20 September 1968 ~ Friday ~ Day 712
~~~~~ 720th MP Battalion Reunion Association ~ Vietnam History Project ~~~~~

0440 hours, VC Destroy Highway 15 Bridge: The 60 foot long reinforced concrete bridge across the Buong River on Highway 15, just south of the Long Binh Post Gate #11 was destroyed during a Viet Cong attack.

The 60 foot long reinforced concrete bridge across the Buong River on Highway 15, just south of the Long Binh Post Gate #11 was destroyed at 0440 hours (4:40 AM), during a Viet Cong attack.

An estimated 300 pounds of explosives placed by the enemy dropped the span into the river making it impassable. Imediately after the explosion they also attacked the MACV Popular Forces Outpost that abuts the bridge on the south side in Phuoc Cang with automatic weapons and RPG fire.

Members of the 92nd Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, under security of MP’s and Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) of 720th MP Battalion and Popular Forces soldiers from Phuoc Cang, imediately began construction of a temporary bypass.

The highway is heavily traveled from Long Binh to Bearcat, and ultimately to Vung Tau. The temporary one lane bypass was completed by 0100 hours the following morning.

"It Shook The Ground Under Us" CPL Thomas T. Watson, B Company, 720th MP Battalion, March 1968 to March 1969.