42nd Military Police Group (Customs)
US Army, Europe
Looking for more information from military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.

7751 MP Customs Unit DUI

M/Sgt. Leroy J. Smith

Kiefersfelden

My father, Jack C. Walker, was initially with in the US Constabulary and later in the MP Customs unit 7751 from 1947 to 1954 I believe. He served in the APO 541 Berchtesgaden Detachment according to these orders and things I have.

I have recently opened some of my father's old footlocker/trunks. They are filled with all most every document he ever touched.

I have tons of touristy type things, pictures of him, army buddies, the landscape, parades, manuvers and just about anything you can think of. I have propoganda books and maps and hotel brochures. Old stamps, original orders from the Army - stacks of them - I have his meal vouchers, his driving "licenses" every card the army ever gave him I think. His uniform is in pristine condition but no hat and I am not sure where everything goes. You name it and my father saved it. Seriously.

7751st MPCU Gutleut Ksn
1. Special Orders	2. Customs MP Office

If the Cold War can be said to have any visible front lines, then a small group of American Military Police may be said to be manning that line. It is a line devoid of spectacular action, although the possibility of physical danger and violence is always imminent. And while there is no glory and no widespread recognition for these men of the 7751st Military Police Customs Unit, their organization is wielding an influence and responsibility all out of proportion to its numbers in helping to advance the cause of Western nations -- and especially the cause of the United States.

Along stretches of the Bavarian frontier which face the Soviet Zone in Germany and also Czechoslovakia and Austria, men of the 7751st are on duty. They do not search for escapees or smugglers or infiltrating foreign agents -- nothing so spectacular and dramatic as that. Daily they go through the drudgery and repetitive detail of checking cars in isolated, dirty rail yards, often working alone far from mess hall or barracks.

As a result of their efforts, millions of dollars worth of goods which could have been used by Russia or satellite countries for manufacture of war materiel have been intercepted at the borders. That in essence is the job being performed by these Military Police. Theirs is difficult and often very delicate work. If a shipment of goods is stopped as potential war materiel, the shippers can and do protest vehemently. And sometimes there can be international repercussions which reverberate up to the very top echelons of military and diplomatic circles.

Take for instance the case of twenty-eight carloads of pipes consigned to a Czech firm. When the Military Police inspected this matereil, they became suspicious and ordered the shipment held. The Czechs claimed they were water pipes. To the Military Police they looked suspiciously like oil casings which could very easily find their way to Rumanian or even Russian oil fields. The enraged Czech authorities were so incensed over the stoppage that they cut off coal shipments to the porcelain factories in Bavaria. This seriously affected the West German economy; a minor diplomatic crisis had been created. The whole matter finally had to be settled on levels of diplomatic discussion high above the field worker who first inspected the car.

That single case epitomizes the many diverse elements that ebb and flow in the complicated situation that exists today in Germany. Even on the highest levels of statecraft, it is difficult to make clear-cut decision regarding shipments from Germany to the satellite countries. It must be remembered that Western European countries are dependent on some sort of trade in order to maintain their normal economies -- and it is in the American interest to rebuild those economics. For Germany and some of the other western nations to switch entirely to the dollar areas for their raw materials would well nigh bankrupt a Europe that is scarcely solvent even today.

One expedient has been to work out agreements which specify the kinds of goods, the quantities, and the kinds of payments that can be made in international trade. Thus some articles can be placed under absolute embargo while others not highly rated as potential war goods can be subject to quantitative control and within limits may be shipped to the East. A system of licensing seeks to control the flow of such materiel at the source.

A recent step in the continuing battle to curtail the availability of critical materiel to Iron Curtain countries is the agreement reached in January 1952 between the United Slates and ten Western European nations, to prevent re-export of such materials which may he received from the United States.

Russia and her satellites need many products manufactured in Germany and other western countries. Some of these needs are for civilian consumer goods, others are essential in manufacture of war materiel. It is often extremely difficult, as in the case of the pipes, to be sure just what the ultimate use many be. In any case, Allied interests demand that no goods, manufactured or raw, be sent behind the Iron Curtain for war purposes. Consequently the inspection of freight at border points has become an increasingly important phase in the Cold War.

