At the start of the year the 720th Military Police Battalion and its organic units, HQ&HQ Detachment, HQ Company, Able, Baker and Dog Companies, a Medical and Signal Detachment were located in Camp Burness at Z Avenue and 20th Street Tokyo, Occupied Japan subordinate to Headquarters & Service Group, General Headquarters (GHQ), Far East Command under the operational control of the Provost Marshal, Tokyo Metropolitan Area.

     Charlie Company had been inactivated, reflagged and deployed to South Korea as the X Corps MP Company (Provisional).

     There was little news of battalion participation in interleague sports programs other than boxing and basketball, and in the latter they had a lackluster season hardly worth mentioning.

     Although there is no specific mention in the available official records, according to the photographic records, sometime in 1951 the battalion began to provide sedans to supplement their motorized patrols. The sedan was not new to the battalion; their earlier use was limited to the battalion commander, area Provost Marshal, and other field grade officers. The sedans also provided a psychological benefit by de-militarizing the look of the military occupational law enforcement authority to the Japanese people.

     "Surprisingly, the adjustment to driving on the left hand side of the street or road, came rather easily to most of us. Personal and group pride in appearance and performance was a hallmark signature of the battalion.

     The battalion motor pool mechanics that repaired and serviced our jeeps, trucks and sedans, were no exception. Most of them took great pride in providing us with safe, serviceable and spotless vehicles, and we in turn were expected to do-diligence in returning them at the end of a tour.

     Most traffic patrol duty was pulled in the old reliable [rag top] jeep, but since they were gradually being replaced by the 1951 Chevrolets, occasionally we were happy to be assigned a black-and-white sedan."   PFC Patrick L. Cook, Able Company, 1951-1953.

     While the personnel situation improved somewhat, it nevertheless continued to be one of the major problems during most of the year. SACP Headquarters instituted a program of utilizing Japanese Security Guards to provide a Japanese face and a second layer of manpower to their occupational security mission in and around the GHQ buildings and installations throughout the city. The new guard units operated under the auspices of the Provost Marshal, Metropolitan Tokyo. The battalion was tasked with the added responsibility of providing officers and senior NCO’s to staff their training program at Camp Burness.

     Emphasis was given throughout the year to all types of training, and all companies participated in overnight tactical problems at Camp Palmer.

     The battalion’s primary duties expanded only in as much as the formation of two specialized units to further enhance their capabilities. The exact dates of these changes were not mentioned so we do not know under whose command they first originated.

     "Following a period of initial in-house schooling by Headquarters Company, and field orientation by the operating companies, we were assigned to the operating companies to begin field duty. It should be noted that regularly scheduled additional schooling programs later augmented this initial training.

     Shortly after my Company A assignment I was called to Headquarters Company, and given the choice of remaining with Company A or transferring to Headquarters Company to manage the battalion Army Post Office (APO No. 500). I chose to remain with Able and the lure of field duty.”  PFC Patrick L. Cook, Company A, 1951-1953.

     “The first information we got as new members was that we were restricted for two weeks to the battalion area. I still think that was in order to get us used to the nearby fish market smell.

     I enjoyed everything about my tour, not least being the good times partaking of Japanese beer in the “Off Limits” beer halls. But one 720th routine no one was very happy with was the practice alerts. We had them each month and they were announced by the melody of “Boots and saddles” over the public address system. We didn’t mind the alerts too much, but what really ticked me off was that they always seemed to be called just as we sat down to eat, with a tray full of food in front of us. It was a waste of a lot of good eats, but we learned to live with it.” SGT Bernard L. Rohlman, Able Company, 1950-1953.

     There were also two special law enforcement details; a Traffic Unit and the AWOL Apprehension Unit. They operated under the supervision of the Provost Marshal Office Investigation Section (PMIS). The supervisory personnel came from HQ Company and were assigned as Military Police Investigative Section (MPIS) and the line MP's as PMIS, (2 MP's) from each of the line companies.

