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Return To 1970 Index

Last Updated 29 December 2014

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At the start of the month Battalion HQ Detachment, its organic letter companies (minus Bravo Company) and the 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog) were headquartered subordinate to the 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, III Corps Tactical Zone, Bien Hoa Province, Long Binh Post, South Vietnam. Bravo Company was headquartered at Vinh Long, in Vinh Long Province, and the 22nd Provost Marshal Detachment at Can Tho in Phong Dinh Province, both in IV Corps Tactical Zone, Mekong Delta Region.

18th MP Brigade

89th MP Group

720th MP Battalion

212th MP Company - Soc Trang Detachment   The six Sentry Dog Teams of the 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog) working the Soc Trang Detachment in support of the 121st Aviation Battalion, Soc Trang Air Base were relocated to Long Binh Post concurrent with the Army of The Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), military authorities taking over the Soc Trang Army Airfield under the Vietnamization Program.

212th MP Company - Long Binh Detachment  The Army was evaluating the new concept of phasing out their Sentry Dog mission and replacing it with the new Patrol Dog concept. Two Patrol Dogs and handlers were received by the Battalion for an evaluation of their capabilities in South Vietnam. One NCO of the 212th MP Company and a graduate of the Sentry Dog School, were detailed to evaluate them during their four-phase deployment.

Phase-1  was conducted from 7-28 November, and consisted of in-country acclimation of both dog and handler in unsuitable conditions. Both the acclimation period and the most unsuitable perimeter post evaluations were conducted at Long Binh Post, and the Vinh Long Army Airfield. It was determined that the Patrol Dog could be as effective on perimeter post duty as the Sentry Dog. In addition the Patrol Dog possessed more tolerance to vehicles and noises in the perimeter post area, better adaptability to conditions in the immediate area, and greater amenability to handler control.

Phase-II   was conducted from 30 November-28 December, and consisted of area post and building searches conducted at the Class I (explosives) yard of Long Binh Post. During the latter part of phase-I and during phase-II, the Patrol Dog worked without a leash during the majority of the evaluation. The Patrol Dogs were tested on their ability to run building searches, and were found to be extremely effective.

Phase-III  was conducted from 30 December 1970-19 January 1971, and consisted mainly of vehicle patrol, point control, and gate guard. It was found that the presence of a Patrol Dog within an MP vehicle added a psychological advantage, in that those personnel under apprehension and riding in the vehicle presented no problems to the driver. The presence of a Patrol Dog in a tense situation increased the confidence of the MP, and the presence at the scene of a disturbance with a lot of onlookers resulted in the crowd dispersing rather quickly when they saw the dog.

Phase-IV  was conducted from 21 January-5 February 1971, and consisted of an overall evaluation of Phases I, II and III. During the final evaluation conclusions were drawn that: overall performance and effectiveness of the Patrol Dog is far greater than that of the Sentry Dog; the Sentry Dog has the capability of performing only one mission while the Patrol Dog has the capability to perform several missions; and that they could easily be substituted for Sentry Dogs and enable a military police company to perform the dual role of law enforcement and security.

     To verify their evaluation they assigned one team to roving patrol during the period of 11 February-8 March 1971, and found it readily adjusted to riding in a motor vehicle. Two additional Patrol Dog teams were employed at FSB Vandergrifth (I Corps Tactical Zone) during the period 12 March-1 April, and tested at physical security.

      Although the overall performance of both Patrol Dog Teams were rated as gratifying, the outgoing artillery, mortar rounds and incoming indirect fire rounds, appeared to make one of the K9’s nervous, which indicated that more gun-fire training is necessary. Both of the Patrol Dog Teams were utilized on motorized patrols at Long Binh Post under OPCON of the Provost Marshal.

     One handler, PFC Stuart Robertson, was interviewed by the MACV Observer for an article in the 1 April 1971 edition on his patrol dog missions with his K9 partner "Dingo."                                                                     Click on  Book Icon for article >

Stateside  There was a fund raising tour at the University of Michigan in Detroit, designed to gather money to support U.S. military deserters who fled the country to avoid the draft. In attendance were the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the radical Black Panther Party, the audience was approximately 2,000 students.

     The featured speaker was actress Jane Fonda. In the Detroit Free Press Fonda was quoted in her speech to the audience as saying, "I would think that if you understood what communism was, you would hope, you would pray on your knees that we would someday become communist. The peace proposal of the Viet Cong is the only honorable, just, possible way to achieve peace in Vietnam."

     The Battalion underwent its Annual General Inspection by Headquarters, United States Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV) from 23 to 27 November. A total of 223 functional areas were to be examined by members of the inspection team.

     The Annual General Inspection of the Battalion by Headquarters, USARV that commenced 23 November, was concluded. Of the 223 areas examined, 10 areas were rated as outstanding, 212 areas as excellent, and 8 areas as satisfactory. There were no unsatisfactory ratings within the Battalion.

     COL (MG Retired) Paul M. Timmerberg Commander of the 89th MP Group congratulated the Battalion with a letter in which he stated, “Your have recently distinguished yourselves and your organization by being evaluated as one of the most outstanding battalions in USARV. It is noteworthy that no single area among several hundred was rated as unsatisfactory. You are most deserving of all the praise that has been and will be extended to you and are worthy of the title, “meritorious unit.”

     Having served with the Battalion in Occupied Japan as a young lieutenant at the start of his career, COL Timmerberg had to have been extremely proud of the inspection results.

     MG Charles M. Gettys, Chief of Staff USARV, forwarded an official command letter through the 18th MP Brigade and 89th MP Group to the Battalion Commander, commending the Battalion for the evaluation achieved during the Annual General Inspection. Endorsements were added at Brigade and Group. Upon receipt of the letter and succeeding endorsements, they were reproduced in sufficient quantity and personally endorsed to the Battalion Commander, LTC Robert P. Schmitz.