188th

The 89th MP Group reorganized the convoy escort duties of the 188th and placed it under Operation OVERTAKE and assigned overall operations to the 92nd MP Battalion. The mission was to prevent the theft of high end cargo from civilian trucks under U.S. Army contract. Operation OVERTAKE involved the civilian convoys making the supply runs from the Newport Docks at Saigon along Highway 1A to Long Binh Post. Elements of the 720th and 95th MP Battalion's (Long Binh Post) assisted with the mission.

A move to the Mekong Delta and the job of taking back the Dan Lo..."Peoples Road"

1 April Company operations began moving south to the Mekong Delta, IV Corps Tactical Zone area, and included Phu Lam, Tan An, My Tho, Cai Lay, Vinh Long, and Soc Trang.

WANTED: Interviews, information, stories, photographs of the 188th MP Company move from Pershing Field to the Mekong Delta. Use the Email Link at the top of this page to contact the History Project Manager.

Although unverified at this time it is believed that the 148th MP Platoon, who were assigned to the 92nd MP Battalion sometime after the Tet Offensive, was attached subordinate to the 188th MP Company sometime after this move. If anyone can provide any verification please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.

A Detachment of nine MPs from the 148th MP Platoon were sent to My Tho to provide Discipline, Law and Order patrols in the town and surrounding areas. They worked combined patrols with the local Canh Sats (Vietnamese National Police).

9 April Operational control of Operation OVERTAKE initiated in March, was reassigned from the 92nd to the 95th MP Battalion, and the Tactical Operations center was located in the office of the 177th Provost Marshal Detachment, Long Binh Post.

92nd

95th

720th

May The second "official" combined police patrol program developed by the 18th MP Brigade, involved the Vietnamese National Police [Canh Sat] and Vietnamese Military Police [Quan Canh], and was initiated on Highway QL4, known as the “People’s Road.” It involved the area from the Saigon city limits through the Mekong Delta to the Can Tho Ferry. This formal written agreement, signed by the Canh Sat Director General, Provost Marshal General [ARVN] and BG Gustafson, Provost Marshal General Vietnam, provided for the establishment of combined police centers at My Tho, Vinh Long, and Tan An.

A Combined radio relay station was also established at Cai Lay. The 188th combined with Vietnamese National Police, and Military Police, began combined patrols to open crucial Highway QL4 to the heavy flow of traffic which has made it the lifeline of the Mekong Delta. On the 200 mile long highway passes the commerce of the Delta people, and for this reason it is called Dan Lo, "The People's Road".

The combined patrols utilize the V100 Armored Commando Cars and MP Gun Jeeps to repel and silence the frequent enemy small arms and mortar attacks. In addition they provide security for the engineer units called upon to repair the roadway and disarm enemy land mines placed to disrupt and block the flow of traffic.

7 June CPT Ralph F. Trisko passes command of the 188th MP Company to CPT Bradley W. Gebott.

23 July PVT Gary Elton Lee, age 21, from Detroit, MI, died in Gai Dinh Province as a result of non-hostile activity classified as an accidental homicide. He had recently returned from a convoy escort assignment, was accidentally mortally wounded while cleaning his M-16 rifle in his unit tent at the company compound in Pershing Field.

PHOTOGRAPH OF
PVT LEE
NEEDED

August

My Tho Detachment Members of the 188th MP Company, My Tho Detachment find an orphaned Vietnamese boy named Manh living in a truck in the city and provide him with the necessities for a better life, and give him a home and a new family at the MP detachment.

WANTED: Photographs of Manh and any information on what happened to him as the years passed. Use the Email Link at the top of this page to contact the History Project Manager.

Vinh Long Detachment The 148th MP Platoon stationed at Vinh Long is redesignated as 2nd Platoon, 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion.

November

CPT Bradley W. Gebott passed command of the 188th to CPT Gary M. Freedman who transferred from the 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog), 720th MP Battalion, where he served as a Platoon Leader.

The 188th HQ moved operation into Can Tho from Pershing Field, Saigon and replaced elements of the HQ Detachment and 3rd Platoon of the 560th MP Company, both were subordinate to the 92nd MP Battalion. The 188th primary responsibility changed from a physical security guard mission to a discipline, law and order mission.