VC Base Camp & Hospital Discovered
MP Patrols Engage VC In Fire Fight
22 January 1968

A Viet Cong flag, medical supplies, a Chicom (Chinese Communist) rifle and various documents were taken from a Viet Cong hospital and base camp five miles south of Long Binh Post by a river patrol from the 18th Military Police Brigade’s 720th Military Police Battalion.

Seven men from C Company of the 720th were on river patrol with two boats in the Battalion Tactical Area of Responsibility (TAOR), 22 January 1968, when an Air Force reconnaissance circling overhear radioed and asked them to investigate an area near their position on the Buong River.

SP/4 Clayburn, acting NCOIC, had his men dock the boats and proceed on foot toward the area indicated by the pilot. They had gone less than twenty yards when they came to a Viet Cong camp consisting of two buildings and a bunker with slit trench in front.The camp appeared deserted; the MP’s moved in to search it.

SP/4 Silver, one of the first inside the camp, saw a bolt action Chicom rifle leaning against the wall in one of the shelters. A year’s experience in Vietnam had taught SP/4 Silver to be cautious when dealing with weapons left behind by the enemy. Inspecting the rifle, he noticed a wire leading from the muzzle to the ceiling. The other end was attached to a pin on a hand grenade which was wedged between the bamboo slats of the roof. SP/4 Silver had just finished detaching the wire when the reconnaissance plane called and told the MP’s to leave the area because artillery was being called in.

An hour and a half later, after joining forces with a twelve man reconnaissance patrol of Vietnamese Popular Forces and MP’s from B Company of the 720th, the river patrol returned for a second look at the Viet Cong camp.

After leaving their boats they began receiving enemy fire. SP/4’s Collins, Aceto and Hering were moving toward the enemy camp when they saw three Viet Cong on a path leading to the shelters. One of the View Cong ran; the other two were brought down by SP/4 Herring’s M-16 and SP/4 Collins M-14. The MP’s continued receiving enemy fire from the thick brush behind the VC camp. SP/4 Aceto fired a round from his M-79 grenade launcher into the brush and the firing stopped.

While SP/4 Hering provided cover SP/4 Collins and Aceto walked into the camp. Inside the shelters they found medical supplies, a Viet Cong flag and various documents which later proved to be of considerable intelligence value.

Members of the 720th MP Battalion that participated in this action were, SP/4's Jerry C. Clayburn, and Richard G. Silver, William P."Bill" Collins, Jr., Anthony L. Aceto, and Don E. Hering C Company, and other MP's yet to be identified.

Photographs, information, the names of other MP's that participated in this operation, please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link on the 22 January 1968 Time Line Page.