~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association History Project ~
Battalion Campaigns and Decorations
 Includes organic companies and attached units
This Page Last Updated   9 December 2011
The Battalions CHARLIE Company and the 813th MP Company were the first military police companies to be awarded the "Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation for their participation in the Papuan Campaign," in June 1943.
If you notice any errors or omissions, can provide any missing units, General Orders, summaries, information, or photographs of the presentation ceremonies for any of these awards, decorations and campaigns, or would just like to offer a comment, please notify the History Project Manager via the Email Link provided above.

     Most of the honors, awards, and campaigns listed for the 720th Military Police Battalion and its organic units have been verified by official military archival records (issuing authority and orders numbers listed), however, some have yet to be verified through official documentation and their status are so noted by an asterisk. For those yet to be verified, the original information was obtained from interviews with former Battalion veterans, unofficial units histories, or period press releases.

     If you served with any of the units listed on this page during the time periods specified for the campaigns or unit decorations, and they do not appear on you military records of service, feel free to download those accessible via PDF or contact the History Project Manager for copies or information on those that are not.
Battalion and individual Company awards and honors are displayed during formal military ceremonies on the
 
The Streamer Project

     The Reunion Association is currently conducting a program during which we are asking for donations to assist us in obtaining each and every officially authorized streamer for our own Battalion Colors and the Unit Guidon's of the organic companies. The Colors and the Guidon's with their attached decorations are displayed at each Reunion to honor those Soldiers Of The Gauntlet  who were taken from our ranks in the line of duty, war and humanitarian deployments throughout the world, as well as to recognize those who have served honorably in the past, and those who currently fill our ranks.
     The If you would like to make a donation or require additional information, please use this link to The Streamer Project
 
Remember, thousands of Veterans have earned medals for bravery every day. A few are even awarded.
U.S. Army
MP Corps
720th
U.S. Army
Colors
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World War II
Pacific Theater
20 January 1942 ~ 8 September 1945
Basic Service Medals and Ribbons authorized for the individual Battalion soldiers serving in the WW II Pacific Theater. Click on each of the individual ribbons for their criteria.

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment
Streamer Embroidered 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945 Headquarters, and Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion Cited; Department of The Army General Orders No. 47-50, 1945


Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation
Streamer Embroidered Papua 23 July 1942-23 January 1943
Charlie Company, 720th Military Police Battalion
     War Department, General Order No. 21, 6 May 1943, Amended by Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces In The Far East, General Orders No. 31, 10 June 1943, DISTINGUISHED UNIT COMMENDATION, (CITATION) (official orders & citation needed).

(3 Campaign Stars) ~ Philippine Liberation Medal
American Campaign Medal

New Guinea (Papua) Campaign ~ Luzon Island Philippines Campaign

Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Streamer Embroidered 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945
Headquarters, and Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion
Cited; Department of The Army General Orders #47-50, 1945

Meritorious Unit Commendation, B & C Company
(Army), Streamer Embroidered Pacific Theater
HQ New Guinea Base Sec. General Orders #19, 25 June 1945

Silver Guidon B and, B Company
"World War II, Asiatic Pacific Theater, Papua."
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Occupied Japan
8 September 1945 ~ 21 February 1955
     During its post World War II tour in Occupied Japan, the Battalion HQ & HQ Company and its organic units served under several headquarter commands, General Headquarters (GHQ) Southwest Pacific Area, U.S. 8th Army, and Army Forces Far East.
Basic Service Medals and Ribbons authorized for the Japan Theater of Operations
Click on individual ribbons for criteria

