Declassified per Executive Order 13526, Section 3.3
NND Project Number: NND 63316. By: NWD Date: 2011
SECRET
Paragraph 2(c). Appendix 2
Provide the GVN with Small Craft.
Status: Swimmer-Support Craft for river and ranger operations.
Forces: Up to 250 boats eventually to be required for mobility in delta and inland waterway operations, as well as for covert (ranger) operations. Plastic swimmer-support craft carry 6-8 troops each.
Equipment: 50 plastic unsinkable swimmer-support craft to be initially provided, each with 40 H.P. commercial outboard motor fitted with a bronze weedless propeller. 125 French manufactured, rubber inflatable "Zodiac" boats with outboard motors also have been procured.
Costs: 50 Swimmer-support craft - approximately $50,000 for boats, motors and fuel tanks (about $1700 each complete boat). "Zodiac" boat contract was approximately $80,852 (about $1500 each complete boat).
Schedule of Execution: 20 plastic boats to be delivered in Vietnam early in January 1962. Materials and equipment to fabricate 30 boats in Vietnam plus a U.S. instructor to teach the Vietnamese have been funded by ARPA and are to be delivered via the highest MATS priority.
125 "Zodiac" boats have been procured. 90 have been delivered to Vietnam. 35 are in the pipeline.
