Vikings in Vietnam: Norwegian Patrol Boat Captains in CIA Clandestine Operations

In a little-known episode of the early Vietnam War, the CIA hired Norwegian skippers to command fast patrol boats for classified operations. The boats transported South Vietnamese commandos and combat swimmers along the coasts and rivers of North Vietnam.


This work will explain who the “Vikings” were, describe their missions, and detail their equipment (primarily Swift- and Nasty-class patrol boats). Author Alessandro Giorgi relied heavily on recently declassified source material and firsthand accounts to piece together the story.


The book features more than 100 photos and maps, including photos of the original contracts that the boat captains signed with CIA shell corporations.