Photos owned by: rbarcus [at] sc.rr.com
SeaFloat, Binh Thuy and Nha Be
I, Richard Barcus EWC(SW), joined the Army in Jun 60. Did basic at Ft Knox,Ky then went to Ft Benning, Gad for Infantry Radio Repair School.In Dec 60 I was stationed in Berlin, Germany. (they built the wall 13 Aug 61) I left Germany and the Army in May 63.
From 63-65 I just fooled around in Ohio working steel mills. One day I decided to quit and went to Yucca Valley, CA. to hook up with an old army buddy. In Aug 65 went back home to Ohio and Joined the Navy.
While in the Navy I’ve had a lot of duty stations. I was stationed on the USS Mitcher in the Philly shipyard and my Div “O” Lt. Thompson knew I wanted to go to Nam but not on a ship. He had been in BSU-1 and asked if I would like something like that and I jumped at it. So he worked at getting me orders to BSU-1.
I reported in Apr 68 and volunteered for the first deployment I could which was the LSSC’s. I was a ETN2. I don’t remember dates real well cause it was so much fun. We were originally ske’d to be stationed in Binh Thuy but there wasn’t much going on there so we were going to work out of Nha Be. Eroute we had to stop in My Tho and myself and EN2 Skip Loutsenhouser had to stay as our boat had blown an engine so we worked out of My Tho til the boat was fixed and went on to Nha Be.
I did two deployments to SEAFLOAT back to back then went back to the Unit and was a coxwain on the PTF-22 Nasty. CWO4 Barnhart was the OIC. and later Lt. Cunningham.
Left BSU_1 went to Fallon,Nev,then a couple of different ships made EWC(SW) along the way. I was stationed in Naples Italy when they tore down the Berlin wall and I knew it was time to get out! Retired inNov91.
I went to work in the Charleston,SC area finally settling at Robert Bosch Corp. I retired from Bosch 03/20/09.
Webmaster’s Note: Believe it or not, i had to threaten his life to squeeze all this info out of Richard. I am so proud of him! He had two adventures and wore two different uniforms, now that is a Patriot! Somebody, make this man an Honorary SEAL !
Doc Riojas