~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association ~ Vietnam History Project ~
Not So Friendly Fire
April 1970
     It was late April 1970. My thinking was that it was during the week of April 21st to the 27th.  I have never gotten my medical records so I don't have a more precise time frame at this time. 
      SP/4 Ed Santry and I were moving a platoon [ambush] to their night drop off point. We had either finished the movement or there was one group left.  Because of the tragedy that occurred earlier in the year, we never took more than five passengers in each 16' Boston Whaler.  We were returning to the main river going through the waterway at An Hoa Hung [Rach Bien River].  Ed enjoyed leaving me behind as his boat always seemed faster. As I entered the main river Ed was stopped with engine problems. I pulled along side of his boat to assist.

      Before we could get his boat started or hook up a tow, a PBR [Patrol Boat Riverine] opened fire in our direction. We knew the VC didn't have such boats and we shared a barge with all of the boats we knew of. We were pretty vulnerable at this point and with the tracers flying all over the place, jumping into the water didn't seem to be viable so we just hugged the bottom of the boat. The intensity of the fire kept us from getting to the radio or even our flares. After a considerable amount of time there was a brake in the barrage. I tried to get to my flares when the firing started again. It was at this time I caught shrapnel from the round that went through the steering column and into the engine. After a second assault, an illumination flare was fired and the attack ended.

      What we didn't know was that the troops we had dropped off were down range of the PBR firing. Someone was able to fire a green flare which apparently was instrumental in stopping the attack. The PBR drifted over  and we could see it was an Vietnamese crew with an American Advisor.

      I discovered a large chunk of metal embedded just below my right elbow. It had fused to the skin so bleeding was minimal. I tried to drive off but the round that hit my steering prevented me from navigating in a straight line. After a period of time I was taken to shore and met by Captain Gilbert [B Company CO] and his driver who took me to the Base Hospital for treatment.

       My souvenir shrapnel was taken for the investigation. With the forthcoming changes in duties [Redesignation with the 188th MP Company] I never found out if we were between an attack in which the PBR responded, or we were mistakenly fired upon. 

SGT Douglas D. Newman, HQ Detachment & B Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, 1969-September 1970.
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