MACV estimated that for April through June enemy strength within CTZ III, to include Main Force, Viet Cong and their supporting village infrastructure consisted of a total of 70,666 personnel, down from the January-March total of 72,100. At the same time ARVN strengths increased by 2,000 personnel due to new regular and RF/PF unit activations.

TAOR  The Battalion defoliation plan for the back rivers of the TAOR approved on 8 January finally came to fruition. In the time span of several weeks the formerly green lush tree and shrub canopies that covered the many tributary streams that fed the Buong and Ben Go River’s from both the battalion TAOR and the Thai Army side, became long winding brown burnt scars. The enemy was finally denied the secure overhead cover of their sampan highways into the TAOR .

     In the months following the February Post Tet attack, enemy activity in CTZ III west and northwest of Tay Ninh spiked along the Loc Ninh and An Loc border area with Cambodia. The enemy aggressively targeted the U.S. resupply convoys providing logistics support to the 1st Infantry Division bases along Highway QL-13 “Thunder Road.” The Battalion was tasked with escorting many of the convoys.

TAOR The 720th MP Battalion operational control of D Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade that began on 21 March due to the continued threat of large scale enemy activity within the TAOR ended, and they were replaced by B Company, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade until 21 April.

At 9:30 hours a Memorial Mass service was held at the 89th MP Group Chapel on Long Binh Post for SSG Richard E. Slaven, B Company, who was killed in action on 29 March 1969. In attendance were COL Eugene Murdock, 89th MP Group Commander, LTC Robert M. O’Malley, 720th MP Battalion Commander, CPT Harold D. Lockhart, B Company Commanding Officer, CSM Burton Morrow, 720th MP Battalion, and other officers and enlisted men of the Battalion.

TAOR The 720th MP Battalion operational control of B Company, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade that began on 2 April due to the continued threat of large scale enemy activity within the TAOR ended.

     With the V100 in flames Crew Chief SGT John A. Golembeuski, suffering from severe burns, and the driver SP/4 John C. Mitchell, a shrapnel wound of the hip, escaped from the burning hull and pulled their unconscious gunner PFC Kenneth A. Wilborn, who had multiple shrapnel wounds, from the vehicle.

      In their haste to escape the burning V100 they were unable to bring their rifles with them. The three MPs immediately crawled into nearby elephant grass by the side of the roadway.

     As the battle raged around and above them, although unarmed, they rescued several wounded truck drivers from their burning vehicles.

     A light observation helicopter made an unsuccessful attempt to extract them without success due to heavy enemy fire. Shortly afterwards a second rescue attempt was made by a Huey helicopter that landed about 20 feet from the men. They started crawling towards it but before the they could reach it that helicopter was struck by an RPG and burst into flames.

     SGT Golembeuski, and SP4 Mitchell, disregarded the heavy enemy fire and went to the rescue of the chopper crew.

     Disregarding their wounds, the enemy small arms fire and the heavy flames from the wreckage, SGT Golembeuski and SP/4 Mitchell managed to successfully rescue the three surviving crew members, including one who’s clothing was on fire while he was still strapped into his seat in the helicopter. The fourth helicopter crewman, a door gunner, was killed instantly when the RPG first struck.

     They dragged the three wounded crewmen away from the burning wreck into the tall grass where they administered first aid to them and waited for assistance. A 1st Infantry Division armored reaction force moved in and drove the enemy force from the area ending the five-hour battle which left 14 of the enemy dead and 1 captured.