US Military

Military Police

Welcome to the Militarypay.com Military Police Virtual Museum. In these pages you will find the documents, pictures and other material relating to the Military Police Services of the US Army, Navy and Air Force over the past 90 years. As with any Museum, the following pages are intended to educate, inform, and even entertain. But just as important, this site is intended to be a tribute to the men and women of the US Military, Regular and Reserve, who served country in the past, and who are now serving in the Military Police Branch of the US Armed Forces.
In true sense Military police came into existence on May 20 1966. On 20 May 1966 the 18th Military Police Brigade was established. The brigade was sent to the Republic of Vietnam during the autumn of 1966. The brigade was responsible for the command, coordination and control of all military police operations performed by groups, battalions and other attached units from the de-militarized zone (DMZ) to the Mekong Delta. In addition to its normal police function, the brigade was also in a combat support role and provided convoy escorts, bridge and highway security, refugee and detainee evacuation and traffic control

In addition to these policing functions, the brigade had control of a 22 suare mile area as its own area of responsibility that included military operations and civic action programs as well.

The 18th Military Police Brigade also performed "sea duty" during the Vietnam war by providing port and river security. An example of this type of operation was conducted at the tiny port of Vung Tau Bay. This port was a vital area because it was the disembarkation point for many supplies. The 218th Military Police Company, assumed responsibility for the security of this 6 1/2 square mile bay using river patrol boats equipped with .50-caliber machine guns. This operation was supplemented by using a Boston Whaler for patrolling the shoreline to intercept would-be Viet Cong swimmers before they entered the water.

Convoy escorts were also routine missions for the MP. One such mission, considered by many to be the most dangerous, was a convoy from Qui Nhon to Plei Djereng in support of Cambodian operations. The 150-plus-miles trip was through treacherous terrain that invited Viet Cong ambushes. The road through it degenerated from pock-marked pavement to dirt road until finally becoming a jungle trail.

8th MP Group (Criminal Investigation)
The 8th MP Group was formed to provide planning, direction and supervision for all criminal investigations that were required by the US Army in Vietnam. In July 1972 this group formed the basis for the US Army Criminal Investigation Centre, Vietnam Field Office. Prior to this, on 3 November 1966, a provisional MP Group (Criminal Investigation) had been formed to charge control of all criminal investigations within the Vietnam theatre with the exception of the Saigon metropolitan area.

16th MP Group
Command, control, staff planning and coordination was provided by the 16th MP Group to all military police units that had been attached and assigned to it in the I and II Corps Tactical Zones of Vietnam. Under its control were the 93rd, 97th and 504th Military Police Battalions.

89th MP Group
Command, control, staff planning and coordination was provided by the 89th MP Group to all military police units that had been attached and assigned to it in the III and IV Corps Tactical Zones of Vietnam. Under its control were the 92nd, 95th, 716th and 720th Military Police Battalions.

92nd MP Battalion
On 11 April 1966, the 92nd MP Battalion was deployed from Fort Bragg to Vietnam to provide command and control, staff planning, criminal investigations and supervision for administration, training, operations and logistics to assigned and attached units. Stationed at Tan Son Nhut, the battalion provided support to Saigon as a subordinate unit to the 89th MP Group.

93rd MP Battalion
Initially stationed at Qui Nhon, the battalion moved to Phu Thanh in 1967 and in 1968 to Phu Bai. The battalion provided military police support (command and control, staff planning, criminal investigations and supervision for administration, training, operations and logistics to assigned and attached units) to the northern II Corps Tactical Zone of Vietnam under the 16th MP Group. The battalion returned to Qui Nhon on 29 Mat\rch 1969.

95th MP Battalion
Initially stationed at Tan Son Nhut the 95th MP Battaion moved to Long Binh in August 1966. The battalion rendered support (command and control, staff planning, criminal investigations and supervision for administration, training, operations and logistics to assigned and attached units) to the III Corps Tactical Zone of Vietnam.

97th MP Battalion
Located at Cam Ranh Bay the battalion provided military police support (command and control, staff planning, criminal investigations and supervision for administration, training, operations and logistics to assigned and attached units) to the souther II Corps Tactical Zone of Vietnam under the 16th MP Group. The battalion moved to Long Binh in April 1972.

504th MP Battalion
On 31 August 1965, the 504th MP Battalion was sent to Vietnam from Fort Lewis to enforce military law, order and regulations; to control traffic and stragglers, circulation of individuals and protection of property; to handle prisoners of war; to operate checkpoints and route security; and to fight as infantry as required. The battalion was initially located at Qui Nhon, but moved to Phu Thanh (1967), to Phu Bai (1968), and to Da Nang (13 Aug 1970). The battalion rendered military police support in 1 Corps Tactical Zone under the 16th MP Group and finally moved to Long Binh in April 1972.

716th MP Battalion
Under the control of the 89th MP Group, the 716th MP Battalion was stationed at Saigon and Tan Son Nhut for its entire tour and provided MP support to the Saigon area. This included the enforcement of military law, order and regulations; to control traffic and stragglers, circulation of individuals and protection of property; to handle prisoners of war; to operate checkpoints and route security; and to fight as infantry as required.

720th MP Battalion
Stationed initially at Long Binh to enforce military law, order and regulations; to control traffic and stragglers, circulation of individuals and protection of property; to handle prisoners of war; to operate checkpoints and route security; and to fight as infantry as required, the battalion provided such support to the III Corps Tactical Zone under the command of the 89th MP Group.