U.S. Coast Guard Engages a Viet Cong Supply Trawler

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Point Grey, patrolling off the Ca Mau Peninsula at the southern tip of South Vietnam, encounters a large steel-hulled trawler. The trawler runs aground when challenged. During the ensuing engagement, with assistance from the Coast Guard cutter Point Cypress and U.S. Navy personnel, the trawler suffers a large internal explosion. Salvage teams later recover tons of war materiel from the wreck of the trawler, which has been supplying Viet Cong troops in the area. It is the most significant known waterborne Viet Cong infiltration attempt since the Vung Ro Bay incident in February 1965.¹