1. The Office of the Director of Posts

a. Organisation and Personnel

By order of the Deputy Commander in Chief, EUCOM, the Office of the Director of Posts was established on 15 June 1948 as the sixth general staff division in EUCOM Headquarters. The establishment of the Division became necessary as a result of the inactivation earlier in the year of the First and Second Military Districts, formerly responsible for the supervision of military posts. The office consisted only of the Director, together with his executive and administrative officers. Brig. Gen. P.E. Gallagher served as Chief of the Division, and 1st Lt. L.W. Howe served as executive officer until replaced by 1st Lt. Thomas L. Stafford at the end of the period. CWO N.J. Hromadka joined the Division as Administrative Officer in September.

b. Mission

(1) Inspection of Posts. The Director of the Military Posts Division was responsible for inspecting all military posts and installations under the jurisdiction of the Commanding General, U.S. Army, Europe to insure the proper execution of Army policies and procedures throughout the Command, and to improve and unify administrative standards. Although the formulation of policies and directives was not a function of the Division, the Director brought to the attention of the appropriate general or special staff division any recommended changes in policy. In performing inspections, the Director was authorised the use, on a part-time basis, of personnel assigned to other staff divisions of EUCOM Headquarters. The results of inspections were brought to the attention of the Commanding General, USAREUR, at personal conferences, rather than through detailed and voluminous reports. Short random notes were submitted by members of inspection teams to the Director, Military Posts Division, for review, and if further action was required at the EUCOM staff level to correct deficiencies, extracts were furnished to the appropriate staff divisions for action. Finally, complete notes on inspections were forwarded by cover letter from the Director, Military Posts Division, to the post commanders of the military posts inspected, for the correction of deficiencies,

(2) DCinC's Monthly Conferences. The Military Posts Division was responsible for the Deputy Commander in Chief's monthly conferences with all military post commanders, held each month in the Command Building at Heidelberg. Heads of all EUCOM staff divisions having interest in the conferences attended to discuss policies and procedures with the post commanders, and to effect uniform and improved standards of administration throughout the European Command. The military Posts Division was charged with administrative matters pertaining to the conferences and with setting the agenda for the Commanding General, USAREUR, after consultations with general and special staff divisions. Briefs of all staff divisions rare consolidated for presentation at the conference, and all notes or discussions were limited to material to be discussed at the conference.

(3) "Little Post Commanders' Meeting." In addition, a "Little Post Commanders' Meeting," initiated at the direction of the Chief of Staff, was conducted each month at one of the military post headquarters. The meeting, attended by all post commanders, was presided over by the Director, Military Posts Division, and was devoted to discussions of problems pertaining to S - 1, S - 2, S - 3, S - 4, and other sections. The problems and suggested solutions were in turn presented by the Director, Military Posts Division, to the Commanding General, USAREUR, and to the appropriate general and special staff divisions.

2. Posts Supervised

During the period under review the number of military posts decreased, with the discontinuance of the Regensburg Post, from thirteen to twelve. At the end of December the Military Post Division was providing Command supervision for the following posts: Augsburg, Berlin, Bremerhaven, Frankfurt, Garmisch, Heidelberg, Munich, Nürnberg, Stuttgart, Wetzlar, and Würzburg. The Director of Posts did not inspect the Wiesbaden Military Post, which was not a major command, but reported administratively to Command Headquarters through USAFE. Table 1 gives a complete list of posts and sub-posts and the names of their respective commanders as of 15 July and 31 December 1940. Berlin, Bremerhaven, and Wiesbaden were the only military posts having no sub-posts.

3. Administrative Changes

a. Merger of Posts

To conserve manpower and supplies, the Darmstadt Post was made a sub-post of the Frankfurt Military Post on 1 July. The 7818th Station Complement Unit which had administered the Darmstadt Post was discontinued and its personnel were transferred to the 7811th Station Complement Unit.

b. Transfer to USAFE

On 3 July the area within the town limits of Kempten and Mendelheim, in the Augsburg Military Post area was designated a part of the Kaufbeuren Air Base, an exempted air station. With this trasfer, the U.S. Air Forces in Europe became responsible for the administration and logistical support of units stationed in Kempten and Mendelheim.

c. Transfer of Kreis Weilheim

On 15 August the district of Weilheim in Bavaria, including the EUCOM Engineer School at Weilheim, was transferred from Garmisch Military Post to the Munich Military Post. The Commanding Officer, Munich Military Post, acquired general court-martial jurisdiction over all persons subject to military law in Weilheim except those serving with the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, the U.S. Constabulary, or the 1st Infantry Division.

d. Discontinuance of Regensburg Military Post

The discontinuance of the Regenshurg Military Post, announced on 20 August, became effective on 1 November. The 7814th Station Complement Unit, which had administered the Regensburg Post, was discontinued, and the area formerly assigned to the Post was divided between the Military Posts of Nürnberg-Fürth and Munich. Although EUCOM Headquarters granted increased allocations of personnel and equipment to the Munich and Nürnberg-Fürth Posts to enable them to fulfill their additional responsibilities, savings in both men and supplies were expected to result from the move.

