PIRAZ (Positive Identification Radar Advisory Zone), more commonly known by the callsign “RED CROWN,” was the most important station given to ships of the Cruiser/Destroyer force and was responsible for control of Navy airstrikes against North Vietnam. RED CROWN frequently controlled Air Force strike packages as well, and many USAF pilots preferred working with RED CROWN, a testament to the professionalism of whatever ship was assigned such duties.
PIRAZ as a concept was introduced in 1966. In late April and early May 1966 the SAR forces in the Northern Gulf of Tonkin were augmented by the USS Topeka (CLG-8) whose task was to evaluate the concept of one ship performing the following functions within a designated zone in the Gulf of Tonkin:
- Positive identification and tracking of all aircraft in the zone.
- CAP control.
- Flight following.
- SAR assistance.
As a result of the evaluation the PIRAZ was established on 15 June 1966, with the USS Chicago given the inaugural nod. The PIRAZ area included NVN territory and the international water of the Gulf of Tonkin north of 18-30N and east of 105-00E. All aircraft entering the zone were required to check in with the PIRAZ ship. Initially considerable difficulty was encountered in effecting necessary coordination and communication linkages, but over time these problems subsided and the situation continued to improve.
Although PIRAZ was established primarily for force defense, the PIRAZ ship concept also included the following functions:
- Vectoring strike elements for rendezvous.
- Vectoring aircraft in distress to a tanker or to positions requested by the pilots.
- Provide navigation assistance to strike elements.
- Control CAP in protecting AF units operating in the Gulf.
- Issue warning of MiG activity.
- Issue warnings when friendly aircraft approach too close to the border of the People’s Republic of China.
Ships assigned to PIRAZ duty needed at a minimum a good air search radar (typically the AN/SPS-48) and more importantly, the Navy Tactical Data System (NTDS). NTDS provided a means of overlaying identifying symbols over raw video (much like the system today’s air traffic controllers use), and further provided the ability to link with other NTDS-equipped ships, in effect extending the overall picture beyond that of each individual ship’s radar. PIRAZ ships were all cruisers, destroyer leaders (DLG) or occasionally, a guided missile destroyer (DDG). These three types of ships had enough NTDS consoles to adequately control air strikes over Vietnam.
In addition to having the proper equipment in the Combat Information Center, PIRAZ and North SAR ships also needed an embarked Naval Security Group Detachment. On the larger ships (cruisers and Belknap class DLGs) the NSG Det worked from a space called Supplemental Radio (SupRad). Dets embarked in the older DLGs and DDGs operated from a van bolted to the ship, usually near the signal bridge. These vans were called Quic Vans, and a number of them were maintained by Fleet Electronic Support (FES) at Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines. The vans were installed or removed as ships rotated in and out of WestPac.
NSG Dets played a key role in the success of the PIRAZ concept by providing early detection of hostile air activity, and in most cases the detachment was also able to provide information regarding hostile intent of enemy aircraft. This information could be passed in near real time via a sound-powered phone circuit directly to someone in CIC (frequently the NSG Detachment officer), enabling rapid entry of the information into NTDS. Hostile air activity was often detected prior to acquisition by radar, tipping the radar operators to focus on a specific area.
In addition to information produced by the Det itself, the Det also served as a conduit for information sent from other locations, including the BIG LOOK aircraft that flew daily missions in the GOT.
A typical detachment consisted of an Officer-in-Charge, a Division Chief, a Leading CTR who was the analyst and report writer, six CTR operators, at least one (usually two) CTI Vietnamese linguists, three CTO comms operators, and one CTM maintenance technician. In most cases underway watches were stood port and starboard (12 on, 12 off). Line periods were nominally 30 days, although one detachment in 1972 spent 100 days straight at sea, cross-decking a number of times before finally arriving at Subic Bay.
This post is a quick summary of PIRAZ and NSG’s role, but there is more to be told. For all who were a part of “Red Crown,” whether at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end, your comments and stories are welcome.
By LCDR Robert E. Morrison, USN, Ret
Station HYPO 
17 April 2021 at 13:30
We were extremely lucky to have a great team on that 100 day Det in 72 that was mentioned. Thank you for the reference.
