Tribute to Lt. W.E. Dennis from a fellow shipmate and friend,
Ralph J. Fries

Bill and I were the same age as we both had prior enlisted service. “Pops” of the section. We were older than the CO. Bill Dennis was my XO of RS-535. Bill and I use to sit in what we called our little XO’s office after I made my reports to him and he to the CO after the day’s patrols and events were done with and just shoot the breeze about every thing every night. I was on my way to my next duty station when our yeoman sent me a message that he and the boat crew members were killed. There were 6 officers and 56 enlisted. We were a close knit outfit. I was very close with all the crews because I had just made warrant officer and sent to Viet Nam.

If you view Kent Hawley’s web site at http://hawley.hispeed.com/vietnam/hawley1.htm you will see the Death of PBR-750 which shows the boat after it was hit and destroyed. There were 2 survivors of PBR-750, and engineer and a seaman. GMG2 Ford threw them overboard and they were picked up by the cover boat and Ford road the boat into the beach and was later captured. His body was recovered the next day by PBR-729 boat crew from the river bank. It is a gruesome sight. Bill, Scott and Pat died on June 21, 1968. Bill Dennis was a great person and a very fine gentleman.

Ralph J. Fries
CWO-3 USN Ret
River Section-535-Logistics Maintenance Officer (9-1967 to 6-1968)
http://www.combatantcraft.org/memorial.htm

LTJG Mike Lichtenstein

Lt. Rene E. Gonzalez, Jr.
USN ASW Officer

CDR Frank C. Ferdon
Lt. Robert Griswold

Lt. Joseph J. Pasola
LTCDR Harold Russell

CDR Walter G. Strong

CDR Richard Smith
Lt. Leonard Wahlig

LTJG D. W. Wong