United States Constabulary

United States Constabulary sleeve badge

The United States Constabulary (cf .: constable ) was an existing 1946-1952 police force of the US Army as a gendarmerie .

Their task was to maintain order in the American zones of occupation in Germany, Berlin and Austria after the Second World War . They existed alongside their own departments of the military police , which maintained the branches of service of the American armed forces . The deployment shows that the destroyed cities - with the exception of Berlin and Munich - were avoided and the constabulary was stationed in rural areas and along the eastern border of the zone.

The United States Constabulary comprised up to 38,000 men. The headquarters were initially in Bamberg , then in Heidelberg and later in Stuttgart-Vaihingen . In 1952 it was finally replaced by the federally organized German police . Part of the training unit was housed in Sonthofen in the later Colonel General Beck barracks of the Bundeswehr until 1948 .

The motto of the constabulary was "Mobility, Vigilance, Justice" (in German about mobility, vigilance, law / justice ). Its first commandant was Major General Ernest N. Harmon , who had previously commanded the 1st US Armored Division during World War II .

Organization and structure

STUTTGART-VAIHINGEN HQ USCON 1948-1950 Red West (1947) Fritzlar Marburg (1947) Bad Hersfeld Weilburg (1947) Büdingen (1947) Augsburg-Gablingen 1 6th 2 Karlsruhe-Knielingen (1949) 3 Hessental (1948) Berlin HEIDELBERG HQ USCON 1947-1948 Darmstadt (1948) Schwabach (1949) Pastures Fulda (1947) Wiesbaden-Biebrich Kitzingen (1947) Hammelburg (1947) Bayreuth (1947) Straubing (1948) Coburg (1950) Courtyard (1947) Munich 4th Fuessen (1947) 5 Deggendorf BAMBERG HQ USCON 1946-1947 Schweinfurt Freising (1947) Lenggries (1947) Degerndorf (1947) Regensburg (1947) Passau (1947) Landshut (1948) Sonthofen (1948) Salzburg (1949) Hörsching (1949)

Locations of the US constabulary 1946 to 1951 (in brackets: early retirement) (1 = Weinheim (1947), 2 = Mannheim-Seckenheim (1948), 3 = Schwetzingen (1947), 4 = Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt (1947), 5 = Stuttgart-Möhringen (1947), 6 = Böblingen)

