Wherever you are, there needs to be particular legislation and buy, and this is particularly true in the a combat zone, where about people are armed and on boundary. This new Armed forces Cops in Vietnam had a career to do, therefore we made it happen on the better of our very own element. However, MPs from inside the Vietnam did much more than patrol the new metropolises and you may, as it is frequently illustrated in films, harass its other GIs. It was the main icon logistical challenge off offering various away from tens of thousands of troops which have materiel, food and offers in the course of an intense guerrilla adversary. As with Iraq today, convoys is actually primary objectives, and those protecting them are involved in among the war’s most dangerous and you can fatal things.
The latest V-100 try a great wheeled armored auto used for shelter missions, mainly for running convoys. Their about three-man team contained new driver, the new gunner and also the radiotelephone agent (RTO). Created because of the Cadillac, this new V-100 got a keen intercom system utilized in the radio, and each member of the vehicle you may keep in touch with the others without giving around the net. The latest team captain, employment one to rotated predicated on seniority, was at fees out-of just what V-100 did, but after a crew was together for a while group quite better knew what you should do and you may that was expected.
New 66th MP Business had one of the biggest patrol components into the Vietnam. Plus the V-100 Platoon, the organization work town patrols, protection responsibility and you will any almost every other purpose came up. I went convoys western on your way QL- 19, southern towards QL-step 1 so you can Tuy Hoa, and you may north with the QL-step one to help you Bong Son or LZ English.
While i have got to Vietnam inside later 1969, We entered the newest 66th Army Cops Providers at Phu Tai and you may was allotted to the latest V-100 Platoon, in which I invested much of my personal journey towards the escort responsibility
To employ which ran when and where, the brand new V-100s passed number and turned otherwise complex day-after-day. The vehicles were numbered out-of Eight-No to eight-Eight. The trail management try Seven-Seven, which will existed into QL-19. The fresh V-100 designated Eight-No to own a specific time decided to go to LZ English. Whenever a great automobile’s count was 7-Three, it unsealed the trail also Eight-Four. Opening the trail necessary a couple V-100s to ensure all links was discover and you can that which you is actually secure with the basic convoy to start. The brand new westbound convoys were designated “Friscos” and eastbounds “The new Yorks.” Count 7-Five found the first convoy headed western and you can increased the back of that one convoy. Once they passed a certain checkpoint, Eight-Half dozen perform get the following convoy you to definitely designed. One of many V-100s was appointed to run a beneficial convoy to help you Tuy Hoa, which was a two-go out work at.
Vehicle Eight-Around three carry out next escort the original eastbound convoy, followed by create go back to the organization to pull fix for the automobile throughout a single day
The path coordinator manage from just one of Korean firebases with the QL-19 with the name sign No. When we surely got to a connection, i named Zero and you may advertised the link number we were crossing; Zero after that know when you should begin the top Bremen escorts first convoy. I constantly radioed No once we attained brand new robot – tom of your An Khe Admission, and you may once again as soon as we topped the brand new pass.
Whenever a great convoy started, the chief, who was usually at the forefront car, named Zero and you can gave him a summary of precisely what the convoy consisted of. Zero upcoming tasked the fresh convoy, always described as an effective Charlie Winner, several. The first convoy throughout the day is actually Charlie Victor step one, etc. The brand new convoy chief referred to as throughout the newest checkpoints passed by the leading of the convoy. For every single bridge try designated, together with base while the most useful of every citation was basically entitled within the in the event that side additionally the butt passed the fresh checkpoints. With these numbers, Zero in turn was able communications to the Sky Push, dustoff or any other service that could be required.