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The
information presented on this page is meant to provide some historical
background on the formation and operation of the U.S. Constabulary
School in Sonthofen, Germany. If anyone has additional information,
corrections or stories relating to the school, Sonthofen
military community or any other aspect of their service with the
U.S. Armed Forces during the early years of the Occupation in Germany
and Austria - please contact Walter
Elkins.
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The
image above stems from a Photo Album published c. 1948 by the US
Constabulary School, Burg Sonthofen, Bavaria, Germany.
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Primary
Sources:
(1) The Establishment and Operations of the United States Constabulary,
3 October 1945 - 30 June 1947. Historical Sub-Section, G-3 Section,
HQ U.S. Constabulary, 1947.
(2) History of the U.S. Constabulary, 10 January 1946 - 31 December
1946. Historical Division, HQ European Command, 1947.
(3) The United States Constabulary - A History. William M.
Tevington, Turner Publishing Co., 1998.
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Formation
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u
The Third U.S. Army Constabulary Planning Board was formed at
Bad Toelz in early January 1946 to develop an organizational and
operational plan for the US Constabulary. Early in the planning
stage the Board recognized the need for a Constabulary School
that would train both officers and enlisted men in the methods
required to perform the new Constabulary mission.
u
On 15 January 1946, the 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron,
part of the District Constabulary already in operation at the
time, was ordered to Sonthofen were they replaced 3rd Battalion,
14th Infantry Regiment which had been performing occupational
duties in that sector. Upon its arrival in Sonthofen, the 2nd
Cav Recon Sq assumed control of the former Adolf Hitler Schule
and immediately began preparing the school plant for operations.
This school was located in a winter sports area of Upper Allgaeu,
at the foot of the Bavaria Alps. It had originally been constructed
as a school to train youthful candidates for positions of leadership
within the Nazi party.
u
On 12 February 1946, the 465th Anti-Aircraft Automatic Weapons
Battalion, Self-Propelled, arrived at Sonthofen to relieve
the 2nd as School Troops. The 2nd Cav, minus A Troop, returned
to 2nd Cavalry Group control on 26 February and reassumed their
District Constabulary role. A Troop remained at Sonthofen until
23 March to break in the new school troops. The Troop then rejoined
the rest of the 2nd Squadron at their new station in Lenggries.
u
In
accordance with preliminary tables of organization developed for
the School Squadron in late January 1946, the 465th was redesignated
as U.S. Constabulary School Squadron and organized as follows:
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Headquarters
Troop
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Service
Troop
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Instructors
Troop
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Demonstration
Troop 1)
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Guard
& MP Troop
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Medical
Detachment
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Band
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1)
it appears that the Demonstration and Guard troops were combined
at some point to form the Demonstration & Guard (D&G) Troop.
Anybody have details about this?
u
The
School Squadron strength comprised 122 officers, 6 warrant officers
and 820 enlisted men.
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Curriculum
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u
The
emphasis in creating a curriculum for the Constabulary School
was placed on those subjects believed to be peculiar to Constabulary
operation but not part of the standard training of a soldier.
The curriculum included instructions in the geography, history
and politics of Germany. The technical and specialist training
for the Constabulary trooper included the theory and practice
of criminal investigation, police records, self-defense, riot
duty, raids and searches and the apprehension of wanted persons.
u
The
original material presented to the first classes represented an
educated guess of the subjects believed essential to the operation
of a mobile occupational police force. Modifications to courses
of study were made with the passing of time as the District Constabulary
and later the US Constabulary gained operational experience in
the field and new requirements were determined. Also, some courses
such as communications and intelligence were soon eliminated because
they duplicated those taught at Theater schools, such as Ansbach
(Theater Signal School) and Oberammergau (Theater Intelligence
School).
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Departmental
Organization
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u
The
curriculum of the school was organized by grouping courses of
instruction by related subjects and placing them under functional
departments of the Academics Division. The division, under the
supervision of the Assistant Commandant, was comprised of:
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Headquarters,
Academics Division
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Training
Aids Department
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Department
of Geopolitics
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Department
of Public Safety
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Department
of Tactics
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Department
of Motor Transport
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Department
of General Subjects 2)
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Department
of Weapons 3)
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Communications
Department 4)
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Student
Squadron
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2)
discontinued effective 20 September 1946
3) established 1 February 1947
4) discontinued effective 23 November 1946
Headquarters,
Academics Division - supervised
and coordinated the activities of the Academic instructional departments
and the student squadron.
Training
Aids Department - supported the instructional departments
with charts, graphs and other training aids. In addition, the
department operated the training film library and projection and
public address equipment.
Department
of Geopolitics - provided the student with a knowledge of
the historical, geographical and psychological background of the
German people and nation.
