Phan Thiet is also the provincial capital of Binh Thuan, a rather arid province (although that was hard to believe during the monsoon season) with the exception of the mountains to the North and West that provided good cover for the NVA.

        Ho Chi Minh taught in Phan Thiet as a young man and thus it was symbolically important to the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army.

LZ Betty... lay about 4-5 miles Southwest of the center of Phan Thiet and was located on the top of a high bluff overlooking the sea. The LZ was supplied by both land, sea and air.

        On LZ Betty, units were scattered on both sides of the landing strip but the most "valuable" assets (some of the choppers & light aircraft, command & medical facilities, etc.) were mostly located between the landing strip and the bluff.

        The 630th MP Company (Escort Guard) Headquartered at Cam Ranh Bay, 97th MP Battalion, 16th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, had a detachment stationed at the LZ that worked the Main Gate, guard tower, local convoy escort security and enforced discipline, law and order.

4 March The 720th MP Battalion was assigned to provide escort security for the Phan Thiet convoy. During the months of March and April the Phan Thiet Convoy was being run twice weekly.

The Bluffs at Phan Thiet "When I arrived at the unit we were already doing the Phan Thiet convoy depending on the call for supplies from Phan Thiet. Sometimes the 4th Transportation Command would have 20-40 trucks loaded at Long Binh Post. We would pick up those and meet the rest of the convoy at Bien Hoa and head out from there. Most of the contents of the convoy were ammunition and fuel (POL) but would also contain food (refrigerated trucks.) and sundry other items. I can remember it took all day to get there, or with delays and breakdowns longer.

     The roadway was good in places and potholes that would swallow an APC in others. Parts of the route were through enemy controlled territory, so on most of the convoys I did we have air cover. Mostly a FAC in a Bird-dog. On some occasions, we had fast movers (F-104) if there was trouble within a few clicks on the highway. It was a Long convoy, very hot at times. I was medically evacuated once with heat-stroke, dam near killed me, I had a body temperature of 104-06. They had to put me in a tub of ice water to get my core temperature down at the evac hospital in Phan Thiet. Then I was evacuated to the 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon.

     I do not remember specifically going into LZ Betty with supplies, It was always into Phan Thiet proper. We would wait some times to escort the convoy back but most times we turned around and the 4th Transportation Company security would return the empty convoy to Long Binh Post. It was a 2-3 day affair for us or longer on a few occasions if we had to wait for repairs or to get the way ahead cleared from mines and fire fights. The convoy required at least 3 V-100's plus an APC if it was very large. We could only do one every other week or so, as we were stretched thin equipment wise. I was always doing quick turnarounds as my team (driver & gunner.) were quite good getting the convoys to their destination safely. We developed a reputation for knowing the many routes and call signs and calling in air cover and dustoff's. We burnt our candle's at both ends in those days took more chances than we should have. I do remember the Bluffs at Phan Thiet overlooking the South China Sea." SGT Don Sinclair “Canuck” A Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, 1971 to 1972.