repair Facilities, Submarine Operations, Mothballing Operations, and Riverine Training for both PBRs and Swift Boats.