Remembering the USS Satyr (ARL-23)
Last Updated 08/25/00
Jimmy Estes Lonnie Smith Harold Best Leonard L. Martin Thomas Smith Richard Pettit Terry Beck
Ronnie Barnes Joe McMillan Dr. Norman L. Crawford Steven Nease Sam Dong VNN Joe Dale
Arthur Kitchen Dempsey Bumpass Curtis G. Altom Capt. Grant Carson Paul Morrison Thomas Griffiths
Steven E. Elicker Jim Westgate Frank Halmsteiner Leroy Robbins Thomas R. Gibbons
From: Jimmy Estes SN USS Satyr (ARL-23) 5/67
- 5/69 298 Horseshoe Loop Columbus, MS 39701 Home phone: 601-327-4314 Work phone: 601-434-2203 E-Mail: estesj@tilc.com I reported to the USS Satyr in New Orleans, LA (June 1967) when she was just returning from mothballs. I was a plank holder for the recommissioning in early spring of 1968. Sailed from New Orleans through the canal to San Diego and on to the P.I. and into Vietnam where I spent 10 months in country. Top |
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From: Lonnie Smith PC3 USS Satyr (ARL-23)
67-69 3730 Militia Drive Titusville, FL 32796 Home phone: 407-268-2808 Work phone: 407-824-1856 E-Mail: LONBAR@HOTMAIL.COM I was among the pre-com. group that started our tour of duty at the NavSta San Diego. From there we were all sent to New Orleans where the Satyr was once again commissioned. The long trip across the Pacific to the mouth of the Mekong Delta River was quite a ride. I was the ship's postal clerk. The original crew was divided up into three groups as far as the tour of duty was concerned. I was among the first group to be transferred to another duty station. I spent the next year at Subic Bay, Philippines. I left the Navy in Feb. 1970. I am now living in sunny Florida working as a musician at Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort. WE, MY wife of 22 years and three children, have been in this area now for twelve years. Top |
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From: Harold Best
EN3 USS Satyr (ARL-23) 69-70 6750-48 Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL 33709 Home phone: 727-546-0426 E-Mail: ALPHA1091@JUNO.COM I joined the Satyr when she was in the Gulf of Siam, in the fall of 1969. She was supporting operations aimed at rooting the Viet Cong out of an area called "CA MAU"-a third layer forest/swamp that could only be cleared of enemy by inserting manpower and engaging the enemy. The canopy over the area was far to thick to access the swamp from the air. This operation was being conducted by U.S. Marines and Navy Seals. Enroute to the Satyr we sat down the DC3 we had been flying for the night ... We landed at an Army Special Forces camp on the Ca Mau peninsula. I met my first Seal Team member at the landing strip. The Army treated us well, inviting us to their makeshift non com club in the camp to swap stories that night. While there we were introduced to their mascot-a large python the guys kept in a chicken wire cage in the middle of the camp. Later during the night the camp was mortared by the V.C. and a firefight ensued. It was my initiation to Vietnam ... Fresh off a nuclear submarine with virtually no combat experience, I didn't know which way to run. The next morn-after all the action was over my buddy and I passed the snake cage on our way to breakfast ... only to discover a mortar had landed very near the cage, knocking it over. The camp mascot was no where to be seen ... He had escaped. Needles to say, I was happy to catch a helo out and get on my way to the "Green Weeny." HARE Top |
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From: Thomas Smith
SF3 USS Satyr (ARL-23) 9/67 - 4/69 5288 12th St. Port Arthur, TX 77642 Home phone: 409-985-8597 Work phone: 409-985-0942 E-Mail: Vnar23@AOL.COM I reported to the pre-com detail at San Diego September of 67, then went to New Orleans in Jan of 68. I guess it was better that we operated in the rivers because at sea we were a hazard to navigation. I think we ran into everything between New Orleans and Viet Nam. We hit a destroyer tender in San Diego. We tore down I don't know how many feet of dock in New Orleans, we even ran over a mooring buoy with our on bosinmates on it. But joking aside we had a great crew and we worked very hard and did a great job. I am proud to have served on HER. Top |
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From: Richard Pettit
GMG3 USS Satyr (ARL-23) 9/69 - 3/71 1581 S. Fairplay Way Aurora, CO 80012 Home phone: 303-368-8474 E-Mail: repettit@uswest.net We had an enrep - and afterwards we were
sitting around the forward hatch. It was covered with an aluminum cover
and we felt relatively safe around edges. We had this one little
SN that decided to crawl to the middle and going to catch some rays.