As often happens, the 7751st Military Police Customs Unit evolved to fill a special need. The unit was originally organized by the European Command of the United States Army in April 1949 as a special purpose organization to combat smuggling and black marketeering in the United States Zone. At that time floods of black market items came into the American Zone. It was difficult to call it smuggling because German customs men were hesitant about asking questions of Allied persons, much less snooping through their baggage or searching for contraband.

Creation of a special Military Police unit was ordered and soon volunteers were being trained. Rigid standards were established. Duty stations were designated along the international frontiers within the United States Zone. As soon as the German customs men found that their jobs would not be endangered, and when it was demonstrated that rigid border inspections would assist the sagging German economy by bringing in added tax revenue, they co-operated enthusiastically. This was particularly true at highway control points where clear division of labor could be made. The Americans inspected the luggage of Allied forces while the Germans took care of other nationals. In the vicinity of Salzburg and Innsbruck in Austria, and of Berchtesgaden, Garmisch and Oberammergau in Germany, the heavy tourist traffic kept all hands busy during all hours.

The men stationed at railway crossing points, however, were not so pressed and were consequently able to take more time preparing detailed reports on the kinds and amounts of traffic passing their check points. At first these reports were merely made available to economic experts as an indication of trade conditions. But these commercial freight records also provided a wealth of information on the consignor and consignee, description of the goods, quantity, weight, value and routings.

All of these records were duly turned over to the civilian experts for study until several incidents occurred. The first was discovery of material listed as scrap but which proved to be some fifteen tons of serviceable and unused copper wiring consigned to Hungary. Since nobody seriously objected to the shipment, it was allowed to go on its way. But when, two months later, another shipment of alleged scrap turned out to be a hundred aerial bomb casings, capacity half ton, they were ordered cut up by acetelyne torch. And then some serious consideration was given to means of remedying the entire situation.

As a result, the emphasis of work by the Military Police Customs Unit was shifted from checking tourists to heavier concentration on freight movements. Today the Unit operates customs control points at international airports within the United States Zone, in the Bremen and Berlin enclaves and at rail points all along the Bavarian frontier.

In most instances these duty stations are remote from other military facilities. Along the Czech frontier some of the men drive their jeeps up to fifty miles inland to get gasoline and food supplies. Mess is provided by putting the men on station allowance and giving them access to military commissaries. They hire German cooks because the strength at any billet is usually under ten men who must take turns in border watches around the clock. They also make weekly patrols to points manned by German customs and border police.

The entire strength of the Unit is twelve officers and one hundred and sixty-four enlisted men -- all noncommissioned officers. Paperwork on personnel records and monthly payrolls is turned over to the nearest post or sub-post. Control points are usually administered by a master sergeant. He in turn is supervised by an area inspector, either a lieutenant or a captain.

When a member of the Customs Unit finds something that looks suspicious he reports it immediately by telephone and the work of investigating the shipment is quickly under way. Some of the materiel clearly is on the banned lists but other items are more difficult to judge. And often trying to find out just who did ship the goods in question is impossible because of the devious "triangular trade" methods that are used by opportunists who flourish in the twilight zone of world trade.

A typical "triangular trade" deal was that involving eleven tons of highly polished bearings. The shipment arrived at rail yards on the German side of the Czech border. All the papers were in order, indicating that the ball bearings were in transit from a Swiss manufacturer. An American Military Policeman nevertheless opened the boxes and discovered packing slips showing that the bearings had been made in Schweinfurt, Germany. Investigation revealed that they had presumably been sold originally to an Englishman in Antwerp, Belgium. From there they went to a French concern which shipped them to Switzerland; the bearings then were dispatched to Germany as a transit shipment for the Czechs. The shipment was seized by United States East-West trade authorities in Germany and somebody lost approximately seventy-five thousand dollars, the value of the bearings. But proving just who may have been the real violator is still another problem.

Licensed exports from another country in transit across Germany to the East are outside the jurisdiction of the Customs Unit. But members still copy down all data appearing on the shipping documents and, as in the case of the ball bearings, suspicious shipments can be identified. Formal procedures for stoppages and clearances were adopted in May 1950. During that year the members of the Unit held up some two hundred shipments. In 1951, almost seven hundred shipments were detained. And while not all of these were turned back, many were barred from export. Admittedly, however, some of these barred shipments conceivably have been rerouted to the west and to the north where the American Military Police were not on duty and thus may have reached the satellites.

