720th
August 1942 Battalion Time Line
~~~~~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association History Project ~~~~~
GHQ
This Page Last Updated 8 September 2007  Click on thumbnail photographs to enlarge
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Southwest Pacific Theatre Of War ~ Australia
Australian Duty Stations
Paupa Campaign

        With the Japanese forces firmly entrenched at the door step to Australia and New Zealand the U.S. and its Allies pored thousands of troops and equipment into Queensland Northern Australia. The formerly sleepy cities and towns along the coast were transformed overnight into busy military training, logistical, and air bases to support the upcoming allied offensives in New Guinea (Papua).

14 August The 22 day voyage came to an end when the USS Mount Vernon arrived at Sidney, Australia. The Battalion stayed at Warwick Farms, an allied staging area on the outskirts of Sidney, awaiting further transport.
20 August The Battalion departed Warwick Farms for the 162 kilometer trip to Brisbane.

21 August The Battalion arrived at Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and was immediately deployed as follows; Battalion Headquarters to Townsville, HQ Detachment, Medical detachment, A Company less their 2nd and 3rd platoons, D Company, 2nd platoon to Cairns, a costal city in Southeast Queensland; A Company, 3rd platoon, to Charters Towers, North Queensland; B Company to Mount Isa, Northwest Queensland.

25 August A Japanese invasion force of 2,400 Special Naval Landing Forces (marines) and light tanks, attacked the strategically-important Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base at Milne Bay on the eastern tip of New Guinea. The base was staffed by 9,000 Australian Army and Royal Air Force personnel and elements of the U.S. 46th Engineer Regiment who lacked armor.

29 August The Japanese landed an additional 768 marine reinforcements at Milne Bay. Fighting continued until the Japanese retreated on September 5, 1942.
     The battle was the first in the Pacific campaign in which Allied troops defeated Japanese land forces. The Australian ground forces were mainly made up of two Army brigades: the 18th Infantry Brigade from the 7th Division and the 7th Infantry Brigade Group, a Militia formation.

     With the Japanese failed attempt to capture the Australian airfields at Milne Bay, the southeastern islands of New Guinea, their plans to invade Port Moresby and use it as a jump off for the invasion of Australia were stopped. The US and Australian Forces immediately kicked off their offensive from Port Moresby, north across the island to the coast, then west to push the Japanese forces off the island.