Queen's Cobra's

[BABY BUNDY]

Thailand special forces unit that fought for South Vietnam in the 60's, that were supposibly hand picked by the Queen of Thailand

1. Are they still a unit today

2. Were they actually hand picked by the Queen?

Thanks

[Lonnie]

This is the best I could find, hope it helps.

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/books/Vietnam/allie d/ch02.htm

[BABY BUNDY]

Many thanks Lonnie. I didn't know they were also called Royal Thai Volunteer Force. In chapter 44 it talks about the Ist Queen's Cobra's being replaced after their year of duty and being sent back to Thailand.

That's where I came in contact with them in Aug/68. I was aboard the USS BEXAR APA-237 when they boarded in Saigon and we took them home to Bangkok. Taking a large US Naval vessel up and back down the Saigon River took some skill. Our Captain at that time was Forrest Silas Petersen. Check his resume out sometime. Quite a man.

While in route to Bangkok we would communicate the best we could. Many of them had pictures of their tour in Vietnam. Trust me, these guys were nothing to fool with.

Again thanks Lonnie as I never saw this site before. The Bexar has a web site also in her impressive 25 year history.

[Lonnie]

Hi BABY BUNDY, Glad to have been of some help, must have been a facinating time.

I was in Hong Kong with the British Forces while Vietnam was going on, and we'd often get US forces on R&R coming over, a more generous an polite people, you'd have to search far and wide to get better.
The only downside, was that as soon as an American ship came in, all the prices would shoot up.

When we went to Singapore and Malaya, we had permission to overfly Vietnam, and you cou;d actually see the action taking place, shells landing etc, made us just a little bit nervous.

Happy Days.

[BABY BUNDY]

Salute Lonnie. Funny you should bring up about US troops on R&R in Hong Kong.

After the Thai's debarked we were given "Suicide Liberty" (leave) in Bangkok. Suicide Liberty is when you are departing the next morning. We were given liberty between 8PM and 2AM to screw and drink anything we got our hands on before leaving for sea again. haha

Anyway in this one bar ("The Ventures") a popular US band at the time, were playing there for the troops. They were on a Far East tour at the time.

Well between the Brits, Aussies and Yanks we all tried to out drink each other. We had a blast!! The next thing I remember is I was in my cot and the ship was underway. To this day I don't know who got me there. I don't know who out drank who but as far as I'm concerned we all lost.

One more question Lonnie. US sailors are "*********" until they cross the Equator when after an "ceremony" they become Shellback's. A diploma is put with their service record stateing the date, time, lat. and longitude. Does the British Navy have a similar tradition?

An honor to meet a fellow ally and Vet.

DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY

[BABY BUNDY]

Maybe poly **** won't get censored. Scheez

[BABY BUNDY]

rhymes with dogs but starts with a W

[Lonnie]

Hi Baby Bundy,
Afraid I can't tell you about the navy, I was Army, Royal Artillery, stationed at Sek Kong, from 1971 to 1973.
I was there when the Queen Elizabeth went up in flames, watched some of the action there from the top of one of the mountains.
I certainly remember the drinking contests that we had in HK, I was licky enough to scrounge a trip on HMS Intripid to japan and South Korea, we were treated like honoured guests in SK, true Yank hospitality, only for two days though,
We also operated a swop scheme, where a coiple of us served with the US army, and a couple of yours came to us. I still have the photos of them.

Showing my ignorance here, i'd heard the phrases before, not being Navy,?????
What is a Shellback and Polyw--?.

Almost forgot, the battle honour on our Artillery Piece, was I think, from the war of independance. 'Triconderoga' Sugar Loaf Hill.

UBIQUE ET GLORIA DU CU-T
(Wither Right and Glory Leads)