The Vietnam Center and Archive: Finding Aid

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Individual Collection
Location: Individual Collections-S, Cold Storage Vault, Photograph Collection

Film, audio, still image, artifacts, and manuscripts document Darryl Skuce's service and experiences on Swift Boats on the rivers and canals of South Vietnam from 1967 through his wounding on August 13, 1969. A narrative of Skuce's military biography describes his service in the United States Navy. Artifacts include a captured Viet Cong flag that was damaged when the crew of the boat Skuce was aboard detonated a mine in a canal. A photograph of the mine is included. A cassette tape contains common, every-day radio traffic from operations on PCF 43, which was destroyed in February 1969. Film footage shows Skuce's journey to Vietnam and what he saw from his position as a gunner on board PCF 71. Letters home from Skuce and an original poem describe how he felt during his service. Also included are six medals and service ribbons awarded to Skuce, including a Purple Heart for wounds he received while in action in August, 1969.

Darryl 'Bud' Skuce received his draft notice in 1965 and joined the US Navy. His first assignment after boot camp took him aboard the USS Paul Revere. In 1967, the Paul Revere was sent to Vietnam. At this time, Skuce was an E-4 and in charge of the ship's armory. In 1968, he was sent to Swift Boat school in Colorado. By July, Skuce was back in Vietnam, stationed with Coastal Division 13 at Cam Lo. There, he participated in Market Time operations by conducting interdiction work. In September, 1968, he joined the crew of PCF 21 then participating in Operation Sea Lords on the rivers around An Thoi. In February, 1969,PCF 71 was sunk by damage caused by a Rocket Propelled Grenade. On August, 13, 1969, Skuce's last PCF, 9, was ambushed and Skuce was wounded. He left the Navy in September of that year, and now resides in Florida.

Location	Box	Folder	Contents
Individual S		1	Brief military biography of Skuce (2003)
			Brown Water Men, original poem by Skuce
			Citation for the award of the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" Device (May 6, 1970)
			Photocopy of citatiob awarding the Purple Heart to Skuce (March 10, 2003)
			Brief description of the photograph in the collection of a VC mine in a river
			Description of tiger stripe uniform worn by Skuce in Vietnam
		2	Letters home: January through December 1968
		3	Letters home: January through August 1969 and undated

Photographs:	1 photo: VA036480.
Museum Objects:	Framed Purple Heart citation.
	Purple Heart Medal.
	Navy Commendation Medal.
	National Defense Medal.
	Vietnam Service Medal.
	Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
	Ribbon mount.
	Dog tags.
	Tiger stripe jungle fatigues.
	Viet Cong flag.
	straw mat.
Moving Images:	2 reels of Super 8 film depicting Skuce's trip to Vietnam in 1967.
	4 reels of Super 8 film depicting action aboard PCFs 71 and 9 between 1968 and 1969.
	1 VHS tape consisting of all Super 8 reels.
Audio:	Cassette tape of radio traffic of PCF 43 the day it was destroyed.

Portions of this collection have been digitized. Use the links below to view these items.

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To search for items within this collection, or within all of the holdings of the Vietnam Archive, go to the Virtual Vietnam Archive