{"id":4104,"date":"2018-10-29T13:46:06","date_gmt":"2018-10-29T18:46:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/?p=4104"},"modified":"2019-02-18T10:46:27","modified_gmt":"2019-02-18T16:46:27","slug":"us-navy-swift-boat-pcf-43","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/2018\/10\/29\/us-navy-swift-boat-pcf-43\/","title":{"rendered":"US Navy Swift Boat PCF 43"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Artwork above courtesy of Raine Clotfelter, Branson, Missouri<\/b><\/p>\n

US Navy Swift Boat PCF 43<\/b><\/h1>\n

by Joshua Heston<\/b><\/p>\n

The mission was code-named Silver Mace II. The day was April 12, 1969, and the United States was at war in the mangrove swamps and rice paddies of Vietnam. Songs like Hey Jude<\/i><\/b> by The Beatles and Mrs. Robinson<\/i><\/b> by Simon & Garfunkel blared from the radio alongside Jeannie C. Riley\u2019s Harper Valley PTA<\/i><\/b> and Hank Snow\u2019s Hula Love.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

And a young generation of American warriors were stepping into history.<\/p>\n

In the South China Sea, just off the Vietnam coast, the morning dawned in \u201cthe mellow radiance of the silvery west,\u201d as later recorded by Lieutenant J. G. Peter N. Upton, member of Underwater Demolition Team 13.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4115″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]The lumbering USS Westchester County,<\/i> a nearly 6,000-ton landing ship, was stationed near the mouth of the Deong Keo River, support for a flotilla of swift boats.<\/p>\n

Designated PCF for \u201cpatrol craft fast,\u201d these 50-foot aluminum boats were the mainstay of US and South Vietnamese forces in the war-torn nation\u2019s inland waterways. Originally designed as \u201cwater taxis\u201d to service oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, PCFs were formidable when loaded down with three 12.7mm machine guns, an M60 machine gun and an 81mm mortar. Twin General Motors marine diesel engines churned out 480 horsepower each. The boats had a top speed of 21 knots with a range of 366 miles.<\/p>\n

Loaded down with South Vietnamese marines, gear and explosives, the mission was simple enough on paper: 13 boats enter the Deong Keo River and proceed, single file, until a point determined by the Vietnamese company commander (and his US advisor). Under cover of the flotilla\u2019s gunners, the Vietnamese marines would disembark.<\/p>\n

The Viet Cong were waiting.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4117″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]Not five miles upriver, a well-armed guerilla force lay protected behind a bunker and trench at the water\u2019s edge. Waiting until as many boats as possible were within the kill zone, the Viet Cong opened up with claymore mines, machine gun fire, rifle grenades and bazookas.<\/p>\n

The last boat in line, PCF 43, was hit with a claymore mine, 75mm rifle fire and three rockets. The blasts mortally wounded the officer in charge and killed a demolitions team member. Out of control but with engines roaring, the swift boat beached on the mangrove-choked riverbank directly beneath the Viet Cong bunker.<\/p>\n

PCF 38 turned back to save the stranded crew but was hit by two rockets and forced to retreat.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4118″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]Survivors fought to regroup and keep their position from being overrun. The stricken swift boat became a battleground as heavy fire was exchanged. Minutes ticked by and ammunition dwindled. Recordings of radio traffic, punctuated by the sound of chopper rotors and gunfire, convey a small portion of the hell that took place on that riverbank.<\/p>\n

\u201cForty-three is high and dry one mile back.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cProvide cover for them, over.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to have stretchers.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cProvide cover and we\u2019ll get in to get \u2019em.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

A member of the underwater demolitions team remembers, \u201cI was on 43 when she got hit. I remember the boats coming back into the kill zone to get us. We were out of bullets. You guys saved my ass.\u201d \u2014 CW04 USN (Ret) UDT 13.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4120″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]Before the Viet Cong guerillas converged on the men in the water, Sea Wolf 14 and 15 (two Huey gun ships) roared overhead, laying down cover fire. A broadside of rockets and M60 machine gun fire from the helicopters breached the bunker and trench. Beneath the cover of air support, PCF 31 pulled in to rescue the survivors.<\/p>\n

PCF 43 was left a blazing wreck. Of the 17 on board, two \u2014 Don Droz and Robert Worthington \u2014 were dead. Twelve more \u2014 including Wayne Langhofer of Herington, Kansas \u2014 were wounded. The survivors were ferried to a MEDEVAC perimeter where they were loaded into dust-off helicopters.<\/p>\n

