793rd Military Police Battalion
"SPARTANS"
On order, 793rd Military Police Battalion rapidly deploys and conducts combat, combat support and stability operations in support of the 18th Military Police Brigade and V Corps contingencies.
The 793d Military Police Battalion has been on continuous active duty since its activation at Camp Maxey, Texas, on 26 December 1942. The Battalion deployed to Scotland in February 1944 for training prior to movement to France in August 1944, where it conducted route security operations on the famous Red Ball Highway until December 1944. From December 1944 to June 1945 the Battalion conducted port security operations in Antwerp, Belgium, and was cited in the Order of the Day by the Belgian Army.
In June 1945, the Battalion was assigned port security operations in Marseilles, France until January 1946, when it entered Germany. The Battalion was subsequently assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, and moved to Nurenberg where it conducted law and order operations as part of the occupation force, and security for the Nurenberg War Crimes Trial.
The Battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation--EUROPEAN THEATER, and campaign streamers--NORTHERN FRANCE 1944 and RHINELAND 1944-1945, for military operations in Europe during World War II.
During the Cold War era, the Battalion was assigned to VII Corps, United States Army, Europe.
The Battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia in December 1990 in support of VII Corps during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. The Battalion advanced into Iraq and Kuwait in February 1991 at the start of the ground offensive in support of the 1st Armored Division, where it conducted extensive Enemy Prisoner of War operations. In April 1991, the Battalion supervised the evacuation of thousands of refugees from Iraq to Saudi Arabia.
The Battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation--DESERT SHIELD/STORM and campaign streamers--DEFENSE OF SAUDI ARABIA 1990-1991, LIBERATION AND DEFENSE OF KUWAIT 1991, and SOUTHWEST ASIA CEASE FIRE, for military operations in Southwest Asia.
The Battalion redeployed from Saudi Arabia to Germany in May 1991, and was subsequently reassigned to the 18th MP Brigade, V Corps.
The Battalion deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in December 1995 in support of Task Force Eagle (1st Armored Division) and Operation Joint Endeavor. For almost eleven months, soldiers of the Battalion performed a wide variety of missions including circulation control, area and route security operations, VIP security, and critical site security. During the Bosnian National Elections in September 1996, the Battalion provided around- the-clock support to nearly 200 election sites and counting houses in the Tuzla Valley. Upon the successful transfer of Military Police functions to the covering force of the 1st Infantry Division in November 1996, units of the Battalion redeployed to Germany, bringing an end to the second major deployment of the "SPARTANS" outside of Germany since 1990.
The colors green and yellow, are the colors of the Military Police Corps. The heraldic bend charged with the red torteauxs symbolizes the Battalion's route security and circulation control mission on the famous Red Ball Highway across France, Belgium and into Germany during World War II. The two torteaux represent campaign honors awarded for operations in World War II.
