Swift Boat (Patrol Craft Fast) - Perryville, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 37° 45.381 W 089° 52.575
16S E 246612 N 4182678
Model of a swift boat (PCF), used during the Vietnam War.
Waymark Code: WM16ZK1
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 11/07/2022
Views: 0
County of museum: Perry County
Location of museum: Veterans Memorial Parkway, Perryville
Phone: (573) 547-2035
Hours: 8am to 5pm weekdays; 10am to 2pm sat; and 11am to 3pm Sun
"The U.S. Navy officially called them Patrol Craft Fast – PCFs for short, but the men who served on them during Vietnam have always known them as Swift Boat.
"In 1971, the US Navy donated two Swift Boats to the newly formed Republic of Malta’s Maritime Squadron. After forty years of coastguard duty, Malta retired these boats from service. In 2011, Malta’s Minister of Defense donated a Swift Boat to the Maritime Museum of San Diego with our promise to preserve her history and to pay tribute to all Swift Boat Sailors from both countries.
"The Swift Boat Sailors Association brought this Swift Boat to the Maritime Museum of San Diego to be restored and operated on San Diego Bay. Museum visitors will have the opportunity to experience the sound and throbbing vibration from two V12 diesels delivering 980 horsepower for high speed runs through the Bay while retired Swift Boat Sailors and docents talk about what it was like to be a crewman in Vietnam, serving as a Quartermaster, Gunner’s Mate, Engineman, Radarman, Bosun’s Mate or Skipper." ~ Maritime Museum
"Patrol Craft Fast (PCF), also known as Swift Boats, were all-aluminum, 50-foot (15 m) long, shallow-draft vessels operated by the United States Navy, initially to patrol the coastal areas and later for work in the interior waterways as part of the brown-water navy to interdict Vietcong movement of arms and munitions, transport South Vietnamese forces and insert SEAL teams for counterinsurgency (COIN) operations during the Vietnam War." ~ Wikipedia