by Maj. William
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard
On Jan. 12, 2019 Capt.
Charles G. Follin relinquished command of the 190th Military Police
Company to Capt. Michael T. Moores The change of command was just the latest
chapter in the history of the 190th MP Company, which in 2019 will
mark 95 years of service in the Georgia Army National Guard.
Subsequent
reorganizations in 1959 and 1963 established the unit as Headquarters Battery
and Battery C, 1st Rocket Howitzer Battalion, 179th Artillery and Headquarters
and Service Battery and Battery D, 1st Battalion, 179th Artillery,
respectively.
The 170th MP
Battalion was consolidated with the 190th MP Company in September
1990 and the consolidated unit was redesignated as the 190th Military Police
Company. The new unit inherited the lineage and honors of the 170th
MP Battalion which traced its lineage to the 945th Field Artillery Battalion
which served in Europe during World War II.
Introduction
 |
| Capt. Charles G. Follin photo by Maj. William Carraway |
The 190th MP
Company was organized and federally recognized March 5, 1924 in the Georgia
National Guard in Atlanta as Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion and Company C,
200th Infantry Regiment. On June 9, 1924, the unit was redesignated as
Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, and Company C, 122d Infantry Regiment.[i]
On July 1, 1939, the
unit was converted and redesignated as Headquarters Battery and Combat Train,
1st Battalion, and Battery C, 179th Field Artillery. One year later the unit
was reorganized and redesignated 1 July 1940 as Headquarters Battery, 1st
Battalion, 179th Field Artillery.
 |
| WWII insignia of the 179th FA. Georgia Guard Archives |
World War II
The 179th FA
was inducted into federal service Feb. 24, 1941 in Atlanta. And on Feb. 8, 1943
was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters Battery and Battery C, 179th
Field Artillery Battalion.
After serving in the
European Operations, the 179th FA was inactivated Dec. 9, 1945 at
Camp Patrick Henry, Va.
Post WWII Reorganizations
Upon the reorganization
of the Ga. Guard in July 1946, the 179th FA Battalion was assigned to
the 48th Infantry Division. The 179th was reorganized and federally
recognized May 2, 1947.On Nov. 1, 1955, the 48th was reorganized as
the 48th Armored Division and the 179th was redesignated as
Headquarters Battery and Battery C, 179th Armored Field Artillery Battalion.
 |
Despite a driving rain, more than
3,000 Georgia Guardsman participated in the Army Day parade in Atlanta April 6,
1949. In this image Company C,
179th Field Artillery Battalion, 48th Infantry Division tows a 155 mm howitzer down Peachtree Street. Georgia Guard Archives. |
On January 1, 1968,
the unit was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 170th Military Police Battalion. On that date the 170th was relieved from
assignment to the 48th Armored Division.
The 190th MP Company relocated to Dobbins Air Force Base Oct. 1, 1995 and moved to its present
location in Kennesaw on Sept. 1, 1997.
Mobilizations
On Sept. 17, 1990, the
190th MP was mobilized to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in support of Operation
Desert Shield/Storm. They provided security support for ports and harbors as
well as main supply route security and circulation control. The 138 MPs also
served as a quick reaction force. The 190th MP Company returned to the United
States in April 1991.[ii]
The 190th was activated
for state service during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. The MPs
provided event security and traffic control.[iii]
 |
Lieutenant General Edward D. Baca, chief of the National
Guard Bureau
addresses Georgia National Guardsmen of the 190th Military Police
Company
before the start of their duty day. The MPs are supporting the
Summer
Olympic Games.
Georgia National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Gail Parnelle / released
|
Just 28 days after the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 the 190th MP was ordered to
active duty. The MPs augmented security operations at Fort Stewart, Ga. for 12
months.[iv]
 |
Sergeant Harold Davis a Georgia National Guardsman with the
190th Military Police
Company, waves traffic through to the next stop at the
Fort McPherson gates in
September 2002. The 190th MPs were mobilized to augment
Fort McPherson and
Fort Gillem security in October 2001 following the September
11 terrorist attacks.
Georgia National Guard photograph by Specialist Jeff Lowry
|
On March 15, 2003, 124
Soldiers of the 190th MP were activated for deployment to Iraq. The unit served until March 13, 2004 before
returning to Kennesaw.[v]
On Jan. 14, 2010 the 190th
MP, under the command of Capt. Pervis Brown, entered federal service and
mobilized to Afghanistan. The MPs served at Bagram Air Base providing security
for the base detention center. Additionally, the 190th escorted detainees to
and from the center and served as part of the base’s immediate response force.
The unit returned home Jan 7, 2011.[vi]
 |
Military Police Company from Afghanistan to Maj. Gen. Maria L. Britt, commander of the Georgia Army Guard Jan 7, 2011. Georgia National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Roy Henry |
The 190th MP Company was
mobilized following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and for Hurricanes Matthew, Irma and Michael from 2016 to 2018.
During hurricane response operations the MPs assisted local law enforcement
with curfew enforcement, security and traffic control missions.[vii]
 |
Georgia Army National Guard Specialist David Roberts of the
Kennesaw-based 190th Military Police Company gathers his gear
prior to
mobilization to the Gulf Coast in August 2005 in support
of Hurricane Katrina.
Ga. National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Gail Parnelle
|
[i]
Department of the Army Lineage and Honors of the 190th Military Police Company
– reference for Formation and Early History, WWII, Post WWII Reorganization
[ii]
“After the Storm.” The Georgia Guardsman Magazine, Fall, 1991, 1.
[iii]
“Flashback: 1996 Olympics.” The Georgia Guardsman Magazine, Summer, 2016,
17-19.
[iv]
Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report, 2012.
[v]
Department of the Army Lineage and Honors of the 190th Military Police Company.
[vi] "Kennesaw’s 190th
MPs Come Home." The Georgia Guardsman Magazine, January 2011, 15.
[vii]
Georgia Department of Defense Annual Report 2016, 2017 and 2018.
No comments:
Post a Comment