VOLZ-STEPHEN

KILLED  IN  ACTION  -  QUI  NHON PROVINCE, SOUTH VIETNAM

November 8, 1968

Historical records report Stephen Thomas Volz was born on August 21, 1948 in Lakewood, California.  The date he joined the Navy is not readily available, but it is known that on September 7, 1968 as a Boatswains Mate Third Class he joined Coastal Division Fifteen in Vietnam and was assigned to the swift boat PCF-89.

On November 8, 1968, PCF-89 patrolled off the coast of Vietnam, stopping a few fishing junks then boarding and searching anything larger that appeared suspicious.  About 10:00pm the boat was requested to furnish gunfire support to an Army post under attack.  After PCF-89 was anchored in a small bay just off the Army’s location with the Officer-In-Charge at the aft steering station, several .81mm mortar rounds were fired before the boat began drifting as the anchor had pulled loose.  The mortar crew, which included BM3 Volz,  tried unsuccessfully to adjust their fire but was ordered to cease fire until the boat had been reanchored.  When the anchor was securely reset the mortar crew was given the order to resume firing and almost immediately a loud explosion and a flash of light occurred.  There followed a deathly silence until a forward crewman sensed something was not right and rushed to the fantail to investigate.  There he found total devastation.  The mortar gun was totally gone from the mount, engine hatch covers had been blown off, Volz had disappeared, two men were down on the deck, and another man was nearby who was seriously injured and obviously badly shaken.

First aid was quickly applied to the injured men, and as it was obvious that much needed medical attention was not available, a radio call for assistance was made.  Soon a medical evacuation helicopter arrived and although PCF-89 was swinging on the anchor and rocking in the swell close to the beach, the pilot hovered over the boat with one skid on the mortar box, the rotors just clearing the boat’s radio antennas, as the injured were loaded aboard the helicopter.  It was a testament to the skill and bravery of the medical evacuation helicopter crewmen that they were able to arrive on the scene so quickly, load all of the wounded in such difficult circumstances and speed them to Qui Nhon for desperately needed care.  Unfortunately, a search failed to revel the body of BM3 Volz which was not found until the following day.  Two of the other injured crewmen died of their injuries.  BM3 Stephen Thomas Volz has been laid to eternal rest in All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach, California.

Subsequent investigation revealed the explosion was caused by the accidental double-loading of the mortar when firing resumed.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)