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Dong Tam was the second and final headquarters base camp of the 9th Infantry Division in the Republic of Vietnam. When conceived and erected in IV Corps Tactical Zone during January 1967 it had been known as Camp Dong Tam.

9th

Dong Tam was engineered out of inundated rice paddy land on the north bank of the My Tho River east of, and adjacent to, the mouth of the Kinh Xang (Canal). Silt and sand from the river bottom had been pumped to a depth of six feet to create a stable land mass suitable for construction that encompassed 600 acres. Work commenced in January 1967 and never stopped. Dong Tam was continually improved and expanded within its own acreage.

The Army named the site Dong Tam, meaning United Hearts and Minds in Vietnamese.

Dong Tam's purpose had been twofold - a nerve center for 9th ID operations but, more importantly, a political statement to the Communist. Dong Tam was made into a showplace of civilian amenities - churches, golf course, pool, athletic field, large post exchange, civilian stores, barbers, a hospital, a huge heliport, an airport with 1,000-foot runway, manmade harbor, a snack bar, and more.

MACV

It is unclear what U.S. or allied units were situated in Dong Tam after the departure of the 9th Infantry Division. It is believed that the area was then under the command of Military Assistance Command Vietnam, (MACV) advisory group. Visit the 9th Infantry Division Website for the Dong Tam Base.

1968 Headquarters of the U. S. Army 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division

August The HQ and colors of the 9th Infantry Division relocated from Bear Cat , in III Corps Tactical Zone (CTZ), to Dong Tam where they remained until the Division withdrew from Vietnam in August 1969.

1969

There is no activity on file for this year.

1970 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion

The 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade provided a detachment at Dong Tam. It is unknown at this time if the detachment provided MPs for patrol or just a Provost Marshal Office. Since the Don Tam Base was only four miles west of My Tho it is unlikely the detachment billeted there.

92nd

January CPT Robert E. Connor, 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion, replaces CPT Ray W. Lattimore as the My Tho, Dong Tam, and Tan An Detachment's commander and MACV Team 75's MP advisor to the 7th ARVN Infantry Division.

5 February The 188th Military Police Company detachment in Dong Tam was reassigned to the command of the 720th Military Police Battalion when its parent unit the 92nd Military Police Battalion was the first MP headquarters to be deactivated and withdrawn from Vietnam.

720th

August CPT Robert E. Connor the Detachment commander and MACV Team 75's MP advisor is transferred to the 720th MP Battalion as the A Company Commanding Officer.

September B Company of the 720th MP Battalion assumed responsibility for the discipline, law and order missions in IV Corps from the 188th MP Company. The 188th was scheduled for reassignment to DaNang in II Corps so to avoid the logistical problem associated with the move, B Company who had just completed their infantry assignment from Operation STABILIZE in the Tactical Area of Responsibility was redesignated as the 188th MP Company, and sent to DaNang. Some members of both companies remained in their original unit to maintain operational stability during the transition.

The Battalion became tactically responsible for the manning and logistical support of all military police and provost marshal office detachments throughout III and IV Corps Tactical Zone's.

Members of the detachment were responsible for security of Highway QL4 (The Peoples Road), convoy escort through the Dong Tam area, and they would also conduct law and order patrols into My Tho.

1971 Dong Tam PMO Relocated and Convoy Escorts Started

February-April During the months of February, March and April the Dong Tam Convoy was being run daily.

1 April B Company relocated the Dong Tam Provost Marshal Office to Tan An. The move and realignment enabled the MP’s to be more responsive to traffic accidents and incidents and to provide greater area coverage.