~ 720th Military Police Battalion Vietnam History Project ~
October 1967 ~ Battalion Timeline
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Last Updated
9 November 2017
At the start of the year Battalion HQ Detachment, its letter companies and the 615th MP Company were headquartered subordinate to the 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade, Long Binh Post, Bien Hoa Provence, III Corps Tactical Zone, South Vietnam.
18th MP
Brigade
89th MP
Group
720th MP
Battalion

The average Battalion strength for the month of October 1967 was 718 enlisted men, 3 warrant officers and 23 officers.

Exact Date Unknown - C Company During the month of September SP/4 Phillip L. Harrison took a photograph of SP/4 Alan J. Tacey, both of Charlie Company, while they were standing night security duty along the perimeter of the 3rd Ordnance Ammunition Supply Depot on Long Binh Post. The photo shows the silhouette of SP/4 Tacey in their armored gun jeep at his M-60 machine gun against the background of the setting sun.

     SP/4 Harrison liked the photo so much he sent it to the MP Journal with an accompanying letter. To their surprise it appeared as the cover of the MP Journal’s October 1967 issue. Inside, under the heading “Bulletin,” it credits SP/4 Harrison as the photographer, contains a brief paragraph on the multiple duties of the Military Police efforts in Vietnam with an introduction to a two-page (18 & 19) story of those missions, and identifies SP/4 Tacey but spells his last name incorrectly as Trace .
4 October

HQ & HQ Detachment CPT George A. Sunderland assumed duties as the Battalion S4 (Supply & Logistics) Officer.

A Company CPT Martin L. Messick passed command of A Company to CPT Michael E. Lenhart.

If you have a photograph of CPT Messick and/or the change of command ceremony, please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.
CPT Messick
CPT Lenhart
5 October

HQ & HQ Detachment MAJ Fred J. Villella, Jr. assumed the duties as Battalion Operations Officer (S3).

     MG G. G. O'Connor of Headquarters 9th Infantry Division issued a letter of appreciation through the 18th MP Brigade thanking the battalion for their “most outstanding and professional performance” during the Operation CONDOR movement of the Thai Army to Camp Martin Cox (Bearcat).
9 October
Operation MOOSE
USARV With the initiation of Operation MOOSE on 15 July that ordered the moving of United State Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV), Joint General Staff Headquarters, and 1st Logistics Command from Saigon to their new complex on Long Binh Post, MACV decided it needed to eliminate the enemy close-in-strike capability that existed along the southern perimeter of the post where the headquarters building was located. MACV called on the 18th Military Police Brigade to handle the assignment under a Letter of Instructions, AVCG-O dated 9 October 1967.
Planning Is Started For Operation STABILIZE

HQ & HQ Detachment    LTC Francis E. “Frank” Payne was the battalion commander and his operations officer was MAJ Frederick J. Villella who was assigned the task of working up the operational plan for Operation STABLIIZE.

Personal Reflection “The area under the 9th Infantry Division [Bearcat, Headquarters, 3rd Brigade] was a series of Hamlets south of the new USARV HQ and a known access route for the Viet Cong. From the many gunship's we called in with the brilliant flares etc., you could envision the strategic importance of the geography leading to USARV HQ.

     I coined the term STABILIZE following the announcements from General Creighton W. Abrams [Deputy Commander MACV] that the new war effort was one of Stabilization. Our taking over the Tactical Area Of Responsibility [TAOR] alleviated the 9th of new missions at the time. We assumed the entire TAOR.

     Actually, I wrote the entire operations plan and briefed [CPT] Mike Lenhart [A Company] and [CPT] Burt Edmondson [C Company] and the Staff.

     We set up a Tactical Operations Center [TOC] adjacent to the Battalion’s S3 [operations] shop. The maps and communications, etc. were set up in that area.

      The general approach was to establish a controlling infrastructure within each Hamlet. Law enforcement, military, Mayor etc. and with the running of Stabilize patrols during the day, their visibility served to strengthen the confidence of the hamlet people that the U.S. was present and they were building their internal protection. I recall, Lenhart and Edmondson’s frequent travel through the areas.”  MAJ (LTC Retired) Frederick J. Villella, Operations Officer & Executive Officer, 720th MP Battalion, October 1967-July 1968.
If anyone can provide an era photograph of MAJ Villella, please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.

