Gallery of Restoration

Photos are shown in order of restoration.

Beginning of Restoration…

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During Restoration...

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Beginning The Details...

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Restoration... More Details...

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On The Water...

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More... On The Water...

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Two former PBR sailors have accused me of defacing PBR, and SBU XI History by removing the issued hard top on PBR 721! By the way, the PBR parts store is out of business. For all other people that might have an issue with the boat, I’ll submit the following: www.pbr721.com/reconstruction.

And to set the record straight, I submit two pictures of PBR 721 in service. PBR 721 with a hard top as issued, and a later pic, in service as a rag top!
US Navy River Patrol Boat (PBR) in Government Use.
US Navy PBR 77

Regards,
Dennis Ambruso

14 thoughts on “Gallery of Restoration”

  1. Fantastic reconstruction!
    Until Just recently i didn’t know your site nor others like it existed…go figure.
    Those build pics and the up close shots brought backa lot of memories!
    I crewed at NIOTC Jan.’70 -April ’71.
    I worked the Electric Shack.
    I had a number of boats of all classes PBR’s through STABS and ATC assigned to my “care”. Which was to maintain and repair the electrical systems used (and abused) during the training of future Riverine crews.
    Nice work! Thanks for posting the site.

    1. Mark, my name is Frank Ambruso, Dennis’s younger brother.

      You may have heard Dennis passed away.

      I’m in the process of helping reach out to everyone who may be interested in his legacy, or his vast pbr related info, books, parts, boat/trailer, etc.

      My other brother Daniel is busy working etc so feel free to contact me and or spread the word around im trying to coordinate with his contacts much information.

      Thank you for your patience.
      Frank Ambruso
      phoboga@att.net
      Star, Idaho.

    1. David, my name is Frank Ambruso, Dennis’s younger brother.

      You may have heard Dennis passed away.

      I’m in the process of helping reach out to everyone who may be interested in his legacy, or his vast pbr related info, books, parts, boat/trailer, etc.

      My other brother Daniel is busy working etc so feel free to contact me and or spread the word around im trying to coordinate with his contacts much information.

      Thank you for your patience.
      Frank Ambruso
      phoboga@att.net
      Star, Idaho.

  2. Wow!!! How cool is that??!! Now you need the Chief to ferry the boat, along with Kilgore’s choice surfer Lance, the young Mr. Clean & my personal favorite, the “handle-bar wearing” Jay “Chef” Hicks. Figuratively speaking, I’m guessing the sentimental value of your PBR is much higher than the monetary one, just sayin’!! Much envy to you, Semper Fidelis from a Marine and a Vietnam Historian.

    1. Ryan, my name is Frank Ambruso, Dennis’s younger brother.

      You may have heard Dennis passed away.

      I’m in the process of helping reach out to everyone who may be interested in his legacy, or his vast pbr related info, books, parts, boat/trailer, etc.

      My other brother Daniel is busy working etc so feel free to contact me and or spread the word around im trying to coordinate with his contacts much information.

      Thank you for your patience.
      Frank Ambruso
      phoboga@att.net
      Star, Idaho.

    1. Thomas, my name is Frank Ambruso, Dennis’s younger brother.

      You may have heard Dennis passed away.

      I’m in the process of helping reach out to everyone who may be interested in his legacy, or his vast pbr related info, books, parts, boat/trailer, etc.

      My other brother Daniel is busy working etc so feel free to contact me and or spread the word around im trying to coordinate with his contacts much information.

      Thank you for your patience.
      Frank Ambruso
      phoboga@att.net
      Star, Idaho.

  3. I was in river division 513, Rach Soi an Ha Tien, 69 -70. I was assigned to PBR 691 . I really liked the boats and I got pretty good at operating them. What is the issue you had about the hard top? Our canopy was basically a soft top. My assigned position was forward gun mount. I guess since I was a gunners mate. Beautiful boat, good job and someday I will get a ride on one again. Jjjpbr513@hotmail.com.

    1. Jim,my name is Frank Ambruso, Dennis’s younger brother.

      You may have heard Dennis passed away.

      I’m in the process of helping reach out to everyone who may be interested in his legacy, or his vast pbr related info, books, parts, boat/trailer, etc.

      My other brother Daniel is busy working etc so feel free to contact me and or spread the word around im trying to coordinate with his contacts much information.

      Thank you for your patience.
      Frank Ambruso
      phoboga@att.net
      Star, Idaho.

  4. Good day to you, I served in Panama SBU 26 when we recieved the new shell for the 721 and I was tasked as a 2nd class Boatswains mate to lead the assembly of the 721 shell in early 1988 and spent the following 8 months piecing her together. During her first seatrial we had got her up 32 knots and litteraly almost flipped her doing a crash back manuver, it was quite wild and this was before we installed the ballistics armor and full weapons compliments. When we had put back together we only had a soft top, not sure when the hardtop would have beeen installed. The last time I her was January of 89 when I transfered out.
    I know I am late to this site and sorry to hear about Dennis but had only just found the site and saw it was refering to the 721 (AKA PBR-1 SBU-26).

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