Left - Admiral on Board! On this day, in addition to the US and ARVN flags, the Navy base also displayed Admiral Elmo Zumwalt's flag (hence the derivation of the terms flag ship and flag officer). Center - The predominant color at the base was gray, a welcome change from Army green. Right - The main gate and most of the permanent facilities at the base were on the east side of the runway, which ran from the Bassac River northeast to southwest.

Left - A pretty Vietnamese woman wearing a colorful ao dai (traditional Vietnamese slit tunic worn over slacks) saunters down the base road. Right - The band was at Binh Thuy to perform at a Change of Command ceremony for the US Navy. It was a big day and the Navy hierarchy in IV CTZ were out in force. The two polished vehicles at the left display VIP markings. The lead one a Navy Chief of Staff IV CTZ grille plate and the trailing one a US Marine Brigadier General star.

The US Naval Support Activity Detachment at Binh Thuy was the headquarters and command center for US Navy Task Force 116 - Game Warden. The primary mission of Task Force 116 was keeping the inland waterways of South Vietnam secure. The base was a few miles northwest of Can Tho and housed a detachment (Detachment 7) of helicopter gun-ships from HA(L)-3 Seawolves - a flight of OV-10A Bronco fixed-wing, propeller driver, attack aircraft from VA(L)-4 Black Ponies -  and a squadron of PBRs (Patrol Boat River) - collectively called the Bassac River Patrol Group.

After the ceremony was over, the Navy invited the band to lunch and the sights. A couple of us were wandering around the base when I spotted this tall fellow in jungle fatigues with gold on blue service and name tags. This was different and caught my attention. I snapped one quick frame before he got my attention. There were three shiny stars on his collar! Admiral Elmo Zumwalt in person! I came to attention and snapped my best conscript's salute, which he smartly returned.

This monument near the officers club remembered the sailors of Task Force 116 who had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. It was one of the finest gestures of command that I witness in the Delta. In a war that had no apparent memory or continuity, it was a profound remembrance of those who had died. There were 147 brass nameplates on the monument and plenty of space for more names. It had been an honor to sit in for the US Navy Band.

Left - These hangars were off the east side of the runway and were used for a short time by both the Seawolves and Black Ponies. Center - The runway was paved with asphalt and ended on Route LTL-27 across from the Bassac River. Right - Seawolf 322  sits in take-off trim on the PSP flight line.

The Black Ponies of VA(L)-4 were newcomers in town having just arrived in-county two weeks earlier on April 19, 1969. They were the only fixed-wing, propeller driven, attack squadron in the US Navy. Their primary mission was to furnish air cover fort riverine operations. The Black Ponies flew North American Rockwell OV-10A Broncos.

Unlike the arriving Black Ponies, Detachment 7 of the Seawolves was preparing to leave for Tay Ninh in a couple of weeks. During 1970 the detachment would relocate to Dong Tam where they would end their time in Vietnam. Left - That's me sitting in Seawolf 301. Center & Right - Seawolf 301 was on display with its weaponry removed. On the ground in front of the helicopter gunship are rocket tubes, belt of .50 caliber bullets, .50 caliber machine gun, mini-gun, rockets, belt of ammunition for a mini-gun, and another mini gun and rocket tubes.

The two variants of PBR river patrol boats (Mark I and II) used by the Bassac River Patrol Group of Navy Task Force 116 were on display in one of the hangars. The major visible difference between the two was the upward curving superstructure on the Mark II (photo at right). The cylindrical housings atop the masts are Raytheon 1900/W radar units used for night patrolling.