VOL.

I end II
MINUS EXHIBITS

UNCLASSIFIED

SEPT/42OCT.43

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AUTH' CG, MBS

1 1963

DATE' 8 DEC 43

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U R O D U C T I O N

The following HISTORY OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BASE SECTION, Services of

Supply, North African Theater of Operations, has been compiled pursuant
to AR 345-105 and Staff Memorandum No 1, MBS, 1942 by the office of the
AC of S, 0-2, MBS.
No effort ha3 been made in this history to detail the routine duties
and activities of the various sections of this headquarters, other than
to set out in statistical form the activity of those sections whose work
permit3 this treatment. In vi<sw*of this fact, the absence of any lengthy
reports on various sections should not be considered an indication of any
lack of activity on the part of those sections.
Insofar as possible, exhibits pertaining to a given section have been
kept together.
The activitios of each month huvo been separately reported, with the
first pago for the month concerned covering general matters relating to
the operation of the headquarters, followed by data in more dotail re lative to the individual sections.
An indox covering subject matter and exhibits follows this introduc tory page. Page numbers begin with the first entries under the history
proper.

"

WliLAy It lit

For convenience in Handling, duplicate copies of Volumes I

and II of the MBS History, which covers the period September 1942
to October 1943, have been bound together to form one complete
volume. An "Index to Subjects Covered by the Various Exhibit

Series" as well as an "Index to Pages on which Data on Specific

Subjects May be Found'1 are located at the front of their respective
volume. A listing of exhibits pertaining to Volume I will be

found at the end of Volume I while the listing of exhibits pertain ing to Volume II is located at the beginning of the second volume.
Index to Volume II immediately precedes pege 211.
The exhibits referred to are kept with tht original bound
volume.

INDEX TO SUBJECTS COTOIED BT THE

VABXOUS EXHIBIT SERIES
(See detailed l i s t i n g tyr Exhibit Series at end of the History)
Exhibit Series CBNERAL ORGAIII&ATEOMi Organization o f IBS ( C o n s t i t u t i o n , F u n c t i o n s } A c t i v a t i o n o f . . . . New Sub-Divisbns, otc) T a b l e s o f O r g a n i z a t i o n , Hq UBS, Hq C o and Hq S p e c i a l T i o o p s . . . . Tables of Organisation, Field Installations AssigranGnt and attachment of units to MBS Assigrment of staff Officers Constitution and activation of LffiS units and Staff Sections Station Lists and Installation l i s t s DATA COMSERiaiG imiTVIDUAL STAFF SECTIONS: Comnand Section. AC of S, 0*1 AC of S, 0-2 AC of S, 0-3 AC ox S, 0-1 Adjutant General Air Force Liaison Base Censorship Detachment Ito1 Chemical Warfare Civil Affairs Claims Commission Chaplain. En^Lneer Finance. General Purchasing Agent Inspector General Judge Advocate General Medical* Ordnance Provost Marshal Quartermaster Signal Service Special Service Transportation 1 2 3 29 27 28 30

10 6 38 O . U7 13 hX 15 31 23 . lu H 16 17 18 2h 12 25 19 20 9 21 15 h3 33 3? 26 37 3u h

PHOTOGRAPHS (Other than those made part of individual exhibits) OTHER SUBJECTS: ~ " Civilian Employees (Procurement, adainiotratoon, e t c ) . Commendations, Decorations and Awards Defense and Security data Eneny action. Graves Registration Service Log of Advance Echelon, !S Hear Link plans, MBS, 12 Nov 19U2

Training, Discipline and Recreation Uniform, Arms and Ecpiipnent. lliscellanoous

35 32 k2

INDEX TO P A G E ^ l f WHICH- z I DATA ON SPECIFIC SUBJECTS MAY BE FOUND

January 1943

CM
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on inrhich item begins

r
m

September 1943

February 1943

Subject Matter

CO

.o
< *

to Oi
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3
OS

r-i

0
CO

2 S*
g April 1943
g March 1943

OS rH

CO

Strength, Items of Gen eral Interest, List ing of Exhibits per taining to the specific poriod. Data on specific Staff Sections: Command Section G-1 G-2 G-3

117
144 177 212

".