R/ CTR2 Bilodeau ( LRB then) CWO4 (Now retired).
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17 April 2021 at 16:56
I’m really enjoying the comments of Bob Morrison (a two-time shipmate) on many aspects of “life in the old SECGRU”. On this subject, I can add a complementary perspective.
Upon commissioning in 1973, I reported to USS ENGLAND, (then) DLG-22. I joined the ship in Subic and within a few days we were off to the first of several line periods as Red Crown, on PIRAZ North (the stations were South, out by the CVs, North, as shown on Bob’s map, and Way North, which was not always manned). We did indeed have a van on the signal bridge. With our outfit as a double-ender Standard ER ship with NTDS and SPS-48 radar, we were well equipped for the role.
On that deployment (Jul 73-Feb 74), there were exactly five cleared members of ship’s company: CO, XO, and the three TAO’s (OPS, WEPS and CICO). Supposedly, there was a clearable billet for the CICO, but since he was already on the TAO watchbill, we lost the slot. As Ass’t CICO, and newly-arrived at that, I was out in the cold – as were the NTDSO, EMO and a number of others whose duties arguably were implicated, but in those days, all-things-SECGRU were SUPER tight. Interestingly, throughout the cruise I never once heard a conversation, or even speculation, regarding the presence, role, capabilities, or anything else regarding the van or its denizens, among the non-cleared members of the wardroom or crew. All we knew was that there was “The Phone” next to the TAO’s chair, and ONLY he could answer it. The phone would buzz, the TAO would answer, nod gravely, hang up, and usually say or do nothing other than study the NTDS display intently for a few seconds. On one memorable occasion, the TAO immediately turned to the 21MC (aka “bitch box”) and flagged the OOD: “Bridge, TAO. Please ask the Captain to come to CIC”. YOWZA! CAPT Hogg was there in about five microseconds. Great stuff. I sat there in my own watch chair as Ships Weapons Coordinator (SWC) and marveled at the “power” of cryptology.
LTJG Jim Van Zandt, out of Clark (I think? – Not sure) was the DIVOFF, and he was well-liked in the Wardroom. Surface Line culture cleanly split the watchstanding officers from the “all-nighters” (in the rack), with the latter being generally viewed with something between contempt and dismissal – but not Jim. Good on him. I don’t know what he did all day (when we weren’t on station), but he always LOOKED busy, and that was enough.
As Bob notes, FES Subic pulled the van off before we outchopped, but not before we made a 60-day IO run, fully manned – I can imagine work was pretty ‘light’ in the van during that period.
Leading up to my second WESTPAC cruise on ENGLAND (Aug 74-Mar 75), I campaigned to get cleared, and toward that end contrived to be reassigned as the EW Officer, a duty assignment which was bundled with “Collateral Duty Intel Officer”, which was actually “a thing” in surface line at the time, with its own schools, etc. Not sure that made the difference, but in any case, I was briefed in at COMCRUDESPAC before we sailed.
Back to SUBIC and another van. Things were (a lot) different in the Gulf of Tonkin by then, and during that cruise, we spent much of the time with the van sanitized, locked up, and the “spooks” landed, but ready for full activation on no-notice…I was assigned a new collateral duty as “van security officer” (probably because I was the most junior briefee), and in that role was required to make meticulous physical integrity and lock-checks daily, with results recorded in a log – it became one of the CO’s noon reports. That van also came off upon outchop, of course.
It should be clear that this was my first exposure to cryptology, but by the end of my JO tour on ENGLAND I had the bug. The surface detailer told me he’d send me “anywhere in the world” for two years, then off to Newport and the Department Head Course (known as “destroyer school” in those days). I asked for the Russian course at Monterey, where I met CDR Jim Hargrove, my first SECGRU Mentor, and so it began.
CAPT Bill Gravell, USN (ret)…ex-1160, ex-1110, finally 1610
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19 April 2021 at 00:35
Bill, Thanks for checking in, and the great response. Actually, we are three-time shipmates (sort of) — I rode England for nearly three months in 1972, working out of a Quic Van, both at PIRAZ and North SAR (the northern most SAR station). We linguists (I was a CTI2 Vietling then) actually preferred that station, since we were closer to our target. The story of my time on the England is still in the works, an interesting one to say the least. Did make it to Hong Kong for a few days, one of my favorite liberty ports, before getting off in Sept 72 in Subic.
