The 93rd MP Battalion and the Vung Tau Harbor Patrol
Vietnam's coastline and inland waterways presented military police with a constantly shifting set of responsibilities. Beyond the checkpoints, convoy escorts, and prisoner handling that defined their land-based work, MPs were tasked with guarding harbours, wharves, and the small craft that moved supplies and personnel along the coast. The 93rd MP Battalion became one of the units most closely associated with this maritime security mission, particularly at the strategic port of Vung Tau.
Vung Tau, a coastal city south of Saigon, served as a major logistics hub for allied forces during the war. Its harbour handled everything from ammunition barges to troop transports, and the security of those waters fell to a combination of Navy coastal patrol forces and Army military police detachments. The 93rd MP Battalion's harbour patrol section operated in this complex environment, working alongside Navy crews, Australian advisors, and Vietnamese regional forces.
For researchers and family historians based in Australia, the story of the 93rd MP Battalion offers a window into a less-celebrated corner of the Vietnam conflict. Australian veterans who returned home often spoke of seeing American MPs at the harbours and ports during their R&R rotations, and these encounters remain a recurring thread in oral histories held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The battalion's work at Vung Tau is now part of the broader archival record that Australian Vietnam veteran associations, such as the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, regularly reference in their commemorations.
The archival materials that survive from this period include unit after-action reports, personal letters, and a modest but growing collection of photographs. Some of those images show military police reflecting after the 1968 Tet Offensive at the American Embassy, capturing the weariness and quiet resolve of MPs who had spent hours securing the perimeter. The 93rd's harbour patrol work, though less photographed, occupied many of those same soldiers in different settings, and the documentary trail left behind helps reconstruct the rhythm of their service.
Origins and assignment of the 93rd MP Battalion
The 93rd Military Police Battalion was activated in the United States and deployed to Vietnam as part of the broader build-up of military police strength during the late 1960s. Its soldiers came from varied backgrounds, including former state police officers, recent draftees, and regular Army volunteers. Upon arrival in Vietnam, the battalion was assigned to a wide operational area that included major ports, base complexes, and lines of communication.
Unlike MP companies that were attached to specific divisions, the 93rd operated as a general support battalion. This meant its companies and detachments could be tasked anywhere within the III and IV Corps Tactical Zones, depending on shifting priorities. The battalion's headquarters coordinated movements, logistics, and operational reporting, while individual platoons handled the hands-on work at sites ranging from Saigon to the southern coastal provinces.
The battalion's structure typically included headquarters company, several MP companies, and a small number of specialised detachments. One of those detachments was tasked with harbour patrol duties at Vung Tau. This assignment grew in importance as the port's traffic increased, and the detachment's officers worked closely with Navy lieutenant commanders responsible for coordinating coastal security. The relationship between Army and Navy personnel in this setting was professional but required ongoing adjustment, since each service followed its own operational doctrines and communication protocols.
Operational focus across the battalion
| Focus Area | Location | Mission | Manning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbour patrol | Vung Tau waters | Anti-sabotage, security of shipping | Small boat crews |
| Installation security | Vung Tau base camp | Perimeter, gate, internal policing | Rotating shifts |
| Convoy support | Routes to Saigon | Escort, traffic control | Vehicle-borne teams |
| Prisoner operations | Regional detention facilities | Processing, guarding, transport | Static and escort duties |
This distribution of tasks allowed the 93rd MP Battalion to maintain a continuous presence across multiple critical nodes in the southern logistics network. Each focus area required different training, different equipment, and a different posture toward the local population. The harbour patrol, in particular, demanded sailors' skills as much as soldiers' skills, and the detachment that handled it developed a distinct identity within the battalion.
Life on the water at Vung Tau
The harbour patrol detachment at Vung Tau worked out of a small compound near the main pier, sharing space with Navy personnel who operated the larger patrol craft. The Army MPs were responsible for the inner harbour security zone, which included the fuel piers, the ammunition wharf, and the area immediately adjacent to the base's main loading facilities. Their boats were typically smaller than the Navy's coastal patrol vessels, allowing them to work closer to the wharves and into the shallower coves along the peninsula.
