It seems the prisoners have forgotten about their racial problems and have organized a joint protest against the Army in general. My ambush squad was part of a 720th Battalion Reaction Force sent in to assist at the stockade. They issued us steel helmets, flak jackets, gas mask and bayonets. This is the first time I have even seen a bayonet since basic training.

   We were assigned to the main gate area as security. Only the outer security fence was left to keep the prisoner population inside the compound which the prisoners roamed freely at this time. Our shift lasted 12 hours before things were brought under military police control and the stockade finally secured.

   During the entire time the prisoners, both black and white, were throwing rocks and pieces of debris at us from their side of the fence. There was the strong pungent smell of burning debris from the fires and a thin layer of smoke that held low to the ground because of the humid night air.

   If you happened to venture to close to the fence the prisoners would try to spit at or piss on us. Throughout the entire shift they constantly cursed at us and attempted to bait us into approaching the fence. During the evening several truck loads of blankets, cots, and some food were brought in to aid them until the facility could be secured and utilities and the service of basic necessities restored.

   We had to form a skirmish line at bayonet point so the gates could be opened to get the trucks inside, unloaded, and removed. Once the gates were closed the prisoners immediately set fire to the new supplies.

   There is no doubt in my mind that most of the prisoners if given a chance, would have attacked and killed as many of us as they could without giving it a thought. After volunteering to come to Vietnam to fight the communist guerillas I now found myself with an American on the business end of my M-16. It was a very strange feeling having a bayonet tipped loaded rifle pointed at another American soldier knowing you might have to kill him if he rushed you. I’m very grateful it didn’t have to come to that, I know I would have carried out my orders to protect myself and the other MP’s by my side, but I’m not sure how I would have handled it mentally.

Journal of CPL Thomas T. Watson, B Company, 720th MP Battalion, March 1968 to March 1969.