I was the turnkey on the gate that led into the exercise yard and B Compound on 29 August 1968, the night of the riot. In my statement (given the next night) I told a CID investigator that I opened the exercise yard gate to let several MP's escape from prisoners who had them trapped in the exercise yard.

I was chastised by the Investigator to whom I gave the statement. He said that if I hadn't opened the gate the riot would have been contained. I felt really small. I told him that if I hadn't opened the gate that the unarmed MP's would have been severely beaten or killed.

After I opened the gate, all the MP's ran to the front gate except for me and two other MP's. We tried to get the gate shut and locked but we couldn't secure it. There were too many prisoners pushing it towards us from the other side. One of the other MP's yelled "run"and they all bolted to the front gate.

For some unknown reason I ran to a little shack that sat beside the gate that I used for shelter from the sun and rain while on duty. There was a metal chair there that I used to sit on at times. When I got to the shack several prisoners caught up with me and began to beat on me with their fist and kick me with their feet. During the assault one of the prisoners hit me with the metal chair.

All these years I have wondered why I ran to the shack and not to the front gate to safety? That's why I ordered the Board of Investigation Report. I wanted to read my statement in hopes it would shed some light on the reason. I guess God was looking out for me that night. Although being beaten, my injuries were not as bad as many of the others so I did not seek medical attention at the time.

There is one other chance where I will find my statement or maybe military comments of my actions. I'm hoping that eventually the report coded as Blue Bell (code name given for wire communications and reports on the riot incident by 18th MP Brigade) will be declassified. I requested a copy of Blue Bell under the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) three years ago. The letter I received from the archives said that it (Blue Bell) was classified because it contained information that was not in the best interest of the United States, or words to that affect. I will once again request a copy of the report under the FOIA.

SP/4 Larry J. Kimbrough, B Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, April 1968 to June 1968 and 557th MP Company, 95th MP Battalion, June 1968 to March 1969.