1966 Time Line ~ Ambush & Recon
~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association ~ Vietnam History Project ~
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18th Bde.
720th
The First Ambush Assignment at the 3rd Ordnance Ammunition Supply Depot

        The first 720th MP Battalion ambush assignments that were conducted predated Operation STABILIZE (20 October 1967) by approximately one year.

        Within weeks of the battalions arrival at Long Binh Post on 19 October 1966, the three organic companies received their primary mission assignments. The Long Binh Post, Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) Ammunition Supply Depot was probably the most lucrative target in III Corps Tactical Zone at the time.

MACV
        Just prior to the Battalion becoming mission capable, Viet Cong forces successfully attacked the depot two times, 28 October   and 18 November. During the construction of the post in early 1966 the depot area was part of the post perimeter that bordered the jungle. Perimeter security at that time was less than adequate consisting of a single row of coiled barbed wire backed up by antipersonnel mines, and a few static watchtowers and security bunkers.
19 November The 720th MP Battalion was tasked with assigtning a platoon of MPs to hinder enemy movement along the outside of the perimeter beyond the service road
providing additional security as preparations were made to improve the perimeter defenses by pushing the jungle back 300 meters, adding additional watch towers, bunkers and two additional rows of barbed wire.
        In later years as the post quickly grew in size and with the addition of new units the ammunition depot was soon situated more securely within the confines of the post inproving its security.

        The initial assignment was given to C Company, later the responsibility would rotate between all three organic companies.

        The platoon would form into three man teams and load up into their jeeps for convoy to the exterior perimeter road and take up their assigned positions.

The Uninvited Visitor One night we were on ambush and just as it was getting dark we all saw a panther come out of the jungle. He lazily walked down the edge for a ways and then slipped back into the underbrush. We used to take turns catching a little sleep out there but that night, nobody slept. We were more worried about that cat than we were the Viet Cong. SP/4 Ronald F. Kidder, 1st Platoon, C Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, October 1966-October 1967.
        Unlike the ambush patrols conducted in the Battalion Tactical Area Of Responsibility (TAOR) from 1967 to 1970, when the enemy had no idea where they might encounter an ambush team, at the 3rd Ordnance site the approaching enemy knew the MPs were somewhere just outside the perimeter area.

        The early ambush assignments presented some major problems due to the standard logistical TO&E of an MP company verses that of an infantry company. Each ambush team consisted of 4 to 6 men. Lacking proper field radios for communication between themselves and the Tactical Operations Center (TOC), the MP teams would take a jeep with a fixed radio out with them to their designated area. The ambush team would position their jeep just off the outside perimeter roadway and set up their ambush sites in the brush a short distance in front of it.

        This was done to eliminate the possibility of enemy forces looting or booby trapping the vehicles. If a team engaged in the firing of their weapons, TOC would hear about it from another ambush team or a perimeter guard tower nearby.

        TOC was not able to directly communicate with the team that fired until the team could send a man back to their jeep to give them a situation report, or "Sit-Rep."

        When the team fired at movement within their kill zone they didn't want to place a man in jeopardy by having him immediately return to the jeep alone to report the details of the incident. And, those of us that worked on ambush all know how impatient the people at TOC could be!

        The procedures in 1966 were, if radio contact wasn't established quickly TOC would contact the team nearest to the position from where the firing occurred and ask them to go over and make an inquiry as to the nature of the firing. Unfortunately this policy of having an ambush team member moving around in the area in the darkness would eventually contribute to an unfortunate incident and casualty on 8 December.
8 December PFC Charles Chuck" DeWayne Damsgard age 20, 1st Platoon, C Company, became the battalions first casualty in Vietnam. PFC Damsgard was killed by small arms fire while performing night ambush duties outside the perimeter of the 3rd Ordnance Ammunition Supply Depot at Long Binh Post.
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