Mail:

Dear Sir

Yes, I know Corky (Corcoran was his last name, Corky his nickname and I cannot remember his first name, it was always Corky) very well, he was my best friend and comrade in Vietnam and before.  In fact I have been looking for him for a long time.  Corky was an E-6 (specifically, an Aviation Boatswain's Mate Fuels or Engineman First Class, that is, ABE1 or ABF1).  I can never remember which flavor of AB he was.  I was a Boatswains Mate First Class at the time.  And another mutual friend of ours was another E-6, Electrician's Mate First Class Larry Seaman.  We three met in Vallejo in late 1968 or early 1969 and began River Warfare Training at Mare Island together.  We became friends and were inseparable until our first night in Saigon (May 7 or 8th 1969) when we were satchel charged in our hotel and Larry was wounded and taken to the field hospital.  Larry recovered and was assigned to another river division and I lost track of him.  Presumably, he didn't know where we went and visa-versa.  I heard later that he was wounded again, badly, but I don't know.

Corky and I were both assigned to River Division 521.  We made many many patrols together as boat captains of River Patrol Boats.  In a year, we probably averaged over 250 patrols, many of them together.  I advanced while in Vietnam and was promoted to Patrol Officer, assigned to patrols as the person in charge of the patrol, usually but not always of a two boat patrol.  Corky and another friend of ours RD1 Phillips made many patrols together.  They were my preferred boat crews other than my own old boat crew. 

We stayed in Vietnam until June 1970 which was when River Division 521 was turned over to the Vietnamese. 

Corky, Larry, and I were very close, and we have lost touch with one another.  We raised hell from Canada to Tijuana for the six months or so we were together.  After all, what were they going to do to us, send us to Vietnam?

As far as I know, Corky retired as an E-6.  And I am not sure what happend to Larry.  I am still looking for Corky and I do not know or remember who George Goslin is. 

I am amazed the lighter is now in Switzerland.  I would like to know more about where and how and from whom you purchased the lighter. 

It is very early in the morning here but I will send you more information if you'd like later.  Also, check out this web site:  http://www.pbrmb1.org/

Danny F. Smith