Tom Hogan volunteered to go to Vietnam with the U.S. Coast Guard when he was 30 years old, married, and a boatswain’s mate. He recalls the cutter crews he served with spending most of their time in preparation for war, including maintenance on the weapons and ammo and on the vessel itself (all of which rusted quickly), because the “boat was a means of doing what you were supposed to be doing over there, stopping contraband from entering into the country via waterways.” He remembers chasing down rainstorms in a little 13-foot Boston Whaler trying to collect fresh water because they were so low on it, and also doing “sitting duck operations” in the same little boat. He details the operation of the .50 caliber and the 81 millimeter mortar. He describes Operation MARKET TIME, which was essentially about the interdiction of supplies and men coming into South Vietnam to support the enemy. His jobs on the Point Clear at An Thoi and the Point White at Cat Lo were essentially the same, but the locations were very different. The gunfire missions were the same. They got called on “a lot” by the Army, Marines, SEAL teams, and Marine Recon for insertions, extractions, and gunfire support. He criticizes aspects of poor leadership and poor policy and silly rules of engagement, but fondly remembers workarounds and overcoming trials and tribulations, and the overall goodness of the Coast Guard in the final tally.