~ 720th Military Police Battalion Vietnam History Project ~ |
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1965 |
Ban Me Thuot the capital of Darlac Provence, was located in the central highlands, II Corps Tactical Zone. The 88th MP Company (K9) Detachment, Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV), was located just outside of the city of Ban Me Thuot on a 30-40 acre (approximately) size cantonment area. |
The base became the home of the A Company, 1st Aviation Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, later redesignated as the 155th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light) , 52nd Aviation Battalion, that served at the base from 1 May 1965 to 7 January 1966. They provided support to U.S. and ARVN units in the II Corps Tactical Zone region. |
There was also a small airstrip located within Ban Me Thuot City called "City Field", but the 88th detachment was not responsible for its security. |
The first members of the 88th detachment stationed at the compound consisted of eight handler teams. |
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The overall perimeter fence line was in a triangle shape with the detachment kennels at the far edge. The handlers walked the dogs along sections of this fence line to protect the helicopters and the billet area (tents) for the crews and support personnel. Within this fence line there was also a four-foot earthen berm used as a final defense line should the perimeter be breached during a ground assault. |
One fence line was along a non-active rubber plantation but perfect for a concealed approach. The other two fence lines were along lightly traveled roads, one going into the town. One perimeter section had a very thickly laid defensive minefield that had overlapping coverage by a several machine gun positions. On that side of the perimeter you had to enter and leave your duty post through special lanes through the minefield. |
The handler teams were used as early warning and to delay any ground assault and then withdraw back to the berm for defensive action. The action plan for a ground attack was to get as many helicopters as possible into the air, both to keep them safe from mortar fire and to use them for a counter attack. The remaining personnel manned the interior berm, and the handler teams were withdrawn within the berm gun emplacements. |
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The only other U.S. units stationed there at that time was a small Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) detachment that assisted the ARVN 23rd Infantry Division, located in the Grand Bungalow lodge in town. It was rumored that the lodge, built for the last Emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, had once been used by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt on a Tiger hunting expedition. With the MACV unit was the Special Operations Augmentation, Command and Control South, 5th Special Forces Group that oversaw several A Team camps in the area. |
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1966 |
1965 Miscellaneous Photographs |
A "?" following the photo number denotes further identifications are needed, and an Email Link is provided. |
Personnel & Facilities |
 88th & 212th Veterans of Ban Me Thuot, we need your photographs here! |
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