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09-10-07
Ray F. Longaker Jr., BMCM (SW) (CMC) USN/Ret.
In an attempt to
support your on-line photo-history of Vietnam era boats,
please find below photographs of the Armored Troop
Carrier [Water Cannon Conversion] of which I was Boat
Captain of Tango-14 Assigned to River Squadron 13, River
Division 131 from October 1969 to June 1970. Tango-14
was then turned over to the RVN Navy and I was
transferred to River Squadron 15, River Division 153 as
Boat Captain of Tango-32, the other Water Cannon
Conversion.
The well deck of
each boat was fully loaded with machinery for the water
cannons. The prime mover was a Grey Marine 12V71 with a
Power-Take-off-Transmission conne cted to an 18"
Fairbanks-Morse centrifugal pump. The suction line was
14" pipe running down the port side the stern where
there was a swivel strainer which was lowered when the
water cannons were to be employed. Also in the well
deck there was a diesel fuel tank for the 12V71, a
vacuum pump connected to the 12V71, an vacuum expansion
tank and the associated valves and piping to the Stang
Intelligiant Water Cannons.
The water cannons
put out 2,700 gallons of 'river' water a minute at 250
pounds of pressure at the nozzles. Doesn't mean much,
just words, however in other words if you stood to the
side of the water cannon discharge and tried to drive a
baseball bat through the stream of water, the water
would tear the bat out of your hand and the resulting
momentum would quite possibly fling you over the side!
My assigned
mission was to search out and destroy NVA/VC bunkers,
spider holes, trenches, booby traps and cashes. My crew
and I did just that.
If you so choose,
I will be more than happy to provide you with what ever
information you may need in this regard. I've seen what
people have said about my boat and it doesn't come close
to doing the unique boat(s) justice. 
Anyway, submitted
for your review are some photographs and drawings of
"Irma-La-Douche."
Most Sincerely,
Ray |
