RM2 Michael A. Harris, U.S. Navy (1967-1971)

While serving as a Radioman with the Mobile Riverine Force (Task Force 117), my T-152-1 boat and T-152-10 were “Chopped” from the main squadron to work with PBRs from Task Force 116. We were located at the small South Vietnamese Naval Base at Rach Soi. Our two Armored Troop Carriers were tasked with night missions with the PBRs. My boat would go out one night and T-10 the next. We would depart the small base before dark and return in the early morning hours. This lasted for roughly 10 weeks. The purpose was to interdict North Vietnamese Army soldiers and supplies coming into South Vietnam from Cambodia. It was part of Operation SEALORDS. We also encountered local Viet Cong guerillas.

One evening my T-1 boat was out on night patrol. When turning around in a small canal, our stern hit the bank on the opposite side. We knew immediately that we had a major problem. A shaft and screw were damaged. We limped back to the base on one engine, which was about 8-10 KM away. The PBRs escorted us. Thankfully, we were not ambushed on the way in.

The next day, a sailor from T-10 came to our boat and asked if we could go out that night as they had a hole in their fuel tank. We informed him of our damage. Their crew plugged the hole with a wooden stake and cloth and went out on the operation. As ironic as it may seem, there was a “Christmas Ceasefire”. In a war?

Late on December 27, 1968, my crew was lounging around on our boat when we heard radio chatter. The small group of boats was in the middle of a vicious firefight. There were reports of one man KIA and several others wounded on T-10. They had taken three Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) hit. We listened intently and learned that Seaman Barry Barber was the sailor who was killed. Others were medevaced to a field hospital.

When T-10 tied up next to our boat in the wee hours of the morning, we could smell the cordite and blood. At daylight, we viewed the devastation. Barry had taken a direct hit from an RPG. The medevac chopper had placed what they could in a body bag.

My crew was tasked with cleaning up the carnage. All we could do was place parts of Barry’s body in a 20MM ammo can. Brass shell casings were everywhere. It was a very somber time. Most of us were either teenagers or in our early 20’s.

When we were done, we said a prayer and lowered the ammo can into the mucky brown water.

I have returned to Vietnam on 3 occasions to honor our Brother Barry where he fell that fateful night. The last time, I plotted the coordinates from an After Action Report and went directly to the site of the ambush.

Barry was a shy and peaceful young man. He died valiantly fighting for our Freedom. I shall never forget him, and will honor him until I die.

Michael A. Harris

Read the Military Memories of our Runner-Ups.