~ 720th Military Police Battalion Vietnam History Project ~

Hoc Mon Detachment
88th MP Company (K9) & 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog)
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This Page Last Updated 25 November 2017
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MACV
Brigade
18th MP
Brigade
89th MP
Group
Hoc Mon situated northwest of the capital city of Saigon, is located on Highway QL-1 in Gia Dinh Province, III Corps Tactical Zone, midway between Saigon and Cu Chi. The U.S. and Allied units were stationed there as part of the Saigon Defensive Ring.

     North Vietnamese Air Force (NVAF) pilots had been going to the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR-Communist Russia) since 1959 at a rate of about forty per year. They had been sent to Krasnodar to participate in a five-year training program in the MiG-17, single-engine fighter or the IL-28 (BEAGLE) light bomber aircraft they acquired through Communist China in early 1964.
     The heightened air threat from North Vietnam and the lack of allied low altitude radar coverage in the region meant that if the enemy chose to exploit this weakness it was estimated that the bases in South Vietnam and northeast Thailand would be open to air attack. With the ongoing buildup of U.S. combat arms and support groups throughout South Vietnam, the Department of the Army and United States Pacific Area Command (USARPAC) activated an integrated defensive plan to combat the perceived airborne threat.

September 1965 The 6th Battalion, 56th Artillery Regiment, a "HAWK" missile unit, arrived in-country, and was attached subordinate to the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV), and stationed within Tan Son Nhut Airbase. Their cantonment was located at the northwest area of the base close to the ammunition storage depot and Gate 0-55. The combined U.S. Air Force, Hawk missile battalions, Vulcan 40MM Guns, and Duster Quad 50's tied in to an integrated early warning air defense system, gave the Allied forces in the Republic of South Vietnam an air defense force in depth.

     The troops of the 6th Battalion established cantonments ready to defend their assigned air bases, fuel and ammo dumps, cities, major troop concentrations areas and free world ports in the Republic of South Vietnam.

 For additional information and photographs of A Battery, 6th Battalion 56th Artillery, use this link.
56th Artillery
Regiment
Air Defense
15 December 1966 A Battery departed the Tan Son Nhut airbase for deployment at Hoc Mon northwest of Saigon. It's unknown when the first 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog) teams arrived for the perimeter security mission at Hoc Mon.
1967
Personal Reflections "I had just flown over on a C130 from Okinawa after training with seven other dog handlers on 22 December 1967. My dog was named Shadow (X008).
      I remember seeing the Bob Hope USO show on 23 December when I first arrived. I spent a week in Long Binh Post then I was attached to A Battery, 6th Battalion, 56th Artillery in Hoc Mon. There were three Sentry Dog handlers, and 12 MP's from another unit at this Hawk Missile Battery in the Jungle.
     Our battery had 138 troops. Hawk Missiles, and Counter Mortar Radar (Top Secret at that time). We had 105's and 155's come in at times for field support operations.
     The Battery Commanding Officer and Sergeant Major had a wood frame building for an office. The SGM had the Sentry Dog handlers and MP's report directly to him through a SFC. But we were mostly left alone to perform security and guard duty since we were all trained MP's and Sentry Dog Handlers.
     We had half-tents connected by wooden walk ways. We also had a mess hall that was a half-tent and showers that were heated by the sun on the water tank overhead.

     We had four concrete kennels with steel fencing half way up each side. We had a fenced training area with a obstacle course for the dogs. On high alerts we would sling hammocks in the kennel and sleep there with the dogs. I believe that the other MPs were from Saigon. Every time we escorted a convoy in we would link up with the MPs there, and hit the bars in Saigon with them. We would go to the EM/NCO club in Saigon for Filet Mignon for a $1.50."

    I patrolled from 2400 hours (midnight) until 0600 every day until the Tet Offensive." SP/4 Thomas "Wolfman" Wolfe, 212th MP Company, 95th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, 22 December 1967-December 1968.
If anyone can identify the military police unit stationed at the Hoc Mon Hawk Battery at the time of SP/4 Wolfe's arrival, please use the Email Link at the top of this page.
1967 Miscellaneous Photographs
A "?" following the photo number denotes further identifications are needed, and an Email Link is provided.
Personnel & Facilities
  212th Veterans of Hoc Mon, we need your photographs here!
1968
31 January A Battery was isolated for the first three weeks of the Vietnamese Tet New Years Offensive, and required helicopter resupply of rations, water, ammunition, and POL. The troops performed their assigned mission and stood ready to defend their battery.
1 February HQ, 97th Artillery Group, mobilized the organic transport capability, augmented this force with additional vehicles from the 79th Ordnance Detachment, and the 6th Battalion, 56th Artillery to provide thirty-five 2½-ton trucks to the Joint Defense Operations Center  on an on-call as needed basis.

2–20 February The vehicles were used to support a task force composed of elements of the 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions and the 101st Airborne Division deployed in the Saigon/Bien Hoa area.
Personal Reflections "The troops that attacked Saigon formed in our area and kept us in bunkers for fifty-six days. We had a free fire zone during TET, and we had many firefights. We still patrolled and escorted convoys as we could. I had the privilege of being on the first convoy escort from the Iron Triangle back to Saigon after Tet. I and my fellow MPs from the 720th escorted the convoy.
     Coming in we picked up a chopper escort and numerous other vehicles that joined the convoy. When I looked back to the rear of the convoy I could not see the end. People along the road ran out and yelled and applauded our arrival. It was a great day!
     We would walk in the battery, and around the outskirts, and through friendly lines as necessary. Shadow bit me five times during our tour. He once broke a NVA soldiers angle when the soldier tried to run from a group we were guarding. The Captain saw this and when we had prisoners he made Shadow the prisoner guard dog .
     During the day we would escort patrols to Saigon or other bases and take body counts. We had mounted 50's on 3/4 ton truck, and M60's on jeep's. We had chopper escorts once we hit Plantation Road.
     The 6/56th moved from Hoc Mon when I had less than two weeks left on my tour. I was sent back to Long Binh and helped with new arrivals and walked patrol at night. Shadow was sent back to Okinawa and I went through Travis and Oakland on my return state side.
     I have 5 campaign stars. During my tour we worked with the 101st Airborne, 1st Infantry, ARVN's, Australian's, South Korean's and Turkish soldiers.
      I do not remember a lot of details of my tour except I knew I did not want to be there and was scared every waking hour." SP/4 Thomas"Wolfman" Wolfe, 212th MP Company, 95th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, 22 December 1967-December 1968.
1968 Miscellaneous Photographs
A "?" following the photo number denotes further identifications are needed, and an Email Link is provided.
Personnel & Facilities
  212th Veterans of Hoc Mon, we need your photographs here!
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