As a minimum we always ran with seven jeeps and twenty-one MP's, three in each jeep. There were several times when we had prior information that the convoy would be larger than normal so additional MP's and jeeps were assigned.

     All MPs carried a .45 caliber pistol. The gun jeep driver took his M-16 rifle with whatever ammo he could carry, usually two bandoleers. The IC of the jeep carried the M-79 [grenade launcher] with a basic load of 18 HE [high explosive] rounds. The machine gunner would draw the M-60 along with 4 ammo cans of 7.62 rounds, usually about 800 rounds. All jeeps carried 2 smoke grenades and 4 hand grenades.

     Once everyone obtained their vehicles and weapons we proceeded to the firing range off of highway 1A and test fired the machine guns. We would always have to get permission from Battalion TOC [Tactical Operations Command] first. On the way to the range I would stop at Battalion TOC and pick up the cripto sheet [codes] for the day. The codes were changed every day. It was used to call Blackhorse [11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Base Camp] with the information on the convoy.

      When this was completed we went to the staging area at the far end of Long Binh Post near the 2nd Field Forces Headquarters. Once we got to the marshaling area I would meet with the liaison representative from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (11th ACR). This was a Staff Sergeant [E-6] and really one hell of a nice guy. He would ride with me as we inspected the vehicles. We would drive by all the vehicles and give them a visual inspection, looking at the equipment, insuring the loads were properly secured, etc. Once everything was in order I would have all the drivers assemble and give them a briefing on the convoy run for the day. (All cargo and fuel vehicles had to have a shotgun [second] rider with them) Protocol that I covered at the briefing was first and foremost follow the tracks of the vehicle in front of you and you will probably not hit a land mine. Keep a distance of a couple of vehicle lengths from the vehicle in front. The convoy speed was 30 mph. If you developed mechanical problems you were to pull off to the side of road and let the first MP gun jeep know that you cannot continue and the bobtail [tractors without trailers] will pick you up. Most of the transport company vehicles did not have radios in them whereas the MP's did.

      If anyone hit a land mine they were to stop and dismount, and take up defensive positions until the road could be cleared. Usually if they hit a mine the road was blocked by the disabled vehicle anyway. If the convoy was ambushed continue moving to get out of the kill zone, continue to return fire, etc. Common sense dictated most of the briefing, and it always prevailed!

      If an accident occurred, one MP jeep would remain at the scene and coordinate the request for any medical assistance and the investigation with whatever MP company had jurisdiction in the area. It was usually the 720th B Company Detachment for the Xuan Loc area.

      Once the convoy was ready to leave usually around 0800 to 0900 hours (8;30-9:00 AM) I would call Blackhorse on the radio and let them know I was leaving. I had to let them know how many vehicles and the essential items, reefer [freezer] trucks, fuel trucks, and ammunition trucks. This was all done according to the crypto sheet I had picked up at TOC in the morning.

      The first vehicle to leave was the MP Scout [gun jeep]. Then my jeep, the NCOIC, was the second vehicle. Placement of the MP jeeps was done by the total number of vehicles remaining in the convoy (after the scout vehicle and the trail jeep) divided by the remaining five MP gun jeeps[each was a march unit]. The last vehicle was always an MP jeep. We always had a couple of bobtails, at the end of the convoy along with and ambulance with medics. When we left the staging area, the Staff Sergeant form the 11th ACR would make sure that all the fuel and ammo trucks were separated by other vehicles that way in the event of an ambush they would not be all blown up together.

      Once we left the compound we were under the operational control of the 11th ACR's, TOC. We had seven checkpoints along the route and being the lead element I would radio to the other jeeps in that we were at “Charlie Papa 1” [check point-1], and when the last vehicle reached the check point it would reply. “clear Charlie Papa 1.” This procedure would be followed at each check point until we arrived at Xuan Loc. The route never varied or the times changed.

      The first several miles you would be going through parts of Bien Hoa and surrounding villages. Nothing much of a threat there. The route to Xuan Loc was about 40 miles and the spot that was the worst was the last 6-8 miles, this was know as “MINE ALLEY”. Every morning the engineers would sweep the road for land mines, and finding one, would blow it up with C-4 [explosive]. On occasion they would miss a few. There were a lot of times I would turn around and find that the convoy was to spread out. I would have to get on the radio and yell at the last couple of jeeps to tighten things up. My gun jeep would be doing 30 mph but the vehicles in the rear were doing 60 to get caught up[ slinky effect] , not to think about all the dust they were eating in the dry season, nor the mud in their faces during the monsoons.

      Along this stretch of MINE ALLEY there were two 11th ACR reaction forces detailed strictly to the security of the convoy. They consisted of two tanks, and 4 APC's [tracked armored personnel vehicles]. It seems we were always giving the thumbs up sign [every thing OK] to each other.