     The AWOL Apprehension Unit was staffed by MSG George J. Huberth and SSG Adolph E. Favale of HQ Company.

The line MP’s from Able Company were- CPL Abel Gonzales, CPL Irvin “Bud” Myers, and later CPL William Turner, CPL Donald Myers.

Baker Company- CPL Ernest J. Bordelon, CPL Theodore Schallme and later CPL Joseph J. Moynihaa.

Charlie Company- SGT Rudolph Temlin, CPL William A. Blackburn.

Dog Company- CPL Ralph E. C. Keith, CPL Edward J. Seckinger.

     The Korea to Tokyo Rest & Relaxation (R&R) program also presented other problems endemic to multinational law enforcement, especially in the military when dealing with soldiers seeking the pleasures of the Ginza entertainment strip as a break to combat and the hard conditions of life in the field. Besides the U.S. and British Commonwealth countries, there were seventeen other participating Allied countries sending their troops on R&R.

     “In general, the United Nations troops were hard nosed, veteran, career oriented professionals who came to Tokyo with a large backlog of pay checks and two weeks to spend and enjoy themselves before returning to deadly duty in Korea.

     With many of them speaking little or no English, and most of them in carefree, partying mode, it isn’t difficult to visualize the problem potential for the battalion patrols.”

    One specific situation was the foot patrol assignments in the Ginza entertainment areas. Along the way were several highly popular, night club style entertainment centers or dance halls, which were nearly always at full capacity in a new years eve type mode, as the R&R U.S. and U.N. troops celebrated, from the Korea danger.

     Some of the Provost Marshal and battalion policy makes favored the so called Show-the-Flag routine of preventative checks of these centers, while most of the old guard [veterans] and street wise MP’s regarded them as unnecessarily provocative in nature, and unproductive in results.

     To me, the instant pall, somber mood and almost angry silence that befell the scene when our uniformed presence was noticed, was reason enough to seek ways to avoid it when possible.

20 February LTC Aubrey S. Kenworthy passed command of the Battalion to LTC Alvin B. Welsch during a pass and review ceremony in the Camp Burness compound.

     Also departing the battalion under the same rotation policy as LTC Kenworthy were, MAJ William C. Ghan the commanding officer of Able Company, and CPT W. E. Doyle chief, Repairs and Utilities Section, HQ & HQ Detachment.

22 February To celebrate the birthday of GEN George Washington, our first president and commander in chief, SGT Milburn D. Cox of Charlie Company had the honor of dressing up in a colonial general’s uniform and pose as GEN Washington during a ceremony to inspect the interior guard of the battalion at Camp Burness.

Exact Date Unknown A platoon of 41 enlisted men and two officers were furnished by the battalion to be assigned as Honor Guard at XVI Corps reactivation ceremony at Sendai, Japan.

11 April President Truman relieved GEN MacArthur of all command duties. U.S. Secretary of War George Marshal stated MacArthur's removal stemmed from, "the wholly unprecedented position of a local theater commander publicly expressing his displeasure at and his disagreement with the foreign and military policy of the United States." The General knew the soldiers code. He broke it, and for that the president relieved him.

12 April   In the evening battalion patrols provided traffic and crowd control at the Supreme Command Allied Powers (SCAP) Headquarters at the Di Ichi building in downtown Tokyo when GEN MacArthur accompanied by MG Courtney Whitney, the generals secretary, and COL Lawrence E. Bubker the generals aide, departed his headquarters for what was believed to be the last time.

16 April The entire battalion participated in the departure ceremonies for GEN MacArthur. 1LT (MG Retired) Paul M. Timmerberg, the battalion S3, was in charge of the general’s escort detail at the Embassy. LTC Welsch commanded the overall operation that involved a total of forty-three vehicles and 241 officers and enlisted personnel. They provided traffic control points at fifteen intersections, embassy security, motorcade security, route security and airport departure security. Their operational radio call sign was “Rainbow.”

