188th

The 188th MP Company was responsible for the safety and security of the 160 miles of Highway #4 that ran from Saigon to Soc Trang. The roadway, symbolically named "The People's Road," was the primary market transportation route for the Mekong Delta. The 188th provided daily combined police patrols, utilizing V100 Commando Armored Cars, and gun jeeps. The MP’s conducted irregular interval patrols along the highway and set up random checkpoints. At the check points the Can Sat's (Vietnamese National Police) and Quan Canh's (Vietnamese Military Police) checked Vietnamese identity papers to prevent use of the road by Viet Cong forces to infiltrate the cities.

In addition to the highway patrols the 188th maintained discipline, law and order patrols through six detachments in Tan An, My Tho, Cai Lay, Vinh Long and Soc Trang. Their headquarters was located in Can Tho.

The 188th also provided VIP escort service for distinguished visitors to the Mekong Delta area.

31 January A memorial was erected in My Tho by members of the 1st Platoon, 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion, in the memory of SP/4 Leon J. Shrum who was killed in action one year before.

8 March SP/4 Larry R. Crook, 188th MP Company, Can Tho Detachment, was apprehended and confined to a hospital for psychiatric examination and blood test for alcohol and narcotics abuse. It was alleged and later verified by investigation and courts marshal that SP/4 Crooks opened fire with up to twenty, 40mm M79 grenade rounds on the compound and surrounding area from the "Crows Nest," a guard tower at the Can Tho Detachment. It was also alleged that his target was the Company Commander CPT Freedman.

The initial rounds fired on the compound by Crook were misinterpreted as an enemy attack, an alert was issued and the other MP’s opened fire thinking they were under attack from outside the compound. Before the error was discovered and SP/4 Crook was identified as the assailant, two south Vietnamese civilians were killed and eleven others were wounded including nine Americans.

The most seriously wounded was a U.S. Army truck driver who lost his right foot when a grenade round was fired into the cab of his truck. Also among the U.S. casualties, wounded slightly, was CPT Gary M. Freedman the Commanding Officer of the 188th MP Company, SSG James E. O’Fallon (148th MP Platoon) and others yet identified. SP/4 Crook was an engineer by MOS and had completed one tour. He extended for six months and requested and was granted, an MOS change to 95B Military Police then, he was assigned to the 188th.

February/March? SGT Harry E. Gree and SP/4’s Steven T. Montgomery and David A. Friel, were on a routine village patrol in the Ben Xe Moi section of Can Tho when they responded to the sound of gunfire in an alley. They located an ARVN soldier who had been hit in the leg by sniper fire. The sniper opened fire on the three MP’s and SGT Greer rescued the wounded ARVN while his companions gave him cover fire. A subsequent search of the area with supporting troops flailed to uncover the sniper.

19 May, Vinh Long Detachment While on routine patrol, SP/4 James A. Davis and PFC Joseph Beuing of the 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion, rescued two men of the 1st Aviation Brigade, who were severely injured by a live power line in Vinh Long. The two American soldiers, both in shock and unconscious, and one with his clothes in flames, were struck by a high-voltage power line.

June The My Tho Detachment was assigned to the MACV (Military Assistance Command Vietnam) Advisory Team-75 Detachment just outside of the town, billeted in an old monastery. The detachment paroled Highway QL4, "Ambush Alley," provided security for the highway mine sweep teams in the mornings, as well as assisted the local ARVN units. .

June/July ? Members of a Cai Lay Detachment V100 crew assisted an overturned ARVN truck while in route to secure a booby trapped Viet Cong roadblock until engineers could arrive to disarm it.

Members of the Cai Lay Detachment V100 crew responded to a report of a truck striking a mine on Highway 4A between My Tho and Cai Lay.

July SP/4 Joseph Santee, 2nd Platoon, 188th MP Company, Can Tho Detachment, picked up a letter at the Can Tho USO addressed to any GI. Two Ohio school children wanted to know how they could help the Vietnamese children. SP/4 Santee answered their letter, and through the efforts of an Ohio VFW Post, 1,500 pounds of clothing, food, and medical supplies were delivered to the 188th at Vinh Long. The men from the 188th distributed the materials to two local orphanages.

26 September Members of the company celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the 18th MP Brigade at their Can Tho Detachment.

CPT Gary F. Freedman passed command of the company to CPT James A. Pai.

October CPT Robert E. Conner is transferred from the 716th MP Battalion to the Vinh Long Detachment as commander and Provost Marshal.

25 December. Christmas

A Christmas Visit To The Orphanage SGT Pat Patterson, 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, December 1969 to November 1970.

A Taste Of Home From Ireland SP/4 Charles M. Phelan, 188th MP Company & B Company, 720th MP Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, July 1969 to September 1970.