Vung Tau Detachment
88th (K9) & 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog)
 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association Vietnam History Project
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1965
 

August The first U.S. Army K9's and handlers arrived in Vietnam from California as the consolidated detachments of the, (71st MP Detachment-Dog Platoon HQ, 209th MP Detachment-Dog Platoon HQ, 221st MP Detachment-Dog Platoon HQ, 72nd MP Detachment-Dismounted Patrol, 26th MP Detachment-Supervisor, 45th MP Detachment-Animal Care). They were designated as the 88th MP Company (K9), and a detachment (then called an element) was assigned to the costal city of Vung Tau, III Corps Tactical Zone in Phuoc Tuy Provence.

MACV
18th Bde.
89th Group
95th
720th
88th MP Company (K9) is activated at Vung Tau)

     The detachment personnel assigned to Vung Tau consisted of K9 handlers and Veterinary Technicians. The staff of approximately eighteen to twenty teams was commanded by a Sergeant. The unit also ate C Rations until mess facilities could be constructed.

     The airfield and base at Vung Tau had their own security and the 88th MP Company (K9) Detachment was assigned to security at the base ammunition storage depot.
 
       Before the formal kennels were constructed the K9's lived in command tents with sand floors.  All the supplies were kept in CONEX containers. Water for the dogs and cleaning the kennel area had to be transported to the site.
 

     The quarters for the detachment personnel were a five to ten minute walk from the kennels. The detachment at that time was authorized one Dodge 3/4 ton truck and one duce-and-a-half truck for transporting supply materials and the K9 teams to their assignments.
 
 
 
 
1966     The 88th (K9) Detachment redesignated as the 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog)
 

10 January The 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog) was activated and on 17 January 1966 the 88th MP Company (K-9) was redesignated as the 212th MP Company (Sentry Dog). The company was then attached OPCON to the 89th MP Group, and for logistics and personnel to the 95th MP Battalion.
89th Group
95th
 
MACV
18th Bde.

     The detachment members would now change from the MACV to the 18th MP Brigade patch.

     The personnel were moved to another compound within the base and new kennels were built.
 
     The new kennel building was a permanent wooden framed, tin roofed structure that had a well for fresh water for the K9's and, to clean the new kennels. The NCOIC and his assistant NCOIC had their housing at the kennel building. The rest of the enlisted men stayed at a compound only a few minutes away.
 

     The 3rd Platoon leader for Vung Tau and several other detachments lived at Vung Tau and traveled to the other detachments when required.

     The officers and senior NCO's lived in a building within the airfield compound area.
     Recreation for the men at the compound consisted of a makeshift movie theater, a club and swimming area. The swimming area was found by accident when the engineers were pushing up sand up around the ammunition pads with a bulldozer. The bulldozer they were using started to sink in the depression until nothing showed except the exhaust stack stuck above the water.

After that incident they decided to dredged out the depression and made it into a swimming area alongside the ammunition depot. The water table in the ground for that area was just inches under the sand, and during the rainy season, flooding often occurred.
Relaxing with a cold one.
SP/4 Allen "Pierre Cajun" Brouitte and friends hanging out.
SP/4 James Girouard and "Wiser" the mascot of the 212th MP Company, Vung Tau Detachment.
Ray Herman, Gene Eisinger and unidentified MP show how war is hell.
SP/4 Dan Byrd, SP/4 Ed Spaulding, Jr. and others yet identified hanging out at Back Beach.
SP/4 Trombley & PFC Link
BBQ at the swimming hole.
SP/4 Allen "Pierre Cajun" Brouillette with mascots puppy.
SP/4's Girouard, Herman, Brouillette, CPL Roy Wilson and others enjoying a BBQ at the swimming hole.
SP/4 Dan Byrd and unidentified MP's with K9.
 
1967
 
 
 
1968
720th

     Just after the Tet Offensive the company was assigned subordinate to the 720th MP Battalion for logistics and administration with the 89th MP Group retaining operational control.

1969
1970
 
1971
 
SP/4 David H. Neiman and others yet identified.
Rayborn
SP/4 Willie Donohue & Blackburn
SP/4 David H. Niemann & SP/4 Bill Seidler
Unidentified
SP/4 Charlie Daniels & unidentified
K9 Baron
Downtown Vung Tau
 
1972
 
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