Lineage and Honors Information as of 3 September 2010
HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS DETACHMENT
117th MILITARY POLICE BATTALION
Organized and Federally recognized 30 April 1923 in the Tennessee National Guard at Athens as Company E, 117th Infantry, an element of the 30th Division (later redesignated as the 30th Infantry Division)
Redesignated 30 April 1938 as Company B, 117th Infantry
Inducted into Federal service 16 September 1940 at Athens
Inactivated 18 November 1945 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and relieved from assignment to the 30th Infantry Division
Reorganized and Federally recognized 1 September 1947 in the Tennessee National Guard at Athens as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 278th Infantry
Ordered into active Federal service 1 September 1950 at Athens
(Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 278th Infantry [NGUS], organized and Federally recognized 4 September 1952 at Athens)
Released from active Federal service 8 October 1954 and reverted to state control as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 278th Infantry; concurrently, Federal recognition withdrawn from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 278th Infantry (NGUS)
Reorganized and redesignated 11 October 1954 as Headquarters and Service Company, 278th Armored Infantry Battalion
Assigned 27 October 1954 to the 30th Armored Division
Consolidated 1 March 1959 with the Medical Detachment, 278th Armored Infantry Battalion (organized and Federally recognized 2 August 1955 at Athens) and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Armored Rifle Battalion, 117th Infantry, an element of the 30th Armored Division
Reorganized and redesignated 1 April 1963 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry
Relieved 1 November 1973 from assignment to the 30th Armored Division
Consolidated 1 May 1977 with Detachment 1, Support Company, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry (see ANNEX), and consolidated unit converted, reorganized, and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Ordered into active Federal service 22 June 2004 at Athens; released from active Federal Service 4 January 2006 and reverted to state control
Converted, reorganized, and redesignated 1 September 2006 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 117th Military Police Battalion
ANNEX
Organized and Federally recognized 1 April 1947 in the Tennessee National Guard at Etowah as Company A, 278th Infantry
Ordered into active Federal service 1 September 1950 at Etowah
(Company A, 278th Infantry [NGUS], organized and Federally recognized 5 September 1952 at Etowah)
Released from active Federal service 8 October 1954 and reverted to state control; concurrently, Federal recognition withdrawn from Company A, 278th Infantry (NGUS)
Reorganized and redesignated 11 October 1954 as Company A, 278th Armored Infantry Battalion, an element of the 44th Armored Division
Reorganized 1 March 1959 as Company A, 2d Armored Rifle Battalion, 117th Infantry
Redesignated 1 April 1963 as Company A, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 February 1968 as the Ground Surveillance Section, Battalion Scout Platoon, Battalion Heavy Mortar Platoon, and Battalion Anti-Tank Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 March 1970 as Detachment 1, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 February 1972 as Support Company, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry
Reorganized and redesignated 1 October 1975 as Detachment 1, Support Company, 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry
Location changed 1 January 1977 to Athens
HOME STATION: Athens
CAMPAIGN PARTICIPATION CREDIT
World War II
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Ardennes-Alsace
Central Europe
War on Terrorism
Iraqi Governance
DECORATIONS
Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered ST. BARTHELMY
Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered SCHERPENSEEL
French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered FRANCE
French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered MORTAIN
French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star, World War II, Streamer embroidered SCHERPENSEEL
Belgian Fourragere 1940
Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in Belgium
Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY:
JEFFREY J. CLARKE
Chief of Military History