CGRON-3 Squadron Three 1967-1971 Vietnam Patch Vietnam

CGRON-3 Squadron Three 1967-1971 Vietnam Patch Vietnam 4.0" x 4.0" Embroidered Patch with Iron-On Backing

Superior Materials: Made with premium polyester thread and durable twill fabric, ensuring long-lasting color and strength.

Advanced Embroidery Technology: Crafted using the most advanced embroidery machinery, guaranteeing intricate detail, sharp lines, and consistent quality every time.

Easy Iron-On Application: Features a heat-activated adhesive backing for quick, no-sew attachment. Simply position, iron, and press for a secure bond.

Versatile Use: Perfect for personalizing jackets, backpacks, uniforms, or any fabric surface that needs a touch of personality. 

Durable and Washable: Designed to withstand everyday wear and occasional washing without fading or fraying.

Formations & Origins

CGRON-3 was formed during the height of American involvement in Vietnam as part of the greater Coastal Surveillance Force, designated Operation Market Time. The Navy needed a force to intercept the steady flow of North Vietnamese men and supplies being smuggled south by sea. This was no conventional naval theater — the enemy wasn’t sailing warships. They were using junks, sampans, and fishing boats, slipping in and out of Vietnam’s jagged, muddy coastlines. The solution? Break up the coast into patrol sectors and assign specialized squadrons to seal them tight.

Squadron Three was one of these. Activated around 1967, they were based primarily out of ports like Vung Tau and Cat Lo, responsible for patrolling the southern coasts, particularly those along the Mekong Delta and South China Sea. From this point forward, they were knee-deep in a maritime cat-and-mouse game that required both firepower and finesse.

Notable Commanders

CGRON-3 was a smaller, tactical unit with rotating leadership, so while it didn’t have household names like Nimitz or Halsey at the helm, the officers commanding it were often veterans of earlier Pacific operations or new-breed riverine warfare tacticians. Lieutenant commanders and senior officers in charge of detachments had to make split-second decisions — chasing ghost contacts at midnight, boarding vessels crewed by fishermen who might be Viet Cong couriers, or worse, suicide bombers. While names might not have echoed through Washington, these officers earned respect from their men by leading from the front, usually standing in the wheelhouse, not behind a desk.

Major Campaigns/Operations

The squadron operated under the umbrella of Operation Market Time, one of the longest and most effective interdiction campaigns of the war. Their job was to identify and stop infiltration by sea, and they did it relentlessly. CGRON-3’s area was hot — the enemy adapted fast. They hid among civilians, disguised munitions as fishing supplies, and laid mines in narrow inlets.

CGRON-3 boats would patrol night and day, often without backup. There were ambushes, firefights, and mine strikes that turned quiet patrols into chaos in seconds. They coordinated with Navy SEALs, inserting or extracting operators during covert missions. They also backed Army and ARVN coastal sweeps, provided medevac for wounded troops, and secured perimeters during amphibious raids.

Specialized Role/Equipment

The squadron made use of Patrol Craft Fast — PCFs, better known as Swift Boats — roughly 50-foot aluminum boats that were lightly armored but fast and agile. They weren’t built for comfort — they were built to get in fast, hit hard, and get out. Each carried a crew of six or seven, armed with twin .50 cals in a rotating turret, a 81mm mortar, and a few M60s. When the monsoons rolled in, and the mud was thick as blood, these boats kept pushing through, often going inland where blue-water sailors never dared.

CGRON-3’s sailors became riverine experts, navigating narrow estuaries, deltas, and shallow coastal zones, engaging enemies often just meters away. Some of their missions felt more like the Wild West than the high seas.

Acts of Heroism

There are more stories of heroism in CGRON-3 than records can show. One of the most legendary actions happened when a Swift Boat from Squadron Three was ambushed while investigating a suspicious junk. The VC had rigged the boat with explosives, and as the Americans boarded it, enemy fire erupted from the riverbank. Despite being wounded, the boat captain ordered return fire, called in air support, and maneuvered the burning boat away from his crew to save their lives. He later died of his wounds. His name didn’t make the newspapers back home, but his actions saved five men and shut down a major infiltration route.

Swift boat sailors in CGRON-3 often performed medevacs under fire, dragged wounded comrades to safety while under ambush, and kept firing when they were outnumbered ten to one. Their Bronze Stars and Navy Commendations were often quietly awarded, the citations speaking louder than any speeches.

Legacy & Notable Achievements

CGRON-3 stood down in 1971 as the U.S. began the process of "Vietnamization." Their mission was transferred to South Vietnamese forces, but the footprint they left behind was indelible. The Swift Boat sailors became the stuff of legend — immortalized, in part, by later political debates and memoirs, but the real legacy lies in the Navy's modern riverine and littoral combat strategies, which owe much to what CGRON-3 pioneered.

Veterans of the unit formed strong bonds that lasted decades. Their distinctive Vietnam patch — usually featuring a coastal watchtower, a Swift Boat silhouette, or a Vietnamese junk — became a symbol of pride, worn by men who braved the dirty, grinding, unglamorous side of naval combat. No aircraft carriers. No grand fleets. Just tin cans and courage.

And when you hear the Navy talk today about brown-water capabilities, small boat interdiction, and asymmetric coastal warfare, remember: CGRON-3 helped write the manual — in blood, sweat, and saltwater.