unit	July 1, 1946	September 1, 1947	January 3, 1949	Remarks
HQ US CON	Bamberg , Warner Barracks	Heidelberg , Patton Barracks	Stuttgart-Vaihingen , Patch Barracks	from HQ VI (US) Corps, relocated on February 10, 1946 from Esslingen am Neckar to Bamberg, ready for use July 1, 1946, February 2, 1947 → Heidelberg, February 1, 1948 → Vaihingen, decommissioned November 24, 1950
1st CON Brigade	Wiesbaden-Biebrich , Camp Pieri	Biebrich, Camp Pieri	Biebrich, Camp Pieri	Decommissioned November 24, 1950
1st CON Regiment	Rothwesten , Rothwesten barracks	Rothwesten, Rothwesten barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
11th CON Squadron	Rothwesten, Rothwesten barracks	Fritzlar , Fritzlar barracks		decommissioned September 20, 1947 in Fritzlar
12th CON Squadron	Marburg , Miller Barracks	Marburg, Miller Barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
91st CON Squadron	Bad Hersfeld , McPheeters Barracks	22nd CON Squadron, Bad Hersfeld, McPheeters Barracks	24th CON Squadron, Bad Hersfeld , McPheeters Barracks	September 1, 1947 → 22nd CON Sqn, May 20, 1949 → 24th CON Sqn , decommissioned July 1, 1951
3rd CON Regiment	Wetzlar , Lloyd Barracks	Wetzlar, Lloyd Barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
37th CON Squadron	Weilburg , Sadowski Barracks	Weilburg, Sadowski Barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
68th CON Squadron	Büdingen , Armstrong Barracks	Augsburg-Gablingen , Sheridan Barracks	3rd Bn 2nd ACR, Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	September 20, 1947 → Gablingen, December 20, 1948 → 3rd Bn 2nd ACR, October 1, 1951 → Amberg , Pond Barracks
81st CON Squadron	Fulda , Downs Barracks	Fulda, Downs Barracks		May 1, 1946 Bad Mergentheim , Deutschorden barracks → Fulda, decommissioned September 20, 1947
15th CON Regiment	Weinheim	Mannheim-Seckenheim , Hammond Barracks		January 1, 1947 → Seckenheim, decommissioned December 20, 1948
1st CON Squadron	Karlsruhe-Knielingen , Smiley Barracks	Knee rings, smiley barracks	2nd Bn 14th ACR, Schweinfurt , Conn Barracks	December 20, 1948 → 2nd Bn 14th ACR, January 1, 1949 → Schweinfurt, May 1, 1951 → Bad Kissingen , Daley Barracks
14th CON Squadron	Darmstadt , Kelley Barracks	Boeblingen , Panzer barracks		Decommissioned December 20, 1948
15th CON Squadron	Schwetzingen , Tompkins Barracks	Hessental , Dolan Barracks		decommissioned December 15, 1948, → 70th FA Bn
3rd CON Brigade	Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt , Wallace Barracks	Bad Cannstatt, Wallace Barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
14th CON Regiment	Kitzingen , Harvey Barracks	Fritzlar , Fritzlar barracks	14th ACR , Fritzlar, Fritzlar barracks	under 1st CON Bde July 1, 1947 → Fritzlar, December 20, 1948 → HQ Co 14th ACR, January 1, 1951 → Fulda, Downs Barracks
10th CON Squadron	Kitzingen, Harvey Barracks	Fritzlar, Fritzlar barracks	1st Bn 14th ACR, Fritzlar, Fritzlar barracks	July 1, 1947 → Fritzlar to replace 11th CON Sqn, December 20, 1948 → 1st Bn 14th ACR, August 1, 1951 → Fulda, Downs Barracks
22nd CON Squadron	Hammelburg , Camp Clarke	Bad Hersfeld , McPheeters Barracks	Bad Hersfeld, McPheeters Barracks	July 1, 1947 replaces 91st CON Sqn, renamed 24th CON Sqn May 20, 1949, decommissioned July 1, 1951
27th CON Squadron	Schweinfurt , Conn Barracks	Darmstadt, Kelley Barracks		July 1, 1947 replaces 14th CON Sqn, decommissioned December 15, 1948
6th CON Regiment	Bayreuth , Hagan Barracks, Bamberg, Warner Barracks	Schweinfurt, Conn Barracks	6th ACR , Straubing , Mansfield Barracks	February 21, 1947 → Bamberg, under 2nd CON Bde August 22, 1947 → Schweinfurt, December 20, 1948 HQ Co 6th ACR
6th CON Squadron	Coburg , Camp Harris	Coburg, Camp Harris	3rd Bn 14th ACR, Coburg, Camp Harris	December 20, 1948 → 3rd Bn 14th ACR, December 1, 1950 → Friedberg , Ray Barracks, June 1, 1951 → Bad Hersfeld, McPheeters Barracks
13th CON Squadron	Bamberg, Warner Barracks	Bamberg, Warner Barracks		Subordination under 10th CON Regt canceled on June 23, 1946, initially stationed in Bayreuth, 1947 → Bamberg, decommissioned September 20, 1947
