Customer Reviews

Combat police: U.S. Army military police in Vietnam

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was in Vietnam in 1968, 1969 and 1971 serving with the 194th MP Co, 557th MP Co and the 560th MP Co in such places as Bin Hoa, Pr'Line Mountain (Dalat), Phu Tai, An Khe and Pleiku. It is remarkable that the US Army overlooked the Military Police role in Vietnam or at best it was an after thought. Night after night, day after day, I saw my fellow soldiers conduct themselves with dignity, restraint, and sacrifice. Being an MP in Vietnam (were everyone had a gun and knife) required the best of police work and the most a soldier has to give. From delivery of babies along side the road, to law enforcement and breaking up infiltration of the enemy forces and ambushes of convoys, all of these men performed extraordinarily in a harsh and hostile environment that we call war. Recognition for a job well done is long overdue, Thanks, Rick for recording this piece of history.

I was a Military Policeman in Viet Nam. I enjoyed this book very much as it was factual and informative. It's about time the MP's got the recognition they deserve. How can I contact the author?

I served with Company A of the 720th Military Police Battalion from December 3, 1969 to Nov. 11, 1970. Starting out as a machine gunner on a escort jeep and advancing to driver of a V100 ( named the Devils Disciple ) this was the first time I had ever read any full length description of my Battlion and Company. I was set back to read about the exact things I did especially what we called Operation Night Overtake but in Ricks book it was officially called Overtake Darkness. Realizing I had photographs of the very places Rick discussed..the Newport Bridge, the Phu Cong Bridge, Highway 1A and many of the places we escorted convoys was not only very exciting because it was up close and personal but brought back powerful memories of my tour. An outstanding book for all former Combat MP's who served in the Nam...I am very thankfull it has been written.

I served with the 716th MPBN, C company from December 1969-December 1970. It was an experience I will never forget. Combat Police gave me good insight into the history of not only my BN but all MP units. The book was well structured and precice. Reading it brought back many memories.

I am a former military police officer who served in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968 with the 504th Military Police Battalion and have just finished reading "Combat Police: The U.S. Army Military Police in Vietnam". It is the only book I've found that covers military police operations in Vietnam. I strongly recommend this extremely well documented book to anyone interested in the military police operations, especially Vietnam Veterans who served with the military police and historians of the Vietnam war. This war, which eliminated traditional "front lines", redefined the mission of the Military Police Corps to a primary mission of combat support and being redesignated an arm and a service. Today this can be seen in U. S. military operations in Panama, Desert Storm, Somalia, and Bosnia.

Thanks to Rick Young's tenacious ten year effort, U. S. Army Military Policemen finally have their contributions to Vietnam War reported.

"Combat Police" filled the gap in the US Army Military Police Corps which had been yearning for a lack of recognition of our combat actions in the past. The author attempts to shed some light on several different aspects of the war and discusses many details from the numbers of soldiers in different units to particular combat actions involving K-9 units, and everything in between. The book did seem to make many jumps from one topic to another, which was sometimes hard to follow, but with the complexity of the war, I'm not sure how the author could have avoided this. Some pictures would have been nice, but the book strongly stands on its own without them. Rick Young is a new hero to us MPs as we now have more evidence of our rich combat history and direct support to the Combat Arms Branches of the US Army.

I was a proud member of Co.C, 504th MP Battalion, spending most of my tour in Bong Son in the Central Highlands. This book not only explains the various roles of the combat MP, but it allows us to see what other units were doing.

As a Military Policeman that has been deployed and on his second, this book hit home for me. Not only is this good for Militaru or MP's to read but also for the everyday cicilian. This book hit home mostly to me because 1) MP 2) My battalion and company was in Vietnam 3) It gives insight on my occupation in previous years. For a civilian it would open your eyes to the miltary policemans life in vietnam. No... MP's don't always write tickets. A real Combat MP gets in firefights and reacts with the local population, as you will read in this book ( yes there is some talk of ticket writing).

I think that the book is cool because the writing is okay and i think that the book needs pictures in it