“When I came back from Vietnam everyone said you weren’t welcomed home...I never felt that...I was welcomed home."
Radarman Third Class Ronald Gimbert, USN
“I joined the Navy because in mid-65. I got my draft notice from the Army, and a friend of mine also got his draft notice… so the Navy had a program called a buddy system, so we joined the Navy on the buddy system.” Radarman Third Class Ronald Gimbert shared in the Spring of 2015 his story to a Navy Memorial film crew. The filming was done during the Swift Boat Sailors Reunion in Tysons Corner 
Virginia. He shared that his friend who he had joined the Navy with would be sent to other duty stations and they would never serve together for the remainder of their time in the service. Gimbert was to be sent to Radar School, but first became a Company Commanders Aide at Naval Station Great Lakes, and assisted in the training process of new recruits.
He attended a number of schools included basic electronic school and radar school. He recalled, "there were 21 in the class and every 3rd 1, 7 out of the 21 ended up going to Swift Boat training in Coronado. We really didn't know what Swift Boats were." He would soon learn the role of the Patrol Craft Fast on the waterways of Vietnam. He shared, "It was pretty neat, it was only a six man crew, an officer and 5 enlisted guys... you had to form a cohesiveness, and everyone had to learn about the other jobs on the boat.” His experience at Coronado would also include extensive training in survival and evasion techniques at military facilities on the West Coast. This training was intended to prepare all participants for service in Vietnam.
Upon graduation of Swift Boat School, Gimbert departed for Vietnam. He remarked, "My first assignment was in Cam Ranh Bay...you do some training with the crews that are there and they show you the ropes … After a while you get a boat yourself." When sharing the reality of war and the obstacles faced in Vietnam he remarked, "You’re not necessarily here to kill people, but if you have to, you have to, but just be aware of your surroundings and protect yourself and your crew members." From Cam Ranh Bay his Swift Boat would be ordered to Cua Viet where he would go further into harm’s way and participate in actions at sea and on land.
While in Da Nang, Mortar fire from the enemy caused an ammunition explosion on a LST which resulted in uncontrollable fires and extensive damage to the facility. Gimbert volunteered to serve on a firefighting team to battle the fire. "There were 6 of us and they dropped us off at the bottom and we went up this landing, and when we got to the top a large explosion happened and 3 of the guys got hit with shrapnel and it cut the hose…we carried the wounded out.” After participating in firefighting duties, he would return to his Swift Boat where his base would come under bombardment from North Vietnamese Forces.
When recalling his experiences on base he shared, “I would always remember the artillery shells, it was a whistling sound. As long as you heard…you were all right. Once it stopped, you had to find a place to hide and get to a bunker somewhere because shortly afterwards that’s when the explosion would happen.” From there he would be ordered to Da N
ang. He remarked, “My main job on the boat was that I was the board and search guy. I would board the junks and sampans looking for contraband and everyone else would be at their battle stations.” This practice was intended to halt arms, ammunition, and supplies from being transported to North Vietnamese forces operating in the South. Upon completion of his Vietnam Service on Swift Boats, he would be ordered to a new duty station. Gimbert would be assigned to the blue water Navy aboard the USS Sacramento AOE-1 where he would find himself back in Vietnam.
In the summer of 1969 Gimbert was honorably discharged from the United States Navy. He was fr
om a large close knit family in New Jersey, and returned home. As if the event had just happened, he shared “When I came back from Vietnam everyone said you weren’t welcomed home...I never felt that...I was welcomed home." After being honorably discharged from military service, he would be presented the Navy Commendation Medal for heroism for his actions in Vietnam. Radarman Third Class Ronald Gimbert’s incredible and moving story and service from the brown water Navy to the blue water Navy illustrated the proud service memories of an extraordinary sailor.
The United States Navy Memorial honors Radarman Third Class Ronald Gimbert, featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, 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 Tales from the Navy Log archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site.