b company

The Tet New Years Offensive

January 1LT Dale R. Price, Platoon Leader, is transferred to C Company, promoted to CPT and assumes command from CPT Burt D. Edmondson on 17 January.

29 January The days following the start of the Communist Tet New Years Offensive B Company distinguished itself as part of the 720th MP Battalion post reaction force that assisted in the counterattack of the 275th Viet Cong Regiment and the U-1 Viet Cong Local Force Battalion that assaulted Long Binh Post in the early morning hours.

Throughout the following days and weeks A and B Company and elements of the 615th MP Company using their gun jeeps and V100 Commando armored cars ran the communist gauntlet numerous times while escorting critically need ammunition and supplies to the beleaguered 716th MP Battalion in Saigon and to the Tan Son Nhut Airfield.

The 26 man B Company detachment in Bien Hoa went on 24 hour shifts, conducted anti sniper patrols, general security, and supported elements of the 9th Infantry Division who were sent to the area to counter the VC attacks on the City.

9th

B Company and 615th MP Company elements also escorted convoys of ammunition from the 3rd Ordinance Battalion at Long Binh Post to the Bien Hoa Air Base, which had also suffered fierce Viet Cong attacks. Additionally B Company was also part of the battalion reaction force that braved the enemy kill zones to rush ammunition and supplies and remove the wounded from the Cogido Docks Ammunition Barge Site when the guard elements of the 95th MP Battalion came under intense enemy attack.

18 March SGT Joseph V. Berger was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service from November 1966 to February 1968 under 18th MP Brigade General Orders #214.

16 April Brigadier General Karl W. "Big Gus" Gustafson, Commanding Officer of the 18th Military Police Brigade and The USARV Provost Marshal General, authorized the presentation of a Certificate of Achievement to all members of the 720th MP Battalion for their Meritorious Performance of Duty during the Tet Offensive from 31 January to 10 February 1968.

21 June The following personnel were awarded the Good Conduct Medal under HQ 720th MP Battalion General Orders #21. SP/4 James A. Goodale 4 Aug 66 to 3 Aug 68, SP/4 Richard F. Newman 4 Aug 66 to 3 Aug 68, SP/4 Michael E. Pingree 5 Aug 66 to4 Aug 68, SP/4 Richard J. Zavilla 2 Aug 66 to 1 Aug 68, SP/4 Daniel J. Boylan 14 Jul 66 to 13 Jul 68, PFC Kenneth L. Perusek 4 Aug 66 to 3 Aug 68, SP/4 Richard D. Hicks 3 Aug 66 to 2 Aug 68, SP/4 John I. Hart 3 Jun 66 to 2 Aug 68.

The Consolidation of Operation "STABILIZE"

26 June To better coordinate the logistics and command and control functions of the unique operations in the Tactical Area Of Responsibility (TAOR), B Company assumed full control of the infantry mission, Operation STABILIZE.

Elements of B Company also continued to man their discipline, law and order patrol assignments at the Blackhorse (Xuan Loc) Base Camp Provost Marshals Office of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment with one platoon, and the Rear Base Camp of the 101st Airborne Division near Bien Hoa with one squad. A and C Companies continued their general purpose mission and picked up those missions now left unmanned by the absence of B Company.

11th

101st

B Company TAOR operations consisted of providing men to staff all four village outpost and a Vietnamese National Police Station; Outpost-1 An Xuan Village, Outpost-2 Long Hung Village, Outpost-3 An Hoa Hung Village, Outpost-4 Long Binh Tahn Village and the National Police Station in An Hoa Hung Village. B Company also provided Ambush and Recon teams that conducted day and night reconnaissance and ambush patrols throughout the TAOR and a River Patrol Unit to support the remote outpost (#1), and ambush teams. The Ambush teams were also used on occasion to strengthen security at the outpost and provide security for numerous medical and construction Civic Action Programs (CAPS).

The River Patrol Unit, Boston Whaler "Skimmers," augmented by 458th Army Transportation Company (PBR) Riverine Patrol Boats, provided much needed security for barge supply traffic and enemy water borne interdiction on the Dong Nai River and its fifty miles of tributaries throughout the TAOR. The whalers were also used on occasion to provide transportation to inaccessible areas of the TAOR for the ambush and recon teams and to support company and battalion sized tactical operations in the area.

2 July The following personnel received promotions to Sergeant E5; Audrey D. Bolen, George R. Gray, Jr., Richard D. Hicks, James R. Minick, Raymond L. Pearson, Dennis E. St. Clair, Alexander Von Koch.

Awards The following personnel were awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service, under General Orders #446, 18th MP Brigade. PFC James A. Goodale Sep 1967 to Jul 1968, SP/4 Richard D. Hicks Sep 1967 to Jul 1968.

12 August The following member of B Company was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service under 18th MP Brigade General Orders #567, SP/4 Bruce D. Ballard.

1 October At 1751 hours [5:51 PM], PFC Robert Alicea, age 20, is killed in action, and PFC James Brunotte, B Company, is seriously wounded and disabled when their jeep struck a powerful Viet Cong land mine on the roadway between Outpost-1 & 2. The two were returning to their duty station at Outpost-1 in An Xuan Village.

4 November 2LT Robert L. Chavis arrives and is assigned as Ambush Platoon Leader, 2LT Therrell M. Davis arrives, and is assigned to the Xuan Loc Degtachment.

6 November 2LT Therrell M. Davis is promoted to First Lieutenant.

Exact date unknown: PFC Rudolph Dickerson observed a small depression on the roadway between Outpost-1 and 2 when his bridge security squad was sweeping the road in the morning during their return to OP-1 and their transport. Upon closer inspection he discovered a U.S. 81 mm mortar round burried in the depression. An EOD team was summoned and removed the charge and pressure detonator.