“Waterborne Steel!”「水性鋼」
MISSION
The 5th Transporation Company, (Composite Watercraft Company) plays a critical role in enabling the joint force in the Indo-Pacific, and one significant role is in setting the theater, opening ports, and providing an enhanced logistics capability. One of the many ways the Army enables the joint force is through AWS that allow a combatant commander to have increased options for positioning military forces in the region.
HISTORY
On 1 March 1966, the 5th Transportation Company was reactivated at Fort Eustis as a heavy boat company. Over the next year it came up to strength with personnel and equipment and trained for service in Vietnam. It received the LCU 1466 series. These were old boats but went to the factory to be rebuilt for Vietnam. They came out looking almost brand new. The personnel of the company deployed to Vietnam in an advance party and main body. The company arrived in Vietnam on 20 February 1967 and operated out of Vung Tau on the mouth of the Saigon River.
Two Norwegian vessels, Teresa and Terra, transported the 12 LCUs. The vessels arrived at Vung Tau in April. A floating crane came down, lifted the LCUs off the ships, and placed them in the river. Vung Tau became the home base for the 5th Heavy Boat Company. The LCUs delivered cargo up and down the Saigon and Mekong Rivers. Primary destinations were to the terminals at Newport, Vin Long, Cat Lai Co Ji do, Can To and the 9th Infantry Division at Dong Tam. They also delivered cargo to the island on the southern tip of South Vietnam. On occasions, the LCUs delivered men and tanks on amphibious operations. On 17 July 1968, LCU 1577 Sunset Strip took the wrong turn up the Mekong River into Cambodia. The Cambodian government detained the vessel and its crew for nearly five months. Since Cambodia was neutral, the crew became simply detainees and not prisoners.
The Cambodian government treated them very well but detained them longer than any other Americans who had fallen into Cambodian hands. The Cambodians hoped to negotiate a trade for the crew and boat, but the American government would not give in. Consequently, they released the crew but retained the boat.
The Army recently activated its first composite watercraft company outside the United States in decades, a move that comes as the service seeks to expand its maritime capabilities in the Indo-Pacific theater.
The 5th Transportation Company, a composite watercraft company, was activated on Feb. 8 at Yokohama North Dock, Yokohama, Japan, according to an Army release. The development was first reported by the U.S. Naval Institute.