We constructed the outpost on the Finger first, just a bit to the left of that abandoned tank. I don't recall just whose idea it was but it seemed to originate with MAJ Bill Weaver who was the Battalion XO at the time. Could have been MAJ Bertocci who was the Battalion Operations Officer (S3), until April 1969.

        The rationale was to have a permanent presence over an area we were constantly occupying anyway. The Finger wasn't exactly high ground but it did not take that much altitude to create a commanding height.

        We brought in a bulldozer and dug a trench wide enough to hold a CONEX container and deep enough to almost bury it. Pallets for floors and sandbags for roofing and siding. Slit cut in front for observation. Barbed wire strung around the front, grenades hooked up to the wire. Claymore's emplaced. And we were open for business.

        Mosquitoes and spiders immediately occupied the CONEX and weeds sprung up around the wire. Housekeeping in the sense of yard work was fairly constant for the wet monsoon had just started. Nobody spent much time inside.

        The closest threat we had was from our own mortars one night. In retrospect, the position was indefensible on a 360 basis, was sky lined against the perimeter lights from Long Binh, and tied up resources that could have been used more effectively elsewhere.

        One advantage however was that it was off post and we could have ammunition, fuel drums, etc delivered with no hassle.

CPT Harold D. “Hal” Lockhart, (COL Ret.) B Company Commanding Officer, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, Long Binh Post, Vietnam, 29 March 1969 to 8 July 1969.