18 5 2 12 11 18 12

21 21 21 22 23 24 24

43 43 43 44 43 44 44 44

63 94 123 148 185 218 262 304 63 63 64 65 65 65 94 123 148 185 218 26o 305 95 124 149 185 219 263 306 96 125 150 187 221 264 306 96 126 151 187 222 265 307 96 126 152 188 223 266 308 97 126 152 183 223 266 309

G-4
Adjutant General Air Force Liaison Base Censor -;l /' Chaplain
Chemical 'iVarfare

64 116 127 154 183 223 267 310

17 24 44 65 97 127 152 189 225 269 312

17 25 33 44 53 66 97 123 153 190 226 270 313

Civil Affairs Claims Commission Engineer Finance

88 116 129 155 190 223

11 25 49 88 115 129 155 191 228 271 314 15 25 45

67 98 129 156 192 229 272 315

15 27 49 70^100,,131 160^194 233 ,274 ,317

i
i .

October 1943

December 1943

November 1943

I
Page on which item begins

943

CM <*

to

943

en
r-t

CO

to

943

943

C O
Cft r-t

September

Februa

Ma ch

Subject Matter

i
General Purch Agent
Headquarters Command Inspector General Judge Advocato General Medical Ordnance Provost ivlarshal Quartermaster Signal Service Special Service Transportation Army Exchange Service

CO

27

June

July

5"

53

225

Xi O

u m
O

-P

g;
g

14

1011127

311

70 101 131 161 195 233 275 318 14 23 49 49 71 102 132 1G2 196 254 276 319 72 103 132 163 196 256 277 520

14 28

13 29 49 72 104 133 163 197 257 278 521

13 13 31 32 32 12 34 36
11.. 36

52 53 52 54 56 56

75 106 135 166 201 258 231 324 75 107 135 167 202 240 285 326 78 108 136 168 202 242 284 329 80 109 138 170 203 245 288 331 84 111 140 172 206 250 292 335

85, 112 141 173 207 251.293 336 266 510

-I 230 523
" - I CO v

Miscellaneous Supply Section Passive Air Defense

526

November

December

en

943

943

943

p"

ORGANIZATIONAL DATA FOR PERIOD SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER, INCLUSIVE STREHGTHS: (Assigned and attaohed) .

Off
Advance Echelon, arriving Oran 11 November 1942 Upon arrival of 3rd Echelon 6 December 1942: Hq MBS Hq Co, MBS Field Installations TOTAL 6 Dec 42. On 31 December 1942:
Hq MBS Hq Co, MBS Field Installations TOTAL 31 Dec 42. Net Gains: 11 Nov to 6 Dec 42. 6 Doo to 21 Dec 42: Hq MBS Hq Co, MBS Field Installations TOTAL MISCELLANEOUS:
The advance echelon of England 31 October 1942 and arrived in Oran 22 November third echelon comprised the the Chiefs of Section.
821 22 1 527 550 284 8 1228 1520 49

WO

Nurses

EM
125

TOTAL

175

262

19

7 701
970

1
13 33

0 0 270 270

436

187
14364 14987

717 195
15348 16260

19 1 49

1 0 428 429

474 206 2a776 23456

778 215 24461 25454

32 0 0 16 16

270 1 0 158 159

14862 33 19 8412 8469

15985 61 20 9113 9194

MBS (49 officers, 1 WO and 125 EM) left Liverpool,

arrived in Oran 11 November 1942. Second Echelon
and the third echelon on 6 December 1942. The
main body of the headquarters and in mo8t cases

Headquarters were established in Ecole Pasteur and Maison du Colon, ini tially, and officers were billetted in the various hotels throughout the city
and messed at an officers1 mess established in the Continental Hotel and with
a II Corps mess located in Le Grillon Cafe. For further details relative to
the organization and functioning during this initial period, reference should
be had to the pages whioh follow.