4. Post Boundaries

The accompanying map (Webmaster note: map in scan of manuscript was unusable and is not reproduced here.) shows post boundaries as of 1 November 1948. Those sections of Württemberg and Baden which were in the U.S. Occupied Zone were included in the Heidelberg and Stuttgart Military Posts. Sections of the Laender of Hesse and Nassau located in the U.S. Occupied Zone were included in the Military Posts of Wetzlar, Wiesbaden, and Frankfurt. Land Bavaria was divided among the Military Posts of Würzburg, Nürnberg-Fürth, Augsburg, Munich and Garmisch. The map also indicates the districts of which each military post was composed.

5. Command Inspections

a. Posts Visited

General Gallagher made the following Command inspections of military posts and sub-posts during 1948:

7. General Provisions Relating to Posts

At the request of Maj. Gen. Carter B. Magruder, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army in Europe, all previous directives pertaining to the administration of military posts were consolidated into a EUCOM circular, "Command and Administration of Military Posts," published 26 October. The circular defined a post as "a command comprising a geographical area designated by this headquarters," and a sub-post as "a geographical area of a post that is technically a part of and administered by a military post."

Sub-post commanders were directly responsible to their respective post commanders. Since post commanders reported direct to EUCOM Headquarters, military posts were considered major commands with the exception of Wiesbaden, which reported to USAFE. Units which depended upon a military post for logistic support and which did not further post operations were known as lodger units. Military posts had the following obligations to units attached to them for logistic support: the supply of common-users items; the provision of hospital and sanitation facilities; the evacuation of personnel; the provision of quarters, to include the repair and construction of necessary installations; and the provision of service by Machine Records Units (MRU).

8. Mission of Post Commanders

In broad outline, post commanders were assigned the following major responsibilities:

(1) To support organizations and individuals of the U.S. military forces and agencies stationed within the area of their military posts, as authorized by EUCOM orders.

(2) To provide those supplies, housekeeping services, and essentials of living that were authorized to organizations and individuals assigned or attached to their posts. In the event an exempted air installation within a post lacked the necessary facilities, the post commander was required to grant access to post facilities to personnel of the installation in question.

(3) To maintain an intelligence section for providing liaison with other intelligence agencies within their respective posts.

(4) To maintain law, order, and internal security within their posts, and to enforce proper military conduct, bearing, and appearance on the part of all personnel stationed there.

(5) To discharge obligations to displaced persons and refugees in accordance with the CINCEUR - IRO Agreement and with instructions from EUCOM Headquarters. Wiesbaden was the only military post exempted from such responsibilities, its functions in that respect being assumed by the Frankfurt Post.

(6) To perform necessary construction work within their posts.

(7) To support or operate establishments or agencies contributing to the support of other posts or major commands as directed by EUCOM Headquarters.

9. Specific Duties of Post Commanders

Specific duties of post cormanders entailed the following responsibilities: to determine and fill requirements of assigned units for military personnel; to supervise MRU accounting for military personnel of units other than Air Force assigned or attached to the posts as specified in attachment orders; to provide religious services, operate postal installations, publish orders, and assign living quarters for authorized personnel; to insure clearance of property accounts and payment of personal indebtedness by all persons about to leave the post or sub-post; to provide instruction under the Troop Information and Education Program; to eliminate undesirable personnel from units within the post, excepting those of the U.S. Constabulary, the 1st Infantry Division, the U.S, Air Forces in Europe, and the EUCOM Training & Education Center; to administer civilian employees; to supervise the utilization and security of prisoners, operate a post stockade, and provide coverage of the post by military police; to exercise court-martial jurisdiction; to prepare budget estimates of appropriated dollar funds and German marks required in operating the post; to collect all money owed the U.S. Government for commissary sales, meals, billets, and other supplies and services; to insure the prompt payment of all personel of their commands; to control all nonappropriated funds of units assigned or attached to the post for administration; to keep costs accounts for post operations, EUCOM Headquarters; to review reports of survey originating within the post, with authority to relieve persons of pecuniary liability for amounts of $1,500 or less; to maintain an intelligence section; to repatriate eligible displaced persons sentenced to imprisonment by military government courts; to conduct check and search operations of displaced-persons assembly centers and installations; to supervise the training of military units assigned or attached to the post; to procure and supply noncontrolled items for all U.S. Army and Army-sponsored personnel on the post; to supervise all action concerned with the acquisition and release of real estate on the post; to inspect organizational maintenance of equipment belonging to units assigned or attached to the post, except those attached only for operations or logistic support; to supervise construction work and the field maintenance of engineer equipment; to provide utilities, housekeeping and other services for all assigned and attached units, and other personnel supported by the Army; to support the Army Assistance Program to German Youth Activities; and to arrange medical service, including rental, veterinary, and sanitation services.

