Destination USFA
General Information for Personnel Alerted for Shipment to United States Forces in Austria
(Source: "Orientation Pamphlet", not dated but probably published in 1951)

This booklet was issued to personnel who have recently received orders to ship out to USFA in the early 1950s. We have selected excerpts from the booklet that we hope will be of general interest and can serve as a general overview of the USFA organization and mission at that time.

1. Introduction
The purpose of this booklet is to furnish interesting and useful information to persons newly assigned to United States Forces in Austria and to their dependents, and to bid them welcome to this important and interesting command. The present members of "the USFA team" hope you will join them with pride and pleasure.

2. Your Assignment
Each area of assignment at home and abroad has advantages and disadvantages when compared with other areas. This is true of USFA and the various commands within USFA, but the advantages so far outweigh the disadvantages as to make this one of the choice areas for oversea assignment.

USFA units are located throughout the US Zone of Austria, in Vienna, and in northern Italy. Personnel requirements are constantly changing and both military personnel and civilian employees must be prepared for initial assignment and subsequent transfers to any of these areas.

3. Why we are here
The USFA Mission. The mission of United States Forces in Austria is to "provide a security force capable of supporting the High Commissioner for Austria in his endeavor to re-establish a free, independent, and democratic Austria, with a sound economy capable of insuring an adequate standard of living."

4. Organization of USFA
USFA was established on 5 July 1945. Its insignia is the shield with sword and olive branch (shown at the top of this page). The colors combine the red, white and blue of the United States and the red, white and red of Austria. The sword represents protection and security for Austria in its struggle for complete sovereignty. The olive branch indicates that the most important mission of USFA is the preservation of peace.

There have been numerous changes in the organization and location of United States Forces in Austria since the command was first established. At present the headquarters is located in Salzburg, Austria, with four major subordinate elements organized and disposed as follows:

TACTICAL COMMAND, organized along the lines of an infantry division, is a highly mobile striking force. It is responsible for the training and tactical employment of USFA combat elements. Headquarters, Tactical Command, is located at Camp Roeder, on the outskirts of the City of Salzburg, while units of the command are disposed over a wide area.

AREA COMMAND, with headquarters at Camp Riedenburg in Salzburg, is responsible for the operation of all installations in the US Zone of Austria, except Vienna. Included, in addition to Camp Riedenburg, are Camps Roeder and Truscott in Salzburg, Camp McCauley at Wels, sub-posts at St. Johann, Saalfelden and Lofer. In addition, Area Command is also responsible for the operation of the storage depot in the American portion of Camp Rum, near Innsbruck, which is in the French Zone of Austria.

VIENNA COMMAND is responsible for the administration and operation of United States units in Vienna. In addition, the Commanding General, Vienna Command, is the American representative on the Vienna Inter-Allied Command, which administers the International Sector of Vienna. Military Policemen of the Vienna Command perform normal MP duties in the American sector of the city, but are better known for their participation in the International Patrols ("four men in a jeep"), which maintain law and order in the International Sector. Tulln Airbase, about 15 miles from Vienna in the Russian Zone, is operated by the 12th United States Air Force but receives its logistical support through the Vienna Command.

SUPPORT COMMAND operates the USFA port at Leghorn, Italy, and the general depot at Camp Darby. Nearly all personnel and supplies that come to USFA by surface transportation enter through the port of Leghorn. This ancient maritime city is located on the Mediterranean coast of Northern Italy and appears on most maps as Livorno. In addition to the facilities in the Leghorn area, Support Command is also responsible for the Storage Point at Verona, Italy.

37. Arrival in Europe
Most passengers travel by surface ship from New York to Leghorn, Italy, but some arrive at Genoa, Italy, and at Bremerhaven, Germany. The remainder of the trip is by train. Most air travelers fly to Rhein Main Airport at Frankfurt, Germany, and continue by train to USFA. Some chartered planes land USFA passengers at Munich, Germany, where they are met by USFA busses. The following table shows distances and rail time to Salzburg, Austria, from these various ports of debarkation.

I. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF AUSTRIA
Although the Austrian people are largely of Germanic stock and speak the German language, this nation has grown from historical and cultural roots of its own. Since early medieval times, the Germanic states in this Alpine-Danubian region have had their own continuous history, and indeed developed into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, comprising peoples of many races and various religions.

Austria was the state which remained in 1918 after the component parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire had been formed into separate states according to the principles of national self-determination. The map will indicate the parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that were absorbed by Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Roumania, Yugoslavia and Italy.

This new republic of Austria, with six million inhabitants, of whom one-third lived in the former imperial capital, Vienna, was faced with serious difficulties. Its industries were cut off; it became a purely inland country; it had insufficient food-raising areas; it was seriously divided politically; it was forced into existence without plan or popular support. In spite of these tremendous obstacles, Austria developed into a free and democratic nation. In 1934 it became an authoritarian although anti-Nazi state, and then was taken over by Hitler in 1938.

It is interesting to note that the Communist influence in Austria was never allowed to assert itself. In 1919 the Communists attempted an armed "putsch" but it ended in complete failure. During Austria's brief period as a democratic nation no Communist ever gained a seat in the Austrian Parliament nor even a seat in the Municipal Council of Vienna.

In March 1938, Austria, under the threat of armed invasion, was incorporated into the German Reich and "the Anschluss" was completed. The use of the word "oesterreich" (Austria) was forbidden and every effort was made to Germanize Austria. The length to which Germany had gone in the systematic attempt to blot out even the memory of an old tradition may be an index to how much a revival of that tradition was feared.

II. THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF AUSTRIA
From 12 March 1938, when Hitler invaded Austria, until 1 November 1943, Austria's history was part and parcel of German history. On the latter date, the United States, Soviet Union and the United Kingdom agreed to the "Moscow Declaration" that Austria, "The first country to fall victim to Hitlerite aggression" should be liberated from German domination. The allied nations regarded the annexation as null and void and declared they wished to see the re-establishment of a free and independent Austria. Following the Moscow Declaration, Allied policy for Austria differed sharply from that for Germany. Austria was considered a liberated country and Germany a conquered country.

Early in 1944 the European Advisory Commission, composed of the United States, British, French and Soviet delegates, began consideration of agreements for occupation of Germany and German-dominated countries. The plan called for a four-power occupation. Each power was to have its own zone and was to share in the occupation of Vienna. Except for minor changes, the zones were designated as we see them today.

Situation On and Immediately following V-E Day
In May 1945 the surrender was followed closely by a condition bordering on chaos in Central Europe. The victorious Allies were confronted immediately with the problem of setting up a controlling organization in an area battered and exhausted by war. The US had in Austria all or part of two Army Groups, two Field Armies, four Army Corps, and twelve Divisions deployed along tactical lines. The boundaries between units were based on terrain and rarely, if ever, coincided with the Austrian political or administrative boundaries. Consequently, until the situation could be adjusted, Austria was treated for governmental purposes as part of Germany, and military government regulations applying to Germany were made applicable to Austria as well.

By June 1945 the control of that part of Austria designated as the US Zone was placed under General Mark Clark, Commanding General, 15th Army Group - then located at Verona, Italy. During the latter part of June, that part of Austria occupied by US troops was completely separated from Germany.

Organization of US Forces in Austria
On 5 July 1945 the Headquarters, 15th Army Group, was redesignated as Headquarters, United States Forces in Austria. General Mark Clark was announced as its Commanding General and was also appointed as US High Commissioner on the Allied Commission for Austria. USFA was established as a semi-independent command, responsible to the Commanding General, European Theater, for tactical, administrative and logistical matters but reporting directly to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on civil affairs. On 29 May 1949 USFA became an independent command directly under the Joint Chiefs of Staff and EUCOM continued to furnish USFA logistical support until the USFA logistical installations were develped in Leghorn, Italy, during the period 1951-1952.

Civil and military affairs remained an integral function of Headquarters USFA until Austrian reconstruction had advanced to a point where it was possible and advisable for the military to transfer its diplomatic role to the Department of State. This was done on 15 October 1950 when Headquarters USFA turned over the administration of civil affairs to Mr. Walter J. Donnelly, the first US civilian High Commissioner. France and Great Britain also appointed civilian High Commissioners and only the Soviet Union contines to have a military representative on the Allied Commission in Vienna.