Department
of Public Safety - originally designated as Department of
Police, was responsible for all instructions relating to police
work, the greatest single operational task performed by the Constabulary.
Department
of Tactics - presented a balanced course of instruction consisting
of normal military operations dealing with both Motorized Infantry
and Mechanized Cavalry tactics as well as Constabulary operations.
With increased experience in the field, the focus of this course
shifted more towards specific Constabulary functions such as border
control, raids and searches, and providing more demonstrations
and practical work. To aid in the presentation of intelligence
subjects a control room was constructed modeled after the one
maintained by Constabulary Headquarters. This room provided an
up to date picture of intelligence developments and Constabulary
operations throughout the US Zone.
Department
of Motor Transport - was primarly involved in instructing
officers and enlisted men in first echelon motor maintenance.
On 1 January 1947, the course of instruction of the Third U.S.
Army Aircraft and Engine Mechanic School was added to the department
with the transfer of this school from Bad Reichenhall.
Department
of General Studies - taught unarmed defense, intelligence
subjects, map reading and key German words and phrases. Effective
20 September 1946, this department was discontinued and its courses
transferred to other departments.
Department
of Weapons - instructed troopers in weapons with the objective
of improving individual and group marksmanship, developing competent
instructors and promoting the safe handling of firearms.
Communications
Department - provided general communications, wire communications,
radio and radio operations training. This department was discontinued
on 23 November 1946 because of duplication of courses taught by
the Theater Signal School in Ansbach.
Student
Squadron - incoming students were assigned to the squadron
for purposes of control, administration and discipline. The Squadron
was organized into a headquarters consisting of the Sqduadron
Commander, Squadron Executive, Sergeant Major, clerks and orderlies.
In addition to the permanent staff, a squadron staff composed
of student officers assisted the Squadron Commander. Troops were
organized under student officers and non-commissioned officers.
Each troop was headed by a faculty advisor who assisted the Squadron
Commander in the execution of inspection and in administration.
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Consolidation
and Closure
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u
In
January 1947, Theater Headquarters decided to consolidate the
7719th Theater School (Special) located at Seckenheim and
the Theater Military Police School 5),
at Nellingen, with the US Constabulary School in Sonthofen. The
consolidation became effective 20 January, when the 7719th was
transferred to Sonthofen. This school retained its separate identity
and continued to function as a Theater School. With the consolidation,
the US Constabulary School began to take on the character of a
Theater school. By 30 June 1947, the Constabulary was teaching
five concurrent courses. Two of these were Constabulary courses,
the other three were on a Theater-wide basis. 370 of the 750 students
were from non-Constabulary units or commands.
u
In
the spring of 1948 the U.S. Constabulary began to reorganize as
a tactical force. The process of relieving the Constabulary of
many of its police-type activities such as border control, highway
patrol and other law enforcement functions and of returning these
duties to the reconstituted German police was in full swing. The
focus of training shifted from internal security to combat readiness.
With the establishment of the Tank Training Center in Vilseck,
the Constabulary began the process of converting the old police-type
units to armored combat organizations. The need for the Constabulary
School at Sonthofen had ceased to exist and it was closed in June
1948. Personnel from the inactivated school were absorbed into
the new 7732nd Field Artillery Group which was formed on
20 July 1948 at Sonthofen.
5)
The Theater MP School was not moved to Sonthofen until early 1948.
It staid there as part of the U.S. Constabulary School for only
two months. In May 1948 it was consolidated with the Theater Intelligence
School in Oberammergau, near Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
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Military
Community
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u
On
29 April 1946, the first U.S. military dependents arrived in Europe.
By the end of June of the same year, Theater Headquarters had
subdivided the U.S. occupied Zone into 53 military communities
where in-theater military dependents would live. These small posts
were operated by station complement units 6)
responsible for receiving, storing and issuing the supplies required
to sustain the military and dependent population; performing all
but major maintenance services; and operating local medical and
hospitalization facilities.
u
The
military community site for Sonthofen was established at Oberstdorf
about eight miles south of the School. A commissary, post exchange
and dispensary were established at Oberstdorf and began operations
on 20 July 1946. By the end of 1946 there were seventy dependent
families living in the military community.
u
The
Women's Army Corps (WAC) detachment established at the School
in September 1946 was also billeted in the town. The WAC detachment
was assigned to help alleviate the critical shortages of administrative
personnel. Personnel from this detachment worked in various headquarters
sections and in the Academic Division, wherever shortages were
most critical.
u
Arrangements
were made to provide transportation to the School for personnel
living in Oberstdorf. A night and day bus service was soon supplemented
by a morning and evening train service between Oberstdorf and
the Constabulary School.
6)
As far as I have been able to determine, a detachment of the 7815th
SCU out of Augsburg was responsible for operating the Sonthofen
military community.
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