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Battalion Timeline Index ~ 720th Military Police Battalion History Project ~ |
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 Regimental Colors |
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Formed 20
January 1942 ... and still serving our country and the cause of freedom
throughout the world today. |
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If you are a Veteran of the 720th Military Police Battalion or any of its subordinate units, or you are a surviving family member (Legacy) of a Battalion veteran and would like to contribute Information, personal stories, official documents, old orders, media articles or photographs, please take a moment to contact the History Project Manager (Tom Watson) at the Email Link located on every Timeline page or call 864-378-5503 (EST) for instructions or assistance. Your contributions and assistance are extremely important to the Battalion history and always welcomed by its Veteran's. You were then, and shall always remain... "Of and For the Troops." Don't let your service go unrecognized, contact us today. |
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 BECOME INVOLVED Learn How You Can Assist With The Battalion History Project |
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ATTENTION: The entire website is undergoing a lengthily reformatting and redesign process. |
Many of the page links are still broken as the process is underway. There are hundreds of pages and over 3,000 photographs, so the process will take some time. Your patience is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Tom Watson, History Project & Website Manager. |
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All Links highlighted in RED denote that the Timeline pages for that year have yet to be fully reformatted and many links may still be broken. |
| History was always "politically correct at the time it was made and reported," so to insure historical accuracy of these Timeline pages, the vernacular used in the writing of this history was the same used and accepted by the American public at the time of its making. |
If you find this unacceptable by today's standards, look somewhere else for your battalion history. |
On 20 February 1942 the Battalion was formed at Fort George Meade, Maryland and trained throughout southwestern Pennsylvania during facility security missions in the 1st Army Command, III Corps area of responsibility before assignment to the Southwest Pacific theater in WW II. |
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From 1942-45, the Battalion served in Australia, New Guinea and the Philippine Islands under General Headquarters (GHQ), South West Pacific Area until the hostilities ended. In 1945 the Battalion was assigned to Tokyo, Japan to occupation/security duty under GHQ Service Command and the 8th U.S. Army. |
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In 1950 at the start of the Korean War, the X Corps MP Company (Provisional) was formed when C Company was reflagged, filled their TO&E with with volunteers from A, B & HQ Company and sent to Korea where it served with distinction earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation. In 1955 the Battalion returned stateside from Occupied Japan, Far East Command, and assigned to Fort Hood, Texas subordinate to the 4th U.S. Army. In 1957 the Battalion was deployed during the civil rights demonstration in Little Rock, Arkansas. |
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In 1962 the Battalion was deployed during the civil rights demonstration in Oxford, Mississippi. In July 1962, the 560th MP Company was formed from C Company, along with volunteers from HQ & HQ Detachment, A and B Companies, and sent to Vietnam. In April 1965 the 615th MP Company was formed from C Company, along with volunteers from HQ & HQ Detachment, A and B Companies, and sent to South Vietnam. |
From October 1966-August 1972 the Battalion served in South Vietnam, III & IV Corps Tactical Zones, subordinate to the 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade. They performed convoy escort, POW guard/escort, highway security, physical security, and were the first MP unit in the history of the US Armed Forces to perform a three year infantry counterinsurgency pacification mission from 1967-1970. Operation STABILIZE included ambush & reconnaissance, village outpost's, river patrol and civic action. Another MP Corps historical first was to direct air, armor, and infantry support for B Company ambush squads defending Long Binh Post during the 23 February 1969 Post Tet New Years attack. On 13 August 1972 The Battalion was inactivated in Vietnam. |
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On 31 August 1972 The Battalion was reactivated at Fort Hood, Texas subordinate to the 5th Army. The letter companies A, B & C were deactivated and reflagged as the 401st, 410th and 411th respectively, HQ & HQ Detachment remained the same. In 1973 the Battalion was assigned subordinate to III Corps. |
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In 1981 Battalion elements were briefly assigned to the Vietnamese Resettlement Program at Fort Chafee, Arkansas; the resettlement program for Cuban refugees at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, and again at Fort Chafee; provided security for the Rocky Mountain transfer move of highly toxic chemicals from Colorado to Utah during the summer, and again in November through February 1984. |
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Battalion elements deployed to Europe as part of the Reforager Exercise; provided security for engineer units during Operation AHUAS TARA-II; deployed in support of Joint Task Force Bravo in Honduras; Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama; deployed to the St. Croix, Virgin Islands to assist in restoring law and order after Hurricane Hugo in support of Operation HAWKEYE. |
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The 64th MP Company joined the Battalion replacing the 110th MP Company. Battalion elements deployed to Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM; deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation INTRINSIC ACTION; deployed to Somalia as part of Operation RESTORE HOPE; deployed to Soto Vano, Honduras; deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for Operation SEA SIGNAL in support of JTF-160; deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR-GUARD and JOINT FORGE; Deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to serve with Joint Task Force 160. |
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Battalion elements deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina; deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to serve with Joint Task Force 160; deployed to the Iraqi Theatre and served in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. |
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Battalion elements continue to be deployed in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM which changed on 1 September 2010 to Operation NEW DAWN. Deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, 2011 and 2012 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. |
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Stationed at Fort Hood, Texas Battalion elements continue to be trained and deployed in global counter terrorism force security missions. There is also a renewed training and transition into the traditional discipline, law and order mission on the base. |
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