     Prior to the generals departure there was a brief reception held at his residence behind the U.S. Embassy. In attendance were dozens of civilian dignitaries and high ranking officers of the Far East Command.

     The Emperor visited him at the embassy in person, the first time a Japanese Emperor had ever visited a foreigner with no official standing. The Japanese Diet passed a resolution of gratitude, and the Mainichi newspaper editorial stated- MacArthur's dealt with the Japanese people not as a conqueror but a great reformer. He was a noble political missionary. What he gave us was not material aid and democratic reform alone, but a new way of life, the freedom and dignity of the individual.... We shall continue to love and trust him as one of the Americans who best understood Japan's position.

      At 0630 hours, the motorcade departed with the battalion motorcycle unit in the lead. It wound its way through the streets of Tokyo under a drizzling rain for the twelve-mile trip to the Haneda Airport.

     Stationed at every intersection along the route were details of battalion MP’s providing traffic and crowd control. Along the entire parade route thousands of Japanese (estimated at 250,000) with their umbrellas lined both sides of the route, waiving miniature American and Japanese flags. Their love and respect for the general was evident by the streams of tears that ran down their faces as they shouted, “Sayonara, Makassar! Sayonara, Makassar!” They were bowing their heads, and many knelt in a show of respect as the general’s car passed by. As the motorcade turned left to the airport entrance and began the last half-mile of the trip, hundreds of U.S. troops stood at parade rest on both sides of the road. As the general’s car passed, they sharply snapped to attention and presented arms.

     A total of sixty-five MP’s were assigned to crowd control duties at the airport. Prior to boarding his plane (first named “Bataan” and later renamed “SCAP,” the acronym for Supreme Commander Allied Powers Japan), the general inspected his personal honor guard for the last time. As he reached the top of the stairway, the last person to board, he turned and waved to the crowd. As the plane taxied for takeoff, the Army band struck up the familiar strains of “Auld Lang Syne."

     “Yours is an enviable record of selflessness and military achievement, one part of which it was my privilege to observe at close hand when the General [Douglas MacArthur] and I resided in Tokyo. Your professionalism in providing security for us, your vigilance and efficiency, and your many extra kindnesses eased the burden of responsibilities during that difficult time.

I remember you well and I am touched that you remember me. From the young man from Wisconsin whom I encouraged to write home [PFC Joe Selovich], to Corporal Boggs checking my ID card at the Post Exchange, to Lt. Timmerberg and his escort to Haneda Airport when the time came for our departure, to you all, the 720th graced our lives, and the memory of your devotion has not dimmed with the years.”     To those now in uniform, you have an enviable foundation to build upon as the second 50 years of the battalion's continuing service commences. To those who have served, my deepest gratitude.

PFC Selovich

CPL Boggs

To all of you, God's blessing and protection."

19 April Headquarters & Service Commands boxing league opened with a program of six bouts at Memorial Hall in Tokyo. The featured bout was a three-round exhibition contest between middleweights SGT Robert Edens of Charlie Company, and Hachiro Tatsumi of Tokyo, the Japanese middleweight national champion.

     SGT Edens was an up and coming fan favorite who was know for his quick speed, jabbing prowess and powerful body punching. Tatsumi’s professional boxing career began in 1947, and his record leading up to this exhibition fight showed him to be a real scrapper also known for his speed, boxing skills and endurance rather than knockout power.

     Edens was clearly the crowd favorite for the match, which fulfilled its prefight hype with three rounds of quality boxing by both fighters that ended in a draw.

     An undercard fight involved another battalion fighter, CPL Thomas P. Chisholm of Headquarters Company, who lost to Abel Alvarez of the 293rd Army Band.

     Tatsumi’s boxing career continued until 3 June 1961, ending with record of 111 fights, 79 wins (19 KO’s), 26 losses (2 KO’s), and 6 draws. The exhibition bout was not included in his professional record.

      SGT Edens would go on to win twelve straight intramural fights as a member of the Headquarters & Service Command team during the remainder of the team’s 1951 boxing season.

