For years the 9th MP Company, 9th Infantry Division was recognized by the MP Corps Regimental Headquarters as being the first military police unit to receive a Distinguished (Presidential) Unit Citation. Their award was earned at the Lunendorf Bridge at Remagen Germany in March of 1945. This award for Charlie Company, 720th MP Battalion pre-dates that award by almost two years.

On 15 February 2011 I contacted the Office of the Regimental Historian and alerted them to the issue, and provided them with my research of the award with a request they reexamine the Charlie Company award to verify the official records. They, along with the U.S. Army Center For Military History confirmed my challenge and provided the official documents verifying that both Charlie Company, 720th and the 318th MP Company  were the first to receive the award. Thomas T. Watson, History Project Manager

WAR DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON, DC

Basic Award

6 May 1943

General Orders No. 21

AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION

The Papua Forces, United States Army, Southwest Pacific Area, are cited for outstanding performance of duty in action during the period July 23, 1942, to January 23, 1943. When a bold and aggressive enemy invaded Papua in strength, the combined action of ground and air units of these forces, in association with Allied units, checked the hostile advance, drove the enemy back to the seacoast and in a series of actions against a highly organized defensive zone, utterly destroyed him. Ground combat forces, operating over road less, jungle-covered mountains and swamps, demonstrated their courage and resourcefulness in closing with an enemy who took every advantage of the nearly impassable terrain. Air forces, by repeatedly attacking the enemy ground forces and installations, by destroying his convoys attempting to reinforcement and supply, and by transporting ground forces and supplies to areas for which land routes were nonexistent and sea routes slow and hazardous, made possible the success of the ground operations. Service units, operating fare forward of their normal positions and at times in advance of ground combat elements, build landing fields in the jungle, established and operated supply points, and provided for the hospitalization and evacuation of the wounded and sick. The courage, spirit, and devotion to duty of all elements of the command made possible the complete victory attained.