LCDR L. S. MARSH, 512235/1100, USN, established the Detachment and reported it operational to Commander, Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE in accordance with the Chief of Naval Operations message 221523z JUN 66.

    IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET was established under the administrative control of Commander, U. S. Naval Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE; Type Commander, Commander Mine Forces, U. S. Pacific Fleet; and under the operational control of Commander Coastal Surveillance Force, Vietnam, in accordance with Commander Task Force 115 Operation Order 302-YR.

    IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET composition upon establishment was Officer in Charge with staff, tasked with administrative and logistics control; and four Inshore Undersea Warfare units. The basic Inshore Undersea Warfare Units consisted of Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Surveillance Units (MIUWS) and Harbor Patrol Elements.

    MIUWS ELEVEN and THIRTEEN were deployed from Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE, Long Beach, California and MIUWS TWENTY-TWO and TWENTY-THREE were deployed from Inshore Undersea Warfare Group TWO, Little Creek, Virginia.

    The following officers were assigned responsibilities listed, prior to and after the official establishment of IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET:

    Officer in Charge, MIUWS 13, Harbor Defense Vung Tau, RVN and Commander Task Unit 115.3.4, St J. D. AUSTRAW, 646488/1100, USN.

    Officer in Charge, MIUWS 11, Harbor Defense Cam Ranh Bay, RVN and Commander Task Element 115.2.2.5, LT M. E. HARKSEN, 642207/1105, USNR.

    Officer in Charge, MIUWS 22, Harbor Defense Nha Trang, RVN, and Commander Task Element 115.2.2.4, LT S. W. Barber, 638768/1100, USN.

    Harbor patrol Elements utilized Landing Craft, Personnel Light (LCPL) as patrol boats. Outfitting of LCPL's included two 50 caliber machine guns, RADAR, portable searchlights, high frequency (HF) and very high frequency (VHF) transceivers for patrol coordination between Harbor Entrance Control Post and patrol boats. LCPL's were assigned as follows:

        Vung Tau             4

        Cam Ranh Bay    4

        Qui Nhon             3

        Nha Trang             3

    Personnel strength upon establishment of IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET:    27 Officers and 437 enlisted.

    IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET is assigned the following mission:

        Conduct harbor patrols and surveillance operations as directed in order to protect friendly shipping and military vessels within the assigned harbors from attack by enemy sneak craft, swimmers, sabotage and other threats.

    18 November 1966 - 21 November 1966 - The first group of Southeast Asia Semi-permanent Harbor Patrol (SEASHARP) personnel deployed from Little Creek, Virginia and arrived in Vietnam on 21 November 1966. These SEASHARP personnel were designated IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET Unit THREE under LCDR H. L. KINSEL, 540658/6400, USN, and on 29 November 1966, relived MIUWS-23. This Unit consisted of 5 officers and 54 enlisted assigned to the Harbor Entrance Control Post (HECP) and 1 officer and 47 enlisted assigned to the Harbor Patrol Unit. This was the first time the HECP and Harbor Patrol Unit were integrated into one group. The total number of personnel remained constant at Qui Nhon at 6 officers and 101 enlisted. The tasks assigned to this Unit are contained in enclosure (2). At the same time Unit THREE was relieving MIUWS-23, Explosive Ordnance Team (EOD) 22 was assigned to this unit and commenced operations. The tasks assigned to in-country EOD Teams were; (1) daily anchor chains and hull inspections of ships anchored in Qui Nhon; (2) render safe any explosive devices as requested by higher authority; and (3) salvage operations when requested by other commands on a no-to-interfere basis with primary mission.

    5 December 1966 - Officer in Charge, Inshore Undersea Warfare Group ONE, WESTPAC DETACHMENT relocated his staff from CTF 115 headquarters in Saigon to the Market Time Base at Cam Ranh Bay, RVN.

    9 December 1966 - The second group of SEASHARP personnel under LCDR T. Coyne, 609719/1100, USN, as Officer in Charge, IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET Unit TWO relieved MIUWS-11. This unit consisted of 5 Officers and 54 enlisted assigned to the HECP and 1 officer and 88 enlisted assigned to the Harbor Patrol Element.

    3 January 1967 - The first four of twelve Boston Whalers (Skimmers) arrived in country and were assigned to Unit Two at Cam Ranh Bay. These craft were civilian product outfitted to augment the Harbor Patrol effort in assigned harbors of responsibility and for quick reaction due to their high speeds.

    20 January 1967 - EOD Team 22 arrived in-country and was assigned to Unit TWO for operational control.

    22 January 1967 - The third group of SEASHARP personnel under LCDR B. CROOK, 615195/1100, USN, as Officer in Charge, relieved MIUWS-22. This unit was designated IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET Unit FOUR and commenced operations at Nha Trang. This Unit consisted of 5 Officers and 54 enlisted assigned to the HECP and 1 officer and 44 enlisted assigned to the Harbor Patrol Element.

    28 January 1967 - EOD Team 23 arrived in country and was assigned to Unit FOUR for operational control.

    13 February 1967 - The fourth and last group of SEASHARP personnel under LCDR MCPHERSON, 573137/1107, USN, as Officer in Charge, IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET Unit ONE, relieved MIUWS-13. On this date, all SEASHARP units assigned to the OIC, IUWG-1 WESTPAC DET for administrative and logistics control were in country.

Pictures below provided by Hal Hollenbeck, MIUWS Eleven

Robert "Bob" Quinlan from MIUWS Twelve provided the pictures below. More to follow...