SAIGON — It was a hot sunny afternoon when entertainers Joey Bishop and Tippi Hedren began their first tour of Vietnam recently. And the 92nd MP Bn. was there to make sure "Charlie" didn't try to crash the party.

Bishop and his troupe traveled from the Newport Pier to Cat Lai by Q-boat furnished by the 4th Transportation Command. Security for the entertainers was provided by two MP river patrol boats.

The 20-mile journey started out uneventfully. The two entertainers chatted and joked with other passengers and crewmen. MPs in the patrol boats prowled close to the shore to flush out any Viet Cong ambush.

Then guards spotted two objects speeding down the river toward the celebrities' Q-boat. Suddenly, flares, three in a volley from each side of the "objects," rocketed skyward. The "objects" were mere MP boats sent from Cat Lai to welcome Bishop and Miss Hedren.

These two craft flashed into 180 degree turns spraying water 20 feet into the air. They then drew alongside the entertainers' boat and unfurled colorful banners which said "Welcome Joey" aril "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania", Bishop's home town.

"This looks like a Hollywood premiere on the Saigon river," said Bishop. "You really appreciate something like this when you're 8,000 or 9,000 miles from home."

When the troupe arrived in Cat Lai, a welcoming committee had still more surprises in store. As the Q-boat docked, a tape from the beginning of one of Bishop's television shows was set into motion.

He and Miss Hedren walked down the pier, escorted by C/87 security guards and MPs from the 300th MP Co., 92nd MP Bn., then stopped to sign autographs, pose for pictures and joke with the spectators.

Spec. 4 Mike F. Griffiths of New Bedford, Mass., patrol supervisor on one of the banner waving PBRs, said, "It's great when celebrities from back in the world appreciate what we're doing and take all this time to come over here."

Migrated