The 3rd squad of the 146th is located in Quang Ngai City, some 30 miles south of Chu Lai. Since their arrival in Quang Ngai, MP's from the 146th have combined with Vietnamese Military Police ((Quan Canh) and the Vietnamese National Police (Can Sat) to patrol within the city of Quang Ngai and along the major roadways leading into the city

     Three English speaking Vietnamese National Policemen and two Vietnamese Military Policemen recently accompany the American MP's in their daily patrol activities.

     Fighting the Viet Cong and working efficiently in their daily routine have cemented the working relationship between the American MP's and their Vietnamese counterparts.

< SP/4 Eugene M. Smith and his Vietnamese MP partner talking with ARVN troops in Quang Ngai City. Photo courtesy of the MP Journal.

Quang Ngai the capital of the same-named province, Quang Ngai is located on the south bank of the Tra Khuc River, in the southern central coastal region, about 15 kilometers from the coast. Quang Ngai City is adjacent to Quang Nam to the north, Binh Dinh to the south, and Kon Tum to the west. The major rivers in the Provence are the Tra Khuc, Ve, Tra Bong, and Tra Cau.

     With a coast of more than 130 kilometers, Quang Ngai has several important river mouths, the Sa Can, Sa Ky, Cua Dai (Co Luy), Cua Lo, My A, Sa Huynh.

     Quang Ngai's western forests and mountains occupied three fourths of the total area of the province. Its highest mountains were : Ca Dam (1,600m), Da Vach (Thach Bich 1,500m), Cao Muon (1,085m).

March  The men of the 146th were inside their compound in Quang Nai City when a loud explosion was heard just outside the main entrance.

        "At first I thought a rocket had hit close by," said PFC Isaac R. Cockfield, Jr. "I made it to the gate and could see a jeep in a ball of flames. The Vietnamese driver was sprawled alongside the jeep and was screaming as he was trying to crawl away from the vehicle."

     PFC Cockfield rushed into the street, picked up the driver and carried him back into the compound to the quarters of civilian nurses who treated him for his injuries before he was removed to a hospital.

     Meanwhile, SP/4 Eugene M. Smith had spotted an ARVN Lieutenant laying in the street near the jeep and he went outside the compound to get him. He made it safely back to the compound carrying the young Vietnamese officer.

< SP/4 Eugene M. Smith indicates the location of the explosive charge placed by the Viet Cong in the ARVN jeep.

     There was a ward desk directly across from where Roggiero was and I looked at it as it was still in apparent good condition.  Upon close inspection, I found the 1/4 inch plywood cover to the desk area just peppered with tiny holes, it was all from the shrapnel which had been blown out by the rocket as it had landed and blown up. I was told the nurse sitting there at that time, forgive a failing memory, I cannot for the life of me remember who was sitting at the desk, but in any case she was not physically injured even a tiny bit by the blast.

        1LT Sharon Lane was laying down napping on the farthest bed in the ward from the blast when the rocket hit the building.  She had a "ultra tiny" pin prick of a hole in her forehead and that is what killed her. 

         I realized I was missing SP/4 Roggiero and about two or three Viet Cong (VC) prisoners so I went looking for them.  To his credit SP/4 Roggiero was across from the Operating Room (OR) in a holding room yelling at the top of  his lungs they were not going to take him to the OR until he was officially relieved from his duty as the POW guard. 

        I found him on a gurney with his .45 belt on his stomach and two very scared VC sitting on the lip of the cement outside of the holding room.  Needless to say, I relieved him so he could be treated by the doctor."  1LT Peter S. Tiffany (MAJ Retired), Commanding Officer, 146th MP Platoon, 504th MP Battalion, 16th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, 1968-1969.

Exact date Unknown MPs from the Platoon's Quang Ngai Detachment turned firemen to battle a late evening fire and to rescue civilians from burning buildings.

     SP/4 Raymond H. Kennedy saved one child who was overcome by smoke. Smoke and flames coming from the market at Quang Ngai Village were first noticed by SSG Wayne A. Reynolds, a squad leader with the 146th. He immediately notified Police while he and SP/4 Kennedy searched the burning buildings for people who might be inside. They also helped civilians remove their belongings from the buildings. When the fire truck arrived, the MPs helped the Vietnamese firemen assemble the equipment. The MPs then manned the fire hoses to help put out the fire. Before the blaze was completely extinguished, the fire truck’s water supply was exhausted. The National Police and MPs quickly organized the civilians into a bucket brigade, using water, mud and sandbags to extinguish the fire.

     If anyone can assist in identifying the month or day of this incident, or provide any further details or photographs, please notify the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.