When this transfer took place Headquarters USFA had a strictly military mission but it could review with pride its record of accomplishments in Austria from July 1945 to October 1950; Freedom of worship was restored; schools were reopened; communications were restored; banks were in operation; police and fire departments were restored; industry was on the road to recovery; thousands of Nazis had been arrested and denazification measures had been instituted; the program for repatriating displaced persons, Austrian refugees, and the discharge and repatriation of Austrian prisoners of war was practically completed - this gigantic program involved the processing of about one million people; local governments as well as the National Government were reorganized and in operation. In line with the US policy of reducing the Austrian burden for the maintenance of US troops during the occupation, the US entered into an agreement with the Austrian Federal Government which stated that as of 1 July 1947 the US would pay its own way in Austria. This agreement is commonly referred to as the Pay-As-You-Go Plan.

Allied Council for Austria
The first Allied Council meeting was held in Vienna on 11 September 1945. Thus began the difficult task of four nations to restore Austria as a free and independent nation.

Under the original Control Agreement for Austria all laws passed by the Austrian Federal Government were subject to review and unanimous approval by the Allied Commission. This was later amended in June 1946 by the adoption of a new Control Agreement granting to the Austrian Government a greater measure of autonomy in part by providing that Constitutional laws only were subject to absolute and unanimous approval by the Commission. Other laws come into full force if not unanimously disapproved by the Allied Commission within thirty-one days from the date presented for review. The new Control Agreement also eliminated zonal barriers and enables Austria to function as a single economic unit with free trade throughout the country.

The Austrian Federal Government and People
In November 1945 Austria held its first free election since 1934. A bare majority was given to the People's Party and the resulting Government, headed by Chancellor Leopold Figl was formally recognized by all four powers. Allied policy has supported this Federal Government. The present-day Austrian Government is very similar, if not identical, to the first post-war government; it is a coalition government composed of the People's Party and Socialist Party. The ability of the two major parties to operate a unified government devoid of effective Communist influence reveals the truly democratic tradition of the Austrians. It must also be noted that the achievements of USFA and the allies during the period July 1945 to October 1950 could never have been made without the assistance and coorperation of the Austrian Government and people. The extraordinary resiliency of the Austrian character has been manifested since V-E Day and can readily be seen today. In spite of the upheavals of the war and post-war years, Austria has slipped back into her previous manner of life, combining an invincible optimism, skilled workmanship, artistic brilliance, fertile inventiveness, and a genius for making the best of a bad situation.

III. WHY WE ARE HERE IN AUSTRIA
If Austria is on the road to economic recovery and has a unified Federal Government then you must ask - "Why are we here?" We are here because the aim of the 1943 Moscow Declaration - to establish a free, independent and democtratic Austria - has not yet been accomplished. The main failure of the fulfillment of that mission lies in the Austrian State Treaty. The agreement on which this occupation is based specified that, until a State Treaty for Austria is written, signed and approved by the four occupying powers, the four powers will remain there. What is holding up the Austrian State Treaty? Mainly the fact that Great Britain, France and the US have one set of ideas as to what the Treaty should be like, and the Soviet Union has another, and very different, set of ideas. The chief three-to-one disagreement is on the question of German assets.

In 1945, shortly before the end of the war, Prime Minister Atlee, the late Generalissimo Stalin, and President Truman met at Potsdam to draw up plans for the post-war world. Among other things they agreed that the Allied Powers were entitled to collect reparations from Germany by taking over German property in Germany as well as in various other countries, including Austria. NO reparations were to be collected from Austria itself since Austria was considered a liberated copuntry.