England seemed to be a good source of potential SecGru officers — LTJG Dave Vaurio served on England as the OD Division Officer (in charge of the Data System Technicians that maintained the NTDS computers). He later transferred to NSG as well.
Bill (and anyone else, for that matter) – I am still looking for good PIRAZ/GOT stories. As time permits I will be working on histories of the NSG dets that rode during Vietnam. I’ve already started on Chicago and Long Beach. Contact me at cooldadoo@cox.net.
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17 April 2021 at 17:43
Worked PIRAZ in late 60ies
On the USS Wainwright, USS Biddle and USS Standley.
Glad to see a write up on our duty.
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10 April 2022 at 18:58
I was a Biddleman at Red Crown from July to December 1969 and a charter member of the Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club. Biddle reportedly was attacked by five Migs, downing two, in July, 1970, six months after I left my Third Division shipmates.
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1 July 2022 at 16:51
I was also on the Wainwright and W H Stanley, late ’68 and thru July ’69
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17 April 2021 at 18:53
Thanks to everybody who contributed info. I find it VERY interesting because of my background. I was Commanding Officer of the Marine Detachment on the USS Chicago from April 1966 until March 1968. My previous tour of duty was at NSGA Kamiseya where I had gone TAD as the OIC of NSG detachments on a carrier (Bon Homme Richard), a sub (USS Tunny) sp? and 2 DER’s (Charles Berry and Lansing) shadowing the Soviet Missile Range Instrumentation Ships. I was also the OWO on duty the night of the tragic fire that took 12 sailor and Marine lives. When I left Kamiseya I was assigned a 5 year HAR (hazardous duty restriction) which meant I was not allowed to go anywhere where there was reasonable risk of capture. That’s how I was assigned to the Chicago instead of the 1st Marine Division, which was now in Danang. On the Chicago I was assigned additional duty as Security Officer of the ship, a duty I kept throughout my tour of duty. My whole point of this is to compliment the NSG det for remaining anonymous. I thought I knew everything that was going on in that ship but I was never aware of the existence of a NSG det aboard, even though I had a clearance for everything, but there was no need for me to know, so the system works, or did at that time. Good Job, guys. I retired in 1980. My last 5 years were at NSA and I have stayed completely removed from the good old days ever since. I do miss it sometimes. Best of luck to all of you still in the business. I have nothing but admiration for all of you. Please feel free to contact me at any time.
Lieutenant Colonel Roger L. Miner, USMC Ret.
Tel. 518 563-3956
rogerminer@reagan.com
659 General Leroy Manor Road
Morrisonville, NY 12962
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17 April 2021 at 21:01
Bob contacted me a little while ago about my TAD tour on the uss long beach. One of the three ships that I was on (USS Horne and USS Fox) in 1969-70 Most of our crew served on all three ships. I was one of the R branchers. We never had to serve in the quick vans but actually had a secure compartment amid ships and a radar scope in CIC. The grids that we used to track planes constantly changed but you could almost know which airfield was tracking by the operators key. Back in San miguel all the training codes which we practiced on sounded like chicken scatchings but as I spent time in the GOT it all made sense. There were long 12 hour shifts, especially the night one with little air traffic, but bobs description of our operations is spot on. Good read. Lost contact with most of the guys and haven’t been able to find any of them.
John Thomas
CTR3
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18 April 2021 at 01:38
Thanks for the detailed and accurate post. While working at NAVSEEACT Japan in Yokosuka our activity built several Quic Vans for Fleet Support there. NAVSEEACT Philippines also built a few. My job was to do instrumented TEMPEST tests of the completed vans before they were deployed. We did one test while on board. I believe the ship was the USS Worden, CG-18 converted to a DLG. Not sure what happened to the Quic Vans or their unique suite of equipments. I recall one or two vans made in Yokosuka had extra mission equipment, but they were basically the same M-109 Military Shell jam packed with gear. Operating space was very cramped and rather hot when deployed. Thanks again for your post.
