civic action

24th EVAC

The medical staff teams usually consisted of one US military doctor, one nurse, and two medical technicians as support staff who performed dental and general health examinations, which were referred to as MED-CAP’s. All Vietnamese nationals that appeared at the MED-CAP stations would be examined regardless of age or area of residence.

All minor treatment would be performed at the site and any major health concerns would be directed to the appropriate local Vietnamese medical facility. Any emergencies would be immediately evaluated and transported by the supporting MPs to the nearest Vietnamese emergency medical facility.

It wasn’t unusual for the doctors and their staff to examine and treat from 75 to 125 patients per MED-CAP, for ailments ranging from minor cuts and abrasions, nutritional deficiencies, diseases of children, and age related ailments such as arthritis of the elderly.

The MED-CAP's were regularly scheduled with one in An Hoa Hung every week and one every other week in Long Hung. None were held in the Village of An Xuan prior to July 1968 because it was inaccessible and still considered the least secure. That changed once the Freedom Bridges were completed.

To prevent the enemy from initiating any planned disruption of the programs, the MED-CAP's would not be announced until several hours before the teams arrived at a preplanned location in one of the TAOR villages, usually in the village square or a local clinic. The local Popular Forces soldiers from the village outpost would spread the word throughout the village. Later under the Civic Action Program initiative, small wooden framed MED-CAP stations were built in each village by the MPs.

To insure that as many of the local villagers as possible were notified, the local Popular Forces Headquarters located in Outpost #2 (Long Hung), used a small sound truck they brought in from Bien Hoa. The PF's drove the truck through the villages and informed the residents of the time and location of the MED-CAP. Many of the village children ran excitedly behind it during its rounds just like American children did to the ice cream trucks that visited their neighborhoods.

Especially excited when the CAP’s were announced were the village children. To them MED-CAP meant that they would all get a new tooth brush and some tooth paste or bubble gum and other candy treats from the patrol or outpost MP’s who would also provide them with jeep rides to their delight.

As far as can be determined, none of the MED-CAP's performed in the 720th MP Battalion TAOR were ever disrupted by enemy activity, which is a testament to the planning and diligence of all involved.