The Potsdam Agreement was written in very general terms. As events turned out, it was unfortunate that the agreement did not contain an exact definition of the phrase "German Assets in Eastern Austria," or, as it is usually phrased, "German External Assets." The Soviet Union's interpretation of "German External Assets" has placed the Soviets in control of key Austrian industries in eastern Austria. These industries are operated outside of Austrian economy and legislation. Through control of these key industries, the Soviet Union can determine the final outcome and resuscitation of Austria's economy. At present the Soviet Union is depriving the Austrian economy of vital natural resources and considerable wealth. The Soviets use these key industries to put pressure on the Austrian Government in order to force Austria to conform to Soviet policies and doctrines. Until the Soviet Union agrees to a quadri-partite State Treaty for Austria all indications point to this fact, namely: neither Russian Communists nor the Austrian Communists will be satisfied until they take over Austria - as they already have done in Bulgaria, Roumania, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

The history of Austria and its rejection of Communism demonstrates that the only way in which the Soviet Union can take Austria is by armed force. To counteract this potential move, USFA and the zonal forces of Great Britain and France stand ready to defend the integrity of Austria.

From the establishment of USFA in July 1945 until 1950, planning for an effective security force was generally on a short-term basis with the Austrian State Treaty in the offing and hopeful indications pointing to an early withdrawal of troops from Austria. Events in Korea have demonstrated the inadequacy of US and Allied good-will and short-term planning when it embraces the future moves of the Soviet Union and its satellites.

IV. SUMMARY
We might say that under our guidance Austria is recovering economically and that every effort has been put forth to restore her sovereign powers. The US has worked consistently, with the British and French Elements, for the conclusion of the Austrian States Treaty. All efforts have been fruitless to this date due to Soviet blocking tactics and insistence upon the settlement of questions in no way related to the Austrian problem. In view of the present Soviet attitude, emphasis is placed on the military preparedness and a high state of combat readiness for USFA troops.

The symbolism of the USFA patch is historically significant for the United States Forces in Austria. During World War II many thousands of United States officers and men were killed and wounded in our efforts to give Austria an opportunity to become a free, independent and democratic nation. We believe in and respect the history, traditions, and culture of Austria and we adopted the colors of Austria's flag - red-white-red - as a symbol that we want nothing from Austria except that it become a free and independent nation. The sword represents the protection and security that we offer Austria in its struggle for complete sovereignty. The olive branch superimposed over the sword indicates that our most important mission is the preservation of peace. Only by maintaining peace through strength can the US and its allies achieve the basic mission of the Moscow Declaration, namely: To establish a free, independent and democratic Austria.

I. INTRODUCTION
In USFA, the Intelligence and Security missions are of particular importance. This results chiefly from Austria's peculiar position as a salient thrust deep into the Soviet satellite areas, and as a country whose Russian-occupied zone is not cut off from the West by an Iron Curtain. It sometimes seems that the boundaries between the allied and Soviet sectors of Austria might well be referred to as the Iron Seeve.

Intelligence and espionage activities are very energetically pursued here, and there are (a) number of organziations and individuals whose principal business it is to collect information and to transmit it across the frontiers. The USFA Intelligence structure has been designed to operate under these particular conditions. The purpose of this period is to give you a general idea of that structure and its functions.

The G-2 presentation will be in three parts:

1. Mission, organization and functions of the G2 Section, USFA.

2. Order of Battle.

3. The importance of Military Security.

II. MISSION, ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF G2, USFA
1. Mission. G2, USFA, is charged with directing the production of all intelligence required by the Commanding General, US Forces in Austria, and by intelligence directives from higher authority. In outline, G2:

a. Prepares the Intelligence portions of USFA plans, and the whole of other special plans.

b. Coordinates the Intelligence activities in Austria of the US Navy, US Air Force, and other US agencies.

c. Conducts Intelligence liaison as required.

d. Directs the activities of the USFA Intelligence gathering agencies.

e. Recommends directives for and coordinates staff supervision of intelligence training.

f. Assists the Chief of Staff in formulation of policies pertaining to intelligence.

2. The organization of USFA G-2 consists of six branches and a G2 Liaison Section. The Control, Operations, G2 Air, Intelligence and Counter Intelligence Branches are physically located just outside of Salzburg at Camp Truscott. G2, his Executive, and the Plans and Training Branch are in the Headquarters Building in Salzburg, while the G2 Liaison Section is located in Vienna. The functions of these branches are as follows:

a. The Control Branch is the administrative nerve center of the G2 Section. Its functions are to:

(1) Supervise administrative policies and procedures of the G2 Section.