21 April (Photo Left) MG Edwin P. Parker, Jr., U.S. Army Provost Marshal, inspected 720th Honor Guard at Camp Burness.

3 May In Japan the day is celebrated as Constitution Day, the day the current Japanese Constitution came into effect in 1947. Most organized labor rallies are held on 1 May, the day adopted by the socialist and communist labor movement as their International Workers Day. The 4,000 member Sochyo Trade Unionists, generally not considered a Communist front organization, decided to hold their demonstration on 3 May at the Imperial Palace Plaza after earlier having been forbidden by the police to hold a separate rally at the event. Before the unionists had arrived, there were 20,000 Japanese already gathered at the Plaza for the scheduled program of speeches by Japanese government officials, and a visit by Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako. During the Constitution Day program, the unionist slowly filtered into the crowd.

     Ten minutes before the ceremonies concluded, approximately 200 members of the Trade Union linked arms and marched across the plaza singing a Japanese May Day song. They clashed with the police who immediately arrested those who appeared to be the leaders, and formed a line to separate the unionists from the rest of the crowd. Police reported that about one third of the demonstrators were university students. There was only one minor injury suffered by a woman in the crowd. Earlier six union members were arrested for handing out leaflets opposing an alleged government plan to rearm Japan, a rumor started by the Japanese Communist Party.

9 May At the Headquarters & Service Command’s Special Services boxing show at Memorial Hall, the featured match of the evening was between SGT Earl Wilkerson of the Air Force vs. SGT Robert "Bobby" Edens of Charlie Company. Given the pre-fight press coverage it was clear that SGT Wilkerson was considered the clear favorite over his Army MP challenger.

     As stated in the Stars & Stripes Newspaper- SGT Wilkerson, from Jacksonville, Florida, had risen from the novice class to one of the Far East Command’s outstanding boxers since his arrival in Japan last year. Fighting as a middleweight, he won championship trophies in the two recent in-service tournaments at Haneda Air Base and, in the welterweight class he took the honors in the Tokyo area Air Force boxing tournament. He was referred to as, “the pride of Haneda Air Base.”

     Almost like an afterthought, they reported in the same article that- SGT Edens will be remembered for his splendid showing against Hirachi Tatsumi, the Japanese middleweight champion, in their recent no-decision exhibition bout at Memorial Hall.

     Another battalion fighter appeared in one of eight undercard bouts prior to the feature match. CPL (LTC Retired) Thomas P. Chisholm from the battalion Medical Detachment won a TKO over PFC Igo Shigeiu of Headquarters Company, AWOL Unit, in one and three-quarters minutes of the second round. However, the 1,500 cheering fight fans made it clear they came to see the Wilkerson vs. Eden match, and they weren’t disappointed, that is, unless they were expecting an easy Wilkerson victory.

     The two middleweights gave it their all, pounding each other from start to finish, and when the score cards were tallied after the final bell, SGT Edens was the victor in a two to one decision by the judges. The scrappy Army MP became the “pride of the 720th,” while the airman now had some explaining to do to his fans from Haneda.

     "Bobby Edens got me interested in amateur boxing, and I found a place on the GHQ boxing squad the first winter of the war. I suppose it’s like jumping out of a plane- you just have to prove you can do it. I got the name “Canvasback” Chisholm, and I wondered if those blows to my head, to this brain, influenced adversely some of the questionable decisions I have made over the years. Representing the MP’s did not help my cause either.”   CPL (LTC Retired), Thomas P. Chisholm, 1949-1952.

Wanted: Photograph of SGT Edens. Please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.

10 May U.S. Defense Secretary George C Marshall testified before the Senate Armed Services-Foreign Relations Committee investigating GEN MacArthur’s dismissal, that the United States is “not in a position” to adopt GEN MacArthur’s victory program in Korea because it is not strong enough to risk a third world war. Russia might feel “compelled” to jump into the war if MacArthur’s proposals were adopted because otherwise Red China would feel “let down,” and the consequences to the Soviet program would be “very disastrous.”

11 May The trial of eighteen defendants, sixteen Koreans and two Japanese nationals charged with espionage and spying for the North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA), began at the International Provost Court in Tokyo. They were the first group of a total of forty-five defendants rounded up during an 18-month investigation by members of a Tokyo detachment of the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps. The ringleader and primary defendant, MAJ Yoshimatsu Iwamura age 38, of the NKPA, who was found to have in his possession numerous documents including the operation plans for the Inchon amphibious landing at the time of his arrest in on 9 September 1950.

  The group was represented by four appointed U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps lawyers, and twelve Japanese defense lawyers, and tried by a military tribunal consisting of four U.S. Army colonels, and one lieutenant colonel. The chief prosecutor was MAJ. Robert M. Murray, who had one Army major and one American civilian lawyer as his assistants.

     If convicted, the group, whose ages ranged from twenty to forty-five, faced a maximum of ten years at hard labor.

     Military police and Japanese Metropolitan Police were responsible for overall security. The military policemen assigned as security in the courtroom, and security of the groups transportation to and from Sugamo Prison every day, are members of a special forty MP composite unit of the four organic companies of the 720th MP Battalion lead by 1LT Frank J. Pons of Dog Company.

     During a press briefing in Atlantic City, New Jersey, MG A. C. McAuliffe, chief of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps, said the U.S. was developing “wonder weapons” which are the “basis for our hope of avoiding World War III.”

     MG McAuliffe further stated, “The wonder weapons we now are working on are expensive. But they can prove a wise investment, therefore, we must continue an extensive scientific program aimed at equipping our forces and the force of our allies with such advanced and superior weapons that should they be put to use, they can overcome the over whelming numerical advantage of our potential enemies.”

13 May The conservative cabinet of two-term Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, sought to revise the 3-year old decentralized police system. They submitted a draft bill to the Diet [Japanese Parliament] calling for an increase of 5,000 personnel for the centrally controlled national rural police, and authorizing small communities to incorporate their police forces into the national organization.

     The proposal would also enable the national police to extend its operations to areas under a local police when requested to do so by a provincial governor. This would permit nationwide police action against subversive programs, major disorders, counterfeiting and other crimes with potential nationwide significance.

14 May As the espionage trial progressed, the special battalion forty MP security unit, commanded by 1LT Frank J. Pons, quickly earned the nickname of “Franks Fearless 40.”

     Editors Note: The new Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) became effective throughout all branches of the United States Armed Forces.

     Before the enactment of the new UCMJ, colonial military law was based on the laws of the British Admiralty. On 30 June 1775, the Second Continental Congress established sixty-nine Articles of War to govern the conduct of the new Continental Army.

     Effective upon its ratification in 1789, Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution provided that Congress had the power to regulate the land and naval forces. On 10 April 1806, the U.S. Congress enacted 101 Articles of War (which applied then to the Army and the Navy), which were not significantly revised until the new UCMJ was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Truman on 5 May 1950.

     Editors Note: There were no available lists or other separate rosters, so the only resources available to determine the number of soldiers of African American decent first assigned to the battalion in 1951 was by the 25 December Year Book photographs, a very unscientific method at best. Unfortunately, the 1951 yearbook displayed only (group) company photographs, so there was no way to determine the ranks of the new soldiers, except in the Headquarters Detachment officers staff sections, in which there were none.

     The following numbers were obtained based on a head count from the company group photographs: Headquarters Company 2 of 55; Able Company 6 of 79; Baker Company 7 of 65; Charlie Company 6 of 74; Dog Company 6 of 88, for a total of 27.

     By December of 1952 the U.S. Armed Forces integration program had been in effect in the battalion for approximately eighteen-months. It should also be noted that there were other soldiers of what would today be referred to by progressive racial separation politics as “minority” decent, who were serving as senior NCO’s and military policemen in years past, before the Truman integration order.

     Based on the December 1952 Year Book, the last of four that were discovered, which included individual photographs of all the battalion soldiers, there were still no officers of African American decent serving, however, there was 1 senior NCO, a Master Sergeant, 2 Sergeants (E5), 22 Corporals (E4), and 13 Privates (E1 & E2), for a total of 38.

19 June As a result of the Korean War and the expanding Communist Soviet containment policy in Europe, Congress amended the Selective Service Act of 1948, and replaced it with the new Universal Military Training and Service Act, Public Law 82-51 Chapter 144, passed by the 82nd Congress and signed into law by President Truman. It allowed for the drafting of enough troops to meet the new statutory requirements for minimum daily service of, Army 837,000, Navy, including Marine Corps 666,832, and Air Force 502,000, exclusive of reserve components on active duty training, officer candidates, or those members of the armed forces employed in the Selective Service System.

     The new law lowered the draft age from 19 to 18 & ½ years of age, increased active-duty service time from 21 to 24 months, and set the statutory term of military service at a minimum of eight years. Students attending a college or training program full-time could request an exemption, which was extended as long as they were students. A Universal Military Training clause was inserted that would have made all males obligated to perform at least 12 months of military service and training if the Act was amended by later legislation. Despite successive attempts by Congress to do so in the following years, the activation of the clause was never passed.

22 June With the death of Japan’s beloved Empress Dowager (empress mother) age 66, and the mother of Emperor Showa, and consort (spouse) of former Emperor Taisho on 17 May.

     For the ceremonial Shinto funeral procession, rites and internment that drew a crowd estimated at one million people, the streets along the 250-yard long procession route were closed to all traffic from 0730 hours until 0916 hours. Battalion MP’s were assigned to assist the Tokyo police with the traffic detour’s, provide crowd security at the special Allied personnel procession viewing and parking areas at the intersection of 15th and Meiji street’s, and assist with personal security for Mrs. (GEN) Ridgeway, and the SCAP Chief of Staff LTG Hickey and his wife. GEN Ridgeway was in South Korea and unable to attend.

10 July U.N. delegates began meeting with the Communist’s in Kaesong, Southeastern North Korea, to discuss an armistice. Each negotiating team consisted of five members, with Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy (U.S. Navy) as the U.N. chairman, and GEN Nam Il, of the NKPA the Communist chairman.

     The meetings would go on for years with the NKP constantly issuing a long list of ridiculous demands to include the size, shape and height of the table used.

23 July Renowned comedian and actor Jack Benny and a troupe of entertainers put on a show at the Ernie Pyle Theater to entertain a crowd of 4,200 U.N. patients and other military and civilian personnel. Benny’s impromptu ad-lib's and off-stage clowning kept the crowd in laughter during the hour and a half long show

     Other members of the troupe were dancer Delores Gay, singer Benay Venuta, pianist June Bruner, and guitarist Frank Remley.

     Part of the program included a skit in which Mr. Benny was escorted from the stage by two military policemen after members of the troupe reported he had been illicitly “soliciting” funds from the audience for another Tokyo shopping tour. The MP’s who took part in the skit were CPL Billy McNamee of Van Wert, Ohio, and SFC Henry Smart of Jacksonville, Florida, both members of Dog Company.

21 August The Tokyo Area Provost Marshal’s Office received a letter from a Japanese Policeman complementing two MP’s of a battalion jeep patrol who stopped o render him assistance. The Provost Marshal sent the letter along to LTC Welsch with his endorsement. LTC Welsch commended the two MP’s, and presented them with a complimentary letter and a copy of Police Officer Michivama’s letter. One of the two MP’s was CPL Gerald J. Goedderz of Dog Company, 1949-1952, the other remains unidentified.

     I am a policeman serving in the 6th District Patrol Car Unit of the Metropolitan [Tokyo] Police department. Yesterday [20 August], when I had trouble with my motorcar, I was assisted by two members (helmet numbers 838 and 840) of the 720th Military Police... and I was much moved by their lofty behavior and was made to reflect upon my own attitude. Therefore, I would like to... express my heartfelt appreciation for their kindness rendered to me.

