The 716th military police battalion is a military police battalion of the united states army based at fort campbell, kentucky. Check our peacekeepers assigned to 716th military police battalion, 101st sustainment brigade lifeliners, 101st airborne division air assault volunteering. A variety of engineer, signal, and military police units provided support to the railroaders. All reunion memory books are set to be mailed out within the next 3 weeks. Or, on a cushion vert, tasseled gules a baton of the field. During the period from 31 january to 6 february 1968, the 716th military police battalion suffered twentyseven killed and fortyfive wounded in action while serving in the saigon area. Formerly a separate unit under the command of united states army forces command, it became a division sustainment unit in 2015 and adopted the wear of the division ssi. This is first hand knowledge of events as this soldier experienced them. Heres another video from the hand grenade range from hhd, 716th military police battalion, the 16th military police brigade, enjoy.
Download pdf military police regimental association. It is headquartered at fort campbell, kentucky history edit world war ii edit. Fort wadsworth, new york dated 15 january 1942, and actually came into being on 22 january 1942, when the first troops arrived. Holland award, crowning the company as the best military police company in 2018. The story of the 716th military police battalion in saigon during the tet offensive david birchfield. The 16th military police brigade is a military police brigade of the united states army headquartered at fort bragg, north carolina. Tet offensive attack on us embassy military wiki fandom. This is the official page for the 716th military police battalion. Originally organized as the 15th military police battalion in october 1927, the 519th military police battalion was called to active duty at camp chaffe, arkansas in april 1944. Vietnam us army mp 716th military police battalion honor guard. Gi joe us army 716th battalion mp saigon defender 16 scale vietnam rare. We have a long way to gothere are said to be about 5,000 military reunion groups in all. Within a month of activation, the battalion began conducting area security operations out of jersey city, new jersey.
I served with the 552nd, 300th, 560th, 527th, andcco of the 716th mp bn. The 759th military police battalion was constituted 19 august 1942 in the army of the united states and activated 15 september 1942 at fort ontario, new york. The unit lineages in this book ar adapted from these official certificates is a highly. History of the 709th military police battalion, late 1980s. The 716th was initially stationed at fort wadsworth, new york city, to provide area security. I also worked there as a civilian for two years until july, 1970. The sixth division was organized in november 1917 as a square division consisting of the 51st, 52nd, 53rd, and the 54th infantry regiments, the 16th, 17th and 18th machinegun battalions and the 3rd, 11th and 78th field artillery regiments. On march 6, 2004, the 716th military police battalion arrived at fort campbell, kentucky after a year in iraq. A seargent inspects mps in ranks and signs for the 504th mp battalion. Lex et ordo law and order the 716th military police battalion was activated in accordance with general orders no. The books are a great read and detail life in the 720 th mp battalion. Between mortars, rockets, rpgs, booby traps and bullets, there was no safe place for any soldier in vietnam. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading policing saigon. Winner of an honorable mention by the military writers society of america.
After action report, 716th tank battalion, 9 jan 45 thru 8. We are currently working on a desert combat ring for soldiers who served in the middle east for all branches. The 709th military police battalion concluded their weeklong best warrior competition that physically and mentally challenged the units elite soldiers, march 29, grafenwoehr, germany. The military police corps is indeed a 21st century force on the move. This book holds an honored place in my extensive collection of military history.
After the 52nd infantry regiments activation in 1917, the regiment was assigned to the sixth infantry division. The 716th mp bn recently held tryouts for the installations special reaction team srt. This time, however, instead of commanding a battalion of m4 sherman tanks crewed by combathardened soldiers, irzyks forces were support troops. Hhd, 716th military police battalion saigon warriors, fort campbell, kentucky. The 716th military police battalion is the most decorated military police battalion in the united states army and has provided continuous distinguished service to the nation since its activation on 15 january 1942. Soon he and his troops would be in route to clear the american embassy of enemy troops in one of the most significant events of any war.
