148th mp platoon

The Death Of SP/4 Shrum SP/4 Leon J. Shrum and SGT Joseph G. Picucci, the My Tho Detachment NCOIC, went out on a reconnaissance patrol in My Tho’s streets to assess the extent of the Viet Cong strength within the area of their billet at the Armor House. The small MP detachment was concerned about being caught within their building by the growing number of enemy forces and wanted to make a move to the nearby MACV Compound.

As their patrol crossed one of the main streets it was hit by heavy enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire and forced to find cover. Ahead of them a jeep containing four members of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) Team #75 advisors were also pinned down by the heavy enemy fire. SP/4 Shrum left the safety of the cover of his jeep with the M60 machine gun and headed towards the MACV team to help them. While running towards their position he was struck by small arms fire in the chest knocking him to the ground. Disregarding his wounds he got back up and continued on through enemy fire with the machine gun. He made it to the MACV team before succumbing to the wounds. The machine gun allowed the MACV team to suppress the enemy fire. When SGT Picucci called for assistance on the radio the other detachment members formed a reaction force to go out and assist the patrol but were to late, SP/4 Shrum died at the scene. They returned to the compound with his body.

The detachment eventually made the move to the nearby Tactical Operations Center. For his bravery while under fire SP/4 Shrum was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal for valor, Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and the Purple Heart Medal. 720th MP Battalion, Vietnam History Project, Casualty Investigation File.

Shortly after the Tet Offensive (Jan-Feb) the operational, administrative and logistics support for the 148th MP Platoon changed from the 557th MP Company, 95th MP Battalion (Long Binh Post) to the 300th MP Company (Physical Security Saigon Military Port), 92nd MP Battalion, located at Pershing Field, Saigon.

92nd

1 April 188th MP Company operations, under the 92nd Military Police Battalion, began moving to the Mekong Delta area and included Phu Lam, Tan An, My Tho, Cai Lai, Vinh Long, Can Tho and Soc Trang.

Although unverified at this time it is believed that the 148th was assigned as subordinate to the 188th MP Company sometime after this move. If anyone can provide any verification please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.

A Detachment of nine MPs were sent to My Tho to provide Discipline, Law and Order patrols in the town and surrounding areas. They worked combined patrols with the local Canh Sats (Vietnamese National Police).

1 May PFC Joseph F. Lodise, Jr., was the turret gunner on a V100 that responded to the aid of some elements of the 9th Infantry Division engaged in a fire fight with the Viet Cong. PFC Lodise died from electrocution during the fire fight.

Photograph of PFC Lodise Needed

But For The Grace Of God As best I can recall a captain was sent down to the 148th in Vinh Long from Saigon to conduct an evaluation of the mission that we were tasked with in the Delta. It seemed as if it was a kind of "what are we accomplishing in the Delta, how are we doing it, and how successful are we" kind of inspection. It was not an I.G. type of inspection. It was somewhat informal in nature. There were two V100’s sent out on that mission. If I recall correctly there were two crew each plus the Captain from Saigon. 1LT Nicholson, our platoon leader, may also have gone on it but I just don't remember. The only other person I remember going out on that missions was an F. Glenn Schaeffer. I remember him quite well because I got in touch with him back in 1989 when I went searching for Joe's parents. I wanted to talk to them about that day, and Joe. I felt somewhat responsible for Joe's death. I had been tagged for that mission but pitched a bitch to the Lieutenant since I had not had a day off in quite a while, and that day was to be my first one off. Joe overheard me talking to the Lieutenant and came up to me and said that he wanted to go instead. He had never been out on a mission up to that point, was recently new to the unit and was anxious to get involved. I went with him to talk to the lieutenant who agreed to the switch. I went down to the V100 with Joe and explained what his job was as the gunner. He said he felt comfortable enough to go on the mission and the rest is history.

In any event I had remembered that Glenn was from the Philadelphia area. I called directory assistance and obtained Glenn Schaffers parents phone number and in turn his. Glenn and I talked for a while and I obtained Joe's parents phone number. I called them and told them the story about what happened that day. They had never heard that side of of the story. We had a good talk and I got directions from them to the cemetery where Joe was buried. I was working in Washington D.C. at the time so I took a day off and drove up to Philadelphia and visited his grave and finally made my peace with him. PFC Ronald P. Regulski, 148th MP Platoon, 92nd MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, August 1967 to August 1968.