River Division 533 (Brown Water Navy)

River Division 533 was a unit of the U.S. Navy’s “Brown Water Navy” during the Vietnam War, operating as part of Task Force 116, also known as Operation Game Warden. Established in 1967, the division conducted river patrols and interdiction missions along the Mekong Delta’s complex waterways to prevent Viet Cong movements and supply routes. Crews aboard Patrol Boat, River (PBR) craft engaged in frequent small-arms combat, ambushes, and boarding operations, facing constant threats from mines and guerrilla attacks. River Division 533 played a crucial role in maintaining control over vital riverine routes until the drawdown of U.S. forces in the early 1970s.