Riverboat of the U.S. brownwater navy deploying napalm during the Vietnam War

Brown water navy is a term in American naval jargon referring to actions in near shore and riverine environments. Small gunboats and patrol craft are the ships used by a brownwater force. "Brown water" is used to differentiate these ideas from the large, ocean-going "blue water" ships preferred by the Navy. A U.S. riverboat deploying napalm during the Vietnam War from U.S. Naval War College Museum File links The following pages link to this file: Napalm Brown water navy Categories: U.S. Navy images ... A U.S. riverboat deploying napalm during the Vietnam War from U.S. Naval War College Museum File links The following pages link to this file: Napalm Brown water navy Categories: U.S. Navy images ... The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the National Liberation Front (NLF, or Viet Cong) against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and their allies — notably the United States military in support of... U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Nimitz on November 3, 2003. ... A jargon is a type of slang which is used in conjunction with a specific activity, e. ... For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A river is a large natural waterway. ... A gunboat is literally a boat carrying one or more guns. ... In military tactics, to patrol, or conduct a patrol, is to conduct reconnaissance of a designated area or route. ... Few navies of the world can be considered to be blue water navies. ...

History

World War II PT boats and the interwar river gunboats are forerunners of the concept. The littoral combat ship may have been brown-water capable, and Naval War College wargaming has shown the effectiveness of the idea. World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb. ... PT boats in line A PT boat was a motor torpedo boat (hull classification symbol PT, for Patrol Torpedo), a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. ... The LCS is the first class in the U.S. Navys plans for a transformational series of next generation surface combatants. ... Logo of the Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC) of the United States Navy is an education and research institution that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. ...

The Brown Water Navy was the part of the US Military that patrolled inland waterways and close coastal waters during the Vietnam War. It comprised PBR (Patrol Boat Riverine) units, PACV's (Patrol Air Cushion Vehicles) the Mobile Riverine Force, the YRBMs, advance bases, helicopter and seawolf units, and Naval Support Activity. The "Brown Water Navy" specifically refers to those naval forces operating in country, and did not include naval units in the Vietnam theatre far off the coast at sea, or large naval ships such as aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, cruisers, or battleships as these were considered part of the general "Blue Water Navy". The Brown Water Navy was a joint Army/Navy venture modeled after the earlier French Riverine, and coastal patrols in the First Indochina War. In Vietnam, control of the waterways was essential to controlling the country. Vietnam is criss-crossed with rivers, and has a very large coastline. In Vietnam, sampans and boats are similar to cars and trucks in terms of transportation for western countries. The largest of these waterways is the Mekong Delta. The Brown Water Navy was successful in its tactics to combat communist infiltration and weapons smuggling during its existence between 1966, and 1970. In 1970, the last of the Brown Water Navy units were turned over to the South Vietnamese as part of the overall Vietnamization process. The armed forces of the United States of America consist of the United States Army United States Navy United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Coast Guard Note: The United States Coast Guard has both military and law enforcement functions. ... The Vietnam War or Second Indochina War was a conflict between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam), allied with the National Liberation Front (NLF, or Viet Cong) against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam), and their allies — notably the United States military in support of... Patrol Boat Patrol Boat, Rigid (sometimes River or Riverine), or PBR, is the US Navy designation for a type of rigid hulled patrol boat used in the Vietnam War. ... In the Vietnam War, the Mobile Riverine Force, or Riverines, were a joint US Army and US Navy force that comprised a substantial part of the Brown Water Navy. ... Yard Repair Berthing and Messing were large unpropelled barges used by the Brown Water Navy by the U.S. during the Vietnam War, as bases for specialized river boats. ... A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more large horizontal rotors (propellers). ... The term seawolf can refer to: The fish seawolf, also known as the wolffish or the sea cat. ... An aircraft carrier is a warship whose main role is to deploy and recover aircraft—in effect acting as a sea-going airbase. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and manouverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ... Frigate is a name which has been used for several distinct types of warships at different times. ... USS Port Royal, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, launched in 1994. ... HMS Victory in 1884 In naval history, battleships were the most heavily armed and armored warships afloat. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... The First Indochina War (also called the French Indochina War) was fought in Southeast Asia from 1946 through 1954 between the nation of France and the resistance movement led by Ho Chi Minh, called the Viet Minh. ... Sampan on the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang), China A sampan (舢舨) is a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat from twelve to fifteen feet long. ... Lobster boat A boat is a watercraft, usually smaller than most ships. ... A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ... The driver of a car transporter truck prepares to offload Skoda Octavia cars in Cardiff, Wales For further uses of the word truck, see Truck (disambiguation). ... Mekong River Delta from space, February 1996 The Mekong Delta is the region in Southeast Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a popular movement. ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) // Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts made his service in the Vietnam era brownwater navy a center piece of his 2004 Presidential campaign. John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ...