Headquarters Special Troops ETOUSA (military intelligence)?

My father graduated from Camp Ritchie military intelligence training center in class 12 with a specialization in photo interpretation on November 25, 1943 (team #27). He was given orders to Europe right after, sailed on the Queen Mary in early December, and went through the 10th replacement depot.

His orders on December 23, 1943 just say

“assigned to MIS Special Troops, ETO, APO 887, US Army, dy with GHQ Home Forces, ...”

which I believe indicates the planning staff fin London for European operations?

Then on December 28, 1943 he has orders from

"Headquarters Special Troops ETOUSA" that indicate “asgd to GHQ Home Forces Int Det, MIS, Spl Trs, ETOUSA, for dy:”

Does anybody know where this would have been based in England? I believe it was in or around London?

What would his duty have been at that time?

His promotion to 1st Lt. came from Eisenhower on April 1, 1944 so I believe he was part of that organization; he was subsequently assigned to the 30th ID and all further docs carried Gen Hobbs name.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

George

 

Could your father speak German? Was his family from Germany or Austria?

MIS stands for Military Intelligence Services. His deployment suggests he was not a Japanese linguist Ritchie Boys - Wikipedia

GHQ Home Forces is a British organisation - it was the British equivalent of HQ ETOUSA, and was in command of all trained troops in the UK. Your father was a very junior officer,so it is unlikely that he was sent to teach the British much. He might have been attached to the British to learn from from some aspect of British work, pre D Day signals intelligence or prisoner interrogations? or liaise between British and US deception operations. During WW2 it was based in Horseguards Whitehall. However, there were lots of outstations and barracks in the London area. The posting may have been a cover for an attachment to some classified British organisation,such as the MI6 facilities for bugging and interrogating German PW.

When was he posted to join 30th Division?

HQ ETOUSA was APO 887 London. I think this was in a block on the north side of Grosvenor Square, near the US Embassy, popularly known as Eisenhower's HQ. . There were lots of other buildings. There were so many US officers based in the west end of London that about the only place that could be used as the officers mess hall was the ball room of the Grosvenor Hotel on Park Lane, one of the largest venues in London. You can buy a postcard in the hotel lobby.

Technically Eisenhower was the supreme Allied Commander and his HQ SHAEF took over from the COSSAC planning staff based in Norfolk House St James Square. There is a difference between serving in ETOUSA and on the staff of SHAEF. HQ SHAEF was an Allied tri-service multi national organisation. It dealt with the operational, logistical and political aspects of HQ dealt with ETOUSA dealt with the US national issues such as personnel, administration and supply. It made sense for the US national component HQ to be based in Grosvenor square.

Eisenhower did not want his HQ in a city and in March HQ SHAEF moved to Bushy Park near Kingston-on-Thames Surrey. This was a hutted camp housing 688 officers and 2,156 enlisted men and by the invasion associated units grew to some 750 officers and 6000 men.
HyperWar: US Army in WWII: The Supreme Command (ETO) [Chapter 4]

 

George,

I'll add to the excellent information Sheldrake gave you. However, one minor correction "MIS" in this case is Military Intelligence Specialist rather than service. The U.S. Army MIS personnel from Camp Ritchie were formed into teams, specialized as:

PI - Photo Interpretation
PWI - Prisoner of War Interrogation
OB - Enemy Order-of-Battle Interpretation
MII - Military Intelligence Interpreter

TO&E assigned a captain, 1st lieutenant, master sergeant, staff sergeant, and two T3 to each team, except the IPW Team substituted a T5 for the second T3 and the OB Team consisted of just a captain, master sergeant, and T3. As of 19 April 1944, the ETOUSA teams totaled 776 O and 812 EM. ETOUSA MIS Headquarters and Counter Intelligence Corps personnel totaled 121 O and 202 EM, while censorship personnel totaled 390 O and 185 EM.

Each division had five teams attached, two IPW and one each of the others. Each corps had three IPW, two MII, four PI, and one OB team. Each army had four IPW, three MII, four PI, and one OB team. Army groups had no IPW, two MII, five PI, and one OB team. Various ETOUSA COMZ headquarters had 12 IPW and 33 MII, but no PI or OB teams.

Unfortunately, the records of the individual teams are scant, but some of their activities can be discerned in the G-2/S-2 records of units.

If you would like to read more about them, see https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP64-00658A000100010002-5.pdf.

Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for your response.

He did speak German fluently and was part of the Germans from Russia ethnic group in North Dakota - he actually didn't learn English until going to grade school. He told me he didn't make that fact widely known though, as he didn't want to be an interrogator.

I'm not certain when he was transferred to the 30th ID. He was promoted on April 1st 1944 to 1st LT; that order came from Eisenhower (not Hobbs). I can only guess it would have been shortly after that - end April/beginning May 1944? I think he said he went ashore on D-Day +5.

Thanks again!

