“I had been there not quite month and was on an operation... there were five boats and I was leading a column after a long day... a mine went off under my boat and lifted it five feet out of the water.”
- Lieutenant Richard W. Pees, USN
The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the January 2019 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of United States Navy Veteran, Lieutenant Richard W. Pees. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview Lieutenant Richard W. Pees at the Swift Boat Sailors Association Reunion in Washington D.C in 2015.
As the Vietnam War was escalating in 1966, Lieutenant Pees shared, “I entered the Navy after graduating from Ohio State. I entered the Navy because I didn’t particularly want to join the Army.” Upon entry into the Navy, he went to Officer Candidate School and made a lifelong friendship with his roommate whom he is still in contact with today.
Upon graduating from OCS, he was assigned to the USS Tripoli which was an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship. Aboard the USS Tripoli he served as the Gunnery Division Officer for almost two years and then became a ship handler.
He shared, "One of the highlights of my naval career was being able to drive this small LPH, this small helicopter carrier around." As he was beginning his third Deployment on a Western Pacific cruise, the USS Tripoli was transporting Marines to the demilitarized zone during the Vietnam War. While off the coast of Vietnam, he observed swift boats and decided to volunteer for that duty.
From the USS Tripoli, Pees was ordered to Swift Boat School in Coronado. Upon completing Swift Boat Training, in January of 1969 he was sent to Vietnam. His first assignment was to be the Officer in Charge of PCF 3. His first mission under fire was one he would never forget.
Lieutenant Pees shared, “I had been there not quite month and was on an operation... there were five boats and I was leading a column after a long day... a mine went off under my boat and lifted it five feet out of the water.” The explosion left his crew badly shaken and the boat was severely damaged. With the help of other swift boats and the quick response from his crew, PCF 3 was able to be saved.
The crew was flown to the hospital and would later be reunited with PCF 3 after repairs were made. After returning with his crew, PCF 3 would be struck by another mine. Through his actions and leadership under fire Lieutenant Pees would be awarded the Silver Star.
Part One Service on the USS Tripoli as a Gunnery Officer and Ship Handler During the Vietnam War
Part Three Swift Boat Service and Events Leading to the Awarding of the Silver Star
Part Five Departing Vietnam and Becoming an Instructor for Swift Boat and PBR Sailors
Part Two Swift Boat Training and Missions Under Fire on PCF 3
Part Four Recovering from the Second Mine Attack on PCF 3
The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, G Lieutenant Richard W. Pees, featured within this series titled, Stories of Service, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service.