(2) Perform administration of section personnel.

(3) Operate section supply, message center, top secret control, and G2 central records.

b. The Operations Branch is primarily concerned with the collection of information. Essential Elements of Information (EEI's) as determined by the analytical branches of G2 are furnished (to) this branch for collection, if appropriate to its means. Essentially its functions are to:

(1) Supervise the collection operations of all field agencies operating under control of G2.

(2) Plan and direct special operations for G2.

(3) Conduct operational liaison with the Navy, Air Force, USAREUR, TRUST, French and British elements in Austria and Military Attaches to various European countries.

(4) Work closely with the 430th CIC Detachment and the 533rd MIS Battalion. The 533rd MIS Bn is primarily concerned with interrogation of refugees while CIC works to negate intelligence efforts of potentially unfriendly powers and to assure the internal security of USFA. Normally, MIS teams devote a large portiion of their efforts to translation and interpretation activities.

c. The G2 Air and Topographic Branch (carries) out the following detailed and exacting functions:

(1) Staff supervision of map and aerial photographs, policies and plans pertaining to map requirements and distribution.

(2) The furnishing of USFA engineers with transportation and topographic information of Austria and other areas of interest.

(3) The preparation of special reports, based on photo interpretation, and target folders on all type of installations and furnishing them to appropriate USFA agencies.

(4) Collection of original maps and town plans for forwarding to Army Map Service.

(5) Processing of special reports on topographic matters to DA, G2.

(6) Preparation of special collection maps and annoted aerial photograph and mosaics.

d. The Plans and Training Branch is physically located with ACofS, G2, in the USFA Headquarters Building -- primarily because of the need for close coordination with other general staff sections. Its functions are:

(1) The preparation and coordination of special plans and the intelligence portion of USFA plans.

(2) The preparation of intelligence training plans and policies and supervision of their execution.

e. The Intelligence Branch, (IB), is responsible for:

(1) Staff supervision of intelligence collections.

(2) Collation and analysis of information.

(3) Production and dissemination of reports, estimates and analyses pertaining to intelligence of:

(a) Order of Battle.

(b) Scientific and technical intelligence to include atomic, bacteriological, chemical and radiological warfare in Austria and other areas of interest to USFA.

(c) Political and economic intelligence.

(d) Industrial intelligence.

f. The Counter Intelligence Branch is charged with the internal security of the command and the denial of information with intelligence value to those foreign powers who may be unfriendly or potentially unfriendly to the United States. Among its functions are the following major ones:

(1) Staff supervision of counter-intelligence collection.

(2) Collation and analysis of information, production and dissemination of reports, estimates and analyses pertaining to strategic and tactical counter intelligence.

(3) Recommending counter intelligence policies; preparation of directives and provision of staff supervision for the internal security of USFA troops and installations in Austria, and the enforcement of AR 380-5 (Security).

g. The G2 Liaison Section. As you may know, Vienna is divided into British, French, Soviet, US and International Zones. As the the city is the seat of the Austrian government, and of the US High Commissioner for Austria and the US Ambassador, we maintain a G2 Liaison Section there. The section chief acts for the USFA G2 in coordination and supervision of intelligence agencies in the capital, and maintains intelligence liaison with the High Commissioner, the US Embassy, the French, the British and MEC (Mission for Economic Cooperation).

III. CONCLUSION
This period has been aimed at giving you a "broad-brush" picture of the organization and activities by means of which this command discharges its G-2 responsibilities. Following the classified period which will give a similarly general idea of Soviet activities, we will set forth for you USFA's Security requirements. We ask you to give this matter of security your full attention, to keep in mind throughout your tour here the intelligence and counter intelligence problems with which this command is faced, and to give your full cooperation to the organizations and personnel whose responsibility it is to cope with those problems.

