August 1967 ~ Battalion Timeline |
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12 August |
| MAJ Victor LeBlanc assumed the duties of Battalion Executive Officer (XO). |
18 August |
Stateside California Governor Ronald Reagan says the United States should get out of Vietnam citing the difficulties of winning a war when ... "too many qualified targets have been put off limits to bombing." 0400 hours, Tay Ninh Convoy At 4:00 AM, SGT Johnson, A Company, NCOIC, Tay Ninh Convoy Escort, departed for escort duty with one V100, 8 gun jeeps and 28 MP's. 0530 hours, At 5:30 AM, The POW, MP Hospital Guard, and Vehicle Check Point report was furnished to SP/4 Follmeyer, SDNCO, 89th MP Group. Totals were, 65 POW's, 30 MP Guards, Check Point [CP] #1- 10 vehicles, CP#2- 20 vehicles, CP#3- 98 vehicles. 0630 hours, At 6:30 AM, this office checked with the Desk Sergeant at the Bien Hoa Detachment PMO which revealed, Pham, victim of traffic accident 17 August 1967, was still in serious condition. CPT Peter H. Sowle [HQ Detachment], Battalion Operations Officer, notified. |
0700 hours, At 7:00 AM, SFC Alverson, 615th MP Company, debriefed of duties as Staff Duty Noncommissioned Officer, and relieved by SGT William H. Lamontagne, C Company & HHD, Battalion Operations NCO. SGT Carl R. Sinks, 615th MP Company, NCOIC of the Operation SHOTGUN escort, reported the escort from the 90th Replacement Battalion to Bien Hoa Air Base and return was completed without incident. SP/4 Rhodes, C Company, EMIC, reported that the Operation RIFLE escort of medical evacuation patients from the 24th Evacuation Hospital to Tan Son Nhut Air Base on 17 August 1967, was completed at 1715 hours [5:15 PM], that date without incident. 0925 hours, At 9:25 AM, SP/4 Tracy, C Company, EMIC, POW Hospital Guards notified this office that the 219th Military Intelligence Unit requested to take a picture of a POW at the 50th Medical Company for propaganda purposes. It was authorized by the Hospital Staff Operations. CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion Operations notified. |
0935 hours, At 9:35 AM, MAJ Morris, Provost Marshal Long Binh Post, notified this office that effective tonight we could reduce one MP from Gate #4, Long Binh Post. At the present time it is manned by 2 MP's and one guard from the 85th Maintenance Battalion. Effective tonight only one MP and one guard from the 85th Maintenance is required. CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion S-3, SGT Jesse R. Towell, B Company Operations, notified at 0940 hours [9:40 AM]. 1115 hours, At 11:15 AM, CPL Hefflinger, Operations, 89th MP Group, notified this office that an aircraft for the Tay Ninh Convoy escort is available at 0645 hours [6:45 AM], 19 Aug 67. CPT Martin L. Mesick, A Company, CO, notified. 1120 hours, At 11:20 AM, SGT Foole, 615th MP Company, NCOIC Operation SHOTGUN, reported that the escort from the 90th Replacement Battalion to Tan Son Nhut Air Base and return was completed without incident. 1700 hours, At 5:00 PM, SSG George R. Kanze, A Company assumed duties as the Battalion SDNCO. Briefed and posted by SGT William H. Lamontagne, Battalion Operations. |
1830 hours, At 6:30 PM, SGT Johnson, A Company, NCOIC Tay Ninh Convoy escort reported that the escort was completed without incident. 2020 hours, At 8:20 PM, this office received a report from the Long Binh Post PMO, MP Desk Sergeant that PFC Ronald C. Langan, A Company, RA12752431, was involved in a traffic accident at approximately 1640 hours [4:40 PM]. PFC Langan while on patrol on Iowa Street LBP, 100 foot inside Gate #2, and operating an MP jeep, A-34 USA 2G5227, made an improper left turn and was struck in the left front fender by a jeep operated by SP/4 Irgens from HQ Company, 159th Engineer Battalion. The investigation revealed that PFC Langan was stopped on the right side of Iowa Street and made a left turn into the street and into the path of oncoming traffic. Damage unknown, negative injuries. CPT Martin L. Messik, A Company CO & SDO, CPT Peter H. Sowle, HHD Battalion Operations, and SP/4 Nance, 89th MP Group notified. 2400 hours, Daily Log Closed. |
