from David Lupinski
I was assigned to USARV Highway Traffic Center from May of 1970 to March of 1971 when it was phased out.
I was a Sp4 and a draftee and in hindsight realize that I was lucky to be assigned to unit that allowed me to travel freely. The Traffic Center monitored all convoy traffic and road security in Viet Nam. Any convoy that moved on the highways was to contact HTC and get a clearance number that was to be chalked on the first two and last two vehicles of that convoy. Each morning as the highways were swept our regional units passed on the word that the convoy routes were open for the day.
HTC was headquarted at Long Binh and had regional centers at Plantation for III an IV Corps and I believe the other was in Nha Trang (25 years plays trick on the memory) for I and II Corps. I Worked with the Plantation unit that was attached to the Second Field Force. From there we were attached as individuals to other units in Can Tho, Bear Cat, Lai Kai, Phouc Vinh, Saigon and Phu Loi.
We were in daily contact with the 4th Trans in Long Bingh and our patrol jeeps often followed along with their supply convoys. In Saigon and Phu Loi we had MPs attached to us so that we could stop convoys that failed to get our clearance. Needless to say many units found us to be a royal pain, particularly the 11th ACR who saw no need to get permission from us to do anything. One of their officers threatened to shoot one of our Sergeants when one morning he took his job a little too seriously and stopped armored convoy that didn't have a clearance number.
We also coordinated with the ARVN Headquarters in Bien Hoa. Most of their convoys ran from Vung Tau to Bien Hoa.
I haven't heard from anyone in the unit, but then there never were many of us. I hope this brief history may be of some help. Keep up the good work.