— Gerald A. McGill

    I flew into Saigon RVN on an American charter flight early in the morning of 17 October 1967. I caught a ride with the U.S. Marines who were making their daily mail run to Cat Lo and Vung Tau about 30 miles south of Saigon at the mouth of the Mekong River.  I reported to the Commander, Coast Guard Division 13 as Prospective Commander Officer of the USCGC Point Welcome, an 82-foot steel hull Point-class cutter. On 22 October, 1967, I assumed command of the Pt Welcome.  I was 24 years old.

    On 26 October, 1967 Pt Welcome was transferred to Division 12, Danang RVN about 400 miles to the north. On 28 October, 1967 I arrived in Danang.  It was a large harbor that reminded me of Pensacola Bay, in my hometown of Pensacola, Florida.   The main difference between the two is that the mountains that formed Danang harbor came right down to the edge of the water.  We could actually be right up to the water’s edge and have 100’ or more of water under us.

    Our orders were to moor at the South Vietnamese Navy Junk Force Base.  There were 2 or 3 other 82’s that moored side by side to save dock space and we moored to the outboard 82.  Most of the other COs of 82s were from CGA classes 1963 and 1964.  I was one of the first of the class of 1965 to arrive.

    The Junk Force Base was at the foot of Monkey Mountain so called because of the monkeys that lived there.  Monkey Mountain was at the extreme southeast edge of Danang Harbor.  At the Base was housing for the Vietnamese Navy Officers, enlisted men and their families.  There was even an Officer’s Club and an Enlisted Club.

      A sniper lived on Monkey Mountain.  No one ever knew whether he or she was Viet Cong or North Vietnam Army.  However, on occasions, apparently random, shots would be fired into the ARVN housing area sending the base into General Quarters and forcing the 82s to get underway out into the harbor.  Our 82s were underway about 75-80% of the time but the Pt Welcome was present at least twice when this happened.

      Amazingly, the shots would hit in the middle of an empty street or the walls of the buildings but to my knowledge no person was ever hit.  Hence the saying, “’Bad Shot Charlie’ lived on Monkey Mountain.”

      Upon reflection, many years later, I think “Bad Shot Charlie” was probably an excellent shot.  If he had ever hit anyone in the village, I believe the ARVN Marines would have gone up the mountain and hunted him down.  Even worse, the VC or NVA might have replaced him with someone who could and would shoot people.

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      Definitions

      RVN  Republic of Vietnam, i.e.  South Vietnam

      ARVN  Army of the Republic of Vietnam,

      NVA    North Vietnam Army

      VC  Vietnamese in sympathy with North Vietnam

      General Quarters  Everyone goes to battle stations and all are on alert.