And there it is easy to end the story. A moment of time. A bloody engagement in a faraway nation. A war we never wanted. Veterans would return home only to be cursed. Troops were told to change out of their uniforms before walking through airports.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4121″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][vc_column_text]Young men, unprepared and traumatized by the horror of war, buried the disgrace and tried to cope with domestic life despite post-traumatic stress disorder. Overarching decisions made by politicians and generals became a silent, personal war in the hearts and souls of American veterans and their families.<\/p>\n

It was a time of war. A time to defend America against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Our fighting men and women served with honor.<\/p>\n

Originally published on NOVEMBER 5, 2014[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

The Story Behind the PCF 43 Artwork<\/h1>\n

by Joshua Heston<\/strong><\/p>\n

The oil painting PCF 43 <\/i>was commissioned by Navy veteran Smokey Stover, originally of Herington, Kansas, now of Cassville, Missouri. Painted by Raine Clotfelter (retired US Navy illustrator draftsman petty officer first class) of Branson, the art was meant for PCF 43 crew member Wayne Langhofer.<\/b><\/p>\n

Clotfelter notes, \u201cThere are certain paintings that I do that one cannot begin to express the honor and the privilege of doing them. I can never give enough thanks and gratitude for those who have served our country like W04 Langhofer.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I first talked to Raine, I wanted to do something for [Wayne Langhofer],\u201d says Stover. \u201cMy original plan was to present the painting to him at the Veterans Day celebration in Herington. But I grew up with his wife too. We all agreed it would probably not be a good thing to do in public. Wayne is not a see-me guy. So we did a private deal at his house.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cRaine and I have been friends a long time. I knew Wayne had a picture of the riverboat in his basement. I asked his wife if she could get me a copy and I asked Raine if he could do up an oil painting.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cLife expectancy on a swift boat was similar to that of a chopper pilot. It wasn\u2019t very good.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a political guy but I don\u2019t like it when people who have never served are the ones pushing guys into stuff. I don\u2019t think they understand the long-term effects. Wayne was diagnosed with PTSD and it\u2019s for real. He still goes to the VA once a month. He won\u2019t open up about it [but he has said] he still wakes up in the middle of the night with a VC in pajamas at the bottom of the bed.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cYou think about that. That\u2019s been since \u201971. I used to mistakenly say, \u2018After so long, you need to get over it.\u2019 He told me one time, \u2018Unless you\u2019ve been there, you don\u2019t really know.\u2019\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n

Smokey Stover served in the US Navy from 1967 until 1973 as fire support aboard the guided missile destroyer <\/b>USS Berkeley<\/i><\/b> and aboard a destroyer tender. Afterward, he served 37 years in the fire department before retiring to Cassville. He remains active in helping fellow veterans and is a regular at Branson\u2019s veterans task force \/ homecoming events.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cPlaces like Branson are places of healing. I think the town has gone over and above. Now we have all the guys coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan and who knows where we\u2019re gonna send guys next.<\/b><\/p>\n

Since 2004, it is difficult to discuss Vietnam swift boats without embroiling Langhoffer in the John Kerry \/ Swift boat controversy. \u201cWayne is a personal friend of John Kerry,\u2019 notes Stover. \u201cHe served with Kerry and he campaigned for him.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cWayne has had people confront him about the Swift boat thing and Wayne\u2019ll tell them straight up, \u2018I was there. I know what happened. What you\u2019re gonna print is probably different than what I\u2019m gonna tell you. John Kerry earned what he got. He was a good commanding officer.\u2019\u201d<\/b>[\/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”Story credits”][vc_column_text]REFERENCES:<\/b><\/p>\n

Mwweb.com\/ndc\/SwiftBoats\/pcf43.htm, The Death Of PCF 43<\/b><\/p>\n

PFC45.com, Patrol Craft Fast \u2014 A Tour on Board a Swift Boat, Vietnam<\/b><\/p>\n

Artwork courtesy of Raine Clotfelter, America\u2019s Muralist<\/b><\/p>\n

Historic photographs courtesy of U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, PA.<\/b>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Artwork above courtesy of Raine Clotfelter, Branson, Missouri US Navy Swift Boat PCF 43 by Joshua Heston The mission was code-named Silver Mace II. The day was April 12, 1969, and the United States was at war in the mangrove swamps and rice paddies of Vietnam. Songs like Hey Jude by The Beatles and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4106,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[955,466,582,581],"tags":[1019,495,1020],"class_list":["post-4104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hillbillyhistory","category-ozarkshistory","category-sotoarchive","category-sotofeature","tag-navy-swift-boat","tag-pcf-43","tag-vietnam-veterans","category-955","category-466","category-582","category-581","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4104"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4104\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4125,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4104\/revisions\/4125"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateoftheozarks.net\/showcase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}