TAOR  The 18th MP Brigade issued a Letter of Instructions (undated) to the 89th MP Group's 720th MP Battalion to perform a counterinsurgency - pacification program within a 22 square mile Tactical Area Of Responsibility (TAOR) situated along the southern perimeter of Long Binh Post. The counterinsurgency infantry mission which would involve enemy suppression and civil pacification programs utilizing ambush & recon, river patrol & security, local level civil & military liaison (outpost duty), and civic action quality of life programs.

     The first year of the mission would involve all three organic companies of the battalion and the 615th MP Company (subordinate).

     The overall operational plan would involve three primary phases. Phase-1 to clear and secure the TAOR; Phase-2 to conduct counterinsurgency operations to eliminate guerilla activities and upgrading security screening while providing guidance and assistance for civic action pacification programs; Phase-3 return control of the TAOR to the local and national government.
     In preparation for the reconnaissance, ambush and combat patrols they were to conduct, 40 men from the three organic companies (Alpha, Bravo, & Charlie), and the entire 615th MP Company (attached) attended refresher classes on small unit infantry recon and ambush patrol methods and techniques taught by instructors from the 5th Special Forces Group Headquarters out of Bien Hoa.
5th Special
Forces Group
15 October

TAOR  A twenty-two man Popular Forces [PF] platoon commanded by Army Of The Republic Of Vietnam [ARVN], Popular Forces, SGT Huynh Van Hai, was assigned to B Company.

     The platoon was tasked to assist 2LT Robert S. Wilkerson of B Company, and his platoon of MP's in their new operations in the Battalion Tactical Area of Responsibility.
20 October
Operation STABILIZE

TAOR  Operation STABILIZE becomes official. The 720th MP Battalion made military history when It was the first time in the history of the United States Armed Forces that a military police unit was assigned an infantry counterinsurgency - pacification mission in a war zone.

     The new 22 square mile TAOR along the southern perimeter of Long Binh Post would require the Battalion to adapt to a unique responsibility of fighting as light infantry when in support of their Operation STABILIZE mission.
     Under Operation STABILIZE the battalion’s three organic companies along with the 615th MP Company were tasked with the additional responsibility of increasing the security for the United States Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV) Headquarters, Long Binh Post and the southern ground approach to Bien Hoa. It also involved providing security for the waterborne traffic on the Dong Nai River, the Petroleum, Oil and Lubricant barge offloading dock and river dredge.
21 October
Stateside  The antiwar movement held a major march on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. attracting both anti-war protesters, New Left activists & cultural radicals. The Student Mobilization Committee also known as (MOBE) worked to coordinate the national activity to build up the confrontation in Washington.

TAOR  The 89th MP Group Civic Action Program (CAP) Team, a five man unit of NCO's and enlisted men headed by 1LT Clifford L. Brody of A Company, begins work in the Tactical Area of Responsibility (TAOR). Their mission is to coordinate and assist the local hamlet governments in initiating civic improvements within the villages.
27 October

Stateside  Celebrating their safe homecoming and first night stateside pending discharge, MP's from the battalion enjoyed themselves at the San Francisco Playboy Club. The celebration continued on to another night club until dawn.

31 October

TAOR - River Patrol Unit  SGT Richard I. Walker, NCOIC, and other members of an A Company River Patrol Unit were conducting a mobile river checkpoint operation on the Dong Nai River in the Battalion TAOR. The operation resulted in the capture of 2 known Viet Cong and 5 suspected Viet Cong.

     Unfortunately no records of the mission could be found to provide the details and names of the other MPs involved in the subsequent action that resulted. The only official document available is the citation of an award for the Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Achievement awarded to the unit NCOIC, SGT Richard I. Walker on 10 December 1967.

Wanted: Names, photographs, information or official documents from other members participating in the mission. Please contact the History Project Manager via the Email Link at the top of this page.
SGT Walker

 Saigon  Facing a growing anti-war sentiment and larger protests, President Johnson dispatched Vice President Humphrey to Saigon to attend the inauguration of newly elected President Thieu and Vice President Ky, and to make the presidents position on “staying the course” clear to the South Vietnamese Government.

     “And may I say that despite public opinion polls -- none of which may I say have ever been friendly towards a nation’s commitment in battle -- despite criticism, despite understandable impatience, we mean to stick it out, until aggression is turned back and until a just and honorable peace can be achieved, until the job is done. That is the policy of the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States and the Congress of the Unites States. So let people understand that.”   Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (D) 1965-1969, Saigon, October 1967.
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