1973 Time Line ~ 615th MP Company
95th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, Long Binh Post
~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association ~ Vietnam History Project ~
This Page Last Updated  14 November 2012
18t Bde.
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March Early in the month the 615th MP Company was informed that it would be standing down and began its preparations for return to the U.S.
MACV
USARV

        Not being allowed by MACV regulations to bring home K9s from Vietnam, and not wanting to turn their mascot Andy over to any Vietnamese military or civilian authorities, SSG Arthur R. Rivera and SP/4 Bruce E. Burnham took Andy The Bloodhound to the US Consulate in DaNang, with all of Andy's paperwork, and personally gave him to the residing diplomat who promised to care for him.

        The Commanding Officer CPT Wooten departed and CPT Bruce D. Robertson, the Executive Officer, became the Acting Commanding Officer and stayed with the company until its deactivation in Vietnam.
The 615th stands-down

27 March The final day of American military combat presence in Vietnam, the 18th MP Brigade cased its colors and was inactivated. The Company, now platoon size, became subordinate to the USARV/MACV Support Command, Provost Marshal Unit.

28 March The bulk of its personnel were shipped off to the south for transport state-side. U.S. Military strength in Vietnam was 1,000 personnel, with no military policemen. At the time of deactivation the 615th was the only MP unit assigned in Military Region I. This is believed to be the last official photo of the 615th MP Company in Vietnam.
Click on photograph for list of names.

       The following is a list of the Company personnel who received awards of the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service, and Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service, before the Company departed Vietnam.

Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service

CPT Joseph A. Wooten, Commanding Officer, CPT Bruce D. Robertson, Executive Officer, 1SG George E. Krisher, 1SG Robert J. Stewart, PMO Operations, SFC Earl H. Shott, SSG William R. Parson Supply Sergeant, SSG Arthur R. Rivera, SSG Arthur T. Weaver, SGT Wayne J. Fiscser, SGT Kenneth L. Johnson, SGT Ronald L. Johnson, SP/4 William R. Bailey, Sr., SP/4 Robert D. Baum, Sr., SP/4 David E. Bender, SP/4 Bruce E. Burnham, Sr., SP/4 Frank M. Fucaloro, Sr., SP/4 Duane A. Henderson, SP/4 Billy R. Lankford, Sr., SP/4 Lawrence Sturgis, Sr., and SP/4 Howard E. Wright, Sr.

Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service

SGT Benny Williams, SP/4 Leroy H. Berg, Sr., SP/4 Daniel W. Hueston, SP/4 Daniel O'Sullivan and PFC Allan J. Brown.

Reflection: I started in Vietnam with the 20th Engineer Brigade in April 1970. I was sent to the 169th Engineer Battalion, and from there I volunteered for the 179th MP Detachment (PMO) at Long Binh. I OJT'd into the MP's and went to the 557th MP Company. When the drawdown (Vietnamization) got underway and the 557th departed I was transferred to the 615th MP Company on Long Binh Post. I was with them through all the redesignations and the move from Long Binh Post to DaNang until the end. So, I was in Vietnam from 12 April 70 until 30 March 73.

     In DaNang I worked primarily as the liaison to the Air Force Security Police (SP’s) on DaNang Airfield. I remember kidding the Air Force SGT (E-4) who worked the desk that he only joined the Air Force to keep from coming to Vietnam. He laughed and admitted that is exactly what he did.

     One day I loaded Andy into my jeep (he loved to ride in jeeps, but because we were a very small unit at that time there were not many opportunities) and took him with me. Like most MP stations, the SP's had a raised desk so that they were above anyone who came in. I walked Andy in (he was very quiet) and patted on the desk with my hand, which was just above my chest height (I'm 6'1"). Andy immediately came up with his big front paws on the desk, which took the SP's completely by surprise. The look on their faces was priceless.

     For about the last month, which would have been March of 1973, we were eating the left over steaks and lobsters from the club. We ate so much of that stuff that we actually got sick to death of it. SGT (SMG Retired) Ronald L. Johnson, 615th MP Company, Support Command, Provost Marshal Unit, U.S. Army Vietnam (USARV) / Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV), DaNang, 1972-1973.

29 March The Military Assistance Command Vietnam was deactivated in Saigon.

        SFC Earl H.“Bud” Shott and SSG Arthur R. Rivera remained behind and were assigned to the U.S. Delegation Four Power Joint Military Commission for Military Region I. SFC Shott assumed the title of Security NCOIC and SSG Rivera was his assistant. The assignment didn’t last very long because not once did the IV Power Military Commission meet with the North Vietnam contingent in Military Region I. The assignment was ended and the men returned to the U.S. on 8 April.
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