In mid-September 1970, all of us that called the 12-barge complex of SEA FLOAT our home, moved to the north shore of the Cau Lon River and occupied the base called SOLID ANCHOR.  Compared to the cramped quarters imposed by the size limitations of the barges, the shore base was quite an upgrade.

 

Our two Mobile Support Teams (MST) had a barracks all to ourselves, as did our three SEAL platoons, and the five man UDT detachment (next door) had half a barracks.  In a word, "we were livin' large."

 

One day I was returning from the base armory.  I was in the process of remanufacturing the AN/M3 .50 aircraft machine gun captured by GOLF platoon of SEAL Team ONE.  I knew that earlier AN/M2 .50 machine gun parts could be interchanged between guns as assemblies, and so I was in the process of creating my "hybrid" AN/M2-M3 gun.

 

I noticed that there were some new faces standing in front of the GOLF platoon hut.  What really caught my eye was the ordnance they carried: there was at least one L1A1 rifle.  I knew that the only operators carrying this rifle were Australian troops in Vietnam.  I wondered who  the visitors were. 

 

Later in the afternoon, I had to go over to the GOLF platoon barracks on business and ran into GMG3 Frank Jones (SEAL). 

 

"Hi, Frank.  I saw you have some visitors."

 

"How'd you know that?"  Frank said with a puzzled look.

 

"Well," I began, "there's that rifle" and I pointed to the L1A1 leaning against the wall near one of the bunk beds.

 

"Why's that?"

 

"The only folks that carry them in Vietnam are Aussies.  The rifles are called L1A1's."

 

"You don't miss much," confided Frank.  "The guys are Aussie Special Air Service (SAS) troopers doing an exchange tour with us."

 

"OK, I understand.  This conversation never took place, and I was never here."  I winked at Frank, he laughed and winked back.

 

Our SAS troopers made serveral operations with the SEAL platoons at SOLID ANCHOR.  Then, one day, they disappeared as if they were smoke.  With the exception of the SEALs, I was probably one of the few people that knew they were here or who they were.  To this day, very few persons knew that Australian troops were in Vietnam, let alone the SAS.

 

Below:  This is not your average SEAL.  He's wearing an Aussie bush hat, wearing Aussie Kit, carrying a Colt XM177E2 5.56mm submachine gun with a Colt XM148 40mm grenade launcher, American Levi trousers, and issue combat boots.  He's actually Aussie SAS doing an exchange tour with a SEAL detachment in Vietnam (not SOLID ANCHOR).  (Photo: US Navy)