US Army Training Center - Yearbook (Fort Bragg, NC)

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ff AQQXBYRX wx. ' suaiscr 'ro CONFISCATION Q Ir :camo as vow: Possession 07 P455 Xzfsyfc :- AT D E S K Control Station Little understood, and greatly misunderstood, the job of the Military Policeman is one of the biggest on the Post. His duties are so manifold and complex that they are diiii- cult to list completely. He is the Post patrolman, guard, game warden, forest ranger, kennel keeper, license dis- penser, auxiliary to the town policeman, prison keeper, and '6Sherlock Holmesf' Since his work deals mainly with safety and protection, he is a member of the Security Branch of the Security and Intelligence Division. As Provost Mar- shal of the Fort Bragg District, Lieutenant Colonel Hans C. Larsen, Director of the Division and Chief of the Security Branch, assisted by Major F. W. Beams, is charged with the internal security and the maintenance of order not only on the Post but in seven surrounding communities as well. ln addition to these counties, Fort Bragg now has military jurisdiction over the area formerly under the control of Camp Davis, consisting of six counties. A de- SEIIUHITY MILITARY POLICE OFFICERS CoI. Hans C. Larsen. R: Capt. H. C. Morgan, Maj. Capt. C. J. Griswold. George Gebert, Lt. Roy G. C. Holmes, Lt. Norman L. Front Row: Lt. 2nd Row, L to F. W. Reams, 3rd Row: Capt. Byers, Lt. Van Knef. War Dog Training tachment of Military Police from Fort Bragg is now located at Wilmington, working under the supervision of Lieutenant Max C.-Vogt, Provost Marshal at Wilmington. Since Pearl Harbor more than 550,000 temporary and close to 30,000 permanent passes have been issued to civilians entering the Post, by the ldentilication and Regis- tration Section, one of the most interesting departments of the Military Police. Passes are furnished only after these civilians have been properly identilied and qualified. ln addition to the identification and registration of civilian employees, dependents of military personnel, and visitors to the Post, this section has registered approximately 36,000 privately owned automobiles and carriers, and has issued over 2,000 fishing licenses. All cameras authorized by the Commanding General to be kept on the Post must be registered with this oflice, as is the case with personally owned firearms and pets. Complete records are kept by this office of the passes, permits, and registrations issued. The lnvestigation Section is the detective bureau of the Post. This agency is engaged in the investigation of crimes, accidents, and charges of a minor nature. ln this section are found records, files, fingerprints, and a photographic department. Photographers are employed to record scenes of accidents and crimes, to photograph the bodies involved, as well as to use ultra-violet ray equipment for the perma- nent registering of finger prints and other evidence for crime detection. Almost daily contact is maintained with the F. B. I., Secret Service, and Narcotics Bureau, and various state and local law enforcement agencies in the joint con- duct of investigations where concurrent jurisdiction is in- volved. Since January 1943, this section has prepared complete reports on more than 4,000 separate investigations. 46

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Capt. Goble, Capt. Daub, Lt. Col. Larsen, Capt. Rankin, Lt. Holmes. The Intelligence Branch is part of the Security and Intelligence Division, which is directed by l,t. Colonel Hans C. Larsen, Provost Marshal, Fort Bragg. At various periods of time, according to the organization under which the Post was operating, the Intelligence Branch had the status of a Staff Division. Major A. J. Martin, Cav., headed the Intelligence Branch until early in 194-4 when he was suc- ceeded by Captain Harold J. Daub, who is assisted by Captain Arthur J. Goble. The possession of information is essential to prepared- ness. A knowledge of the enemy,s plan will go a long way in determining our own plans for offensive action. Impor- tant functions of the Intelligence Branch involve the collect- ing. evaluating and disseminating of information classed as intelligence or counter-intelligence in nature. This branch formulates plans and assists in carrying out measures to insure continued and uninterrupted progress of military activities and operations in spite of enemy inspired sub- versive elforts. Advice, instruction, and assistance are given to all units. organizations, and qualified individuals on or off the post on matters having a relationship to the mission of this agency. On the other hand, secrecy of plans and activity is important to the surprise and success of any operation. Since Fort Bragg, because of the nature, scope, and impor- Capt. Daub, Capt. Goble, Sgt. Cann. ,sf Office of Intelligence Branch. I TELLIEE EE tance of its activities, has always been considered a vital area in the War Effort, a comprehensive Security Educa- tional program is carried on for the 'Safeguarding of Military Informationf' The objective of the program,directed by Captain Edgar B. Rankin, is to secure voluntary assist- ance and cooperation in the self censorship of personal conversations or communications. The need and reasons for safeguarding military information are impressed on every individual, and his or her responsibility in this matter is emphasized. Through slides and hlm trailers pro- jected on screens at regular showings in the theaters of the Post, and in those of adjacent communities, military and civilians are kept constantly aware of these objectives. Slogans, advertising, and editorials are inserted in the 'Tort Bragg Post, unit publications, and local newspapers. Other media used with success include radio broadcasts, leaflet distribution, and poster displays. Material prepared and used at Fort Bragg is also furnished to other installations of the Fourth Service Command in similar programs. Slogans such as MZip The Lipn have become nationally accepted. A typical poster of Zip the Lip campaign. .' aogcf' AN'mFx-'out-lAVE. Yvnv l umm Summits THE Dorn' DISCUSS N7LlT'P.l5'Y is Q... 2 9 is-ev' J! THE LIP 'RQ

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amiifxis With thc installation of the Corps of Military Police Radio System in June, 194l, Fort Bragg became one of the first military posts in the country to have a complete two- way radio communications system. By means of this system permanent contact is maintained at all times with the mobile patrol units operating throughout the reservation, with the State Highway Patrol, and with other police radio stations. The 12,000 messages carried over the system have been largely responsible for the recovery of over 375 stolen vehicles, the identification of 4,000 automobile owners, the apprehension of 600 escaped military prisoners, and more than 1,200 absentees and desertcrs. The Military Police Ranger Section operates three sta- tions along the borders of the reservation. The Rangers patrol the Fort's extensive territory to apprehend tres- passers, to steer the unwary from danger on the artillery ranges, to protect and preserve fish and game, and to re- port fires and other natural hazards. They also check on all troops in bivouacs and control speeding along the reser- vation roads. Post traffic is controlled by three motorcycle units, each composed of eight men. These constantly patrol all thoroughfares, stopping traffic violators, and educating drivers and pedestrians as to safety measures. To them fall the duties of guiding convoys, escorting visiting dignitaries, furnishing information and direction, and the tracing of missing or stolen vehicles. ln order to keep soldiers out of trouble and to insure that credit is reflected upon the Service, the Branch main- tains town patrols in Fayetteville and' surrounding com- munities. These patrols meet trains and busses and visit the more frequented places. Patrolmen call to the soldieris attention discrepencies and curb unseemly conduct. Among other important duties that are discharged by the Security Branch may be included the maintenance of the Main Post Guard House, wherein are confined both garrison and general prisoners, and the prison hospital, which is operated in conjunction with the personnel of the Medical Corps. A training school is conducted for '4rookies , who are instructed in the fundamentals of police work, and for special men and investigators, who are later sent for advianeed training to the Provost Mar- shal General School at Fort Custer, Michigan. This Branch also provides training for War Dogs for guard and special duty, and furnishes military escorts and honor guards for funerals. Military police at work.