1 February The 720th MP Battalion and its subordinate unit, 212th MP Company, is awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for the period of 9 February 1968 to 1 February 1969. Any veteran of the 212th that served during the dates in question is eligible to display or wear the ribbon at public events. Direct any questions to the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.

23 February, Scout Dog Unit Two members of the Scout Dog Unit were part of the eleven man B Company, 720th MP Battalion, reinforced Ambush Team #76, stationed on Hill 15 in the Tactical Area of Responsibility [TAOR] during the Post Tet Offensive attack against Long Binh Post.

   The ambush team was credited with breaking the thrust of the attack on the Long Binh Post southern perimeter by the 274th Viet Cong Main Force Regiment, 5th North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division. The battle started at 0200 hours the morning of the 23rd and lasted well into the evening.

   As a result of their actions with the ambush team, SP/4 Melbourne R. "Mel" Steinhauer, Jr. and SP/4 David Monsour of the 212th MP Company (Scout Dog Unit), and Scout Dog Heidi, were later awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor.

July, Long Binh HQ Detachment Members of the Long Binh Detachment treated a bus load of Thu Duc National Orphanage children to an excursion to their compound on Long Binh Post. Part of the festivities involved a meal and refreshments at the mess hall and a K9 demonstration. The men of the 212th adopted the orphanage as their charity of choice and spent many hours at the compound assisting in any way then could.

1 October, Long Binh HQ Detachment CPT Robert P. Glassley assumed command of the 212th MP Company from CPT James H. Gebard.

December, Soc Trang Detachment In addition to a Detachment from the 212th MP Company, the 188th MP Company also stationed a detachment at Soc Trang Airfield. The188th provides town patrol and a combined police desk for the City of Soc Trang.

17 December, Long Binh HQ Detachment 1LT Michael P. Sudnick was assigned as a Platoon Leader.

February-April The Company provided man-dog teams for physical security missions at the following facilities: Long Binh Ammunition Supply Depot, Long Binh Scout Dog Section, Long Binh Perimeter, Tay Ninh Ammunition Supply Depot,,Long Than Airfield, Vinh Long Airfield, Vung Tau Ammunition Supply Depot, Soc Trang Airfield and Saigon Port.

9 March, Long Binh HQ Detachment CPT Albert C. Boyd, III Commanding Officer, departed.

April-May  Future Army Of The Republic Of South Vietnam (ARVN) dog handlers were given an orientation of the kennels and company operations.

3 May 1LT John F. White is assigned as Platoon Leader.

June, Long Binh HQ Detachment The Company utilized the Village of An Hoa Hung in the B Company, 720th MP Battalion, Tactical Area of Responsibility to conduct orientation training for new handlers.

August-October, Tay Ninh Detachment The Company Detachment at Tay Ninh (West) Base Camp was terminated and the assets, K9’s and handlers, were redistributed with twenty handlers and K9’s laterally transferred to the 595th MP Company (Sentry Dog) at DaNang.

Long Binh HQ Detachment Four Sentry Dogs Utilization Surveys were conducted by request to determine the feasibility of readjustment of dog team employments. There were no K9’s shipped to either USARPAC Sentry Dog School or Military Assistance Command Vietnam [MACV] during this time period.

September B Company of the 720th MP Battalion was redesignated as the 188th MP Company and sent to Da Nang and became part of the 504 MP Battalion. The 188th MP Company was redesignated as B Company of the 720th MP Battalion and remained in Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta. Operation STABILIZE, their infantry mission in the TAOR south of Long Binh Post was terminated and duties transferred to infantry units.

   The five scout dogs from the Company Scout Dog Unit, Long Binh Detachment that worked with the B Company Ambush Teams, were reassigned to line infantry units.

2 September 2LT Charles R. Wells, Jr. is assigned as Platoon Leader.

21 September, Long Binh HQ Detachment The Company strength was one-hundred and twenty six Sentry Dogs of which seventy-four were categorized medically as suspected to be suffering from Tropical Canine Pancytopenia [TOP]. The dogs identified in this category could not be returned to the United States Army Pacific Area Command [USARPAC], Sentry Dog School for retraining.

   Losses in personnel due to rotation and losses to K9's from euthanasia due to TOP changed the unit policy from recommending that future dog handlers arrive without K9's, to a policy that a small percentage of new dog handlers arrive with K9's.