     To go more in details... I was on my way back to my unit... when my car came to a stop due to engine trouble. As the place was congested, I could not make a move with onlookers surrounding me, and I was at a loss without anyone to help me.

     Two Military Policemen who were riding in a jeep came by and, getting off their car without wasting any time, helped me push my car to a side of the Palace Moat, where they began to repair my car.

     It was soon after 1300 hours [1:00pm] and the hottest time of the day. Nevertheless, they... came to us, troubling themselves by handling screw drivers and wrenches, and ignoring their getting oil-stained; they assisted me... from beginning to end as if there were working on their own car. The repair work lasted for nearly an hour but, to our regret, the motorcar would not be repaired. So it was towed.

     These two men were sincere, painstaking, and kind to everyone. I was deeply moved by their attitude, which reflected upon my attitude... Although I have been serving as a policeman who is required to be a public servant, I used to be dogmatic, arrogant, and unkind. I introspected myself and became ashamed of myself. I was deeply sorry for the attitude I had assumed [was]... like attitude of the Occupation Forces personnel, but when I came across these two men I was impressed... by the diligence, friendliness, and decency of the Americans.

     With the peace treaty approaching near, we, the Japanese, should be more responsible for our work and earnest in pursuing our daily life and routine. In other words, we should exert ourselves more and more to learn and master the sprit of so-called fair play. Otherwise, it would be a long way for us to organize out independent country, not to say much of our reliable police.

     I cannot speak English, and it is my regret that I could not express my gratitude to them yesterday. When their jeep was leaving the repair shop, I saw it off and felt I was about to cry for their kindness.

     I certainly believe that the impression I received on that day is a more valuable [lesson] to me as a member of society, and as a human being, than what I had learned from the books or experience for the past twenty-odd years.

     I wish to be allowed to express my gratitude in writing and wish them happiness and health.”    Tome Michiyama

8 September Two treaties of significant importance were approved and enacted upon by Japanese representatives meeting in San Francisco, California.

     The Treaty of Peace between Japan and part of the Allied Powers was officially signed by forty-eight nations. It served to formally end Japan's position as an imperial power, and to allocate compensation to Allied civilians and former POW’s who had suffered as war crimes victims.

18 September Two British soldiers on leave from action in Korea were apprehended after crashing a U.S. Army vehicle they had earlier stolen, culminating an alleged series of thefts by the pair in downtown Tokyo.

     Charles W. Norton, a civilian employee of the Post Signal office, Japan Logistical Command, reported he and four Japanese employees were en route to the signal office in an Army truck when the two soldiers jumped aboard the vehicle and threatened to kill them unless they kept moving.

     One of the soldiers pressed what felt like a gun or knife to Mr. Norton’s side. Norton jumped from the moving truck at the first opportunity, followed shortly by the driver of the truck, Kanshiro Yamada. One of the British soldiers then drove the truck, with the remaining three employees still aboard, until it crashed into a parked car near Tokyo Central station. MP’s of the 720th responded and eventually located and apprehended the two soldiers.

      For reasons never explained in the Tokyo area sports print media, the battalion organized a new Headquarters & Service Command inter-company basketball league. From a review of the league standing rosters it appears that the various units within the command now fielded multiple teams from their organic companies rather than battalion teams.

     The new schedule had four competing leagues, the Nippon, Japan, Far East, and Pacific. Each league contained teams from nine companies with the exception of the Japan League, which fielded ten teams.

26 September The battalion’s open house celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the MP Corps was somewhat limited, as to the planned outdoor events, due to showers during the day. Included in the tour of their facilities at Camp Burness, were visits to battalion headquarters and staff sections, the branch post exchange, the service club, library, motor pool, communications center, consolidated mess hall, pistol range, gymnasium and a series of displays and demonstrations.