Well that cover collapsed, and the SN, myself and another guy fell into
the well deck. The SN used the cover like a sail and was unhurt,
while I broke my shoulder, and the other guy really hurt March 23, 2000 Update Article: Refugee Flotilla. Ron Dredge, I believe it was Powell "Butterfly" and myself were out on the BID Boat, making the rounds as usual. We were armed with a Shotgun, and an M2 Carbine and a load of concussion grenades. It was pretty dark and little or no moon, as we about to round the stern there was this huge Black thing floating down the river towards us. We made our normal call to the ship and all they would say was to "Stay out of their way" and "Keep Quiet". No explanations or anything. Needless to say everyone was alert for the rest of the night. A couple of days later the Stars and Stripes printed the article that I sent to Bruce. Ron Dredge signed the bottom March 23, 2000 Update One night after either a "Beer
Party" or a "USO" show, Turner (ET3) had the forward bow
watch. He had partaken more than he usually would
have, so I went forward to sit with him for a bit. He had
discovered that he could almost get an "Air Burst" by holding
the grenade a little longer than just pulling the pin and throwing the
grenade. Physics says that you have to have one hell of an arm to
get a grenade to explode in the air, but it sure made for some dandy
geysers. Well he was going to demonstrate how he got the geysers,
and he pulled the pin, dropped the spoon/handle and reared back to throw
it and as his arm was on the way forward his hand hit the
"Salt Water Wash down" pipe and he dropped that damned
grenade. He looked at it a bit and I did too before I realized
what had happened. I pulled him over the low port stantion and
made a wild grab for the grenade and missed as I was going over the
opposite stantion, with *#$* as it went off. I just knew that all
those cases of grenades were going to go off too. March 23, 2000 Update One night after we brought the ferry from Neak Long and during the crew change for the BID Boat we noticed that the LCM was sitting kinda funny alongside the pontoon. The LCM was loaded with LRPS & C-Rations, which we offloaded, and we started to move the LCM back to pick it up with the A-Frame. The engine compartment was full of water, so we tried to move it with the LCVP/BID Boat but with the current and added weight we couldn't and it went down by the stern. That stupid boat would not sink. It just moved to the middle of the River with its Bow Ramp waving at us. The next morning, we took the BID Boat and pulled a mooring line to it, after having some difficulty tying a double bowline in it (That was as funny as a barrel of monkeys with a football watching that evolution). We could not get the BID Boat close enough and long enough to get the line on the Tie downs, so Snuffy planted the Bow Ramp up against the LCM and I got onto the LCM (Mike O'Neal has a photo of me on the LCM) and we got the Mooring line secured to it. We eventually got the LCM alongside, after burning up the Port Anchor Wench, and snapping a 3" Nylon Mooring Line, with the assistance of an Alpha Boat and moving the ship to position it alongside. It was pretty interesting watching them raise the boat, but also tragic in losing the Army Diver in the process. March 27, 2000 Update There was a
crewman named OSBORN (don't remember his rate). One evening when I March 27, 2000 Update I remember watching these three UH-1 Helos buzzing down the river, about 25 feet off the deck. They were coming in close formation when all of a sudden the first two helo's pulled off hard Left. Well when they did that it just sucked all the air from under the third one and it went straight down into the river. There were ARVN's bobbing in the river like wet rats. Really very funny to see it happen and the UH-1's and LOHC's buzzing around the scene Top |
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From: Terry Beck EM2 USS Satyr (ARL-23)
5/70 - 5/71 17 S Caln Rd. Coatesville, PA 19320 Home phone: 303-368-8474 E-Mail: Randahlj@aol.com I remember standing a lot of DC Generator watches in that hot engine room with some crazy Enginemen-wish I could remember that ENC's name, He really knew his job. O'Neal-I believe we stood a lot of watches down there. We dimmed the lights on the ship quite a few times-usually because your diesels kept crapping out-hope I hear from somebody from E Div. Top |
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From: Leonard L.
Martin HTC (USN Ret.) USS Satyr (Vietnam) 17205 Monterey St. Morgan Hill, CA 95037 E-Mail: lmatin500@earthlink.net I came, I saw, I left, and while I was aboard Satyr I learned a lot about people. Anyone remember that stupid little dog? and who threw it over the side? How bought chief Oby (Nickname) PNC Greenstreet, Harramen, Souchocky, Tibidoe, So many I cant remember the names, At that time I was DC-2 Martin, R-DIV. Now I'm ret. HTC Leonard L. Martin. Best to all |
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From: Ronnie Barnes
RM3 USS Satyr 1970 105 Elizabeth St. Abbeville, SC 29620 E-Mail: rgbarnes@wctel.net I served aboard the USS Lredell County (LST 839) in 1969 and finished out my tour aboard the USS Satyr in 1970. Top |
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From: Joe McMillan
MM3 USS Satyr 1967-1968 P.O. Box 2103 Trinity, TX 75862 Home Phone: 409-594-9474 Work Phone: 281-687-0700 E-Mail: jomc@totalzone.com I played the guitar in a small band with Stephen Luke and Tommy Hildebrand and went on a three month tour with CMTS ( Command Military Touring Shows )out of Saigon. My primary job on the Satyr was to make water and clean the boilers. I was with the Satyr when it was commisioned at Buck Krieths Ship yard in New Orleans. Top |
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November 26, 1999
From: Dr. Norman
L. Crawford MM3 USS Satyr (9-52 8-54) |
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November 26, 1999
From: Steven Nease FN USS Satyr
(1970) |
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November 28, 1999
From: 2nd Lt. Sam Dang
(S. Vietnamese Navy, 42 River Patrol & HQ-802/ARL-23) November 29, 1999 |
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November 28, 1999
From: Joe W. Dale
SF1 USS Satyr (7-14-67 to 2-9-69) |
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December 6, 1999 From:
Arthur Kitchen EN3 USS Satyr (5/70 - 3/71) |
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December 26, 1999 From:
Dempsey Bumpass GMG3/SWCS |
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December 31, 1999 From:
Curtis G. Altom SKC (USN Ret.) USS
Satyr (9/67-7/69) I have many memories about my tour of duty aboard the Satyr. Some I would not share here, this one I will share. Do any of the shipmates remember when the repair crew who worked on the small boats on the barge alongside got a chicken for a mascot and the CO (LCDR D.C. Rutherford) made them get rid of if, because he was afraid that it might bite some one and they would get rabies, and that night some one placed chicken bones outside his stateroom. How about the beer parties on the barge. Enough said if you want to hear more e-mail me at caltom@alltel.net. Top |
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December 31, 1999 From:
Capt. Grant Carson (USN Ret., served
7/57-5-85) Naval Advisory Group
(Vietnam) I
visited your ship incidental to conducting an investigation of a
friendly fire incident between the River Transport Escort Group, a VNN
rice convoy with USN advisors, and Vietnamese forces ashore.