19 August |
0400 hours, At 4:00 AM, SGT Miller, A Company, NCOIC, Tay Ninh Convoy escort, departed Long Binh Post with one V100 Commando Armored Car, 8 gun jeeps, and 28 MP's. 0530 hours, At 5:30 AM, The POW, MP Hospital Guard, and Vehicle Check Point reports were furnished to SP/4 Nance, SDNCO, 89th MP Group. Totals, 65 POW's, 30 MP Guards, Check Point [CP] #1 - 10 vehicles, CP#2, 12 vehicles, CP#3- 84 vehicles. 0700 hours, At 7:00 AM, SSG George R. Kanze, A Company, SDNCO was debriefed and relieved by SGT William H. Lamontage, Battalion Operations. 0730 hours, At 7:30 AM, SGT Carl R. Sinks, 615th MP Company, NCOIC of Operation SHOTGUN escort from the 90th Replacement Battalion to Bien Hoa Air Base and return, reported the escort was completed without incident. 0900 hours, At 9:00 AM, SFC Gilchrest, Operations, II Field Forces, Provost Marshals Office, notified this office that POWs. Nguyen Van Thn, Nguyen Van Tham, could be released to the III Corps POW cage from the 50th Medical Company. Escort scheduled for 21 August 1967. CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion Operations, SP/5 Lawson, 50th Medical Company, SP/4 Robert L. Arnoldini, 615th MP Company, notified. 1100 hours, At 11:00 AM, SGT William H. Lamontagne, Battalion S-2, notified this office that he had held an interview with Mr. Miller and Mr. Epstein, Criminal Investigation Division [CID], Bien Hoa, in reference to suspending the security clearance of SP/4 Depietro, HHD, and that he had been informed by Mr. Miller and Epstein that there were no charges on SP/4 Depietro, that he was only a witness. CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion Operations, 1LT Lawrence Lomonaco, S-1, notified. |
1130 hours, At 11:30 AM, SSG Cecil E. Clark, C Company, assumed duty as Battalion SDNCO, was briefed by SFC Clarence L. Broome, HQ Detachment and posted. 1400 hours, At 2:00 PM, SGT Gerald A. Anderson, C Company, NCOIC of MP Hospital Guards, notified this office that POW, Tran Van Dan, captured by 1/18 Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, on 18 August 1967 had been admitted to Ward #3, 50th Medical Company at 1345 hours [1:45 PM]. POW count changed to 68. 1510 hours, At 3:10 PM, SP/4 Denkiers, Charge of Quarters, 89th MP Group, notified this office that escaped U.S. prisoner, Thomas G. Putman had been apprehended by the 218th MP Company in Phang Rang on 18 Aug 67. Prisoner being held at Cam Ranh Bay and will be returned to USARV Stockade at Long Binh Post on 20 August 1967. Prisoners name removed from escapee list. 1800 hours, At 6:00 PM, CPT Charles Pritchard, SDO, advised this office that he had inspected and posted the interior guards. 1850 hours, At 6:50 PM, SFC Collins, A Company, relieved SSG Cecil E. Clark, C Company, as SDNCO, SSG Clark debriefed by SFC Collins and released. |
1900 hours, At 7:00 PM, SGT Miller, A Company, NCOIC, Tay Ninh Convoy Escort, notified this office that the escort had been completed with the following incident to report. (1) At approximately 0815 hours [8:15 AM], at Grid Coordinates [map location] XT434229, approximately 300 meters north of Check Point [CP] #170, land mines and small arms fire was reported by Saber Alpha-34 [radio call sign]. (2) At 1335 hours [1:35 PM], there was a traffic accident reported approximately 3 km [kilometer] north of CP#180, Grid Coordinates XT260395 involving injuries. (3) At 1520 hours (3:20 PM), approximately 300 meters north of CP#31, a Vietnamese boy approximately age 10 years old reported that a can of C-Rations had been thrown from a vehicle in the convoy cutting his leg. The boy was taken to Cu Chi for treatment (4) There were seven vehicles from the 79th Engineer Group in the convoy from Long Binh Post to Cu Chi without any recovery vehicles. (5) Caster [call sign] elements out of Cu Chi to Tay Ninh had twenty vehicles without any recovery vehicles. (6) There were a total of eighty-one vehicles from Cu Chi to Long Binh Post with only two bobtails [tractors without trailers] and one wrecker [tow truck] from the 48th Transportation Group. SGT Miller debriefed by SFC Collins, SDNCO. After Action Report obtained and filed at S-3 (Battalion Operations). |
