Please Report Any Broken Links Or Trouble You Might Come Across To The Webmaster.
Please Take A Moment To Let Us Know So That We Can Correct Any Problems And Make Your Visit As Enjoyable And As Informative As Possible.


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

    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    YFU-72 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
    YFU-72 218k YFU-72 underway, probably during trials in 1967.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial.
    Stan Svec
    YFU-72 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
    YFU-72 500k
    YFU-72 516k
    YFU-72 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
    YFU-72 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

    There is no DANFS history for YFU-72 available at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information Web Sites
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation

    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Mobile Riverine Force Association
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To Yard and District Craft Type Index Back To The Harbor Utility Craft (YFU) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page was created by Gary P. Priolo and is maintained by David L. Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 25 July 2019