~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association Vietnam History Project ~

Photo G2373 Members of a C Company, 720th MP Battalion Dau Tieng Convoy escort gun jeep team after returning to their company compound on Long Binh Post, Vietnam.

The photo was taken after an intense enemy ambush on 17 December 1968. Left to right SP/4's Jack Parsons (EMIC), Alan Zampieri (Driver), Arthur T. Sheedy (M60 Machine gun).

It was SP/4 Sheedy's first convoy escort.

The two other MP's are SP/4's John Mitchell (cigarette) and Paul Zulick.

 

Photo G2373a Three burning trucks from the convoy serial that were destroyed in the opening attack. Note RPG round hole in lower right corner of drivers side door, truck in foreground, which passed right through the passengers side door.

It is unknown if these trucks were from the 379th Transportation Company, 7th Transportation Battalion, 48th Transportation Group, or from B Company, 25th Supply Transportation Battalion, 25th Infantry Division.

If you can identify the transport companies these trucks belonged to use this Email Link.

 

Photo G2373b After the enemy forces left the field the MP's (SP/4 Jack Parsons) secured the roadway. The truckers from the transport units made their first priority the clearing of undamaged vehicles from the kill zone before the fires from the burning vehicles could spread to others.

The burning trucks had to "cook off" before they could be inspected for damaged weapons, ordinance and salvageable cargo materials. Nothing was left behind for the enemy to pick over except the twisted and smoldering truck frames.

 

 

Photo G2373c A crew member from the "King Cobra," a 40mm Tracked Duster, that was not part of the escort and joined the convoy in Cu Chi while returning to its unit, recovers the spent brass casings from around their vehicle.

Nothing would be left behind for the enemy to utilize against further convoys.

If you can identify the unit this duster belonged to use this Email Link.

 

Photo G2373d As the MP escorts departed the field all that remained were the smoldering hulks of the destroyed vehicles.

Arrangements would be made later to have the burned vehicle skeletons removed from the area.

Photographs Courtesy of SP/4 Alan Zampieri, C Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, Long Binh Post, Vietnam, 1968-1969.
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