a company

A Company arrives in Vietnam

19 October The 720th Military Police Battalion (minus the advance party) after brief stopovers at the Island of Okanawa in Japan, then DaNang Harbor, arrived at the port of Vung Tau, Republic of South Vietnam aboard the Troop Ship USNS Daniel L. Sultan.

They were transported to the air field and air lifted to Bien Hoa Air Base where motorized transport was waiting to have them and their equipment trucked to their new compound area in III Corps Tactical Zone, at Long Binh Post, located in Bien Hoa Province.

20 October to 4 November The soldiers of the 720th MP Battalion under the command of LTC Glen A. Hill, began the task of constructing the first semblance of what would eventually be their headquarters and home in Vietnam until 13 August 1972.

During the construction phase the men of the three organic companies (A, B, & C) also shared the task of security for their compound and the Long Binh military post which was still in it’s infancy and would soon grow to be the largest HQ and logistical supply base in Vietnam.

The majority of the Battalion perimeter bunkers were constructed by A Company, 1st Platoon under command of 2LT John Milligan.

The first quarters for the men of A Company were standard canvas tents and mud floors during the rains. Local Vietnamese civilian workers were hired through a fund contributed to by each member of the company to perform many of the house cleaning chores.

The "Hooch (house) Maids" made the beds, cleaned the tents, laundered the bedding and uniforms, cleaned and polished boots, ran errands, etc. Each member of the company contributed approximate $15.00 per month to pay their salaries.

5 November The Battalion became "Mission Capable" and HHD, and A, B & C, companies were assigned their first operational orders by the 89th MP Group.

The first official missions were unit specific however all three companies shared responsibility for many of the early missions jointly or on a rotating basis every few months.

The missions included: post patrol for Long Binh; town patrol for the city of Bien Hoa; 3rd Ordinance Ammunition Depot interior and exterior perimeter security, security for Cogido Docks (ammunition and fuel barges), and ammunition resupply convoy escorts to Tay Ninh.