George

 

Then it was most likely he was assigned to one of the PWI teams or the MII team, since the OB Team had no 1st lieutenant and the PI Team had no need for languages. Since the landing tables were set by 20 May IIRC so he was definitely assigned to the 30th ID by then. The first elements of the 30th ID landed on 10 June (D+3) and the division closed in the beachhead on 14 June (D+7) so he arriving on D+5 (12 June) is perfectly consistent.

Ike was CG of ETOUSA as well as SCAEF so the promotion order would be "at his direction". Once he was assigned to the 30th ID his CG would be Hobbs. You should be able to back trace him by researching the Morning Reports for the Division HQ Detachment, Special Troops or the HQ Company, 30th ID...I suspect as an attached detachment they would be tracked through one of them, although they may have been tracked through the HQ Detachment, MIS, ETOUSA.

 

Thanks Richard - I appreciate the information!

My father talked mostly about doing aerial photo analysis and then he would brief the units that would go out on patrol, or prior to attack. I've got a binder somewhere that has quite a few of the photos he marked up during the war.

Attached is his Bronze Star citation that talks about all the analysis work he did in preparation apparently for the attacks around St. Lo that took place in July 1944.

His separation qualification record indicates he "was in charge of a 7 man unit" that did photo interpretation for intelligence purposes.

Thanks again,

George

 

So it was the PI Team. That is what I get for assuming based on his language ability. They were originally five-man, but most were expanded as the campaign went on.

 

I am interested by the designation of hie pre-D Day service as attached GHQ Home Forces. Is there a US formation with that designation? If not, any ideas what he was doing with the British? I know the British had a highly developed PI service, but these were mostly run by the RAF who sourced the photos.

 

Richard mentioned a doc that I had found, but hadn't digested yet, and it has some excellent information. It is a report from G-2 Section, Study Number 12.

All the MIS teams were intended to have additional training in England prior to deployment. For photo interpreter teams this was generally to be a 3 month process but it was reduced to 1 month later in the war, and had issues at its inception.

The G-2 report (p13) states: "The agency in charge of the training of Photo Interpreter Teams was until May, 1944, the Home Forces Intelligence Detachment, and after that date, the Photo Intelligence Center."

The name "Home Forces Intelligence Detachment" was intentionally chosen as a nod to the British, even though it was an American unit.

On p15 we learn a bit more. Summer 1943 a group of US officers/enlisted were assigned to work with the British army photo intelligence section and learn from them. In September 1943 this group was activated as the Home Forces Intelligence Detachment and charged with training personnel arriving from the United States. It was formed by Hq, Special Troops, ETOUSA, General Order No 4, 6 Sep 1943

It goes on to say the first group through the new training program was comprised of 12 PI teams from Camp Ritchie - of which my father was a part. The first training program was hampered by lack of materials and learning/growing pains. "A good many" were placed on detached service for 14 to 30 days with British agencies such as the Army Photo Intelligence Section, the Central Interpretation Unit and branches of the RAF. When they finished the course they were immediately assigned to their divisions for duty.

That clears many things up significantly, but I'm still left to wonder about location. I know from his personal papers he did not go to London until about Feb 15, 1944. This means he spent the first 6 weeks of his time in England elsewhere. Does the GHQ portion of his orders indicate he was one of those on detached service with the British at Medmenham with the Central Interpretation Unit to learn from them? His Bronze Star citation seems to indicate an ability at creating the mosaics the British were known for.

There is another doc I'd like to find "History of Photo Interpretation, Military Intelligence Service, United States Army Ground Forces, European Theater of Operations, World War II" compiled by the Historical Section, MIS, 1945. My guess is that would be a treasure trove for my research.

George

 

I would contact NARA's Military Archives section at College Park, AHEC at Carlisle, and/or CARL at Leavenworth to see who holds a copy. NARA should, but locating it may be a problem.

 

Thanks Richard - If I can track it down I'll report back on any findings.

George

 

This might be of some assistance. This article shows the organization of US Army units from the squad to army groups.

Infantry Structure

In particular, in the regimental headquarters & headquarters company (authorized strength - 108) contained the regimental headquarters cell, a small company headquarters cell, a communications platoon, and an intelligence & reconnaissance platoon.

 

The I&R Platoon of the Infantry Regiment were Infantrymen, not Military Intelligence Specialists. FM 7-25, Headquarters Company, Intelligence and Signal Communication, Rifle Regiment, 7 October 1942:

“The principle mission of the regimental intelligence platoon is to serve as the special intelligence agency of the regimental commander, for the collection, recording, evaluation and dissemination of information, under the supervision of the regimental intelligence officer (S-2). The platoon is also charged with counterintelligence measures and surveillance. Actual operations of this platoon are conducted under the immediate control of the platoon leader. He may receive his orders directly from the regimental commander, S-2, or S-3. During training periods it may be required to assist the S-2 in conducting intelligence and counterintelligence instruction within the regiment.”

