detachment

5 February The 188th MP Company, elements of the 148th MP Platoon, and 22nd Provost Marshal Office, who manned detachments conducting the discipline, law and order assignment in Can Tho were reassigned to the command of the 720th MP Battalion when its parent unit the 92nd MP Battalion was the first MP Headquarters to be deactivated and withdrawn from Vietnam.

720th

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The Can Tho Detachment Compound was an old three story commercial/residential building, part of a row structure. The first and second floors appeared to be the original building, the third floor appeared to have been added sometime later. It had very few small rooms, mainly it had large open bays or suite's.

Located on the first floor of the Detachment building were the MP Desk, holding cells, day room (Bamboo Lounge), arms room and armorers area, and a small billet area for 4 to 6 enlisted men. It also housed the building land lords.

A small yard and motor pool area was located on the southwest side of the building, that also contained a communications trailer. The compound showers were also located in this area.

On the second floor were the Provost Marshals Office, Criminal Investigations Division (CID) office of two to four investigators, and billets for the majority of the detachment enlisted men. The third floor housed members of the 22nd Provost Marshal Office Detachment.

There was also a small billet for the senior noncommissioned officers (NCO's). All officers were housed in a Bachelor Officers Quarters (BOQ) building downtown.

The third floor provided access to the roof where three dsefensive bunkers were located. One bunker contained a 50 cal. machine gun, the other two small arms when staffed. On those occasions when intelligence information dictated possible enemy activity in the city, M-60 machine guns would be added.

Northeast View

Southeast View

Northwest View

The compound building was at the end of the block and in the block there were also, bars, apartments, doctor's offices, and other retail businesses selling all manner of items. Most of the businesses, except the bars and brothels were owned by a man of Indian decent named "Jimmie."

There was no mess hall in the building so the MP's were ferried by 3/4 ton truck to the 5th Special Forces A Team building, just down the street from the detachment compound.

The detachment building had a cistern to collect fresh rain water but you could not drink it, potable water was trucked to the building. The building used city electric power however, the MP compound had two generators in the motor pool yard for emergency electricity because city power went out almost daily and some times hourly.

Detachment communications consisted of military radio and US and Vietnamese telephone lines. There were 3 bunkers on the roof, two of which were manned at night no matter how shorthanded the detachment might be.

From August 1970 through August 1971 the number of detachment enlisted personnel would fluctuate from sixteen to twenty-six men.

June 10 22nd PMO MAJ Crispus C. Nix was assigned as Provost Marshal of IV Corps Tactical Zone, attached to the 22nd Provost Marshal Office Detachment at Can Tho under the 720th MP Battalion.

B Company and the 188th merge during redesignation

September B Company The 720th MP Battalion assumed responsibility for the discipline, law and order mission in Can Tho, IV Corps Tactical Zone, from the 188th MP Company.

The 188th was scheduled for reassignment to Da Nang so to avoid the logistical problem associated with the move, B Company who had just completed their three year assignment from Operation STABILIZE in the Tactical Area of Responsibility, III Corps Tactical Zone, was redesignated as the 188th MP Company and sent to Da Nang in II Corps Tactical Zone, subordinate to the 504th MP Battalion, 16th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade.

504th

16th

The 188th MP Company was redesignated as B Company and remained in their assignments in the Mekong Delta region of IV Corps Tactical Zone.

Before the move the senior MPs from both units were merged to allow for familiarity and continutity of operations in the Delta. Time remaining on ones tour was also used as a factor in the merger.

SSG Murray & unidentified MP

Duties at the Can Tho Detachment consisted of: combined discipline, law and order patrols with the Quan Canh (Vietnamese MP's) and Canh Sat's (Vietnamese National Police); POW hospital guard duties at the 3rd Surgical Hospital; Bassac River Ferry security; Convoy escort; Can Tho City Reaction Force.

The telephone number for the Can Tho Military Police Desk was #2474.

Everything in the Can Tho City area was off limits to U.S. Military personnel unless the building displayed a sign on the door under the heading of the Provost Marshal Office authorizing patronage.

MP patrols were authorized to immediately seize and remove the signs from the front of any business violating the specific rules governing the access status. The MP's would then return the sign and a summary report outlining the reason for the seizure to the Provost Marshals Office.

September-October The 720th MP Battalion Civic Action program provided materials and cement to provide a water station and concrete floor to the 4th Quan Canh (Vietnamese MP) Battalion dependent housing area. Work was delayed due to heavy rains in the area. The B Company Detachment also collected numerous items of clothing for the QC dependent families.

20 September CPT Robert C. Farmer is assigned as the new Deputy Provost Marshal, Can Tho Detachment, 22nd Provost Marshal Detachment, 720th MP Battalion.