2045 hours, At 8:45 PM, SGT Hall, MP Desk, Long Binh Post, requested the two MP patrols from A Company that were scheduled for duty at 2200 hours [8:00 PM], be at the PMO at 2100 hours [9:00 PM], to assist in traffic movement out of Bien Hoa due to road repair. 2105 hours, At 9:05 PM, CPL Hefflinger, 89th MP Group, notified this office that an aircraft was available for Tay Ninh convoy air cover on 20 August 1967 at 0645 hours [6:45 AM]. CPT Martin L. Mesick, CO, C Company notified. |
CPL Robert Earl Clowe age 22, and SP/4 Wallace Michael Jackson age 20 of A Company Tay Ninh Detachment just left the base gate in jeep A36 when they were flagged down by three young Vietnamese females approximately 250 meters outside the main gate. When they stopped they were ambushed by Viet Cong elements hidden in hedgerows on both sides of the roadway. One of the young girls was killed, one injured, and one taken into custody. Both MPs died from head wounds received from what was described as heavy .50-caliber and small arms fire. CPT Belamy (MD) pronounced them dead at the 45th Surgical Hospital in Tay Ninh. Battalion headquarters received notification of the ambush and subsequent deaths of CPL Clowe and SP/4 Wallace from the Detachment OIC LT John L. Kelly at 2315 hours. LTC Francis E. Payne, Battalion Commander, CPT Pritchard, Staff Duty Officer, COL LaPage, Commander of the 89th MP Group, CPT Peter H. Sowle, Operations Officer, CPT Martin L. Mesick, Commanding Officer of A Company, SFC Charles H. Brown, Battalion S-1 (Personnel), 1LT Gordon L. Locke and 1LT Nicholas F. Adams of A Company, and CPL Hefflinger, Staff Duty NCO of the 89th MP Group were notified. SFC Brown the Battalion Personnel NCO submitted the casualty report. |
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2400 hours, Daily Log Closed. |
Personal Reflections |
“I replaced 1LT Nick Adams in Tay Ninh the week before both CPL Clowe and SP/4 Jackson were killed outside the main gate on 19 August. The First Sergeant (Julius E. Givens) was visiting at the same time. |
Clowe and Jackson were killed in jeep A36 which was the platoon leaders vehicle. I was in the 25th ID, Brigade TOC at Tay Ninh when we heard the gunfire, and was told by someone on duty that it was my guys. |
The Recon Platoon of the 2-12th Infantry, who were on base at the time, recovered their bodies. The 1SG met the bodies and went to the hospital with them, where they were pronounced while I tried to get all other information and contact the battalion with the casualty report. I personally identified the bodies the next day at the Graves Registration platoon, helped by their dog tags. |
As an aside, I had just arranged for Clowe and Jackson to get some generator maintenance and operations training at the 25th Division in Cu Chi in the next week. We had a 10 Kilowatt generator, which was on its last legs, to supply power to our little cantonment and the Provost Marshal office adjacent, so I thought a little training would be great. |
CPL Clowe performed MP duties much of the time, but I remember SP4 Jackson being our go to guy for vehicle maintenance. I only learned within the last couple of years that he actually was a 95B. I had assumed the battalion policy, which I understood at the time, was to send a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic out with the larger detachments, since we had so many M151's to keep going on a daily basis. |
We thought originally that the weapons fired into the vehicle being used by Clowe and Jackson, was large caliber (i.e 50 cal) and a team from the battle damage assessment team came to view the wreckage, to investigate, since the VC were not known to have such large weaponry in the area, at that time. I never did find out if the claims were true or not, but in hindsight I believe the heavy weapons use is doubtful, though I think an RPG was used. |