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19 April 2021 at 00:41
Art, Do you have any idea how many Quic Vans there were? I believe Subic had five, and Yoko may have had a few more. I think they pretty much went away with the introduction of Outboard into the fleet — the large number of OB-equipped ships pretty much led to two ships per battle group — enough to handle most requirements, especially in the IO.
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19 April 2021 at 15:34
Hey Bob, one of your brother COMEVALS from NSGD Atsugi here. Not sure about the PAC, but LANTFLT (NSGA Norfolk) was still installing Vans on Amphibs in mid-to-late 1990’s. Best, Jim
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19 April 2021 at 15:37
We had six Vans at NSGA Norfolk
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19 April 2021 at 17:10
Jim, Good to hear from you and thanks for weighing in. Do you remember if those were QUIC Vans or the successor OICS Van(s)?
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21 April 2021 at 02:07
Bob, NSGA Norfolk installed OICS Vans. Enjoyed your post on the Westpac QUIC vans.
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19 January 2022 at 20:56
New vans built in Philippines were designated Communications Vans. Took the first one out onboard USS Halsey with our CTO’s from Wahiawa and CTR’s from IB and CTM out of FES San Diego. Nearly twice the size of the QUIC van. 2 1 ton A/C units. FIred them both up simultaneously and ship dropped load off San Clemente. Figured it was coincidence when power was restored. Flipped on both A/C’s again and it was indeed us. Did them separately next time and all was fine. Matman said the van when tested during build with just A/C’s and no equipment in racks resulted in entire van getting thick layer of frost overnight when in FES Subic Bay.
Few months later I was headed on WESTPAC onboard USS Worden with COMM VAN 1. Went down to Pearl Harbor to meet COMM Officer and check out the installation before deployment. COMM VAN 1 was sitting on a trailer and QUIC Van 1 was being strapped down on the signal bridge. COMM VAN 1 affected ships handling and CO, Capt Hodge asked from something smaller. Matman was installing 1 new window A/C from Sears above the SSQ-80 and we brought along a spare just in case. Figured WESTPAC in new COMM VAN would be bearable and we ended up taking the oldest QUIC Van on the deployment.
Painted side of van with Marty Moose from Wally World Vacation movie after Capt Hodge saw a sketch in CIC and OPS O called me to see the skipper. Thought they may have been pulling prank but figured better not blow of the old man. Capt said to get what I needed from Boats in paint locker. We had to paint over Marty on the way to Perth and back to Pearl.
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20 June 2022 at 22:57
Thank you for this article. I was aboard USS Chicago for the 4th and 5th Vietnam war
WESTPAC deployments from 1970 to 1972, and I wrote the Wikipedia PIRAZ article. Chicago’s NSG personnel were attached to the embarked COMCRUDESGRU7thFLT flag staff and some stood watch in CIC adjacent to the missile launch consoles where I was weapons officer of the watch. Many hours observing their communication routines allowed me to guess what they were doing, although they refused to speak to anyone other than their assigned watch officer. My enlisted personnel who stood watch on the missile launch consoles reported the NSG personnel would get up and move to another table if they even attempted to sit with them during meals on the mess deck.
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21 June 2022 at 01:30
Mr. Al Willman,
Thank you for stopping by Station Hypo, leaving a comment, AND for your service! I would like to introduce Guy Thomas. Guy was a NSG officer who may have served in Chicago during the time you did. Given the time you stated, he could have been the officer in CIC providing I&W on inbound MiGs. Guy is cc’ on this email.