SEPT-DEC 1942.

n ~ ~

EXHIBITS
PERTAINING TO MONTH'S ACTIVITY

CONSTITUTION, ACTIVATION AND GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF MBS: Constitution of the Mediterranean Base Section, SOS and
designation f Brigadier General THOMAS B. LARKIN,
0-3785, as Commanding General (GO #13, AFHQ, 2
November 1942) and activation of the following
units by the CG, MBS, SOS: Headquarters, Mediterranean Base Section, SOS
Headquarters Company, Mediterranean Base
Section, SOS
Headquarters Special Troops, Mediterranean
base Section, SOS.
Activation of the Mediterranean Base Suction, Services
of Supply (GO #1, MBS, 10 November 1942) and the
units listed under GO ffl3, AFHQ, above; announcement
of Brigadier General LARKI" as the Commanding G eneral,
and Colonel EDMOND H. LEAVEY, 0-8559, GSC, as Chief
of Staff. Other Staff Officers announced. Sources of officer and enlisted personnel and transfer
of personnel to Hq MBS (SO #152, ETO, 11 November
1942 and letter Hq SOS, ETO, 14 November 1942) Services of Supply functions formerly handled by Hq CTF
delegated to the CG, MBS. (GO # 2 , Hq CTF, 3 Dec 1942) MBS placed directly under AFHQ and MBS area defined.
Civil Affairs Section relieved from atchd CTF and
atchd to MBS, 30 December 1942. T/O for Hq MBS, Hq Co and Hq Special Troops, 2 Nov 1942. T/O for MBS Field Installations, 16 Moveraber 1942. ASSIGNMENT OF STAFF OFFICERS:
Initial assignment of Staff officers: Chief of Staff - Deputy Chief of Staff Assistant Chief of Staff, G-l Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2 Assistant Chief of Staff, 0-3

EXHIBIT NO,

1-A

1-B

1-C

1-D
2
3

1-A
Colonel EDMCND H. LEAVEY,
0-8559, GSC
-Lt. Col. JOHN If. JOHNSON,
0-420233, GSC
Colonel GEORGE D. PENCE,
0-15629, JoC
Lt. Col. DONALD V' BERTiiaR,
.. 0-19911, GSC
Colonel HARRY A. FLINT,
0-3377, GSC

SEPT-DEC 1942,

'

I (i

a . ui " . . a J
.'

Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4 - - Colonel HERMAN FELDHAN,

0-5724, GSC
Chief of Control SectionMajor WILBHR 1i GAIGE,
-. 0-218073, Inf.
Chief of Administrative Section - kajor HARLEY R. RHOADS,
0-277841, Inf. Adjutant General- - - - - L t . Col. JAMES W. ROSS, 0-100079, AGD Air Force Liaison Officer - - Captain FRED W. AMADON, 0-390251, AC Chaplain Chaplain PATRICK B. FAY, 0-333123, U.S. Army Chemical Officer- - - - - - - - - Major HERBERT F. CROEN,
0-34776, CTCS
Chief of Transportation Colonel GEORGE C. STEIvART,
0-1534y, TC
Engineer- - - - - - - - - - - - - Colonel ARTHUR W. PENCE,
0-12042, CE
Major WILL G. ROBINSON, 0-276227, SC, announced as Acting
Staff Judge Advocate. Major JOSEPH F. WORE, 0-177765, Inf, announced as Fire
Marshal Lt. Colonel FRAIJK BALKE, 0-207469, inf, announced as
Acting AC of S, G-3 and as Fire i*iarshal (vice Major
ORE, relieved). Major LOUIS 0. GRAVELY, Jr., 0-248412, Inf, announced as
Headquarters Commandant, vice Lt. Colonel WILEY H.
O^OHUNDRO, Inf., relieved; Lt;. Colonel TVILEY H.
O'MOHUNDRO, 0-8545, Inf., announced as Provost Marshal,
vice Lt. Colonel DAVID A. TAYLOR, Cav., relieved. ACTIVATION OF UNITS AND STAFF SECTIONS:
Chiefs of Services, MBS, directed to organize units as
indicated below, effective 25 December 1942: G-2 Seotion: Prov i3ase Censor's office (directive
subsequently withdrawn).
QM: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Prov QfrA Det.
Engineer: Prov ^ngr Platoons on Fire-Fighting (2)
and Utility; 1st Prov *^ng Det (Map Depot) and
1st rov Eng Co (Depot)
Provost Marshal: 1st Prov WP Co (ZI) and 1st Prov
MP Section (Criminal Investigation)
Special Service Officer: 1st Prov Special Service Det.
-*