28th CON Squadron	Courtyard , Camp Kingsley	Schweinfurt, Conn Barracks		Decommissioned December 20, 1948
53rd CON Squadron	Schwabach , O'Brien Barracks	Schwabach, O'Brien Barracks	15th CON Sqn, Willows , Orsbon Barracks	May 20, 1949 → 15th CON Sqn , decommissioned July 1, 1951
10th CON Regiment	Stuttgart-Möhringen , Kelley Barracks	Möhringen, Kelley Barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
71st CON Squadron	Hessental, Camp Dolan	15th CON Sqn, Hessental, Camp Dolan	3rd Bn 6th ACR, Deggendorf , Pirie Barracks	1st June 1947 renamed 15th CON Sqn, 20th December 1948 → 3rd Bn 6th ACR, 1951 → Regensburg , Fort Skelly
72nd CON Squadron	Boeblingen, Panzer barracks	14th CON Sqn, Boeblingen, Panzer Kaserne		Renamed 14th CON Sqn September 1, 1947, decommissioned December 20, 1948
2nd CON Brigade	Munich , Jensen Barracks	Munich, Jensen Barracks	Munich, Jensen Barracks	Decommissioned December 15, 1952
2nd CON Regiment	Freising , Vimy barracks	Freising, Vimy barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
2nd CON Squadron	Lenggries , Prince Heinrich barracks	Lenggries, Prince Heinrich barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
42nd CON Squadron	Freising, artillery barracks	Freising, artillery barracks		Decommissioned September 20, 1947
66th CON Squadron	Degerndorf , Fort May	Degerndorf, Fort May		Decommissioned December 20, 1948
5th CON Regiment	Augsburg-Gablingen , Sheridan Barracks	2nd CON Regt, Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	2nd ACR , Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	September 20, 1947 → 2nd CON Regt, December 20, 1948 → HQ Co 2nd ACR, October 1, 1951 → Nuremberg , Merrell Barracks
35th CON Squadron	Füssen , Barnette Barracks	42nd CON Sqn, Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	2nd Bn 2nd ACR, Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	September 20, 1947 → 42nd CON Sqn, December 20, 1948 → 2nd Bn 2nd ACR, October 1, 1951 → Bamberg, Warner Barracks
74th CON Squadron	Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	2nd CON Sqn, Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	1st Bn 2nd ACR, Gablingen, Sheridan Barracks	September 20, 1947 → 2nd CON Sqn, December 20, 1948 → 1st Bn 2nd ACR, October 1, 1951 → Bindlach , Christensen Barracks
11th CON Regiment	Regensburg, Fort Skelly	Straubing, Mansfield Barracks		Decommissioned December 20, 1948
8th CON Squadron	Deggendorf, Pirie Barracks	Deggendorf, Pirie Barracks		Discontinued under 11th CON Regt, decommissioned September 20, 1947
25th CON Squadron	Regensburg, Fort Skelly	Straubing, Mansfield Barracks	1st Bn 6th ACR, Straubing, Mansfield Barracks	December 20, 1948 → 1st Bn 6th ACR
51st CON Squadron	Passau , Maybach Air Strip	Landshut , Pinder Barracks	2nd Bn 6th ACR, Landshut, Pinder Barracks	December 20, 1948 → 2nd Bn 6th ACR
94th CON Squadron	Willows, Orsbon Barracks	Regensburg, Fort Skelly	Willows, Orsbon Barracks	Decommissioned May 20, 1949
4th CON Regiment	Salzburg , Camp Truscott			Not under any brigade, decommissioned February 15, 1949
4th CON Squadron		Linz	Hörsching	Decommissioned February 15, 1949
16th CON Squadron	Berlin , Oliver Barracks	Berlin, McNair Barracks	Berlin, McNair Barracks	Decommissioned November 27, 1950
24th CON Squadron		Linz	Hörsching	Decommissioned February 15, 1949, May 20, 1949, 22nd CON Sqn (Bad Hersfeld) is renamed 24th CON Sqn
US CON School	Sonthofen , castle barracks	Sonthofen, castle barracks		Recording by 7719th Theater School (Special) from Mannheim-Seckenheim and Theater Military Police School from Nellingen on January 20, 1947, decommissioned June 15, 1948

Abbreviations

abbreviation	text
ACR	Armored Cavalry Regiment
Vol	brigade
Bn	Battalion
Co	Company
CON	Constabulary
FA	Field artillery
HQ	Headquarters
Stimulates	regiment
Sqn	Squadron

See also

• Foreign military bases in Germany
• Territorial organization of the US armed forces in Germany
• List of American military locations in Germany

Web links

• Constabulary Veterans Website ( Memento of March 29, 2005 on the Internet Archive )
• Report on the beginning of the constabulary (document of the Headquarters European Command - Historical Division from 1947; Eng.)