SN Collins served on a LCM (landing craft) for a short time then was assigned to a Mike Y1, a pusher boat, on September 1, 1968. The boat pushed jet fuel barges up to the Qua Viet River from Cue Vie to Don Ho. The trip was about nine miles one way and was made on the average twice a day.

On September 28, 1968, four men were killed in a fire aboard the LCM-6 they were aboard. the boat was at the mouth of the Cua Viet River when the fire and explosion in which they died occurred. According to reports, contaminated fuel had been pumped into the river. Some welding being done on a ship caused sparks to set the fire and explosion. Three sailors were killed, two were missing, and three were hospitalized.�The four men killed/missing in the fire aboard the LCM-6:�
SN Gary D. Collins Jamestown, KS�� KIA
MM3 David L. Dixon Medford, OR��MIA
FN David P. Halpin Watertown, NY��MIA
MM2 Joseph D. Lilly Jackson, MN�� KIA

All were assigned to the Cua Viet Detachment, Naval Support Activity Danang. It appears DIXON and HALPIN were successful in abandoning the LCM but were swept to sea by the river current, their bodies were never recovered.

Collins, Gary Dean, SN