Devious means of getting around the export restrictions are sometimes uncovered. One such case was a shipment to Czechoslovakia of about ten tons of what looked like laundry mangle parts labeled as a "soot machine." Upon closer investigation it turned out to be machinery for making carbon black, an ingredient used by automobile tire manufacturers to toughen rubber and to lengthen the wearing life of their product. There is an acute shortage of this product within the Soviet bloc.

The individual Customs Unit member feels that his work is vital and important in winning the Cold War. He is supported by words of praise from a United States Senate Committee and also by a unit commendation given by the Department of State.

Some memorable effects can be noted, too. Delays at the frontier while investigating the validity of suspicious export licenses have disrupted Communist time tables. Risks involved in trading with the East have caused German manufacturers to increase their prices; now they demand substantial down payments from their Communist customers in advance. Extra costs for circuitous routing of freight just to avoid the inspections have also thrown Red-dominated industry budgets out of line.

And what do the Communists themselves think of it all? Probably the best indication of the Unit's effectiveness is that boiling-mad Communist newspaper editors often refer to the men of the 7751st Military Police Customs Unit, EUCOM, as "war criminals."

42nd MP Group DUI

		On 23 October 1956, in order to effect closer coordination with USAREUR Headquarters, the MP Customs Detachment headquarters relocated from Frankfurt to Heidelberg. Four years later, the unit was relieved from USAREUR and assigned to Headquarters, Special Troops, USAREUR. The unit at that time had nine field offices. On 1 Jul 63, the NATO SOFA became effective in Germany. It allows the US Forces to establish and enforce, in coordination with German customs authorities, customs policy for US Forces members in Germany. Since USAREUR has country responsibility for all three branches of service in Germany, this task has always been carried out by the 42d MP Group. On 25 January 1968, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 42nd Military Police Group was constituted in the Regular Army and activated in Germany.. The group is charged with providing customs enforcement and maintaining liaison and cooperation with German customs authorities at all levels. In addition, the group is responsible for establishing customs policies and procedures for the Federal Republic of Germany and to negotiate with German authorities on questions of procedure and US forces entitlements arising from tax and customs issues within the NATO SOFA. On 1 Jul 74, the 42d MP Group was transferred to the 15th MP Brigade, retaining its missions and HQ USAREUR affiliation. On 13 Dec 74, drug suppression and anti-hijack protection were added to the missions of the 42d MP Group. On 1 Jun 76, relieved from assignment to 15th MP Brigade, the 42d MP Group was reassigned to US Army Europe and Seventh Army and, on 21 Oct 77, placed under the 21st Support Command.
		On 21 Oct 77, HHD was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquaters Company, 42nd MP Gp. On 9 Dec 77, the Cdr, 42d MP Group became the Executive Agent for all customs matters in USEUCOM. As the Executive Agent, the Cdr, 42d MP Group, provides staff supervision over the US Military Customs inspection programs in 11 countries throughout Europe. This responsibility includes staff supervision of 169 military customs inspection programs operated by the US Army, Navy and Air Force. On 21 Jan 78, the 42d MP Group was reassigned to HQ, USAREUR/7th Army (Office of the Deputy Commander in Chief) and converted into a major command. In Aug 83, the Commander, 42d Military Police Group was also designated the USAREUR Executive Agent for customs for US Forces personnel in Germany. Continuing to expand through the years, the 42d MP Group was reorganized on 1 Jul 85, and currently has over 650 military and civilians assigned throughout Germany and Northern Italy at 43 separate locations, ranging from Bremerhaven, in the north, to West Berlin, and south to Livorno, Italy.
		The 42d Military Police Group provides customs support on an area basis. Our unit boundaries are generally the same as the German state (Land) boundaries. The Group Headquarters and its Headquarters Company are located in Mannheim; the 193rd MP Company is in Nürnberg; the 256th in Frankfurt; the 285th in Karlsruhe; the 294th in Kaiserslautern and the 560th in Bremerhaven. A map showing these locations, as well as our subordinate field offices, is on the left. The field offices are structured into platoon and squad organizations which perform the day-to-day peacetime customs missions and also train to perform their wartime missions.
		MISSIONS AND FUNCTIONS   The missions and functions of the 42d MP Group are primarily divided into two areas: Customs missions that are performed in support of German laws and the US forces stationed in Germany (USAREUR Executive Agent) and customs missions performed throughout the NATO countries in Europe in support of US Forces returning to the United States (USEUCOM Executive Agent). These various mission requirements and functions are summarized below.     United States Army Europe Executive Agent: Establishment of customs controls for US Forces deploying to Europe to participate in exercises. Enforcement of the NATO/SOFA. Support to drug suppression activities. (Note: As Cdr, 42d MP Gp responsible for peacetime planning for wartime missions.)     United States European Command Executive Agent: European Command military customs programs. Selective Enforcement Program. Aircraft and passenger inspection. Command Information Program.