Headquarters & Headquarters Company, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta Companies
Meritorious Unit Commendation (1st Award)
*Streamer Embroidered Japan 1 July 1950-27 July 1954
*Streamer Embroidered Korea 1 July 1950-27 July 1954
* With the start of hostilities in South Korea, the Battalion remained in Tokyo on occupation duty rebuilding Charlie Company. The award (unofficial citation) recognizes the Battalion for its ability to perform its occupation and security mission in metropolitan Tokyo after having Charlie Company, and volunteers from Alpha, Bravo, and Delta Companies to fill its TO&E, redesigated as the X Corps MP Company (Provisional), and assigned to the landing at Inchon, Korea subordinate to the X Corps Headquarters, 8th Army.
     *United States Army Forces, Far East, General Order No. 36, 1954 (official orders and citation needed)
     *Department of the Army, General Order No. 42-45, 1955 (official orders and citation needed)
     *Department of the Army, General Order No. 109, 6 April 1955 (official orders and citation needed)
* The award becomes even more confusing due to a total of 3 Department of the Army General Orders (36, 42, 45, 109) issued in 1955 being cited in the Battalion Reunion Association records. None of the official orders for this award were found in the available hard copy archives of the Association. Attempts to solve this confusion will be conducted through the Regimental Historian.
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Vietnam War
10 October 1966 ~ 13 August 1972
The Battalion chain of command during its tour in South Vietnam was, 18th Military Police Brigade, 89th Military Police Group, 10 October 1966-21 December 1971, and Unites States Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV) Provost Marshal, 18th Military Police Brigade, 21 December 1971-13 August 1972
Basic Service Medals and Ribbons authorized for the South Vietnam Theater of Operations
Click on individual ribbons for criteria

Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, Alpha, Bravo, Charlie Companies
3- Meritorious Unit Commendations, 14- Campaign Streamers, 1- Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm

Counteroffensive, Phase II
(4th Campaign) 1 July 1966 through 31 May 1967
Meritorious Unit Commendation (1st OLC)
Streamer Embroidered Vietnam 19 October 1966-31 May 1967
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion,
and the 615th Military Police Company
     Department of the Army General Order No. 17, 23 April 1968, Section II, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Paragraph 114, Page 85. NOTE: The PDF download time is long due to the number of pages.

Counteroffensive, Phase III
(5th Campaign) 1 June 1967 through 29 January 1968

Tet Counteroffensive
(6th Campaign) 30 January 1968 through 1 April 1968
Meritorious Unit Commendation (2nd OLC)
Streamer Embroidered Vietnam 1 June 1967-8 February 1968
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion,
and the 615th Military Police Company
     Department of the Army General Order No. 48, 13 September 1968, Section II, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Paragraph 32, Page 27. NOTE: The PDF download time is long due to the number of pages.

Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase IV
(7th Campaign) 2 November 1968 through 22 February 1969
Meritorious Unit Commendation (3rd OLC)
Streamer Embroidered Vietnam 15 February 1968-1 February 1969
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion,
and the 212th Military Police Company (Sentry Dog)
     Department of the Army General Order No. 36, 8 July 1970, Section IV, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Paragraph 24, Page 5.

Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase V
(8th Campaign) 1 July 1968 through 1 November 1968

Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase VI
(9th Campaign) 2 November 1968 through 22 February 1969

Tet 69/Counteroffensive
(10th Campaign) 23 February 1969 through 8 June 1969

Vietnam Summer-Fall 1969
(11th Campaign) 9 June 1969 through 31 October 1969

Vietnam Winter-Spring 1970
(12th Campaign) 1 November 1969 through 30 April 1970

Sanctuary Counteroffensive
(13th Campaign) 1 May 1970 through 30 June 1970

Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase VII
(14th Campaign) 1 July 1970 through 30 June 1971

Consolidation I
(15th Campaign) 1 July 1971 through 30 November 1971

Consolidation II
(16th Campaign) 1 December 1971 through 29 March 1972

Vietnam Cease Fire Campaign
(17th Campaign) 30 March 1972 through 28 March 1973
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm
Streamer Embroidered Vietnam 15 February 1966-1972
18th Military Police Brigade, and assigned and attached units.
     Department of the Army General Order No. 6, 23 February 1974, Section II, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Paragraph 5, Page 7.