A typical patrol began before sunrise, with crews checking their boats, fuel levels, and ammunition before pushing off from the pier. The work involved hours of slow cruising through the harbour approaches, watching for swimmers, suspicious craft, or anything that might indicate a sabotage attempt. Night patrols were especially tense, since the darkness provided cover for swimmers carrying satchel charges or limpet mines, a threat that had been demonstrated at other Vietnamese ports.
Between patrols, the detachment's soldiers maintained their boats, cleaned weapons, and stood ready for rapid response if an incident occurred elsewhere in the harbour. The detachment lived in barracks near the pier, and the proximity to salt water and engine noise became part of daily life. Many of the men who served in this role later spoke of the harbour patrol as some of the most physically demanding work they did in Vietnam, partly because of the long hours and partly because of the unrelenting vigilance it required.
Craft, equipment, and conditions
The boats used by the 93rd MP Battalion's harbour patrol were generally small, manoeuvrable craft suited to the confined waters of Vung Tau harbour. Typical vessels included Boston Whaler-type hulls and other flat-bottomed boats that could operate in shallow water and be beached for maintenance. Armament usually consisted of mounted machine guns and small arms for the crew, with additional ammunition stored in waterproof containers.
Maintenance was a persistent concern in the tropical salt-air environment. Salt corrosion attacked metal fittings, electrical systems, and engines with equal intensity, and the detachment's mechanics spent long hours keeping the small fleet operational. Fuel availability was generally good, since the port's infrastructure supported both military and civilian vessels, but obtaining spare parts sometimes required improvisation.
Weather played a major role in the patrol's rhythm. During the monsoon season, rough seas and low visibility curtailed night operations, while the dry season brought better conditions but also higher traffic in the harbour. Crews learned to read the weather quickly, adjusting their departure times and patrol routes accordingly. Uniforms and personal gear were adapted for the marine environment, with many soldiers wearing lightweight clothing and life vests whenever their boats were underway.
Working alongside Australian and allied personnel
Vung Tau was a common port of call for Australian servicemen travelling to and from their R&R rotations in Sydney, and the harbour patrol MPs regularly interacted with Australian troops. These encounters were generally cordial, with Australian soldiers often stopping to chat with the MPs manning the pier checkpoints. The Australian accent, unfamiliar to many American soldiers, became a familiar sound in the harbour area, and friendships formed quickly between personnel on leave and the MPs working the security detail.
The Australian military presence in Vung Tau included logistics personnel, advisory teams, and troops rotating through the city for rest and recreation. Australian naval vessels also visited the port, and coordination between Army MPs and Australian sailors was routine. Language was rarely a barrier, though Australian slang occasionally required interpretation for the American MPs; terms like "arvo" for afternoon or "fair dinkum" for something genuine sometimes drew amused looks before the meaning became clear.
Beyond the Australians, the harbour patrol worked with Vietnamese regional forces, Navy coastal patrol crews, and occasional attachments from other MP units. This multinational mix required careful coordination, but it also provided a broader perspective on the war for the American soldiers involved. For Australian researchers and veterans today, these joint experiences are an important part of the shared memory of the conflict, and they feature prominently in commemorative events held at venues like the Australian Vietnam Forces National Memorial in Canberra.
Legacy in archives and memorials
The legacy of the 93rd MP Battalion's harbour patrol at Vung Tau lives on in scattered records and personal recollections. Unit reports, deck logs from the small boats, and a small number of photographs have survived in archives and private collections. Veterans of the detachment have contributed their stories to oral history projects, and several have written memoirs that describe the work in vivid detail. These accounts are valuable not only for historians but also for families seeking to understand what their relatives experienced during the war.
The work of MPs at the harbour has a parallel in other difficult assignments across Vietnam, such as the siege of Con Thien, where military police served under intense combat conditions near the DMZ. Comparing these different environments helps illustrate the wide range of situations in which MPs found themselves during the conflict. From the coastal waters of Vung Tau to the battlefields near the DMZ, military police adapted to each setting and performed duties that were often far removed from the public image of their role.
In Australia, the 93rd's story forms part of the broader tapestry of Vietnam War memory. Australian commemorations, including Long Tan Day services held each August, often acknowledge the contributions of allied units that supported Australian operations. The harbour patrol's quiet, persistent work at Vung Tau may not have made headlines at the time, but it remains a meaningful chapter in the archival history of the war, and one that continues to attract interest from researchers, family members, and veterans on both sides of the Pacific.