27

27-A

27-B

27-C

28

3
SEPT-DEC 1942.

* "

Chiefs of Services, MBS, directed to organize units as

indicated below, effective 31 December 1942: QM: Prov QM Co (Rhd), T/o 10-197
Engineer: 1st and 2nd Prov Engr Area Hq Det.
PMs Prov MP Disciplinary Training Center, Hq Det.
Establisiuacmt of Claims Service and announcement of Lt.
Colonel GEORGE T. MADISON, 0-125165, inf., as Command
Claims Officer, MBS, ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT OF UNITS TC SERVICES, MbS: unless otherwise indicated).
(Assigned,

28-A

29

Headquarters Command:
9th & 14th MRU, attached. : Hq c Hq Co; 1st Rftpl Depot and 3rd, bth, 6th and 7th
Repl Bns. Chemical warfare:
6th Chem Co (Depot) 69th Chem Co (SG) Engineer:
Eng Pipeline Co (Sep) (Prov); Prov Eng Co (WS); Det
62nd Eng Co (Top); 196th x^n^r Co (DT); 343rd
Eng Regt (GS); 450th En^r Co (Depot); 470th
Engr Co (Maint). 3rd Bn, 531st Eng Shore Re^t and 19th Engr Regt (C),
attached. Co "B", 601st Engr Bn (Cam) (Army); and 402nd Engr
Bn (Vo), less Det, Bn Hq and Co "C". Medical:
2nd Med Sup Depot; 7th Stat ilosp; 21st Genl uosp;
64th Stat ciosp; 151st Stat -k>sp; 130tn Stat
Hosp; 38th Stat iiosp; 2:^8th Stat Hosp. 12th Gun Hosp; 40th, 52nd and 61st ^tat nosps
asgd and 29th Stat Hosp attached Ordnance:
Cos "A" & "B", 55th Ord Bn (HM)j Hq and Hq Det, 62nd
Ord Bn; 58th Oni Co (Am); and 66th Ord Co (An),
attached. 1st Bn (Mtn), 301st Ord Regt (Base) Provost Marshal:
Prisoner of War Processing Det. 299th MP Co., attached.

29
29-B
29
29-B

29
29-A
29-L

29
29-B

29
29-B

29-A
29-B

S2PT-DEC 1942.

Quartermaster: Co "A". 63rd QM Bn (Ldry)j 85th $A Co (Dep); 93rd QM Co (Rhd); 181st QM Co (Dep Sup); Co "A", 301st QM Bn (Ster), assigned. Co "A", 205th QM Bn (Gas Sup); Co "D", 244th QH Bn (Serv), attached 218th Q f Co (Salv Rep) t Co "D", 60th QU Bn (Ldry) (SM), less 1 Platoonj 282nd QM Co (Refrig) (SM) II Corps: 888th MP Co, attached. Signal: 28th Sig Const Bn and 203rd Sig Depot Co. Co "A", 28th Sig Constr bn and 226th Sig Co (Opn) (Sop), asgd and 62nd Sig (Army), less Co "C", attached. Transportation: 3rd Port Hq; 397th QM Bn (Port); 399th QM Bn (Port), asgd and 761st ^ng Ry Transp Co; 240th QM Bn (Serv); 591st Boat Kegt (less 2nd Bn); 28th QM Regt (Truck) (less 1st Bn); 813ti Sig Co (Port); Prov Truck Bn, attached. 727th Bn RR (Opn) and 753rd Bn RR (Shop)