The 25th Brigade bulldozed a berm that was perpendicular to the road junction to clear lines of fire the next day. Tay Ninh duties were normal Law and Order patrols on the base camp; daily checks of local national employees coming and leaving the installation; and, daily small convoys, mostly to Dau Tieng and sometimes engineer worksites and newly established fire bases.” 1LT (LTC Ret.) John L. Kelly, III, Tay Ninh Detachment Leader, A Company. |
20 August |
Miss America 1967- Jane Ann Jayroe (Miss Oklahoma), and her court, Barbara Harris (Miss South Carolina 1966), Ellen Warren (Miss Maine 1964), Carol Ann Gelish (Miss Connecticut 1966), Angi Grooms (Miss Alabama 1966), and Sharon Singstock (Miss Wisconsin 1965), visited Long Binh Post to meet with and entertain the troops on a trip sponsored by the USO.
The golden assignment to guard and escort Miss America and her court during their visit was presented to three “Soldier of the Month” winners from C Company of the 720th MP Battalion. |
Singstock, Grooms, Harris, Gelish, and Jayroe
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The three lucky MPs, SP/4’s Marion Bower, (June), Colemon Heathington (July) and PFC Robert Dudney (August), were on hand at the 93rd Evacuation Hospital when three “Huey” gunship's landed with the celebrated personalities. While the party of beauties posed for pictures and boarded a bus, the 3 man security force was busy controlling the crowd of anxious soldiers that had quickly gathered in the minutes before their arrival. When everyone was safely aboard the bus, the MPs lead the motor escort to the new amphitheater. There they stationed themselves near the stage while thousands of soldiers watched the performance. During their performance of "What’s Going On Back Home," Miss America and her court sang the latest popular songs and brought the house down with their comedy and dance routines. As the performance came to an end, the three MPs prepared to escort the group to the 90th Replacement Battalion where they were staying for the evening. |
But the biggest moment came when all three MPs were called on the stage and were introduced by Miss Oklahoma as the “Battalions Soldiers of the Month.” The three were also invited back stage for a private round of picture taking. |
0140 hours, LTC Francis E. "Frank" Payne, Battalion Commander, advised this office that he had been informed by LT Caglione, MP Duty Officer, Long Binh Post, that the two A Company MP patrols requested at 2045 hours [8:45 PM], on 18 August 1967, for traffic control at the road construction site did not report for duty until 2200 hours [10:00 PM], one hour late. SGT James T. Webb, Jr., A Company Operations notified. 0400 hours, At 4:00 AM, SGT Alberto M. Ochoa, A Company NCOIC of the Tay Ninh Convoy Escort Team departed Long Binh Post with one V100, 8 gun jeeps and 28 MP’s. 0530 hours, At 5:30 AM, the POW, MP Hospital Guard and Vehicle Check Point report was furnished to CPL Hefflinger, SDNCO, 89th MP Group. Totals were, 66 POW’s, 30 MP Guards, Check Point [CP] #1 - checked 13 vehicles, CP#2 - checked 18 vehicles, CP#3 - checked 112 vehicles. 0700 hours, At 7:00 AM, SFC Charles C. Bigoness, A Company, relieved SFC Collins, A Company as SDNCO. 0715 hours, At 7:15 AM, SGT Toole, 615th MP Company, notified this office that the Operation SHOTGUN escorts between the 90th Replacement Battalion and Tan Son Nhut Air Base and return had been completed at 0700 hours [7:00 AM], without incident. Three gun jeeps and 9 MP’s were utilized. 0730 hours, At 7:30 AM, SGT Carl R. Sinks, 615th MP Company notified this office that the Operation SHOTGUN escorts between the 90th Replacement Battalion and Tan Son Nhut Air Base and return, and the escort from the 90th to Bien Hoa Air Base and return had been completed at 0700 hours [7:00 AM]. SGT Sinks further reported that at approximately 0020 hours [12:20 AM], an employee of Philco Food, Inc. refused to obey the directions of the rear security vehicle of the convoy and was attempting to pass into oncoming traffic. Subject was halted by SGT Sinks on Route 1A, south of the Long Binh Post perimeter. SFC Collins, SDNCO was informed at approximately 0035 hours [12:35 AM], and LTC Francis E. Payne, Battalion CO was informed of the incident. Three gun jeeps and 9 MP’s were utilized. |