Many of the members were interviewed and a portion of the welcoming ceremony was shown. Jim johnson and doug dragert, 552nd mp co, long binh. The books are a great read and detail life in the 720 th mp battalion, in vietnam. Army leaders have long recognized that an awareness of a units history and traditions. Frank ribich, 527th mp co, 716th mp battalion heard that early morning of january 31st, 1968. I left for vietnam when i was 19, and came home just a. Johnston, the outgoing commander, relinquished command of the 716th mp bn, which is assigned to the 16th mp bde. Constituted 10 january 1942 in the army of the united states as the 716th military police battalion. Soldiers assigned to 716th military police battalion, fort campbell, ky. Activated 15 january 1942 at fort wadsworth, new york. The story of the 716th military police battalion in saigon.
The 97th military police battalion is a military police battalion of the united states army based at fort riley, kansas. Two military policemen from the 716th mp battalion part of the 18th military police brigade guarded the vehicle entrance on mac dinh chi street, inside the chancery building two us marines of the marine security guard occupied a guard post and, due to the heightened security situation following the cancellation of the tet truce, another marine. The 716th military police battalion mission is to deploy worldwide in. The largest and only combat tested military police brigade in the history of the military police corps had distinguished itself in six plus years of activation and duty in vietnam. During world war ii, the mrs operated in every theater of operations where there were american forces.
Hhd, 716th military police battalion saigon warriors. In fact, the battalion s first commander, lieutenant colonel charles f. Headquarters and headquarters detachment 716th military police battalion saigon warriors constituted 10 january 1942 in the army of the united states as the 716th military police battalion. My name is jim stewart and i served in vietnam from october of 1966 to october of 1968. It is a subordinate unit of the 16th military police brigade. This specially trained team responds to the most high risk situations on fort campbell and provides the commander with an enhanced response capability above that provided by onduty conventional law enforcement. The 716th military police battalion is the only one in army military police corps history to receive the award, which honors actions that set it apart from others in the same war, said battalion commander lt. The cadre was comprised of four officers and one hundred and seven enlisted soldiers from the 712th military police battalion and three officers from the. Policing saigon kindle edition by christensen, loren w download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The 504th military police battalion was, at the time, a combat military police battalion with a headquarters and headquarters detachment and 3 military police companies.
Heres a video of todays hand grenade range of hhd, 716th military police battalion, the 16th military police brigade. Activated in europe during world war ii, the unit provided military police support and during the korean war, the 97th military police battalion conducted internment operations throughout the duration of the conflict. Soldiers of the 716th military police battalion, 101st sustainment brigade, 101st airborne division air assault, conducted. Instead, it was erroneously reported that the c10 battalion sappers had captured and occupied the embassy. Army 504th military police battalion army veteran locator. The military police corps has been a very busy organization during the fiftyseven years of its existence, and as one of the most deployed branches of the service, it appears that it will remain so for the foreseeable future. Gi joe hasbro us army mp saigon defender vietnam 716th mp battalion.
The role of military police during the war was extremely dangerous yet a vital part of the overall mission. Militaria forum reference shoulder sleeve insignia ref army military police. To those who have fought for it, life has a flavor that the protected will never know. This liner has been restoredto its current condition of those worn by the 716th prior to the 18th mpbrigade being formed n 1966. The battalion also provides law and order to all installations within united states army garrison hawaii. Constituted on 10 january 1942 in the army as the 716th military police battalion, it was activated during the second world war at fort wadsworth, new york on 15 january 1942. But it is an undisputed fact that the 716th military police battalion saved saigon. Fort campbell, kentucky after months of preparation, soldiers from the 716th military police battalion, 16th military police brigade will depart fort campbell, in late february, to fort mcclellan, alabama, to participate in a training exercise that will validate the units capabilities as a response task force prior to assuming the defense chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear. Orlando 716th military police battalion 101st airborne division air assault army lt. Headquarters and headquarters detachment, 716th military. Vasey recalls tet offensive, aftermath in vietnam daily republic.
