River Monitor - United States

United States

River monitors were used during the American Civil War, playing an important role in the Mississippi River Campaigns. They also played a role in the Battle of Mobile Bay. The American Civil War river monitors were very large, weighing up to 1,300 tons.

During the Vietnam War, the US Navy's Brown Water Navy, operated its Monitors as part of their River Assault Flotilla One, which "initially" consisted of four River Assault Divisions (RAD); with RAD 91 containing 3 Monitors, RAD 92 having 2 Monitors, RAD 111 having 3 Monitors, and RAD 112 operating 2 Monitors.

The Vietnam Monitors were divided into two programs; program 4 would consist of the 40mm gun Monitors, while the later program 5 would entail the eight Monitor (H) Howitzer versions, and the six Monitor (F) Flamethrower models. All of the Monitors were converted from World War II 56' long all steel Landing Craft Mechanized (LCMs) Mk 6's. When completed, they were 60' long, 17' wide, with a draft of 31⁄2', had two screws driven by two Gray Marine model 64NH9 diesel engines, could do 8.5 knots and were manned by usually 11 or more crewmen. The fielded Monitors normally averaged about ten tons of armor on them.

US Navy Brown Water Navy River Monitors (Vietnam)
Generation-One Type Generation-Two Type/Flame Generation-Two Type/Howitzer
Length 61 ft. 60 ft. 6 in.
Width 17 ft. 6 in.
Draft 3 ft. 6 in.
Engines 2 Gray Marine 64HN9 Diesels; 220 hp @ 2100 rpm
Speed 8.5 knts
Crew 11
Armament
  • 1 81 mm mortar
  • 1 40 mm auto-cannon
  • 1 20 mm cannon
  • 2 Mk 18 grenade launchers
  • 3 M79 grenade launchers
  • 2 .50 cal. machine guns
  • 4 7.62 mm machine guns
  • 2 20 mm cannons
  • 2 200m range flamethrowers
  • 3 M79 grenade launchers
  • 2 .50 cal. machine guns
  • 1 105 mm howitzer
  • 2 20 mm cannons
  • 3 M79 grenade launchers
  • 2 .50 cal. machine guns
  • 1 7.62 mm machine gun

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