Unfortunately, the investigation revealed that the USN advisors were
drunk and initiated the incident. |
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January 7, 2000 From:
Paul V. Morrison EM USS Satyr (3-69 3-70) It's
been some time since I spoke to you on the phone and since I received
your E-mail in regard to the above subject. I apologize for the
delay in getting this to you. I have reconstructed this from letters
which were saved by my Wife and by my Mother. I believe it to be
accurate but one can never tell since ships electricians were not privy
to the inside scoop but relied on scuttlebutt to get the picture. I hope
this helps and would appreciate any corrections or fill-ins that I don't
have. |
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January 10, 2000 From:
Thomas Griffiths EN3 USS Satyr (1-68
3-69) I wound up in New Orleans on the Satyr in Jan. of 1968 after being sent to Assault Boat Engineering School and Swift Boat Training in Coronado, Calif. and a few more schools in San Diego. I think it took us 33 days to reach Vung Tau. I worked in the D.C. Gen. room then the A. C. Gen. room. My brother, Joe, requested duty with me on the Satyr and upon the completion of boot camp was sent over. I think we were in Dong Tam at the time. I left the Satyr the end of March 69. I finished my enlistment on the USS Orion, a sub tender stationed in Norfolk, Va. in September 1970. A few of the guys I remember are Bob Lerch, Ben Wojtas, Joe McMillan, Bob Bonner, Mike "Shorty" Bronnenberg, Bob Silkensen, Rick Dalton, Sheleton, and Chief Fisher. Top |
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April 8, 2000 From:
Stephen E. Elicker SN USS Satyr
(12-69 11-70) From what I can remember LCDR R.T. Fellis was Commanding Officer when I came on board and later was assumed by LCDR Giganti. While going thru pictures on this site I was amazed because I saw pictures almost duplicating what I have. The pictures sent by Pettit and O'Neal were uncanny. I remember Pettit, Fiola, Fisher, Manning, Lackey and Brown. I am also sure I served with Swank and Stapleton. I have many good slides and coincidently one of Richard Brown and Ron Fisher (Snuffy) and pictures of the USO show with the girls in pink, white and black dresses. Also have one of Wes Compton. I was assigned to the First Lieutenant's office as the deck yeoman. Most of my pictures are on slides so I'll need to figure out how to send them to you. Who can tell me the black sailor's name that we used to call sugar bear? He was a lot of laughs. I will send you more if my memory allows. Thirty years is a long time. I was 18 years old at the time. By the way, my favorite service related story now is that after spending 12 months in Viet-Nam, my next duty was with VP-24 (based at that time in Patuxent River, Maryland) which was deployed to Keflavik, Iceland." Talk about going from one extreme to the other! Also, Sam Crawford was somewhat responsible for my going there. If I remember correctly he left the ship in 1970 (not 1979) right before me. He told me his next duty station was in Patuxent River, Maryland. I asked him how I could get a gravy train like that and he recommended I put in for Yeoman A school and then ask for Patuxent River on my dream sheet. Yea, like all of that was going to happen. Well, I put in for the school, I was accepted, and I got my first choice on my dream sheet and I was off for Patuxent River which is only 150 mile from my hometown of Hanover, PA. I was home every weekend for two years except when we were deployed to Iceland for 4 month intervals (annually) and when I was on call for the weekend. Thanks, Sam. Top |
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April 8, 2000 From:
Jim Westgate EN2 USS Satyr (9-67 5-69) |
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May 5, 2000 From:
Frank Halmsteiner RMC USS Satyr (6-69
7-70) |
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May 13, 2000 From:
Leroy Robbins SF1 USS Satyr (7-67 5-69) |
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June 5, 2000 From:
Thomas Gibbons SF3 USS Satyr (3-46 9-47) |
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