212th

New Patrol Dog Concept Tested

February-April The 212th MP Company provided man-dog teams for physical security missions at the following facilities: Long Binh Ammunition Supply Depot, Long Binh Scout Dog Section, Long Binh Perimeter, Tay Ninh Ammunition Supply Depot,,Long Than Airfield, Vinh Long Airfield, Vung Tau Ammunition Supply Depot, Soc Trang Airfield and Saigon Port.

9 March, Long Binh Detachment CPT Albert C. Boyd, III, Commanding Officer, departed.

April-May Future Army Of The Republic Of South Vietnam (ARVN) dog handlers were given an orientation of the kennels and company operations.

3 May 1LT John F. White is assigned as Platoon Leader.

June, Long Binh Detachment The 212th MP Company utilized the Village of An Hoa Hung in the B Company, 720th MP Battalion, Tactical Area of Responsibility, to conduct orientation training for new handlers.

August-October, Tay Ninh Detachment The 212th MP Company Detachment at Tay Ninh (West) Base Camp was terminated and the assets, K9’s and handlers were redistributed.

Also, twenty handlers and K9’s were laterally transferred to the 595th MP Company (Sentry Dog) at DaNang.

Four Sentry Dogs Utilization Surveys were conducted by request to determine the feasibility of dog team employment.

There were no K9’s shipped to either USARPAC Sentry Dog School or Military Assistance Command Vietnam [MACV] during this time period.

September B Company of the 720th MP Battalion was redesignated as the 188th MP Company and sent to Da Nang and became part of the 504 MP Battalion. The 188th MP Company was redesignated as B Company of the 720th MP Battalion and remained in the Mekong Delta. Operation STABILIZE, their infantry mission in the TAOR south of Long Binh Post was terminated and duties transferred to infantry units.

The five scout dogs from the 212th MP Company Scout Dog Unit at the Long Binh Detachment that worked with the B Company Ambush Teams were reassigned to line infantry units.

2 September 2LT Charles R. Wells, Jr. is assigned as Platoon Leader for the 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog).

21 September, Long Binh Detachment The 212th MP Company strength was one-hundred and twenty six Sentry Dogs of which seventy-four were categorized medically as suspected to be suffering from Tropical Canine Pancytopenia [TOP]. The dogs identified in this category could not be returned to the United States Army Pacific Area Command [USARPAC], Sentry Dog School for retraining.

Losses in personnel due to rotation and losses to K9's from euthanasia due to TOP changed the unit policy from recommending that future dog handlers arrive without K9's, to a policy that a small percentage of new dog handlers arrive with K9's.

1 November, Soc Trang Detachment The six Sentry Dog Teams working the Soc Trang Detachment in support of the 121st Aviation Battalion, Soc Trang, were relocated to Long Binh Post concurrent with the Army of The Republic of Vietnam [ARVN], military authorities taking over the Soc Trang Army Airfield under the Vietnamization program.

New Patrol Dog Concept Tested Two Patrol Dogs and handlers were received by the 720th MP Battalion for an evaluation of their capabilities in the Republic of Vietnam. One Noncommissioned Officer [NCO], a graduate of the Sentry Dog School was detailed to evaluate the Patrol Dog and handlers during their four phases of employment and issued the Patrol Dog Evaluation Summary Report.

9 December, Long Binh Detachment CPT James D. Folsom assumed command of the 212th MP Company from 1LT Michael P. Sudnik.