Gunboat Riders

Gunboat sailors came from all walks of life and had many different skills. Some were khaki-backs, some were white-hats, but all had one thing in common -- they rode these boats into places that, sometimes, they really didn't want to go. Some saw combat in Vietnam and suffered the pain of physical and mental wounds while some were lucky enough to avoid that conflict and still others arrived on-board after the horrors of Vietnam had ended. Atlantic gunboat riders, worn and tired as they weathered winter storms and summer hurricanes, knew that their counterparts in the Pacific were being mercilessly pounded by typhoons and monsoons. Still others roamed the Mediterranean Sea to "show-the-flag" and provide a capability that, until the gunboat's development, had been lacking in the US Navy inventory. Some experienced the "hospitality" of Guantanimo Bay, Cuba on an all-too-frequent basis to play the role of the opposing force.  At many times, these "small ships" and their crew were overshadowed by the "real" Navy, but they served their part very well. In fleet exercises, by playing the role of the adversary, these boats provided invaluable training for ships of the US and allied navies -- a role that was often overlooked.

Wherever they were, Vietnam, Guam, Little Creek, Naples, San Diego, even Chicago, all can say that they had served with pride on those rough-riding, "not-so-ocean-going", aluminum and fiberglass PG's and survived.

Gunboat Rider Memorabilia 
Samples