I. INTRODUCTORY
G4 is the principal advisor to the Chief of Staff and Commanding General on all logistical matters and policies affecting USFA. These include supply, evacuation, hospitalization, transportation, service and miscellaneous related subjects. He has no command responsibility, either for the Technical Services or the military posts, but he does recommend major policy decisions and plans, and is charged with the coordination, supervision, and direction of all logistical activities in the command, coordinating his actions with G1, G2, G3, and the Comptroller on major policy matters.

II. G4 ORGANIZATION AND DUTIES
The G4 Section, US Forces in Austria, is organized into two branches: (1) Plans, (2) Supply, Services, and Installations.

1. The Plans Branch is responsible for assembling the logistical portion of emergency and operational plans. Coordinates and gives guidance to the Technical Services in their planning.

2. The Supply, Services and Installations Branch is responsible for procurement, storage, security, distribution and documentation of supplies and equipment, disposition of salvage, surplus and excess. (For example, this Branch supervised sales amounting to approximately $221,000 last year.) Other matters handled in this Branch concern hospitalization, medical attention, sanitation, evacuation, transportation, fixed signal installations, and repair and utilities services. It supervises procurement, administration, and disposition of all real estate in USFA. It is also charged with General Staff Supervision over the Military Construction Army budget for USFA. This has amounted to $4,000,000 in 1951, $12,000,000 in 1952, and $18,500,000 in this fiscal year. We have requested $9,000,000 in 1954, and our proposed Military Construction Army budget in 1955 amounts to $2,000,000. Figures are subject to change without notice. The Engineer is screening present budget to see what can be cut and in what priority in line with recent economy directives from Department of Defense.

Logistical support is furnished to the command by the six Technical Services: Quartermaster, Signal, Engineer, Surgeon, Transportation, and Ordnance. The Ordnance Officer is also responsible for Chemical Corps matters.

Each is a specialist, and advisor to the Commanding Officer for his service.

Each establishes technical policies for guidance of the units and personnel of his service. They publish procedures and instructions through technical channels.

Each exercises operational control over his sections of the USFA General Depot at Leghorn in addition to certain other units or detachments as are designated by this headquarters.

Each Technical Service writes circulars establishing USFA policies, interpreting and amplifying DA publications as they apply to the command. Such directives, when approved by the Headquarters, set policy and are published to the command with general distribution.

III. QUARTERMASTER
One of the major Quartermaster activities in USFA is the operation of the USFA Reclamation Center in Klessheim. This activity is located in Salzburg and is our greatest supply and money saver. During the past year the Center has repaired and placed back in stock a monthly average of 500 pieces of furniture, 55 refrigerators, 300 office machines and 400 tents and tarpaulins.

The cost to operate this Center averages approximately $18,000 monthly. This includes all labor, military and civilian, cost of materials and other indirect costs. The value (and this is the depreciated value) of the items returned to stock for issue, thus saving requisitioning, amounts to an average of $105,000 monthly or a return of $1.05 for every 18 cents spent. Real supply economy.

IV. SIGNAL
In the Salzburg Military Post we have:

1. The 63rd Signal Battalion (Operations) which is composed of Headquarters Co, Message Center Co, Radio Co, and Wire Co. This is a tactical operation battalion which normally provides and operates Signal Communications for a field army or similar headquarters. Its mission is to provide personnel for operation of fixed Signal comunications in the Linz and Salzburg Military Post areas and train to be prepared to provide and operate Signal communications for USFA Headquarters in the event that it should become necessary for the Headquarters to operate tactically under hostile conditions in the field. A Photo Section organic to this battalion provides still and motion picture service for the Salzburg, Linz and Vienna Military Post areas.

2. The 258th Signal Construction Company which is a tactical unit assigned to the 63rd Signal Battalion (Opn). Its mission is to train to lay and install long wire lines, such as to tie in USFA Headquarters with subordinate and adjacent headquarters.

3. The 516th Signal Company (Infantry Division) which, as its name indicates, is a unit that provides and operates Signal communications, photographic, supply and third echelon maintenance services for an Infantry Division or similar type organization. This unit provides tactical signal support for USFA Tactical Command.

