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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

Contributed by ENCS Jerry Patterson USN Ret. LCU-1624

Harbor Utility Craft
YFU-72

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - Presidential Unit Citation
Second Row - Navy Unit Commendation - National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal (12)
Third Row - Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation - Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation - Vietnam Campaign Medal

YFU-71 Class Harbor Utility Craft:

Built by Pacific Coast Engineering Co., Alameda, CA (YN 223)

Laid down, 01 January 1967

Launched, 16 August 1967

Delivered, 24 October 1967

During the Vietnam War YFU-72 was assigned to the Lighterage Division at US Naval Support Activity Da Nang, Republic of South Vietnam

Transferred to the US Army 329th Heavy Boat Co. at Da Nang, South Vietnam circa May-June 1970

During the Vietnam War YFU-72 participated in the following campaigns:

**Vietnam War Campaigns**
Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase II 1 July 1966 to 31 May 1967	Tet/69 Counteroffensive 23 February to 8 June 1969
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase III 1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968	Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969 9 June to 31 October 1969
Tet Counteroffensive 30 January to 1 April 1968	Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970 1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase IV 2 April to 30 June 1968	Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1 May to 30 June 1970
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase V 1 July to 1 November 1968	Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VII 1 July 1970 to 30 June 1971
Vietnamese Counteroffensive - Phase VI 2 November 1968 to 22 February 1969	Consolidation I 1 July to 30 September 1971

Evacuated to Guam circa 1974-75

Returned to US Navy control circa mid-1980s

Placed out of service, date unknown

Struck from the Naval Register, 01 December 1984

Transferred to Department of Interior, 24 May 1985

Intended for use in Guam as maritime training vessel Guahan II

Appears to have not been placed in service, likely used for spares

Noted derelict in Piti Channel, Guam, June 2003

FInal disposition, fate unknown (still visible on Google Maps)

YFU-72 earned twelve campaign stars for Vietnam War service

Specifications:
Displacement220 t.(lt) 380 t.(fl)
Length 125'
Beam 36'
Draft 6'
Speed 9 kts.
Complement 1 CPO, 11 enlisted
Armament 3-50.cal machine guns
Propulsion 2 Detroit Diesel 471 Series, 115Kw 185A generators, twin shafts

Size	Image Description	Contributed By
147k	YFU-72 underway in San Francisco Bay, 1967. This photo was probably taken during her trials. Herrington Olson photo via Ted Stone.	George Schneider
218k	YFU-72 underway, probably during trials in 1967. US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial.	Stan Svec
532k	YFU-72 moves up the Perfume River to Hue, South Vietnam, 14 February 1968. Marine sharpshooters embarked to protect against Vietcong snipers.	Tom Lanagan
500k
516k
64k	YFU-72 underway in the background at the mouth of the Perfume River the village of Tan My, South Vietnam, circa 1969-70. YFUs normally unloaded at the Tan My ramp but occasionally would make the 13 mile trip up river to Hue. David Sykes in foreground.	David Sykes
53k	Ex-YFU-72 derelict in Piti Channel, Guam, 02 June 2003. Note she retains her Navy gray paint scheme. The wreck survey states she had been derelict there since 1985, indicating she was not used by the Guam government. Photo from Surveys of Abandoned Vessels: Guam and CNMI (NOAA, October 2003)	George Schneider