Quan Loi Convoy and Detachment
"The Devils Convoy"
~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association ~ Vietnam History Project ~
This Page Last Updated   30 September 2008
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Quan Loi Base Camp in Binh Long Provence was located 10 miles east of the Cambodian border a North Vietnamese Army Sanctuary, in III Corps Tactical Zone. It was home to elements of the 1st Infantry Division.
18th Bde.
720th
1st ID
1967
11 July, 0145 Hours SGT Jewell Fletcher Dodge, age 37, from Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, was killed in action at the C Company Detachment at the 1st Infantry Division base at Quan Loi during an intense enemy small arms and mortar attack on the base camp. At 0145 hours (1:45 AM) SGT Dodge scrambled to his assigned bunker and gave his M-16 rifle to a young soldier who in the confusion arrived at the bunker unarmed. SGT Dodge then exposed himself to the incoming mortar rounds to return to his tent to obtain another rifle for himself.

        While returning to his tent he was struck by fragmentation from an exploding mortar round and lay exposed and severely wounded. SP/4 Tommy King, also of C Company, went to the aid of his wounded squad leader. After attempting to render first aid, SP/4 King went to obtain further medical assistance. His attempts to obtain medical aid failed so he again exposed himself to to hostile fire in assisting in the evacuation of SGT Dodge to a medical aid station. SGT Dodge later died from his wounds.

SP/4 King was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for Valor in November 1967 for his actions in attempting to save the life of SGT Dodge.

24 August The Battalion supported the 1st Infantry Division on resupply missions to their Quan Loi base camp, III Corps Tactical Zone, through convoy control and traffic accident investigation through 27 August.

1968 ~ It was called the "Devils Convoy" by the MPs that worked it.
8 October C Company transferred members from its Phu Loi Detachment to Di An. Among other tasks the detachment provided for one daily supply convoy escort to the 1st Infantry Division base camp at Quan Loi utilizing 2 gun jeeps and six MPs.
        They were attached to the Provost Marshal, 1st Infantry Division and aided the 1st MP Company in the mission of combat support by providing a Traffic Control Point (TCP) and escorts for two daily convoys to the 1st Infantry Division HQ at Lai Khe utilizing two gun jeeps and six MPs for each run. The Lai Khe convoy of the 1st Infantry Division was code named "Iron."
1st CAV
1 November Through 11 November 1st Air Cavalry elements moved into the Quan Loi Base Camp. C Company escorted the convoy from Newport to Check Point #81 where the 1st MP Company, 1st Infantry Division elements continued the escort to Quan Loi.
19 December The convoy escort mission and security for the Quan Loi base camp of the 1st Infantry Division was reassigned from the DI An Detachment to the personnel from C Company stationed at Long Binh Post.
Route Map
1969
        The 188 mile round trip (from Long Binh Post) supply convoy escort to within 10 miles of the Cambodian border was run 7 days a week. C Company committed 2 gun jeeps and 6 MPs to the supply convoy that averaged 60 vehicles each day.
Checkpoints
28 April Three C Company MPs saved several soldiers from a fiery death when, despite heavy enemy fire and their wounds, they pulled the men from a burning helicopter during the ambush of the 1st Infantry Division Quan Loi Convoy they were escorting.
17 July The Quan Loi Convoy, escorted by 720th MPs was ambushed by an enemy force of unknown size resulting in 5 U.S. personnel being wounded in action, 6 VC/NVA killed in action, 1 wounded in action, and 1 captured. U.S. equipment losses were 2 tank trucks, 1 Bobtail truck, 2 low boy trucks, and 1 Armored Personnel Carrier destroyed.
WANTED: Additional information, personal stories, or photographs of this escort, please use the Email Link above.
12 August Elements of the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) ambushed the Quan Loi convoy on Highway QL-13, being escorted by C Company MPs. The ambush started when the NVA blew up a culvert in the roadway with a command detonated land mine. The explosion split the convoy in two and stranded the southern half from their intended destination. The NVA poured on a heavy concentration of small arms, mortar and rocket propelled grenade fire.
WANTED: Additional information, personal stories, or photographs of this escort, please use the Email Link above.
14 August, 1030 Hours The Quan Loi Convoy, escorted by members of C Company, was returning to Long Binh Post on Highway QL-13 nicknamed Thunder Road. It was ambushed with rocket propelled grenade, mortar, and small arms fire from a force of approximately 200 enemy hidden along both sides of the roadway.
1970
1971 ~ Major Realignment of A & C Company Duties
February-April During the months of February, March and April the Quan Loi Convoy had no regular schedule and was being run on an as needed basis.
18 May The 720th MP Battalion realigned the combat support and combat service support missions within Military Region III (III Corps Tactical Zone) which were previously accomplished by A and C Company. As a result C Company assumed responsibility and assimilated all personnel and equipment for all A Company convoy escort duties including the Quan Loi Convoy.
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