4. The USFA Signal Supply Point located at Groedig in the southern outskirts of Salzburg which provides:

a. Signal station supply and field maintenance support for the Salzburg, Linz and Vienna Military Post areas.

b. Film Library service for all of USFA including Leghorn. This installation is operated by Detachment "A", 541st Signal Depot Company, a Field Army type Signal Depot Co.

In the Leghorn area we have:

The 7617 USFA Post Signal which provides Signal fixed communications and photographic servce for the 7617 USFA Post area, including the 9th Transportation Port Command B and USFA General Depot located in the post area.

The Signal Supply Section, USFA General Depot, which is comparable to Signal sections of General Depots in the US. It is here that Signal supplies and equipment are requisitioned and received from the US for storage and distribution as needed to support USFA. The 541st Signal Depot Company, less Detachment "A", operates this activity.

Signal Staff sections are organic parts of USFA and Tactical Command Headquarters.

V. ENGINEER
An important addition to the normal duties of the Engineer in USFA is the construction with which he is charged. This differs from the duties of a staff Engineer in the US since there separate districts and organizations handle construction work. Our military construction budget for the past two years has amounted to 16 million dollars.

Just now the Engineer Section is the largest of our Technical Services. It includes 43 officers, 98 enlisted men, 215 DA civilians and 2,000 Austrian employees. This is understandable when you realize that in addition to normal operations, the Command is devoting considerable efforts to the execution of a Construction Program.

From 1945 to 1951 no "new construction" funds were authorized USFA -- which is not so long ago. This construction season reflects the peak of construction activities as far as we now know. The necessity for such a program has been presented to you from a tactical-troops standpoint by G3. From a logistical-support standpoint the reasons are similar. (For more information on the construction efforts in USFA, see the MILITARY ENGINEER article from May-June 1954.)

Other Engineer activities worthy of special mention, since they are peculiar to Austria, include:

1. Dependent Housing Efforts. The general housing situation has been outlined to you. The problem of providing necessary dependent family quarters is primarily an Engineer responsibility. Obviously, there are only two possibilities:

a. Construct them with US funds, or

b. Induce Austrian risk capital to undertake the construction.

To date, neither approach has been successful. Repeated requests for Military Construction Army funds for this purpose have been denied. As far as risk capital is concerned, it is virtually non-existent in Austria. A provision in Public Law 534 does provide authority for construction of dependents' quarters in overseas areas either directly, or by guaranteeing rental for five years. However, same story -- no funds were appropriated for this purpose. It is hoped that we may be able to obtain some funds later under this authority. Of course, this is no help to you now.

2. Property Leases. From 1945 to 1947, USFA obtained the necessary real estate in Austria through requisitioning. In 1947, however, a "pay-as-you-go" agreement was signed by the US and Austrian governments. It provided that all real estate be leased from the Austrian Federal Government, acting as the agent for individual owners, at lease prices determined by the Austrian Federal Government. In 1951, as the result of steady economic inflation, the Austrian Federal Government convinced USFA that rental prices were no longer high enough to give the property owners a reasonable rental return -- that in effect the US was no longer living up to its "pay-as-you-go" agreement. As a result, some 1,300 leases are now being renegotiated by four teams trained for the task by the Engineer.

VI. TRANSPORTATION
The movement of personnel by rail between Leghorn and Salzburg is normally via the Leghorn Sleeper cars. Cost of non-duty round trip is $23. This sleeper departs Salzburg for Leghorn daily except Saturday and departs Leghorn daily except Sunday. These sleepers are attached to scheduled civilian trains. A military train called the "Mozart" operates daily between Salzburg and Vienna. The cost of non-duty travel round trip is $4.30.

All other rail travel is arranged through local rail transportation offices which are located in all principal cities in the US Zone of Austria and along the LOC in Italy.

In addition to providing rail transportation, the Transportation Section also arranges for the movement by air (MATS) of high priority cargo and personnel. In large scale movements of dependents from the ZI, transportation coordinates with USAREUR and provides transportation from the air field to ultimate destination in USFA.

