History of the 720th Military Police Batt – Hardcover Set

Hardcover Set
History of the 720th Military Police Battalion Book II

Volume I

Follow the new generation of Soldiers of the Gauntlet who
came of age during the turbulent and divisive years of the
1960s and ’70s during their preparation, deployment, and
service in South Vietnam.

Using official records and the personal accounts of battalion
veterans of all ranks and ages, it takes you on a chronological
tour from their first day in-country until their last.

Learn of the history of the Vietnamese people, its military,
civil police, and the ever-elusive enemy, the Allies, sub-
ordinate units, geography, and areas of operation.

In South Vietnam, the tactical approach to war changed
drastically with the new concept of the nonlinear battlefield.
The Military Police took the initiative and through its speed
and mobility, the tenacity and bravery of its troops, it quickly
learned to adapt to the new style of counterinsurgency hit-
and-run guerilla warfare by an always-elusive enemy.

You will finally see the big picture of how the blood, sweat,
tears, and toils of the Soldiers of the Gauntlet and their
subordinate units affected the overall war effort.

Learn how the military police of the Vietnam era were
rewarded for their efforts when the Military Police Corps
was finally designated by the Department of the Army as
a combat support as well as service branch.

Volume II

The story of the three—year history of a traditional Army—
level Military Police battalion assigned the previously
unheard of mission responsibility of light infantry counter-
insurgency warfare in South Vietnam. This was the first
time in the history of the United States Armed Forces that
a military police battalion was tasked with such a mission
and placed in direct operation control of a Tactical Area Of
Responsibility (TAOR) and authority for the direct control
of infantry, air, armor, and artillery elements when called
upon for support. At the time there was no precedent for it.

Long Binh Post was the new home for the USARV Head-
quarters complex, and a dedicated proactive U.S. unit was
needed to deny the enemy access to its traditional southern
approach routes to Bien Hoa and eliminate their close-­in
strike capability of Long Binh Post and USARV.

USARV tasked the mission to the 18th Military Police
Brigade, and they assigned it to the 89th Military Police
Group’s go-to battalion, the 720th.

Regardless of unit, if you are a Military Police veteran of the
Vietnam era, it will finally provide you and the Military Police
Corps with a clear and concise documentation of a history of
service to be proud of.