716 Mpbn

Cwilkens · #1 05-29-2002, 07:50 PM

I am a new member and an old vet.

I was a member of 'Charlie' Company of the 716 MP BN stationed in Saigon, Vietnam, during 1967 - 1968. We were garrisoned in Tent City B between MACV Headqurters and Ton Son Nhut Air Force Base.

I was assigned MACV Security Details, Town Patrols, Jeep and Gun Patrols in the city. I am a TET survivor of BOQ#3, the Dien Biegh Hotel, actions on Plantation Road, and Newport Bridge.

I live and work in New Jersey. I teach history and coach at a local high school and I work as an adjunct professor at a small Catholic college.

I am married have two children, a son-in-law and a gorgeous grand-daughter, and a mutt that thinks she 'owns' the house.

I am interested in messages from those interested either e-mail or forum messages.

cwilkens/716 MP BN/ Saigon/ 1967-68

Arrow · #2 05-30-2002, 04:21 AM

A personal "Welcome Home" and thank you for your service. I hope your time with us willl be a time of healing...

Andy · #3 05-30-2002, 05:40 AM

716th MP's part of the 89th MP Group. Your HQ in the City was known as Waco on the radio net. If you worked nights on roving patrols you had a back up (eventually), one platoon from Co C, 52nd Infantry. You Mama's and Papa's called the 52nd the "Bushmen" or the "Animals". I worked in the gun jeep platoon starting in January of '69. We were HQed at the Catitol Hotel on the Cholon end of Trung Hung Dow.

I never liked your bright shiny helmet liners. To good of a target and little protection. The only reason I transfered to that unit was because the ladies on Tu Do Street missed you! It's ok, I kept lots of them company.

Were your gun patrols in the City from 6 PM to 6AM or did you do the day shift? Newport was fairly quiet from Jan. thru Sept. of '69. The occational sniper and Charles did get into the docks of few times but nothing like Tet. During Tet I was Mech Infantry with the 25th Division, we visited your fair city to do some urban renewal. You had to break starch every day, so if we got any dust on your uniform, sorry bout that. If the 25th was of any help to you guys, no sweat GI.

Stay healthy,
Andy

DMZ-LT · #4 05-30-2002, 06:03 AM

Welcome aboard. I was at the other end of bitnam but grew up in NJ. Dad worked for Ballentine Beer for 40 years or so. Jump in the water is fine.

exlrrp · #5 05-30-2002, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by little sparrow
A personal "Welcome Home" and thank you for your service. I hope your time with us willl be a time of healing...

Unless of course, you are a liberal in which case you will be subjected to a large amount of hate mail and insults

James Worth

Happy just to be alive

Packo · #6 05-30-2002, 06:05 AM

Great having a "M Fee" from Saigon on the site. Visited your city after you had left in 69'. Came in on a phony set of orders we typed up at the 128th Aviation, Tomahawks, in Phuloi. Nobody ever asked for them.

Great having you here. Jump in anywhere.

Packo

Packo · #7 05-30-2002, 06:08 AM

He's one of our resident Liberals, who's never been isulted or got any hate mail from me. I happen to like him and his opinions spice up the site. Even though the world would be a better place if everyone thought as I do........it sure would be boring!

From the right,

Packo

ArtySgt · #8 05-30-2002, 03:42 PM

My unit was move to the front lawn of the Saigon water plant very shortly after " TeT ' broke out, you may have seen us there. 105 Howitzer battery. Welcome home..............

thedrifter · #9 05-30-2002, 03:52 PM

A BIG WELCOME HOME FROM ONE VN VET TO ANOTHER VN VET.
WE WENT, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, DID OUR JOB AND SOME OF US CAME HOME.

Sempers,

Roger

SuperScout · #10 05-30-2002, 07:08 PM

... to our band of sometimes wacky brothers (and sisters)! And disregard the rantings of James, as most liberals are paranoid by nature, if not by association!

Coincidentally, my mech Scout platoon had the same frequency as the Saigon MP's during Tet 1968; as was my usual habit, I awoke every hour on the hour to do a radio check/SITREP, when I heard "...the've stolen a gunjeep, and are shooting up the place!" Thought it was some drunken GI's, probably Andy and his group, creating a bit of excitement for the locals. Couple of hours later, I was up to my shorts in elements of the 88th NVA Regiment and their attack on II Field Forces Headquarters. Found later that it was some NVA who had borrowed one or more of your jeeps!