29 29 29-A 2y-b 29-A 29

2y-B

29 29-b

INDIVIDUAL REPORTS OF STAFF SECTIONS COVERING ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITY:

Command Section:
Command Section report, November 1942 Command Section report, December 1942 G-l Section:
G-l Section report for November Iy42 G-l Section report for December 1942 G-4 Section:
G-4 Section report for November 1942 G-4 Section report for December 1942 AG Section:
AG Section report for November 1942 AG Section report for December 1942 Air Force Liaison Section:
Air Force Liaison Section report for November 1942 Air Force Liaison Section report for December 1942

10
10-A

6
6-A

7
7-A

8
8-A
13
13-A

SEPT-DxiC 1942.

v'

Chaplain's Section:
Chaplain's report for November 1942
Chaplain's report for December 1942
Claims Commission:
Claims Commission report for ilovenbor 1942
Chemical Warfare Service:
CiVS report for November 1942
CWS report for December 1942
Engineer Section:
Engineer report for November, with Engineer Circular
^1 titled "Organization engineer Services" and
T/0 dated 14 November
Engineer report for December, with Organizational
Chart.
Finance Section:
Finance Section report for November 1942
Finance section report for December 1942
General Purchasing Agent:
GPA report for November 1942
GPA report for December 1942
Inspector General's Section:
IG report for November 1942
IG report for December 1942
Judge Advocate General:
JA report for December 1942
Modicl Section:
edical Section report for iiovember 1942
SOP for Med Dets atchd to MBS Units, December 1942
SOP for Fixed Hosp, MBS, December 1942
Hosp & Evao policy and Fixed Kospitalization available,
December 1942
Surgeon's request for additional liedioal Units for
MBS, December 1942
MD reports and returns. Circular ?,6, MBS, 1942
Medical Lessons learned fro a Operation "Torch"
Report on Venereal Disease control in Oran, 29
December 1942
Ordnance Section:
Ordnance Section report for November

14
14-A

23

15
15-A

11
11-A

16
16-A

17
17-A

18
18-A

24

12
12-A
12-B
12-C
12-D
12-^
12-F
12-0

December 1942

25

SEPT-DEC 1942.

Provost Marshal: Provost i^arshal's report for November 1942 Provost iiarshal's ruport for December 1942 Quartermaster: QM report for November 1942 <4M report for December 1942 Special Services: Special Services report for November 1^42 Special Services report for December 1W42 Signal Corps: Signal Corps activities, November and December 1942 First telephone Directory, 9 December 1942, for J.BS CTF telephone Directory, 10 December 1942 Combined CTF and MBS telephone Directory, 21 December Transportation Corps: Transportation Corps report for November 1942 Transportation Corps report for December 1942 SECURITY AND DEFENSE: Arrangements made for French Military personnel to be used as guards for military installations (Stai'f Memo f/^20, MBS, 1942) Blackout Preparations and schedule for completion thereof Cir #9, MBS, 1942 (iunendod by Cir #9, MBS, 1943) CIVILIAN LABOR: General instructions on Procurement and Administration of civilian labor, including hours of work and wage scales ADVANCE ECHELON: Log of Advance Echelon, MBS REAR LINK PLANS: Rear Link Plans, MBS, 12 November 1942 STATION LISTS: Station List, MBS, 11 December 1942 Station List, MBS, 17 December 1942

19 19-A

20 20-A

21 21-A

9 9-A 9-B S

22 22-A

26

26-A

33

30 30-4

SEPT-DEC 1942.