The Patrol Boat, River—better known as the PBR—was a compact yet remarkably maneuverable craft heavily employed by the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Built to navigate the narrow, winding waterways of the region, it carried an array of weapons that allowed it to stand its ground effectively against hostile boats.
PBRs were developed from pleasure boats
The Patrol Boat, River was conceived by Willis Slane and Kack Hargrave of Hatteras Yachts. Just seven days after meeting with US Navy officials, the designers created a prototype, incorporating a hull based on an existing Hatteras Yachts model. The final design of the PBR was influenced by a pleasure boat from Uniflite and other sources.
In October 1965, after evaluating the prototype, the Navy awarded a contract for 140 boats, with 11 delivered by March 1966 to aid Operation Game Warden, the US mission aimed at cutting off the Viet Cong’s access to resources in the Mekong Delta.
In the years that followed, around 300 PBRs were supplied to US and South Vietnamese forces, playing an essential role in the Vietnam War from 1966 to 1975.
Built for Vietnam’s shallow, weed-filled rivers
The Patrol Boat, River—commonly called the PBR—was a lightweight craft with a fiberglass hull, purpose-built for speed and agility in Vietnam’s inland waterways. Two versions entered service, the Mark I and the Mark II. Although they shared a similar design, the Mark II was slightly larger at 32 feet long with a beam of 11 feet, seven inches, while the Mark I measured 31 feet with a beam of 10 feet, seven inches.
Renowned for its maneuverability, the PBR could pivot on its own axis, execute sharp turns, and come to a stop almost immediately. Even fully equipped, it drew just two feet of water, enabling it to move through the Mekong Delta’s shallow, vegetation-filled channels with ease. The crew was shielded by ceramic armor around the cabin, while a forward-mounted gun tub gave the bow gunner a wide, unobstructed arc of fire.
This extraordinary handling allowed the PBR to patrol stretches of river that were unreachable to larger American vessels. It became a critical asset not only to the Army’s 458th Transportation Company (LARC) but especially to the Navy’s River Patrol Force, Task Force 116.
Standard crews numbered four sailors: a petty officer first class in command, supported by a gunner’s mate, an engineman, and a seaman. Each member trained to perform the others’ roles, ensuring the boat could fight on even if casualties occurred. Occasionally, an interpreter joined the team to help navigate the intricate river networks of the delta.
PBRs were stacked with weaponry
Each Patrol Boat, River was equipped with a plethora of weapons, meaning it could hold its own in a firefight. The forward bow turret had twin M2HB Browning heavy machine guns, while the rear pintle mounting was equipped with either a single Browning or an M60 light machine gun. The pintle mounting amidship featured either an Mk 19 grenade launcher or a single Browning.
PBRs could also hold 81 mm mortar launchers, Mk 16 Mod 4 Colt 20 mm automatic cannons and flamethrowers, and had a full complement of hand grenades, shotguns, M16 rifles and .45-caliber ACP handguns manned by the crew.
Earning the Medal of Honor aboard a PBR
There are several instances where PBRs and their crews engaged with the enemy. One such instance occurred in October 1966, for which BM1. James E. “Willie” Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.
Williams was the captain of PBR-105 and another patrol boat tasked with searching for Viet Cong guerrillas along a section of the Mekong Delta. While doing so, the group came under heavy fire from two enemy sampans and immediately engaged with those aboard the vessels.
Williams’ men successfully killed the crew of one of the enemy boats and caused the other to seek refuge. While pursuing the sampan, they were met with heavy small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire from guerrillas hidden behind brush along the riverbank.
To counter, Williams exposed himself to the enemy fire to direct his crew. They were heavily outnumbered, so the captain called for aerial support from American Bell UH-1B Iroquois helicopters. As they maneuvered the river, PBR-105 came upon an even larger concentration of enemy boats and troops. Choosing not to wait for the choppers, Williams, instead, led his men through the intense gunfire.
By this point, it had gotten dark, and Williams ordered that the PBRs’ searchlights be turned on, despite the target that would inevitably be placed on the vessels. They, again, engaged with enemy forces stationed onshore. Through Williams’ direction, his crew wound up destroying over 50 Viet Cong vessels and took out an estimated 1,000 guerrillas.
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On May 14, 1968, US President Lyndon B. Johnson presented Williams with the Medal of Honor, just one of the numerous decorations he received throughout his career in the US Navy.