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Panama
 Operation JUST CAUSE / PROMOTE LIBERTY
20 December 1989 ~ 31 January 1990

401st Military Police Company (detached), 89th Military Police Brigade, III Corps
During this deployment the 401st chain of command became fluid. From 19 to 23 December they served subordinate to the 519th MP Battalion, 193rd Infantry Brigade. From 23 December 1968 to 9 January 1990, in addition to the aforementioned units they also served subordinate to the 16th MP Brigade, 503rd MP Battalion, and 82nd Airborne Division.
Basic Service Medals and Ribbons authorized for the Operation JUST CAUSE & PROMOTE LIBERTY
Click on individual ribbons for criteria
Valorous Unit Award
Streamer Embroidered Panama 19 December 1989 to 3 January 1990
Department of the Army, General Orders No. 22, 30 August 1991, Section VI, VALOROUS UNIT AWARD, (CITATION), Page 4. As announced in U.S. Army Forces Central Command, Permanent Order 97-71, 30 April 1991.
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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq
Operation DESERT SHIELD / STORM
15 October 1990 ~ 21 April 1991
Basic Service Medals and Ribbons authorized for the Desert Shield / Storm Theater of Operations
Click on individual ribbons for criteria
Meritorious Unit Commendation (4th OLC)
Streamer Embroidered Southwest Asia 13 October 1990-13 April 1991
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion
(no attached units were recognized in this order)
     Department of the Army General Order No. 17, 19 June 1992, Section VIII, MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION, (CITATION), Page 7.

Southwest Asia Cease-Fire Campaign
12 Aoril 1991 through 30 November 1995 (orders needed)
401st Military Police Company & 411th Military Police Company
Campaign Streamers embroidered as show below:

Defense of Saudi Arabia Campaign
2 August 1990 through 16 January 1991
Department of the Army, General Orders No. 7, Section II, Page 17

Liberation and Defense of Kuwait Campaign
17 January-11 April 1991
Department of the Army, General Orders No. 7, Section III, Page 42
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Somalia
Operation RESTORE HOPE
1990 ~ 1991
 

Headquarters Detachment ~ ? MP Company ~ ? MP Company

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation
Streamer Embroidered Restore Hope 1993
Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion
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Bosnia
Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR / GUARD
1996 ~ 1997
 

Headquarters Detachment ~ 411th MP Company ~ 64th MP Company

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
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Army Superior Unit Award
HQ & HQ Detachment, 720th MP Battalion, and the following assigned or attached units:
64th MP Company, 401st MP Company, 410th MP Company, 411th MP Company
Streamer Embroidered, 14 June 1994-13 January 1996
Department of the Army, General Orders No. 15, 17 April 1997, Section IV ARMY SUPERIOR UNIT AWARD, Page 6
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Iraq
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
19 March 2003 ~ Current
Basic Service Medals and Ribbons authorized for the Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
Click on individual ribbons for criteria
Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion, and the assigned or attached units:
64th Military Police Company, 401st Military Police Company, 411th Military Police Company, attached units:
615th Military Police Company, 978th Military Police Company, 855th Military Police Company
Valorous Unit Award
Streamer Embroidered, 15 April-5 November 2003
Department of the Army, General Orders No. 3, 6 November 2007, Section IV , VALOROUS UNIT AWARD, Page 7
Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion, 29 December 2004-8 November 2005
and the assigned or attached units:
64th MP Company, 11 March-8 November 2005, 401st MP Company, 5 February-8 November 2005,
411th MP Company, 20 March-8 November 2005,
Battery A, 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery Regiment, 3 January-8 November 2005,
Battery C, 1st Battalion, 151st Field Artillery Regiment, 15 June-8 November 2005,
Detachment, HQ&HQ Battery, 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment, 30 January-8 November 2005,
313th MP Detachment, 7 January-30 September 2005
Meritorious Unit Commendation (5th OLC)
Streamer Embroidered, Southwest Asia 29 December 2004-8 November 2005
     Department of the Army General Order No. 12, 16 December 2009, Section IV, MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION (citation needed), Page 5.
Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, 720th Military Police Battalion, 1 December 2005-31 December 2006,
and the assigned or attached units:
64th MP Company, 401st MP Company, 410th MP Company, 411th MP Company, 26th MP Detachment,
110th MP Company, 29 October-31 December 2006.
Army Superior Unit Award (1st OLC)
Streamer Embroidered, 1 December 2005-31 December 2006
Department of the Army, General Orders No. 12, 10 August 2010, Section II, ARMY SUPERIOR UNIT AWARD, Page 3
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Afghanistan
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
11 September 2001 ~ Current
Basic Service Medals and Ribbons authorized for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM
Click on individual ribbons for criteria
410th MP Company
2009-2010
64th MP Company
2010-2011
411th MP Company
2010-2011
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