1 November, Soc Trang Detachment The six Sentry Dog Teams working the Soc Trang Detachment in support of the 121st Aviation Battalion, were relocated to Long Binh Post concurrent with the ARVN military authorities taking over the Soc Trang Army Airfield under the Vietnamization program.

New Patrol Dog Concept Tested Two Patrol Dogs and handlers were received by the 720th MP Battalion for an evaluation of their capabilities in the Republic of Vietnam. One Noncommissioned Officer [NCO], a graduate of the Sentry Dog School was detailed to evaluate the Patrol Dog and handlers during their four phases of employment and issued the Patrol Dog Evaluation Summary Report.

9 December, Long Binh HQ Detachment CPT James D. Folsom assumed command of the 212th MP Company from 1LT Michael P. Sudnik.

1 February, Long Binh HQ Detachment Due to a shortage of enlisted personnel in the Company, the 720th MP Battalion initiated a program through which volunteers for Sentry Dog duty were recruited.

        A total of four enlisted men were ultimately selected from within the Battalion and underwent a four week period of on-the-job training and formal classroom instruction. The period of training commenced 1 February and ended 28 February, at which time Brigadier General W. K. Wittwer, Commanding General, 18th Military Police Brigade, presented the four enlisted men with certificates of achievement.

        The 212th MP Company was forty-six enlisted men and twenty-six sentry dogs short of its authorized TOE strength. This shortage of both handlers and K9s has resulted in sentry dog support for the 307 CAB at Can Tho, and for the 91st Technical Supply on Long Binh Post, being held in abeyance pending receipt of additional sentry dog teams.

3 June, Long Binh HQ Detachment 1LT John T. Murray was assigned as the new 212th MP Company Executive Officer (XO).

22 August, Phu Loi Detachment Thirty Sentry Dog handlers and their K9’s from the 212th MP Company, 720th MP Battalion were deployed to Phu Loi Base Camp, based on the increase in enemy ground probes and sapper attacks to which the base camp was subjected and the critical facilities located thereon. Due to the immediate requirement for the Sentry Dog support, some of the normal requirements such as hot water and the proper kennel facilities were waived in order to exploit deployment. A commitment was made to provide the necessary support by 1 September 1971.

October During the phased withdrawal of US troops under the Vietnamization Program manpower needs for the Company were severely strained. It was estimated that the company was 30 dog handlers short of their mission requirements and that the attrition was expected to get worse during the following ninety days.

   The 18th MP Brigade initiated in country training for volunteers indicating a desire to become dog handlers. They also contacted units that were standing down for return to the U.S. to determine who they may have that were trained as Scout and Tracker dog handlers and asked them to remain and/or extend their tours for retraining as Sentry Dog Handlers.

   During this same time period the K9’s value as Military Police Patrol Dogs in certain situations at the detachments in Phu Loi, Long Binh Post, and Vung Tau were being recognized and recommendations were initiated for some of the handlers and K9’s to be cross trained as Sentry and Patrol Dogs.

31 October, Phu Loi Detachment The promised kennel facility upgrades promised by command at the Phu Loi Base Camp by 1 September had yet to be initiated for the thirty handlers and K9’s of the 212th Detachment deployed there on 22 August. The lack of proper facilities endangered the health of the K9’s so a command letter outlining the problems was forwarded through channels requesting expeditious action.

24 April, Long Binh HQ Detachment The following movies were being shown at the 212th MP Company from 25 April through 1 May 1972: Tuesday 25th, Little Hauss Big Halsey; Wednesday 26th, Marriage Of A Young Stockbroker; Thursday 27th, Underground; Friday 28th, Hauser's Memory; Saturday 29th, Kotch; Sun 30th, Taste The Blood Of Dracula; Monday 1st, T.R. Baskin.

13 August The 720th MP Battalion was deactivated and left Vietnam for Fort Hood, Texas. It is unclear who the 212th was attached to until their departure. Records indicate that at this time the 212th was down to a platoon size, probably just the HQ Detachment attached to the MACV Provost Marshal.

8 November The 212th Military Police Company (Sentry Dog) was deactivated in Vietnam.

1 October 1976 The 212th MP Company was reactivated as a line duty MP company, and assigned to a combat service/support mission in Germany.