1200 hours, At 12:00 Noon, SFC Charles C. Bigoness, SDNCO, tested the Battalion Alert Horn, loud and clear. 1330 hours, At 1:30 PM, CPL Hefflinger, Operations, 89th MP Group, notified this office that there would not be any aircraft available for the Tay Ninh Convoy escort on 21 August 1967. SGT James T. Webb, Jr., A Company, notified. 1800 hours, At 6:00 PM, SGT Alberto M. Ochoa, A Company NCOIC of the Tay Ninh Convoy escort, notified this office that the escort had been completed. SGT Ochoa reported that a small enemy roadblock was discovered at Check Point #2 by “Echo #14, but there was on interference with the convoy. 1900 hours, At 7:00 PM, SSG Paul F. Roach, C Company, relieved SFC Charles C. Bigoness, A Company, as the SDNCO. 2400 hours, Daily Log Closed. |
21 August |
0420 hours, SGT Adkins, A Company, NCOIC Tay Ninh Convoy escort notified this office that he had been advised by B Company that they did not have a V100 available for the Tay Ninh Convoy escort because theirs was still in Xuan Loc. SFC Clarence L. Broome and CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion Operations Section notified. At 0500 hours, [5:00 AM], CPT Sowle advised this office that the personnel from B Company would utilize the C Company V100 until the V100 from A Company could be repaired and returned to duty. At 0515 hours, [5:15 AM], B Company personnel left with the C Company V100 for the convoy escort. 0530 hours, At 5:30 AM, this office furnished the POW, MP Hospital Guard and Vehicle Check Point Reports to SP/4 Nance, Staff Duty NCO, 89th MP Group. Totals were, 66 POW’s, 30 MP Guards, Check Point [CP] #1 checked 28 vehicles, CP#2 checked 16 vehicles, CP#3 checked 140 vehicles. 0630 hours, At 6:30 AM, SDNCO, SSG Paul F. Roach, C Company, was relieved by SFC Clarence L. Broome, Battalion Operations. 0705 hours, At 7:05 AM, The Battalion sandbagging status report was furnished to MSG Nunn, Operations, 89th MP Group. Total 54, buildings completed 48, partially completed 6. 0715 hours, At 7:15 AM, CPL William B. Pratt, Jr., 615th MP Company, notified this office that the Operation SHOTGUN escorts between the 90th Replacement Battalion and Bien Hoa Air Base, and the 90th to Tan Son Nhut Air Base and return, had been completed at 0700 hours [7:00 AM], without incident. Three gun jeeps and 9 MP's were utilized. 0745 hours, At 0745 hours SGT Carl R. Sinks, 615th MP Company, notified this office that the Operation SHOTGUN escort from the 90th Replacement Battalion to Bien Hoa Air Base and return had been completed at 0700 hours [7:00 AM] without incident. Three gun jeeps and 9 MPs were utilized. |
0930 hours, MAJ Kenneth B. Stinson, 076669, USA WDMERT (J) APO 96307, phone # MACV 3500/3658, arrived at Battalion TOC to obtain pictures and materials of jeep A36 that received damage in Tay Ninh on 19 August during the fatal ambush of CPL Robert Earl Clowe and SP/4 Wallace Michael Jackson. MAJ Stinson stated he was testing the materials to determine the types of weapons and distance of the jeep from the ambush positions when it was fired upon. CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion Operations Officer was informed, and 1LT Gordon L. Locke of A Company assisted MAJ Stinson in obtaining the pictures and materials requested. History Project Managers Note: According to information from SP/4 James Burandt, C Company who was present at the inspection, the inspection team was there to study the jeep window and it is believed they were interested in developing a ballistics proof window for military jeeps. Information and photographs have been obtained showing the ballistic glass was eventually used on the armored gun jeeps.
