--- title: "This Coast Guardsman saved a Navy base during the Vietnam War" description: "As fires ravaged a U.S. Navy weapons and supply installation in Vietnam one March day in 1968, Lt. j.g. William Carr went into action." date: "2022-11-08" modified: "2022-11-08" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/popular/saved-a-navy-base-during-the-vietnam-war/" categories: - "Coast Guard" - "Heroes" - "History" - "War History" --- # This Coast Guardsman saved a Navy base during the Vietnam War ![]() As fires ravaged a U.S. Navy weapons and supply installation in Vietnam one March day in 1968, LTJG William Carr, USCG, [ran into an ammo storage unit]() looking for a missing Navy sailor. "This is stupid," Carr remembers thinking to himself. "You are going to die." He never found the sailor. Carr, then 24 years old, was in command of the 82-foot patrol boat *Point Arden* and its ten-man crew. He and his men led the effort to control the fires, secure the ammo stockpiles, and tend to the wounded. Six to nine servicemen were killed that day, and 98 were wounded. He received a Bronze Star for that action. It's not widely known the [Coast Guard]() served in Vietnam – and every armed conflict since 1790. This 1968 attack targeted the Naval Support Activity Detachment along the Cua Viet River, just south of the North-South Vietnam DMZ. North Vietnamese Artillery hit the base, catching buildings, supplies and ammunition on fire. The attack destroyed 150 tons of ammunition. "Were we frightened? You bet your butt we were," Carr said. "We just happened to be at the right place at the wrong time." ![vietnam war veteran]() *The Point Arden would be sold to the Republic of Vietnam Navy in 1970* He never told anyone about what he did and the aftermath, not even his wife. He suffered what he believes are the effects of post-traumatic stress. "I didn't realize how much trauma I had buried inside," Carr said about finally opening up about his war experiences. "I was honored to be in Vietnam. It changed my life." In 2015, more than 47 years later, the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut honored Carr for his service with a plaque placed on the Wall of Gallantry in the school's Hall of Heroes. He graduated from the academy in 1965. Carr, now 72 years old, spoke to 900 cadets along with three other inductees. "It was all very confusing after that," he said. "Every one of the crew members took matters into their own hands. It was incredible how they all did their duty." ![vietnam war veteran]() *United States Coast Guard Academy superintendent Rear Adm. James Rendon presents Lt. j.g. William Carr plaque to honor his induction in Hall of Heroes (Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory J. Mendenhall)* "Heroism is not something for which you train," Carr continued. "Rather, what happens is we sometimes are confronted with extraordinary circumstances. We do our duty. And sometimes people recognize that as heroism." ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()