1969 ~ Can Tho Time Line
188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion, 18th MP Brigade
~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association ~ Vietnam History Project ~
This Page Last Updated 19 February 2008
18th Bde.
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        In 1969 the Can Tho Detachment was staffed by members of the 188th MP Company and 22nd Provost Marshal Office Detachment, both subordinate to the 92nd MP Battalion.

29 January Members of the 22nd Provost Marshal Office Detachment, subordinate to the 92nd MP Battalion, were assigned to staff the Provost Marshal Office Headquarters at Can Tho.

92nd
February 7 A satchel charge is exploded in the Can Tho market place, killing one and wounding three.
8 March SP/4 Larry R. Crook, Can Tho Detachment, was apprehended and confined to a hospital for psychiatric examination and blood test for alcohol and narcotics abuse. It was alleged and later verified by investigation and courts marshal that SP/4 Crooks opened fire with up to twenty, 40mm M79 grenade rounds on the compound and surrounding area from the "Crows Nest," a guard tower at the Can Tho Detachment. It was also alleged that his target was the Company Commander CPT Freedman.
        The initial rounds fired on the compound by Crook were misinterpreted as an enemy attack, an alert was issued and the other MP’s opened fire thinking they were under attack from outside the compound. Before the error was discovered and SP/4 Crook was identified as the assailant, two south Vietnamese civilians were killed and 11 others were wounded including 9 Americans.
        The most seriously wounded was a U.S. Army truck driver who lost his right foot when a grenade round was fired into the cab of his truck. Also among the U.S. casualties, wounded slightly, was CPT Gary M. Freedman the Commanding Officer of the 188th MP Company, SSG James E. O’Fallon (148th MP Platoon) and others yet identified.
        SP/4 Crook was an engineer by MOS and had completed one tour. He extended for 6 months and requested and was granted, an MOS change to 95B Military Police then, he was assigned to the 188th.
February/March SGT Harry E. Gree and SP/4’s Steven T. Montgomery and David A. Friel of the 188th MP Company, were on a routine village patrol in the Ben Xe Moi section of Can Tho when they responded to the sound of gunfire in an alley. They located an ARVN soldier who had been hit in the leg by sniper fire. The sniper opened fire on the three MP’s and SGT Greer rescued the wounded ARVN while his companions gave him cover fire. A subsequent search of the area with supporting troops flailed to uncover the sniper.
July SP/4 Joseph Santee, 2nd Platoon, 188th MP Company, Can Tho Detachment, picked up a letter at the Can Tho USO addressed to any GI. Two Ohio school children wanted to know how they could help the Vietnamese children. SP/4 Santee answered their letter, and through the efforts of an Ohio VFW Post, 1,500 pounds of clothing, food, and medical supplies were delivered to the 188th at Vinh Long. The men from the 188th distributed the materials to two local orphanages.
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