     The displays were on organic weapons, training aids, mess equipment, vehicles and radio equipment. The rifle and pistol team headed by CPT H. H. Holland presented a shooting exhibition at the camp pistol range.

     The highlight of the ceremony was the noon cutting of a mammoth four-layer birthday cake. In attendance was BG Edwin W. Piburn, commander of Headquarters & Service Command. And, although the rain canceled the outdoor events, the troops still managed to have a pie-eating contest, won by CPL A. C. Smith of Dog Company.

Exact Date Unknown The Soldier of the Month for October resulted in a tie between SGT Fred R. Sanders of HQ Company and CPL Joseph A. Albert of Able Company.

25 October U.N. and Communist negotiators in Korea reconvened the truce talks at a new location, a collection of tents in the tiny village of Panmunjom, six miles east of Kaesong.

     After some sparring, the Communists dropped their demand for a return to the 38th Parallel and accepted the U.N. position that the cease-fire line be drawn along the current line of contact.

P'anmunjom Compound >

     "I arrived in Tokyo in November, and took military police training at our base, at Camp Burness. After a couple of weeks, we were judged competent enough for duty and authorized to go out on patrol.

     I was assigned to a corporal and our first stop was a round building, just off the Ginza, where his girl friend worked. Her place was a burlesque theater on the top floor. Needless to say, little patrolling was done that night. What a first night experience!”   CPL Ettore “Buzz” Borzoni, Able Company, 1951-1953.

     "On Christmas Eve of 1951, myself and others arrived at the Tokyo, Camp Drake Replacement Depot for deployment to Korea as field artillery fire direction specialists.

      While awaiting the imminent arrival of barges to transport us across the bay to Korea, an officer entered the holding area and advised us that he would call a list of names, and if you were called and wished to remain in Tokyo and become a military policeman, take one step forward. With that step, myself and the others became players in the upcoming critical period of battalion history.

     We were among the earliest arrivals to begin replacing the older, long time regular army veterans who had policed and serviced Tokyo in occupational mode since September 1945.”   PFC Patrick L. Cook, Able Company, 1951-1953.

Exact Date Unknown SGT T. H. Headrick of HQ Company was selected as the battalion soldier of the month.

21 December With the approach of presidential and congressional elections, the U.S. Congress was being tight fisted on defense spending. And, with the continued hostilities ongoing in Korea and the previously approved expansion of U.S. armed forces troop levels to contain Communist expansion in Europe, the Department of Defense had called for all troops commands to initiate program to cut costs wherever possible.

     The battalion was able to save $890.00 monthly by reducing the amount of coal, water and other supplies. Directed by MAJ C. G. Leinen, the battalion S-4 and Utilities and Repairs Section officer, a continual program was enforced within the troop units and indigenous employees to acquaint each soldier and person with the reason and necessity of conservation and supply economy.

25 December Keeping with their holiday tradition the battalion once again spent their Christmas Day hosting a party for the children of Tokyo. This year it was at the Seibi Gakuen Orphanage.

    The battalion troops received the third (known) Souvenir Album or Year Book. It cited the Battalion Motto as “ Courtesy, Service and Security”

     Battalion command staff at the time of publishing was:

Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment: LTC Alvin B. Welsch, Commander; MAJ H. L. Funk, Executive Officer; MAJ A. J. Carey, Commanding Officer HQ Company; MAJ C. N. Lenen, S-4; CPT D. C. Alford, Adjutant; 1LT R. E. Dillard, S-2; 1LT T. D. Whitlock, S-2; CPT C. W. Hope, Motor Officer; CPT H. H. Holland, S-3; 1LT B. F. Carr, Assistant S-3; CPT R. J. Bergen, HQ Commandant; WOJG J. A. Corwell, Personnel Officer; WOJG H. Aulds, Assistant S-4.

Headquarters Company: MAJ A. J. Carey, Commanding Officer; CPT Raphael J. Bergen, HQ Commandant; First Sergeant, MSG Frank B. Ludwick.