USNS Card
In the early hours of May 2, 1964, two Việt Cộng commandos from the 65th Special Operations Group emerged from a sewer tunnel near the location where the USNS Card was anchored. Under the cover of darkness, they planted two explosive devices to the ship's hull, successfully detonating them causing the ship to sink.
Internal name: mcv_usns_card.bsp
Supported gamemodes: Conquest, Deathmatch, FireFight, Gun Game, Gun Game Deathmatch, Last Man Standing, Last Team Standing, Team Deathmatch
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History
The USNS Card was a former World War II escort carrier that had been converted into a cargo ship and aircraft ferry for the U.S. Military Sea Transportation Service. By 1964 it was regularly carrying helicopters, aircraft, and other military cargo to South Vietnam, making it an important logistical target in the growing war.
In the early hours of 2 May 1964, two Việt Cộng commandos approached the ship through the Saigon port sewer system and placed explosive charges on its hull while it was moored in the harbor. The blast tore a large hole below the waterline, causing the vessel to sink into the muddy bottom of the Saigon River and making the attack one of the most dramatic acts of sabotage against an American ship during the early Vietnam War.
Although the attack was a major propaganda victory for the Communists, the loss of the ship was only temporary. Salvage crews moved quickly to stabilize the vessel, and after days of difficult work in the hot, muddy harbor, the Card was raised later that month and sent out for repairs. The ship eventually returned to service, but the incident showed that even major American transport vessels in Saigon were vulnerable to covert attack.
The sabotage of the USNS Card became one of the best-known early commando operations of the war. It highlighted the ability of Việt Cộng operatives to strike high-value targets inside heavily guarded urban areas and demonstrated the continuing insecurity of Saigon’s port facilities during the conflict.
Sources
- U.S. Naval Institute, The Attack on the USNS Card — https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2021/april/attack-usns-card
- Naval History and Heritage Command, H-009-3: Significant U.S. Navy Operations in 1964 — https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-009/h009-3.html
- NavSource Naval History, USS Card (ACV-11 / T-AKV-40) — https://www.navsource.net/archives/03/011.htm