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1000 hours, At 10:00 AM, SGT Leroy F. Houchins, 615th MP Company, notified this office that he had picked up POW's, Nguyen Van Tan and Nguyen Van Tham from the 50th Medical Company and delivered them to the III Corps enclosure without incident at 0925 hours [9:25 AM]. Two gun jeeps and 6 MP's were used. POW count changed to 64. 1130 hours, At 11:30 AM, SP/4 Holingsworth, 561st Ambulance Company requested an Operation RIFLE escort for medical evacuation patients from the 93rd Evacuation Hospital to Tan Son Nhut Air Base at 1330 hours, [1:30 PM], this date. PFC Stanley Van Kleeck, C Company notified. 1145 hours, At 11:45 AM, SP/4 Holingsworth, 561st Ambulance Company requested a POW escort for an ambulance transport of two POW's from Bien Hoa Air Base to the 24th Evacuation Hospital at 1500 hours, [3:00 PM]. The POW’s were scheduled to arrive at Bien Hoa at 1620 hours [4:20 PM], by aircraft. SSG Jackie R. Davis, 615th MP Company notified. 1200 hours, At 12:00 Noon, SFC Clarence L. Broome tested the Battalion Alert Horn, loud and clear. |
1430 hours, At 2:30 PM, SP/4 Hollingsworth , 561st Ambulance Company notified this office that the POW escort request was canceled due to the flight being canceled. 1610 hours, At 4:10 PM, CPL Hefflinger, 89th MP Group, notified this office that an aircraft would be available at 0645 hours [6:45 AM], for the 22 August 1967, Tay Ninh Convoy Escort. CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion Operations and SP/4 Houfer, CQ, A Company notified. 1630 hours, At 4:30 PM, SSG Kenneth McClain, B Company reported for SDNCO, was briefed by SFC Clarence L. Broome and posted. 1640 hours, At 4:40 PM, SP/4 Edward J. Coleman, C Company, notified this office that the Operation RIFLE medical evacuation escort from the 93rd Evacuation Hospital to Tan Son Nhut Air Base had been completed at 1535 hours [3:35 PM], without incident. One gun jeep and 3 MPs were utilized. 1715 hours, At 5:15 PM, CPT Peter H. Sowle, Battalion SDO inspected and posted the Battalion interior guards. 1730 hours, At 5:30 PM, MAJ Victor A. Leblanc, Battalion XO, informed the Staff Duty Officer that there would not be any passes for personnel of the Battalion during the hours of darkness, effective 21 August through 9 September 1967. SFC Alvin E. Rawls, HQ Detachment, 1LT Nicholas F. Adams, A Company, SGT Jessie R. Towell, B Company, SGT Kryn B. Van Elswyk, C Company, SSG Franklin D. Brown, 615th MP Company notified. 2100 hours, At 9:00 PM, CPT Peter H. Sowle checked the interior guards, all in order. 2110 hours, At 9:10 PM, SGT Adkins, A Company, NCOIC, Tay Ninh Convoy Escort, notified this office that the escort had been completed. (1) SGT Adkins further reported that 3 vehicles broke down and were moved off the roadway by the V100 crew in order for the convoy to continue. 2400 hours, Daily Log Closed. |
24 August |
The Battalion supported the 1st MP Company, 1st Infantry Division on resupply missions to their Quan Loi base camp through convoy control and traffic accident investigation through 27 August. |
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CPL Clowe
SP/4 Jackson
Wanted: If anyone can provide the name for the acronym "WDMERT," please notify the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.