All non-tactical highway movements are supervised, coordinated and scheduled by the Highway Sub-Branch of the Transportation Section. In this connection the command is now in the final stages of exchanging World War II type vehicles for the new interim type. The old vehicles are convoyed from Austria to Leghorn, where the new vehicles are issued and convoyed back to Austria. Almost all of the old vehicles have been exchanged in this manner. Winch trucks and some radio vehicles remain and those probably will be shipped. (Road reports of the Provost Marshal and Engineer are coordinated by Transportation.)

It is the Transportation Officer who keeps track of the use of administrative vehicles. Trucks, busses, ¼-tons, ¾-tons, and other vehicles assigned to administrative motor pools are surveyed throughout the command continuously. Based on hours of use and considering the passenger or ton miles hauled in a given period, the number and type of vehicles in the various administrative motor pools are increased or vehicles are withdrawn each quarter.

USFA's requirements for ocean passenger space are handled through the Transportation Section. AG determines the number of spaces required for each month. Transportation requests 9th Transportation Port to obtain this amount of space. CO Port, who represents the Army on the Mediterranean Space Allocation Board, determines the amount of space which can be made available to USFA based on ships scheduled by MSTS (Military Sea Transport Service). Port then notifies USFA Transportation of the amount of space allocated to USFA. This information is passed on to AG who then prepares the passenger lists.

VII. ORDNANCE
We have already referred to the vehicle exchange program under Transportation. Ordnance too has a part in the program. The old vehicles are not being scrapped. They are being rebuilt in Italy. USAREUR has over-all supervision of this program in Europe, and USFA Ordnance is in charge of our part.

A part of the 285th Ordnance Heavy Automotive Maintenance (HAM) Company is stationed at Leghorn to receive, process and issue the new interim type vehicles in exchange for WW II vehicles and to deliver the old vehicles to the rebuild plant.

You may be wondering why we refer to the new vehicles as interim types. I asked Ordnance the same question and got this answer. Prior to the outbreak of the Korean War, the Army had huge stocks of old World War II type vehicles. They were in the process of developing a new one, but had not as yet standardized. Korea, of course, ate up all of our reserves, so it was necessary to begin production on "something." The vehicles we are now receiving are that "something." The Ordnance Department is continuing research and development and will eventually standardize on a family of vehicles for the Army.

VIII. SURGEON
There is not much to be said about the Surgeon, except that he supervises the operation of four hospitals:

The following remarks will briefly sum up the supply situation in USFA: Upon completion of construction of projects now authorized, plus those requested for Fiscal Year 1954, the following will have been accomplished:

1. Combat and Service troops will have been completely relocated.

2. Supply depots will have been relocated from in front of combat troops to the more desirable positions well in rear of and in support of the combat troops.

3. The Line of Communications will have been provided with minimum facilities needed for its operations.

As of the first of February 1952 this Command separated from USAREUR for logistical support. USFA is small, comparatively and some types of maintenance support are not justified for a Command of this size. Therefore, we will continue to depend on USAREUR for such things as general hospitalization, post exchange service, procurement of perishable subsistence and some types of depot maintenance. It is well to note here that our order-and-shipping time changed from a comfortable thirty (30) days when EUCOM supplied us to 120 days as it is now, requisitioning on New Orleans Port of Embarkation.

In September of 1951 DA extended to USFA the use of electrical accounting machines for stock control. At present the Stock Accounting Branch at the USFA General Depot performs machine record service for all USFA Technical Services. The Department of the Army has selected the USFA General Depot as the pilot installation for overseas commands at which to test a new electrical accounting procedure which will become "Army Wide" standard for all Technical Services and Depots, if suitable.

USFA has just as many thousands of line items to keep track of as USAREUR, the only difference being the totals entered on the requisitions.

I know you are all familiar with the world-wide supply economy campaign. We have been using every means available to impress upon the entire command the importance of strict economy in the use of military supplies and equipment. Constant effort has been made through means of radio announcements, theater slides, newspaper articles, daily bulletins, command letters, and posters. The program is kept alive by inspections and staff visits.

In our training memorandums, commanders are instructed to continually indoctrinate their personnel on cost consciousness, concurrent with all phases of training, by reminding individuals of the cost of equipment which is being used in a particular phase of training. It's common sense, and by constant advertising plus supervision is paying dividends in savings.