I was with (Detachment B,) 42nd MP Grp Customs, Bremerhaven, Germany from May 1969 to May 1970. Major David Lynch was our CO and Post Provost Marshall.

I never heard the name Carl Schurz Kaserne before - that is new to me. (Webmaster note: at that time, the installation was still known as the "US Army Staging Area, Bremerhaven.")

The 42nd MP Grp Customs, Bremerhaven, was responsible for the Free Port Christopher Columbus Quay. We had regular patrols, plus gate duties with the German Zoll (Customs), (Army) Post Office inspecting packages, car shipping center, and field investigators (3). We also inspected all MSTS ships that came into the freeport.

Overall our responsibilities included the Status of Forces Agreement related mainly to things that would impact the German economy; cigarettes, gasoline. etc.

We still had the SS United States thru either October or November of 1969, we would custom clear all military personnel traveling on the ship when it arrived.

It seems we covered a wide geographic area - Bremen, we had a one main office in a confiscated house; Helmstedt, we had a post on the border.

I went to Putgarden, Germnay over July 4, 1969, and worked with German Zoll. From there we went by ship over to Denmark and met with Danish police about some custom issue.

During the summer of 1969, we travelled monthly to Heidelberg, for meetings with DEA, US Customs and various agencies for a planned three month tour to Vietnam to bring out Big Red One. That was nixed as Nixon didn't want additional troops added to Vietnam troop totals so they sent regular US custom people.

Our CO, Major Lynch, was also the Provost Marshall of the Post. He was a great officer and we constantly interacted with German Zoll, via parties on their boats and other functions. In the fall or winter of 1969 we liaised with a British Group of MP's in Hamburg and helped them rotate back to England thru Bremerhaven. They had been in the field about 3 years.

I have stayed in touch with a few of my comrades, unfortunately the last one passed away about 6 years ago. Would appreciate any contacts you might have. Feel free to email me.

I use to have a lot of pictures and stuff don't have now. Hope this helps.

	HHD	Mannheim
	Det A	HQ in Karlsruhe	covered Baden-Wuerttemberg
		Field Offices: Karlsruhe, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Heilbronn, Stuttgart, Zweibrucken
	Det B	HQ in Bremerhaven
		Field Offices: Hamburg, Berlin, Osterholz-Schwarmbeck, Bremerhaven (including Vehicle Processing Center)
	Det C	HQ in Frankfurt	covered Hessen
		Field Offices: Fulda, Giessen, Hanau, Darmstadt, Rhein-Main, Wiesbaden
	Det D	HQ in Kaiserslautern	covered Rheinland/Pfalz - Saarland
		Field Offices: Kaiserslautern, Baumholder, Mainz, Saarbrucken, Livorno (IT), Vicenza (IT)
	Det E	HQ in Fuerth	covered Bavaria
		Field Offices: Nuernberg, Aschaffenburg, Bamberg, Wuerzburg, Ansbach, Schweinfurt, Grafenwoehr, Augsburg, Munich, Bad Toelz, Garmisch, Berchtesgaden, Neu Ulm

In August 1994, the 42d MP Group (Customs) was inactivated as part of the drawdown of US military forces in Europe.