Regardless of MOS if you recognize or participated in any of the events listed on this Time Line page and would like to contribute any information, personal stories, documents, media articles, photographs, or, if you can provide information on any events not listed, please take a moment to contact the History Project Manager at the Email Link provided for you. Your contributions are important to the recording of the Battalion history and always welcomed here.

Please take the time to report any broken links on this page to the Webmaster via the Email Link.

Send your photographs as .jpg via the Email Link below. Scan them as large as you can, one to an Email and include as much information as you can. Direct any questions via the Email Link.

CLICK ON INDIVIDUAL RIBBONS FOR CRITERIA

Return To 188th Home Page

Email Link

This Page Was Last Updated   29 September 2014

USARV

18th MP Brigade

89th MP Group

Nha Be was located seven miles of south of Saigon at the junction of the Long Tau and Soi Rap Rivers,Gia Dinh Province, III Corps Tactical Zone.    WANTED: Interviews, information, stories, photographs from the members of the 188th MP Company that worked the Nha Be Detachment. Use the Email Link at the top of this page to contact the History Project Manager.

92nd MP Battalion

March A detachment of Mine Squadron 11, employing fifty-seven foot minesweeping boats (MSB’s) and converted landing craft, became the first U.S. naval unit to deploy at Nha Be.

   The U.S. Naval establishment at Nha Be became a major combat and logistic base during the war. As naval leaders concluded early, the site was strategically located between the port of Saigon and the South China Sea. In addition Nha Be lay astride waterways traversing the Viet Cong – infiltrated Rung Sat special zone and the eastern Mekong Delta region. To support river patrol and minesweeping operations, Nha Be was ideally located, in addition, the Vietnamese Navy’s River Assault Group compound initially located there was suitable for a small U.S. Navy force.

July The troop buildup was in progress and the supplies and munitions needed to support it were coming in so fast that the ships were backed up in the river awaiting unloading. The 188th & 300th MP Company's were tasked with port security at the Saigon Docks. The 188th MP Company was further tasked with providing detachments of MPs to perform harbor and ship security at Vung Tau and Nah Be. The detachment at Nah Be was commanded by 1LT Norman Haber.

   The MPs utilized twenty foot long plywood cabin cruiser type boats operated by a two man ARVN crew. They patrolled the entire bay and around the anchored cargo ships. The patrols also inspected local Vietnamese boats for contraband and enemy infiltrators. Their armament consisted of M-16 rifles, M-60 machine gun, M-79 grenade launcher, and concussion grenades for use against Viet Cong divers.

26 May, 0150 hours The ability of the Viet Cong to infiltrate a secure port and inflict serious damage on shipping was confirmed during the early morning hours when a loud explosion resounded through the Nha Be anchorage followed by a series of distress signals from a ship's fog horn. The "Game Warden" base at Nha Be immediately went to general quarters, and PBRs and units of VNN RAG 22 were sent to investigate.

   Divers discovered a twelve foot by ten foot hole in the starboard quarter and recovered remnants of nylon cord, indicating that a mine had been attached to the ship.

   On the same morning a tugboat reported to the MSTS Office, Nha Be, that a second explosion had occurred near another ship anchored about 350 yards from Eastern Mariner. Investigation revealed no damage, but examination of her anchor chain showed an attached nylon cord, evaluated as having been used to affix a mine.

   On another ship a mine attached to the anchor chain was discovered and removed in time. It contained about 130 pounds of TNT rigged to be electrically detonated by a double timing device attached to the mine. EOD personnel reported it was attached to the anchor chain by metal hooks and nylon parachute cord which allowed the mine to drift back under the ship with the current.

   The one successful mining and two attempted mining's prompted a quick reevaluation of the anchorage security requirements for Nha Be, and all ships were advised not to heave around on their chains or turn their screws until they had received an underwater inspection.

Vietnam Journal of the tour of SP/4 Max H. Hedrick, Jr.

 

August-September Detachment members of the 188th MP Company, began a construction project to improve their living conditions.

June "I came in country as an "unattached" replacement. I was assigned to the 188th at Pershing Field, but volunteered for the Nha Be Detachment. I was assigned and arrived to pull duty with about 14 or so other MPs. We provided a waterborne security patrol in and about the Navy Base and the oil discharge port and storage tank facilities, (Esso Shell and Caltex). We provided communications with the 716th MP security units aboard the merchant shipping in and out of Saigon. We had our radio "shack" in the air conditioned Navy TOC. The Chow was really good, but we had to tent off the Navy base proper. We had a tent on the ARVN compound just outside the main gate to the Navy Station. A marine Corp Detachment was our immediate neighbor.

   The first time I ever pulled true "MP" duty was on that Navy Base. I got all gussied up and they made me wear a Shore Patrol brassard! The other "SP" was a Seal." PFC Thomas D. Carroll, Nha Be & Cat Lai Detachments, 188th MP Company, 1967-1968.

   Eighty-four craft and the headquarters of Naval Support Activity Saigon were based there.

   The facility continued to serve the Navy’s needs until it’s turnover to Vietnamese Navy and the disestablishment of Naval Support Activity, Saigon, Detachment Nha Be in April 1972.