Power Cat Boats in the Military
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Boats rigged for use by Seal/UDT teams
as river assault boats during the Vietnam War
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 I am putting together an article for the UDT-SEAL Association on the
SEAL Team Assault or SEAL Tactical Assault Boat (known as the STAB). 
Photo analysis of the photos that we have suggest that the four STABs built for
SEAL Team TWO about 1966 were actually modified Model 23t Power Cat designs.
                                                   Robert Stoner,GMCM (SW) (RET)

In 1966, American presence in Vietnam was ramping up and the Navy Special Operations people were experimenting with various small boats to get around on the rivers and canals of that country.  In 1966, the ST-1 detachment from NAB Coronado, CA, "requisitioned" two LCPL (landing craft personnel, large -- a 36-foot steel hulled, single screw, inboard design) -- and an LCM-6 (landing craft, mechanized) -- a 56-foot tank landing craft -- and converted them into makeshift attack craft.  Conversions were done in-country at Nha Be.  The conversions were slow and very much "make do" arrangements until dedicated boats could be gotten.  Other craft pressed into service for SEAL/UDT operations were the the 13-foot and 17-foot Boston Whaler fiberglass boats with outboard motors.  The smaller of the two was called a "skimmer" and the larger was called by its designer's name.
 
Because there was no experience and established doctrine for riverine operations, ST-2 [Little Creek, VA] had to invent them on the spot.  The four Power Cat 23T boats were originally considered for operations against Cuba, but pressed into service for Vietnam.  Part of the doctrine developed by ST-2 was the air transport of these boats (called STABs) into areas controlled or threatened by the VC.

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The STABs sent by ST-2 to Vietnam in January 1967.  At first, the STABs were manned by members of the SEAL team TWO; however, in late March 1967, Mobile Support Team TWO personnel (from Boat Support Unit ONE, NAB Coronado) came over and relieved the SEALs from operating and maintaining the boats.  Thereafter, MST-2 crews manned the boats while the SEALs of Teams ONE and TWO, operated against the VC forces both afloat and ashore.  This symbiotic relationship still remains today between the Special Boat Teams and the SEAL operators.
 
When the first crews from Coronado came over, they also brought six 115 hp Mercury outboards and two GE Mini-guns (7.62mm electric-powered, rotary barrel, machine guns).  The outboards were for the STABs and the two Mini-guns were installed on a converted LCM-6 and LCPL.
 
The .50 Browning M2 machine gun shown fitted in the two stateside shots at Little Creek put too much recoil on the STAB mounts.  It was removed from all three boats sent to Vietnam.

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Unlike subsequent craft designed for Special Operations missions, the STAB had no radar (there wasn't a lot of room when a SEAL squad was jammed aboard).  The STAB driver was protected by an armored "pulpit" that protected him from small arms fire from the sides and rear.  He sat on the centerline of the boat to allow SEALs to exit and enter on either side over the bow.  The centerline location for the driver was retained on the follow-on Light SEAL Support Craft and Medium SEAL Support Craft.
 
The Power Cat STABs were in-service about a year and a half.  They saw a lot of hard use (and misuse) in-country.  Eventually, stress fractures developed in the fiberglass hulls.  As I noted before, one of them actually sank while underway when the hull failed.  By mid-1968, the first LSSCs were arriving and the well-worn STABs were retired.  The four photos that I sent to you are all that I have been able to locate to date.  I have a black and white blow-up of the third photo of the underway, overloaded STAB.  Stenciled on the bow is "STAB 1."  I don't know if the other boats were so numbered, but it might have been a way to track the boats for maintenance purposes.

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SEAL Team Assault Boat (STAB)

1.    Length of Gunwale            20’
Overall length (O.A.L.)        21’ 6”
Draft                    w/o load 24”; w/load 31”
Weight                    w/o fuel 3,800 lbs.
Fuel Capacity                102 Gallons
Range with full load of fuel        120 miles

2.    Armor ¼” armor plate along each side of cockpit area and on each side of coxswain’s seat.

3.    Armament: Seven (7) hull pintle socket positions, which will accept 50 cal. M.G., MK 18 Honeywell Grenade Launcher, or M-60 M.G. Two (2) swing mounts, which will accept the same as above. Experience has proved that only the swing mounts and center mounts are suitable for the 50 cal. M.G.

4.    Normal armament for past Vietnam operations has been two (2) M-60 M.G.s and one (1) MK 18 Honeywell M.G.

5.    Modifications made to the last STAB, which include one (1) Centerline Fuel tank running fore and aft in the double bottom and shifting the two aft fuel tanks to mounts on port and starboard armor forward.

6.    Blueprints of modifications are held at NAVOPSUPPGRULANT and NAVOPSUPPGRUPAC.

7.    Armor adjacent to fuel tanks and at certain gun positions will stop .30 caliber A.P. One 57 recoilless rifle round shot at a surveyed boat, detonated on boat hull and did not penetrate armor.
 

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