CONTENTS
Music - Alan Jackson - "Pop A Top"
545th Military Police Company
Military Police Clubs
A Pictorial History
As of January 26, 2012
Throughout the history of the Military Police Corps and especially in the 1st Cavalry Division, Military Policemen have found it difficult to relax off duty and let their hair down in the presence of other soldiers. Not only was it difficult for them, but soldiers from units that the MP’s policed were uncomfortable in bars and clubs when they knew that off duty MP’s were present while they were letting their hair down. It is difficult for MP’s to enter an off duty bar or club where soldiers that they have issued traffic tickets or DR’s to or apprehended for military offenses are enjoying themselves and when alcoholic beverages are involved – it is even more difficult. Such actions have been cause for altercations of the worst kind. To preclude this type of incident and to allow the MP’s to enjoy themselves while off duty, the 1st Cavalry MP’s have usually managed to set up an MP Club which was for the exclusive patronage of MP’s within the Division. Oftentimes, they not only had an MP Club on base, but one downtown as well and it was usually authorized for use by the MP’s coming off duty after curfew. Many of these off base clubs had special permission from the Division Provost Marshal to remain open after curfew for the sole purpose of allowing MP’s coming off the 1600 -2400 shift to have a place to go and unwind after their shift. In many cases on duty patrols were also allowed access to these after hour’s clubs for a meal or cup of coffee – of course with the permission of the Desk Sergeant. The following is a pictorial history of such clubs and I hope you enjoy viewing it as much as I did putting it together.
Fort Bliss Texas
As of this date there is no record of an MP Club at Fort Bliss for the Cav MP’s.
Australia
As of this date there is no record of an MP Club in Australia for the Cav MP’s, although I was informed by SGT Harold Lehman who served in the old MP Platoon at Camp Drake, Japan that he had heard from some old timers that they did have one in downtown Brisbane.
Pacific Theater
As of this date there is no record of any MP Club for the Cav MP’s during WW II although they probably did have one in Manila at the end of the war.
Japan
Unidentified MP Platoon MP’s off duty in the MP 45 club at Camp Drake Japan
They even had Club Cards for the MP Club at Camp Drake, Japan in the 1940’s
Interior of the Enlisted MP Club at Camp Drake
Prior to the establishment of the MP Club, the Cav MP’s attended the Roof Top Beer Garden at the Ernie Pile Theater at Camp Drake, 1945 Note the Allied soldiers from Australia
Unidentified 545th MP’s off duty at the MP Club at Camp Drake, Japan 1940’s. MSG Roger Everhart reminds me that there was also a Company Snack Bar in the barracks as well and it was run by the company mess personnel.
There is no photo available at this time of the MP Club which was downtown behind the MP Station in Sapporo Japan and next to the Class VII Liquor Store. This was during the Camp Crawford era in the 1950’s
Fort Gulick, Panama
Off duty 545th MP’s enjoying themselves in their off duty – off post club
Some of the night life available to the 545th MP’s in the Canal Zone in the 1950’s at one of their favorite night spots
One of the many night club shows put on for the 545th MP’s in Panama.
And what would a floor show be without a chorus line
If you have a chorus line then there must also be an exotic dancer as well.
Our boys in the 545th really had it rough back then!
Korea
A roadside refreshment stand somewhere in North Korea where the 545th MP’s got a cold beer and something to eat while on route recon and TCP during the Korean War 1950/51 and they would stop here between assignments and stand down for a few hours. I might add that this was not sanctioned by CPT Mehl, the Company Commander.
The 1st Platoon of the 545th MP Co had its own patio at Camp Custer, Korea where they enjoyed Bar-B-Q’s and a beer on post 1963/64 with PFC Robert Goble on the far left and PFC George Wright on the far right. MSG Goble is a member of our association
Slicky Boy Corner, Musan, Korea 1963 where the MP’s had an off post Club where they often got a meal
545th MP NCO Club at Camp Custer, Korea 1961
Vietnam
The beginnings of the Hon Kong Valley MP/NCO Club at An Khe about 1965 in Vietnam with 545th NCO Art Bernicchi counting the days until it is open
The finished product – complete with sign with 545th MP Bill Price and a cold one in his hand 1965
This finished product – An Khe MP Club in the background
545th MP’s enjoying a company Bar-B-Q at Camp Radcliff, An Khe, Vietnam in 1966. When the 545th first arrived in Vietnam there were very few buildings and few GP Medium tents as well. Two of our members seem to remember that there were two buildings and one of them was portioned off as an NCO Club. SFC Jimmy Waynick says that when he arrived at An Khe, there were two buildings at the end of the Company area – one was the PM hooch and one was the MP Club which was at the end of the company street. SGT Joe Smeck was the company barber and used to give hair cuts in the MP Club for beer money. Later on in 1967 the MP Club was portioned off and half was made into an MP NCO Club. One of the NCO’s painted a really nice mural on the wall
Fresh Meat on the way to another 545th Bar-B-Q 1966/67
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Bar in the 545th MP Club during Christmas at An Khe 1966
There was a lot of holiday cheer in the 545th MP Club at An Khe in 1966
CPT Sam Reinert and 1SG Bill Sykes in the MP Club with Santa. Phouc Vinh, Vietnam 1969
Christmas Card from the Cav troopers in Vietnam
Party time at one of the many LZ’s the 545th manned and secured.