Sincerely, Mario Station HYPO
http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail Virus-free. http://www.avg.com http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
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21 June 2022 at 01:46
I was part of the NSG det embarked in Chicago from April 13 to Jun 21 1972 — got there just in time for the mining of Haiphong harbor, the TALOS shootdown of a MiG-17, and the first USN aces of the war (Chicago’s RDCS “Ace” Nowell had a hand in this). I don’t recall any of our enlisted standing watch in CIC, although on some of the other PIRAZ ships I rode we did have someone in CIC to input data into NTDS. The CIC part of the support was typically provided by the OIC (a junior officer) or maybe by the LCPO. NSG dets typically had about 11-15 enlisted, all with specific duties [I was a CTI Vietnamese linguist — there were usually two CTIs assigned]. Most of my time was spent in the SupRad on the 04 level, but I did get an occasional chance to see a movie (Chicago had a movie theater), and the chow was good – I didn’t miss too many meals (I don’t recall anyone getting up and moving to another table) but we didn’t get a chance to really mix much with the crew – for security reasons there weren’t many that could enter our workspaces. One of the few officers who was cleared and on occasion stepped into SupRad was CDR Bill Biggar, the Ops Officer. Our orders were to CCDF-3 (RADM Bergin), but we had ship’s ID cards, and CAPT McNamara took time to write us letters of appreciation for our effort. Chicago was my first ship, and probably spoiled me — don’t think I ever had better working conditions. I’m still working on a history of Chicago’s five deployments from a NSG perspective, and still could use inputs from NSG pers who rode her, or others who interacted with the det.
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21 June 2022 at 01:58
Bob,
Thank you for the commentary. To ensure Al Wellman gets your comments I placed him in this email. I’m also including Guy Thomson as well.
Cheers, Mario
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21 June 2022 at 02:48
It seems we were shipmates aboard Chicago. I remember well the events and shipmates you mentioned, but regret the ship’s crew was too large to remember everyone. If you recall the layout of CIC, the watchstanders I associated with the NSG wore headphones while seated at a table immediately in front of people entering CIC. The missile director assignment consoles (DACs) were on the opposite side of passageway leading down a step to the missile launch consoles, but most CIC watchstanders turned around to the right after entering CIC to reach watch stations closer to the evaluator’s position. The officer to whom the watchstanders of interest reported to was not a member of Chicago’s crew, so I assumed he was part of the flag staff. Unfortunately, I don’t recall his name.
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24 June 2022 at 12:06
I am technology challnged so forward this on if it is of interest.
My time at Red Crown June-December 1969;was as AssistantMissle Ordnance and then Assistant CIC officer. Upon return to CONUS, I fleeted up to Gunnery Officer where I had the 2nd Division crew that shot down the Mig[s] in 1972, after my release from active duty. I still attend division reunions with my shipmates, and July 17, 2022 is the 50th anniversary of the MIG splash.
One of. my fellow residents in the Biddle ensign locker was a spook with whom I am still in touch.
We never thought of any danger. We were just doing our duty.
JG
Sent from my
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21 June 2022 at 15:34
There were several officers assigned during both the 4th and 5th deployment. Those assigned on the 4th were Jim Gourley, replaced by Lamar Welch. For the 5th (the one I was on), they were Doug McCallum, Gary Blank, Guy Thomas and Jim Hanley (in that order). All of these officers were TAD from NAVCOMMSTA Philippines (San Miguel) except for Guy, who was TAD from Misawa, Japan. The headphones were a sound-powered phone connection to the SupRad. Technically we were assigned to the staff as long as it was embarked, otherwise to the ship. At my paygrade (CTI2) it didn’t make much difference! As previously mentioned, I spent nearly all my time in SupRad, I may have made one or two trips to CIC but don’t remember much about it.
Of note, you mentioned writing an article for Wikipedia about PIRAZ. Chicago (with the USS Richard Edwards as shotgun) commissioned PIRAZ in June 1966. By following the turnovers thru various deck logs I have been able to create a list with dates of the ships assigned to PIRAZ, complete thru Dec 1970. The deck logs for 1971-73 have only been partially released, and so my list has a few gaps for those years. From the Spook perspective, PIRAZ was the place to be, NSAR a close second (in some ways better, since it was further north and thus closer to Hanoi).
A lot of good stories, and if you (or anyone else) wants the list, e-mail me sepcor I will provide a copy of the PIRAZ assignments. I’d also recommend Guy’s book (Out of the Shadow), which has a good section on the Chicago.
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21 June 2022 at 16:18
Mistake on the title of Guy’s book — it should read “A Silent Warrior Steps out of the Shadows.” Regardless, still a good read and provides good insight as to the workings of a NSG Direct Support Element.
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