The 716th first received the presidential unit citation for its defense of the u. Army 716th military police battalion army veteran locator. History of the 709th military police battalion, 1976. After a ninemonth deployment to europe, soldiers from the 551st military police company, 716th military police battalion, were presented the brig. The 101st sustainment brigade is a sustainment brigade of the united states army based at fort campbell providing logistical support to the 101st airborne division.
Above, mps smitty, brock, porch, nichols, abma and moran at camp evans, 504th mp bn. Marines had successfully fought off the attack until relieved by elements of the 716th mp battalion. Presidential unit citation for 716th military police battalion. Vietnam journal paperback 2014 by thomas terry watson author, robert p. A gold color metal and enamel device 1 18 inches 2. Jun 20, 2012 constituted 10 january 1942 in the army of the united states as the 728th military police battalion activated 19 january 1942 at fort custer, michigan allotted 29 march 1949 to the regular army. It was activated out of wartime necessity on 15 january 1942 at fort wadsworth. Through series of training exercises, coordination meetings and leadership training workshops the battalion is ready to work as a task force in preparation for. The 728th military police battalion performs military police operations to allow for united states forces to move freely through an assigned area. The 504th military police battalion, the dragon fighters, was first constituted on 29 july 1921 in the organized reserves as the 304th military police battalion. Hhd, 716th military police battalion saigon warriors home. This book written by a person who was a member of the 716th mp bn is a must read by former members of the 716th in vietnam.
Read more of the history of 101 st airborne division air assault. The 716th military police battalion was first constituted on 10 january 1942 in the army of the united states as the 716th military police battalion. The competition consisted of numerous, backtoback challenges, to name a few. The facts were that the vc unit never penetrated any embassy building and that four u. Headquarters and headquarters detachment 716th military police battalion saigon warriors cons. See the pics and read the text of this heroic fight by the mps, visit the tet page. Stanton, was a field artillery officer who had served in the 27th infantry division prior to his assignment to the 716th military police battalion.
As a former member of the 716th in vietnam i can verify the veracity of the events as portrayed by the author. It also provides law enforcement, community assistance and force protection to the soldiers, families, and visitors to fort campbell, kentucky. On the 12th of july 1945, the 508th military police battalion relieved the 512th military police battalion of all active duty in munich and having been reinforced with 200 enlisted men took over the mission of law enforcement in munich and its environs. In april 1966, three 716th mp battalion members had earned posthumous silver star medals engaging a vc attack on a bachelor officer quarters boq in saigon that also cost three vietnamese policemens lives and left 1 americans and australians wounded. Another target of the tet offensive of 1968 was dalat. This brigade has the only airborne qualified military police units in the u. Home world war ii operational documents after action report, 716th tank battalion, 9 jan 45 thru 8 feb 45, 18 mar 45 thru 8 feb 45. A chronology of his tour in vietnam with the 615th mp company, 720th mp battalion from his letters home. At its peak, it included eleven grand divisions, thirtythree railway operating battalions, and eleven railway shop battalions. It provides law enforcement and police duties to fort bragg, and.
The battalion was deployed to the pacific theater one year later. On 2 april 1973, the 508th military police battalion at fort riley, kansas was reflagged as the 716th military police battalion with attached elements to include the 1st, 207th, 890th, and 977th. If you were a veteran of the of the 615th military police company, and recognize any of the names listed on this page, or you are a surviving family member of a veteran from this unit and would like to contribute information, personal stories, documents, media articles or photographs, please take a moment to contact tom watson the history project manager at the email link provided above for. Building and maintaining the most complete and sophisticated reference on the world wide web for the u. Headquarters and headquarters detachment, 716th military police. The 2,000plus members of hac did have a couple of aces in the hole, however.
Peacekeeper battalion welcomes new commander article. Merry christmas to all of you 716th mp bn brothers, sisters and family from barb and fred szabo of o. Pictures of the ring can be seen on the website but only with the dark green colors for now. The battalion is subordinate to the 16th military police brigade.
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