profile

The Vung Tau Sub-Port Detachment Formed

May The local Viet Cong began a steady increasing pattern of attacks on the allied shipping in the Mekong Delta tributaries.

July Within weeks of the 188th MP Company arriving at Pershing Field in Saigon, they were assigned the mission of augmenting the 560th MP Company already performing on board ship security at the port of Vung Tau. A platoon of approximately sixty MPs from the 188th was formed and sent as a detachment to the city.

The detachment was billeted in three canvas tents located on a compound that also housed the 148th Ordnance Company, the 511th Transportation Company, the 560th MP Company and the 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog) Detachment.

The compound was bordered on one side by the Vung Tau Army Air Base, a Petroleum-Oil-Lubrucants (POL) depot, and an Ordinance Supply depot. The Vung Tau Sub-Port was located approximately one mile from the compound.

The Ship Security Detachment assignment was to detail three man MP teams to ride with the cargo ships and provide security as they traveled up the river to the docks at Saigon. The team wound remain with the ship, joined by members of the company that worked the dock security detail while they were being unloaded, and then return with the ship on its voyage back to Vung Tau.

From White Linen to Fish Heads & Rice SP/4 Lawrence D. Brown, 188th & 560th MP Company, January 1966 to June 1967.

Photographs

G1367	SP/4 Bob Parisi, 188th MP Company, on board the SS Bay State.
G1377	SP/4 Joe Bunch, 188th MP Company, on board an unidentified ship.

23 August Viet Cong divers attached a limpet mine on the merchant marine ship, the Baton Rouge Victory as it traveled on the Long Tao river, about 22 miles southeast of Saigon resulting in the death of seven crewman. Shortly after that incident the detachment started assigning MP security teams to the civilian contracted Tug Boats hauling ammunition barges on the water ways.

The Patrick, The Joseph, And The Michael, Tug Boat MPs SP/4 Lawrence D. Brown, 188th & 560th MP Company, January 1966 to June 1967.

They also worked the Main gate at the sub-port. All Vietnamese stevedores that worked on the docks were required to enter and exit by the gate. Incoming employees had their identifications verified and they were searched for contraband to prevent sabotage. Outgoing they were searched again for contraband to prevent cargo pilferage.

Lambretta Taxi's lined up outside the main gate at the Vung Tau Sub-Port waiting for the sailors from the Navy ships anchored in Vung Tau Bay to come ashore on "liberty".

The sailors were usually allowed in town from noon to 1700 hours [5:00PM], one day a week. They always stayed in a group and a squad of Navy Shore Patrol [SP], accompanied them into town. The MPs called it the "Five O'clock Floor Show" when the Lambretta's returned with their very relaxed, inebriated and liberated navy passengers. They were always an entertaining group.

19 October the 720th MP Battalion disembarked from the USNS Daniel L. Sultan in Vung Tau to begin their tour in Vietnam.