a company

2 January The Battalion committed a platoon of twenty-seven MPs and nine gun jeeps of A Company on the first official battalion escort of the 25th Infantry Division, Tay Ninh/Cu Chi Convoy. This convoy would eventually become the largest daily convoy escort conducted by Allied Forces during the Vietnam War.

25th

3 January During the period of 3 to 24 January 1967, one platoon of MPs from A Company were committed in support of Operation Deckhouse V, a clearing operation conducted by U.S. Marine Corps and ARVN (Army of The Republic of South Vietnam) elements.

Operation DECKHOUSE -V

21 January The Commanding Officer of the 25th Infantry Division issued a letter of appreciation to the 18th MP Brigade Commander expressing his appreciation for the assistance and efficiency of escort operations rendered by the platoon of A Company MPs first assigned to the Tay Ninh Convoy on 2 January 1967.

March Throughout the battalion area the canvas tents used as billets and offices were slowly replaced with the new Adams Huts, aluminum framed buildings. The construction phase was called Operation Adams Huts.

4 March PFC Allan Craig Shroyer, A Company, died from an accidental, self inflicted, gunshot wound that occurred this date while standing guard duty at the Cogido Barge & Docks Facility.

Photograph Needed

Shroyer

17 March The following A Company personnel were promoted to the rank of Sergeant (E-5) under Headquarters, 720th MP Battalion, Special Orders #47. SP/4’s Curtis J. Cofield, James L. Talbert, and Richard I. Walker.

23 April One Officer and 23 Enlisted Men from B Company were committed in direct support of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (11th ACR), and 1 Officer and 37 Enlisted Men (believed to be A Company) in direct support of the 1st Infantry Division (1st ID). The Area of Operations was within the Michelin Rubber Plantation, near Dau Tieng, III Corps Tactical Zone. The 720th MPs were utilized in traffic control, village cordon and search, Prisoner Of War (POW), security, convoy escort, and general discipline, law, and order duties.

11th

1st

Operation MANHATTAN

11 May The A Company Detachment assigned to Operation Manhattan on 23 April stood down and returned to Long Binh Post.

19 August, 2124 Hours At approximately 9:24 PM, CPL Robert Earl Clowe, and SP/4 Wallace Michael Jackson, members of the A Company, Tay Ninh Detachment just left the compound gate in a jeep when they were ambushed and killed approximately 250 meters outside the gate by Viet Cong forces.

Clowe

Jackson

September SGT Richard Walker of A Company was assigned the responsibility of forming and supervising a River Patrol Unit composed of volunteers from all three of the Battalion’s organic companies.

4 October CPT Michael E. Lenhart assumed command of A Company from CPT Martin L. Messick.

A Historical First "Operation STABILIZE," an infantry mission and a Tactical Area Of Responsibility

20 October A, B, and C Companies were jointly tasked with the unique responsibility of fighting as infantry when required in support of operations in a 22 square mile Tactical Area of Responsibility (TAOR) to include; civic action programs; rapid reaction team; ambush and recon; village outpost duty; river patrol and transport.

It was the first time in the history of the United States Armed Forces that a military police unit was assigned a purely infantry mission in a war zone.

To insure the success of the operation all three companies including the 615th MP Company that was attached to the battalion, joined with elements of the 2nd Battalion of the 39th Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, and the Vietnamese National Police Field Forces (NPFF), under the name Operation CORRAL.

9th

11 September The joint operation was undertaken and all the primary villages were thoroughly cordoned off and searched. Over fifty suspected Viet Cong and their known sympathizers were apprehended and turned over to combined MACV and ARVN Military Intelligence teams for interrogation. Enemy weapons, documents, and supplies were seized and confiscated without suffering any major casualties.

MACV

Operation CORRAL

Operation STABILIZE

The area contained four primary villages (hamlets) and each contained a Popular Forces village outpost that was jointly staffed with MPs from the battalion.

During the early days of Operation STABILIZE A Company was responsible for providing men for the staffing of Outpost-4 in Long Binh Tahn Village, ambush and recon teams, and the initial organization of the first River Patrol Unit that was jointly staffed by all three companies.

In November several POW's escaped from Long Binh Post or the Bien Hoa facility in Ho Nai, and were recaptured within 24 hours by a group of volunteer MPs from A Company. If you can provide the exact date or any additional information use the Email Link at the top of this page.

5 November Members of A Company celebrate the Indiana victory over Purdue sending the Hoosiers to the Rose Bowl against the USC Trojans.

December A Company was assigned to provide staffing for Operation OVERTAKE, civilian contractor supply transport escorts, under operational control of the 92nd MP Battalion.

92nd

Operation OVERTAKE

19 December CPT Michael E. Lenhart Commanding Officer, sends a holiday letter to the men of A Company.

24-25 December Members of the company not only provided security and assistance to the people of Long Bin Tan Village a chance to attend evening church services on Christmas Eve, they also provided the children at the church orphanage a wondurfull Christmas Day Party.

With all work assignments and Civic Action programs completed, those that could, enjoyed their own Christmas Day BBQ on post.

31 December The following Personnel of A Company were awarded the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM), 1LT Clifford L. Brody, SGT Peter A. Dedijer, SGT Billy Ball, SP/4 Alan M. Jones, SP/4 Louis M. Boyatt, SP/4 Wesley J. Busman, SP/4 John M. Davis.