10. Responsibilities Towards Exempted Installations

a. Inspections

In a directive of 13 November, Lt. Gen. Clarence R. Huebner, Commander of the U.S. Army in Europe, expressed concern over the lack of cooperation and coordination between post commanders and the commanders of exempted Class II installations, other than Air Force installations, located within the confines of military posts, and cited the responsibility of post commanders for regular inspections of such installations. Sub-post commanders were also authorized to inspect all installations except those of the Air Force within their respective areas of jurisdiction. In making the inspections, post commanders were requested especially to note standards of discipline, efficiency, and adherence to EUCOM policies on the part of the installations, but they were not authorized to prepare efficiency reports covering installation commanders.

b. Technical Service Installations

The relationship between commanders of technical service installations and the commanders of military posts was precisely defined in EUCOM regulations published in October. Technical service installations frequently had subsidiaries located in other military posts and in such cases the satellite installations were supported by the post or sub-post in which they were located. Through the military post such installations obtained military personnel to support the installation; quarters for personnel; transportation for dependents, their household goods, and privately owned vehicles; guards and German employees for housekeeping purposes; and leave and travel orders.

11. Relations with Exempted Air Installations

Post commanders had no control over commanders of exempted air installations, who reported through Air Farce channels to the Commanding General, U.S. Air Forces in Europe. In all cases requiring joint action, post and air installation commanders were requested to cooperate. Military Posts normally did not support the personnel of exempted air installations, but such personnel were permitted to use post exchanges and other facilities in the event that none were available at their particular installations. Exempted installations existing during this period, and the military posts in which they were located, are listed below:

12. Relations with the Office of Military Government

Military government offices and personnel were given logistics support by the military posts or air installations in which they were located. Commanders were required to obtain approval from the appropriate Land Director of Military Government before using for other purposes any living quarters previously assigned to his personnel. Military government detachment commanders were responsible to the post commanders for the discipline, conduct, and appearance of MG personnel and for the preservation and proper use of U.S. Government property assigned to them. Post commanders maintained liaison with military government at both the Land and Kreis levels.

13. The 7970th CIC Group

Counterintelligence operations were conducted within all posts and air installations by the 7970th Counter Intelligence Corps Croup, the members of which were fully supported by post commanders. The 7970th CIC Croup detailed liaison officers to all post commanders to advise them of investigations pertaining to their posts. In the event of major security incidents, the 7970th CIC Group conducted counterintelligence phases of the investigation in coordination with the post or installation commander.

14. Post Highway Patrols

a. Establishment of Patrols

The responsibility for controlling traffic and enforcing laws in the U.S. Zone of Occupation was transferred to the post commanders from the U.S. Constabulary late in the period. Post commanders were directed to organize a post highway patrol which would function under their command, with technical supervision provided by the Provost Marshal, EUCOM. The mission of the highway patrols was to enforce law and order, control traffic, safeguard property, and investigate all incidents involving occupation personnel in the rural areas and on the highways of the zone. Each military post was directed to form a provisional platoon of military police to patrol the area of the post, which was subdivided when necessary into sectors where detachments ware stationed for operations. No additional personnel were allocated to the posts for the patrols, which were composed of existing authorizations for military police; however, additional equipment could be drawn in accordance with the number of stations established and personnel detailed to patrol duty. The patrols used radio communications, supplemented by telephone and teletype. Post highway patrols were authorized the use of motorcycles, jeeps, sedans, and command and reconnaissance vehicles.

b. Patrol Operations

Each post highway patrol comprised a platoon headquarters in the office of the post provost marshal, together with one or more station units. When necessary, the station units functioned on a 24-hour basis. The platoon commander supervised the operations of units under his control. All platoon and station commanders were directed to make a progressive survey on the time, place, and duration of the peak requirements for personnel. The station units dispatched motor vehicle patrols for the following purposes: to maintain traffic control, discipline, and safety on the roads; to protect personnel outside the limits of cities in which posts and sub-posts were located; to assist in emergency situations; and to coordinate its activities with all local authorities concerned. EUCOM Headquarters recommended that a member of the German civil police accompany the post highway patrol on its missions. In exercising technical supervision of highway patrol units, the Provost Marshal, EUCOM was authorized direct communication with post commanders.

15. Real Estate Holdings

During this period, military post commanders continued their efforts to reduce their expenses for real estate holdings throughout the U.S. Zone. On 30 June 1948, military posts held 19,129 buildings through requisitions and 1,153 through confiscation. Monthly rentals for the requisitioned buildings amounted to 8,305,181 DM. Although the number of requisitioned buildings increased to 19,240 by 30 September, monthly rents decreased to 7,749,824 DM and confiscated buildings decreased to 1,093 by that date. Sixty confiscated buildings excess to Command needs were released to the German authorities. At the end of December requisitioned buildings at military posts numbered only 19,074, for which 7,307,983 DM was paid in rent; and confiscated buildings numbered 1,074. Because the maintenance of property records (Engineer Form 1266) by the various military posts was not considered satisfactory, the Chief Engineer revised the method of recording real estate at the end of December.