Its principle functions were:

• Gathering detailed information about the enemy and terrain in locations that are not readily accessible to the rifle companies of the battalions or regiment.
• Assemble, evaluate and distribute information and intelligence gathered by the platoon and by subordinate, higher, or adjacent friendly units.
• Provide early warning to the regiment on the presence, disposition, composition and approach of enemy forces of all types. Operate well in advance of the regiment in order to gain and maintain contact with the enemy.
• Maintain contact with reconnaissance and security formations of other, larger formations that are operating forward or to the flanks of the regiment.
• Regain lost contact with adjacent, attached and assigned friendly units. Locate and maintain contact with the flanks of an enemy force when contact is gained by dismounted combat elements of the regiment.
• Reconnoiter avenues of approach, routes, river crossings and complex enemy obstacles. Search suspicious, dominating and critical areas along the route of march to identify possible ambush sites, defended road blocks, route classification and contaminated areas.
• Establish and operate 24 hour observation and listening posts.
• Conduct dismounted patrolling to the front, flanks and rear of the regiment when terrain or enemy situation precludes the use of mounted patrolling.
• Assist the regimental S-2 at the command post or at a tactical observation/tactical command post by maintaining the intelligence situation map, and/or keeping an intelligence log, taking and preparing reports, messages and sketches.
• Carry out such counter-intelligence measures as directed by the regimental commander or S-2. Provide instruction on the subject to other units of the regiment. Search undefended or captured towns and villages and captured enemy equipment and positions.

 

Richard - I recently found another version of the file you suggested that contains page 2, missing from the CIA doc. The one missing page (of course) had some very good further information. https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/documents/carl/eto/eto-012.pdf

Pg 2
"#3. Other Operational Intelligence Agencies
...
c. Home Forces Intelligence Detachment. A small unit, known as the Home Forces Intelligence Detachment because of its close association with the British Army, was established in the United Kingdom in the summer of 1943, and was preparing itself to train specialists in the interpretation of aerial photographs."

I still haven't been able to track down where this little unit would have been based in the pre D-Day months though. I know he didn't go to London until the end of February 1944 after being in the UK for 6 weeks, so it was not with the other HQ troops in the Grosvenor Square area.

Could it have been with the British at Medmenham?

 

Ooops! I thought I gave you the CARL link...I never noticed the CIA version was missing page 2. Yes, if they were attached to Home Forces I suspect they were probably at Medmenham. See RAF Medmenham - Regiment History, War & Military Records & Archives , which specifically mentions the Americans there. On 1 May 1944 the Central Interpretation Unit was renamed the Allied Central Interpretation Unit in recognition of the American presence.Google US Army at Medmenham and you will get any number of leads to explore.

 

After quite a bit of additional research since I started this thread I thought I'd give an update and the answer. The following little line in my father's orders has so much wrapped up in it...

"Headquarters Special Troops ETOUSA" that indicate “asgd to GHQ Home Forces Int Det, MIS, Spl Trs, ETOUSA, for dy:”

The Military Intelligence Service for a short time was put under Special Troops for administrative purposes in the European Theater, hence the 'Special Troops'.

He was a member of the Photo Interpretation teams created by the Military Intelligence Service, their section at this time was called "GHQ Home Forces Intelligence Detachment" as a direct thank-you to the British who where helping us with this area so much (and all intelligence areas for that matter). This name caused confusion as you can imagine, and it was changed not long after to the Photo Intelligence Center.

The location of this HQ as indicated in the document at the National Archives (NARA5674569 - History of MIS) was 20 Ilchester Place, London ( 51.500326°, -0.203291°), which was where the British had their similar HQ, not surprisingly. Photo Interpretation teams spent a couple weeks here on a refresher course, and some field exercises in rural England, before being sent to either RAF Medmenham or RAF Nuneham for on the job training with the British at their photo interpretation centers there. It's likely they spent time at both RAF locations over the course of at least 1 month. After that they were attached to a Division, Corps, or Army for deployment. In my father's case his Photo Interpretation Team #27 was attached to the 30th Infantry Division on 16 APR 44.

So, the question of HQ location was answered by one line buried in a very long history of the Military Intelligence Service in the National Archives in DC. Hope this helps somebody else with their research along the way.

George

 

If you don't mind my asking, why did he avoid a job where he could exploit his language skills?

 

Your question is very welcome.

It turns out I interpreted his responses to me when I was little incorrectly. I recently found out our small hometown library has a VHS tape of him being interviewed about his time in WWII. On that tape he says he did want to be an interpreter/interrogator, but the competition for those slots was so competitive he didn't get selected for it.

There were so many men from Germany and Austria at Camp Ritchie, and understandably, their German skills were better than anyone who was not a current generation German speaker. My father's dialect was also probably not the best as he was a member of a group called Germans from Russia (another whole topic in itself). I have read diaries of men while they were at Camp Ritchie and they talk about even college professors in German not being selected, as their language skills were not as good as the native speakers. All this is consistent with what I saw when reviewing the Camp Ritchie files at the National Archives. The German IPW/MI slots seem to have been the most competitive, especially when it came to documents.

In practice I've found that he and another German speaker on his Photo Interpretation Team did assist the IPW and MI teams as necessary in the field.