Of course, no pictorial history of Cav MP Clubs in Vietnam would be complete without a photo of a bottle of Bah Me Bah (complete with formaldehyde additive/preservative) if you weren’t blind or crazy before you drank it – you sure were afterwards.
Interior of the 545th MP Club at Phouc Vinh, RVN 1969 (shirts had to be worn after 1800 due to mosquitoes/Malaria control)
Another interior shot of the 545th MP Club at Phouc Vinh RVN where you’ll note the padded chairs, fans, custom made curtains and A/C unit. It also had running water and mahogany paneling and a solid, one piece mahogany bar top. This club was constructed from scrounged materials and the labor of just about every MP in the company. The division officers club had folding metal chairs at this time which really ticked off the Chief of Staff
CPT Reinert and an unknown MP out behind the MP Club under the shade of the Cargo Chute and you can see the water barrel for the running water in the MP Club just behind and to the right of CPT Reinert
Cargo Chute and Bar-B-Q area behind the MP Club at Phouc Vinh, RVN, complete with sound stage and lots of colored lights at night 1970
545th MP’s at LZ Two Bits in their platoon Bar-B-Q area
Although of humble appearance, this MP Club at Quan Loi has a lot of history. When 1LT Aylward was at Quan Loi and CPT Withrow was the Platoon Leader, Dirty Dan, who was a Vietnamese Civilian who conducted maintenance and sand bag details for the 545th MP’s and who also had his tongue cut out by the VC for informing on them to the US Forces used to sell sodas to the members of the convoy details and to the MP’s to make a few extra bucks for his family. CPT Withrow had him partition off part of one of the Southeast Asia Huts and make it into a club for the MP’s and allowed Dirty Dan to sell his sodas there. Someone suggested that it ought to have a name and LT Aylward suggested “Al’s Tavern” (Overseas Branch). It seems that LT Aylward’s father and brother owned a bar in Brooklyn Heights, New York, located at #44 Henry Street. Although the actual name of the bar was “Aylward’s” all the local customers called it “Al’s Tavern”. Long story short – the Quan Loi MP Club became known as Al’s Tavern. Initially, CPT Withrow allowed Dirty Dan to sell soda’s to almost anyone, but as usually happens, some of the grunts complained that the MP’s were no good SOB’s and should not be allowed to run a club at all, so it was finally decided to sell to MP’s only which included the K-9 Detachment and some of the MP’s from the 11th ACR and from then on it was a MP Club in the true sense of the word.
Dirty Dan stringing Barbed Wire around the Motor Pool for the 545th MP Company
Interior of 545th MP Club at Bien Hoa (Division Rear) 1968
Another interior shot of the 545th MP Club at Bien Hoa. You’ll note that there was no dress code other than you be clean – flip flops, boxer shorts, T Shirts and have on long sleeves after 1800 hrs – no one cared as it was only for MP’s. I asked SFC Curry (The NCOIC of the Bien Hoa Det.) why the assortment of types of bar stools and he told me that each one had come from a different bar fight in town. The GI’s would use them for weapons in a bar fight and often they would get thrown out in the street where one of the MP Patrols would throw it in the back of the jeep and bring it back to the club. I can’t remember seeing two of them alike.
Afghanistan
Although they had no MP Club in Afghanistan, the 545th MP’s managed to find the time and the place to party occasionally and they needed to unwind after transporting detainees to GITMO and classifying hundreds of them in country
Kuwait
There are no known photos of MP Clubs for the 545th in Kuwait
Desert Storm
The 545th MP’s were so busy during Desert Storm rounding up all the EPW’s that kept flowing south that they never found the time to set up a MP Club of any kind
Iraq
There wasn’t a real MP Club in Iraq either but the 545th MP’s
sure found a place to party – especially at Christmas time in Baghdad OIF.
"One More Drinkin' Song " by Jerrod Niemann
Fort Hood
It is this writers understanding that there were several off post Clubs and night spots that were popular with the 545th MP’s at Fort Hood from the 1970’s until the units deactivation but sadly there are no photos of them yet available. During the 1970’s and early 1980’s the Company Day Room served as the MP Club as they served beer in the coke vending machines and had almost nightly pool tournaments.
As per LTC Juan Rodriguez who served with the 545th at Ft Hood in the 1st Platoon from 1973 – 1974, the platoons of the 545th MP Co at the time used to have competitions to see which one could throw the best company party. These parties were usually held in and between the barracks, out of sight from passersby. The word was that if you did not stagger/crawl away after the party that you had not partied properly. There was usually a ¼ ton jeep trailer filled with ice and beer (sounds like the parties we had in Vietnam) and the biggest bottles of hard liquor you ever saw. Everyone from the PM to the lowest Private (which included PVT Rodriguez at the time) was in attendance and most times no one could say who won the competition.
Anyone having photos to add to this photo history, kindly contact CPT Sam Reinert at the address shown below:
Sam Reinert
Founder
545th MP Co Association
626 1/2 South
9th Street
Richmond, Indiana 47374 USA
765 962 4627 phone & FAX
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