About this Unit
Task Force 115, also known as Operation Market Time, was a United States Navy task force established during the Vietnam War in 1965. Its primary mission was to interdict the flow of supplies and personnel by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam, effectively disrupting enemy logistics along the coastline. The task force utilized a mix of patrol boats, cutters, and aircraft to monitor and board suspicious vessels. Task Force 115 played a crucial role in limiting Viet Cong and North Vietnamese infiltration via maritime routes until its operations concluded in the early 1970s.
Historical Facts
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Coastal Surveillance Force (Task Force 115): TF 115 was known as the U.S. Navy's Coastal Surveillance Force during the Vietnam War, tasked primarily with interdicting North Vietnamese supply routes along the South Vietnamese coastline.
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Operation Market Time: TF 115 was responsible for executing Operation Market Time, an extensive naval blockade designed to prevent seaborne infiltration of arms and supplies from North Vietnam to the Viet Cong in the south.
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Establishment Year: Task Force 115 was established in March 1965, responding to increasing intelligence that significant amounts of war materiel were reaching communist forces by sea.
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Joint-Service Effort: TF 115 was a joint effort involving U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and South Vietnamese Navy (VNN) assets, fostering close inter-service cooperation.
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Patrol Craft Utilized: The force employed various vessels, including Patrol Craft Fast (PCFs or "Swift Boats"), Point-class cutters, and larger destroyers and frigates to maintain a persistent coastal presence.
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Impressive Results: By the end of Operation Market Time, TF 115 forces had boarded over 1.4 million vessels, significantly reducing the enemy’s ability to resupply via sea.
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First Enemy Trawler Intercepted: In February 1966, TF 115 forces intercepted and destroyed a North Vietnamese trawler attempting to deliver arms and ammunition, marking a major success and validating the blockade’s necessity.
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Adverse Conditions: Sailors and coastguardsmen on TF 115 patrols often faced treacherous weather, rough seas, and the ever-present threat of ambush or mining by enemy forces.
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Vietnamization Transition: As part of the Vietnamization policy, TF 115 began transferring its patrol boats and operational responsibilities to the Republic of Vietnam Navy in the early 1970s.
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Legacy of Innovation: The experiences of TF 115 led to advances in small boat tactics, coastal surveillance, and joint operations, influencing future U.S. Navy and Coast Guard doctrine.
