History: 1971-72
Introduction – Information Needed
Pending communication by personnel of 1971 -1972 time period little is known about the 228th and its activity in the Can Tho/Binh Thuy area of the Delta. Research via the Internet turns up very little. As near as can be determined the Company was still known as the “228th Supply and Service Company (Direct Support)” and generally still functioned per Table of Organization and Equipment as outlined during activation 20 July 1966.
There is one posting by a family member (?) seeking more data on the drowning and loss of a 228th person in Can Tho area, whereby a member of the 228th while loading and offloading a river barge, dove into the water (to cool off presumably) and never re-emerged. Efforts to find and recover the body proved fruitless. The message, posted on a Military (looking for information) site seems to indicate that said person was a member of 228th S&S Co (DS) and 266th S&S BN (DS) as the 228th superior.
This portion regarding the 266th once again being the superior command of the 228th is possible, but doubtful, as it seems the 266th remained in Long Binh from 1966 -1973, while Can Tho and Binh Thuy, where seemingly the 228th was a subordinate of the 91st Composite Service Battalion, are some 100 miles southwest of Long Binh (See 1972-1973 History).
Note: Of specific interest and related to the 91st Composite Service Battalion located in IV Corps (a subordinate of 29th General Support Group, USASUPCOM, 1st Logistics Command), is the fact, that the 91st is referred to by the 29th General Support Group in 1969 and 1970 as “91st Composite Service Battalion” while 1st Logistics Command refers to the unit as “91st Combat Battalion” in 1970. The unit has also been referred to as the “91st Combined (Combat) Battalion”. The specific location Dong Tam (later moved to Can Tho a few miles southward) near the southern most main tributary of the Mekong River, approximately 100 miles south of Saigon, but far enough inland westward (rough calculation approximating 20 miles) from the South China Sea. This allowed the Navy access up-river, the Army the ability to offload supply barges and other non deep water craft, while the Air Force had two (possibly 3) air-fields in operation…the larger and main field being in Can Tho, with another a little to the northwest located at Binh Thuy. In addition, Highway 1A was the central highway of access and egress from Can Tho (a bridge crossing the tributary of the Mekong) with an approximate 100 mile straight run to Saigon, or 130 miles to Long Binh, Bien Hoa area, which by 1970 was the largest Supply Depot of the Armed Forces in the World.
Submitted By:
SP4 Arthur B. Neighbor (Company Clerk 1966-1967)……… 18 February 2012
Consecutive History and Stories
Update: (28 March 2012)
Per online document. “The 228th S&S Co (DS) was recommended for an MUC for time period 30 August 1970 – 31 December 1971 as a subordinate unit of DLSA (Delta Logistics Supply Activity) 48th Transportation Group (Provisional)”. In effect, this document seems to indicate, that the 228th was never a part or portion of the 91st Composite Service Battalion, or if it was, it had to be on a TDY basis or Attached basis. Further research will be necessary, as per Order of Battle Vietnam, the 228th remained in RVN until 1973.
The subordinate units Assigned or Attached to the DLSA HHD 48th Transportation Group (Provisional) 1971-1972 were:
30th Signal Detachment – 120th Transportation Company – 228th Supply and Service Company (Direct Support) – 235th Quartermaster Detachment (Petrol) – 259th Transportation Detachment (Floating Craft Maintenance) – 261st Maintenance Detachment – 292nd Finance Section – 440th Transportation Company – 1st Platoon 510th Engineer Company – 519th Signal Detachment – 526th Maintenance Company (Light) (Direct Support) – 534th Transportation Company (Medium Truck) and 550th Ordnance Detachment (Ammunition)
A.B.N…… per NARA filmstrip records and recommendation for MUC by DLSA HHD 48th Transportation Group (Provisional), which was not approved by higher authority after 6 months of varied review. The reason (as near as can be determined) was “the unit did not meet the strict standards necessary to the award of an MUC”. In addition the 48th Transportation Group departed RVN 13 June of 1972…the last word on the matter generated by USASUPCOM, Saigon in July 1972.
Note: Continued research regarding units subordinate to HHD 48th Transportation Group (Provisional) indicated that 3 units within the above listing were inactivated 30 April 1972; The 519th Signal Detachment (whose superior command was the 54th Signal Battalion, who in turn was the subordinate of the 160th Signal Brigade – inactivated 3 June 1972, Oakland Army Base) the 259th Transportation Detachment (Floating Craft Maintenance) inactivated 30 April 1972 in RVN and the 440th Transportation Company (Terminal Transfer).
Vince Webb (History 1967-1968), our resident expert on obtaining Morning Reports has volunteered to seek MR’s of the 228th in January and February 1972 in the hope data (if available) will reveal the status of the unit when a possible change might have occurred. At a minimum, the scope of what happened to the 228th S&S Co (DS) and its final disposition will be narrowed in time…but, we are getting close.