720th
Battalion Historical Time Line 1942-Current
~ 720th Military Police Battalion Reunion Association History Project ~
Formed 20 January 1942 ... and still serving our country and the cause of freedom throughout the world today.

If you were a veteran of the 720th MP Battalion or any of its subordinate units, or you are a surviving family member of a Battalion veteran and would like to contribute Information, personal stories, documents, media articles or photographs, please take a moment to contact the History Project Manager (Tom Watson) at the Email Link located on every Time Line page or call 864-391-2661, for instructions or assistance. Your contributions and assistance are extremely important to the Battalion history and always welcomed by its membership.
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  The entire website is undergoing a lengthily reformatting process to make the pages easier to read and give the website a more professional look. Many of the page & graphics links may be broken until the process is finished. There are hundreds of pages and over 3,000 photographs so the process will take months. Please bear with us. During the process you can still send materials for posting. Thank you, Tom Watson, History Project & Website Manager.
 
20 February 1942 The Battalion was formed at Fort George Meade, Maryland and trained throughout Pennsylvania during facility security missions in the 3rd Army Command area of responsibility before assignment to the South Pacific theater in WW II.
During WW II, 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 and 8th Army.
1950 At the start of the Korean War, the  X Corps MP Company (Provisional), was formed from C Company along with volunteers from A and B Company, and sent to Korea where it served with distinction earning a Meritorious Unit Commendation. 1955 The Battalion returned from Occupied Japan, Far East Command, to the U.S. and was assigned to Fort Hood, Texas, subordinate to the 4th Army.
1962 the Battalion was deployed during the civil rights demonstration in Montgomery, Alabama, and for early Vietnam War demonstrations. July 1962, the 560th MP Company was formed from C Company, along with volunteers from A and B Company, and sent to Vietnam. April 1965 the 615th MP Company was formed from C Company, along with volunteers from A and B Company, and sent to Vietnam.
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 mission 1967-1970. Operation Stabilize included Ambush & Reconnaissance, Village Outpost's, River Patrol. Another MP Corps historical first was to direct air, armor, and infantry support for B Company (410th) Ambush Teams defending Long Binh Post during the 23 February 1969 Post Tet New Years attack. On 13 August 1972 The Battalion was inactivated in Vietnam.
31 August 1972 The Battalion was reactivated at Fort Hood, Texas subordinate to the 5th Army. The letter companies were reverted back to their historical numerical designations, HQ Detachment remained the same, A to the 401st MP Company, B to the 410th MP Company, C to the 411th MP Company. In 1973 the Battalion was assigned subordinate to III Corps. The Battalion was assigned to duties at the funeral of President Lindon B. Johnson.
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.
Battalion elements deployed to Europe as part of the Reforager Exercise, provided security for engineer units during Operation Ahuas Tara II, and 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, "Operation Hawkeye."
The 64th MP Company joined the Battalion. 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.
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 Operations "Enduring Freedom" and "Iraqi Freedom."
Battalion elements continue to be deployed in "Operation Iraqi Freedom."
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