6. Enlisted Personnel Policies

a. Outgoing Units. One of the most difficult personnel problems in the actual implementation of the Gyroscope program was to achieve the authorized posture, or strength and composition, of interchanging units. The posture of a Gyroscope unit, set by the Department of the Army in April 1955, was: Regular Army component (prior service), 30 percent; additional RA personnel, up to 25 percent; and selective service fillers, 45 percent. The Department also stipulated that Gyroscope units returning to the United States were to be at 90 percent of authorized TOE strength.¹

Seventh Army estimated that 10,000 replacements would be required to sustain the combat effectiveness of the 1st Infantry Division and the 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment between 1 February 1955 and their respective rotation dates. Approximately 3,000 were obtained by mandatory levies on Seventh Army units that were filled with short-term personnel. However, to maintain operational efficiency after the initial source of replacements was exhausted it was necessary to assign personnel directly from the replacement stream. These replacements would have to remain in Europe when the units rotated. Planners foresaw, moreover, that this problem would be intensified for future Gyroscope units, since forecasts indicated that the number of available qualified replacements, both from the United States and from within the command, would be reduced.²

1. (1) AR 220-20, 7 Apr 55, sub: Operation Gyroscope, Unit Rotation, p. 11. (2) USAREUR CINC's Weekly Stf Conf, No. 11, 26 Apr 55.
2. (1) Seventh Army Ann Hist Rept, 1 Jul 54-30 Jun 55, p. 25. (2) Cable SC-27686, USAREUR to DA for G1, 16 Apr 55. In USAREUR SGS 322 Army (1955), B/P, Vol. I.

USAREUR authorities felt that for outgoing units the requirement of 45 percent selective service filler personnel was least essential, since many of these draftees would be separated from the service upon arrival in the United States. Therefore, a system of priorities in achieving the posture of returning units was established: first, the minimum of 30 percent RA personnel, as the stable core of the unit; second, a non-RA component of 45 percent, consisting of selective service personnel with less than 3 months to expiration of term of service (ETS); and third, to "reinforce" the RA's, a component consisting of selected trainees with from 3 to 6 months of service remaining at the time of unit rotation.³

In the spring of 1955, when it became evident that replacements from Seventh Army units and the normal replacement channels together would not yield a sufficient number of qualified personnel for returning Gyroscope units, USAREUR requested authority to extend foreign service tours involuntarily during the stabilization period.⁴ This measure was considered necessary to insure the minimum RA percentage in units returning to the United States, as well as to maintain operational efficiency until departure.⁵ The Department of the Army did not grant this authority, but stated that there would be no objection to returning the 1st Infantry Division at 80 instead of 90 percent strength. The strength of each unit leaving Europe would be determined on a case-by-case basis; no maximum strength would be established. Instead, strength factors would be determined by the mission of the unit upon its return to the United States and USAREUR's ability to remain within its established personnel strength ceiling.⁶

In early June 1955 the Department of the Army reconsidered the question of granting to theater commanders 'tine authority to extend overseas tours of non-Gyroscope enlisted personnel involuntarily for a reasonable period.⁷ USAREUR held that the primary reasons for needing

3. Ltr, USAREUR ACOFS G1 to TAG, 29 Apr 55, subs Enlisted Personnel Policies for USAREUR Gyroscope Units. In USAREUR SGS 322 Army (1955), B/P, Vol. I.
4. The stabilization period is the time during which a unit makes preparation for movement. It usually begins about six months before its scheduled departure date (R-day).
5. Cable SC-29792, USAREUR to DA, 29 Apr 55. In file above.
6. USAREUR CINC's Wkly Stf Conf, No. 13, 23 May 55.
7. Cable DA-31S334, DA from G1 to CINCUSAREUR, 3 Jun 55. In USAREUR SGS 322 Army (1955), B/P, Vol. II.

this authority were to maintain the combat efficiency of Gyroscope units while in the command; to assure the minimum Gyroscope RA cadre organization, established as 30 percent of a unit's authorized strength; and to reduce the number of personnel reassignments upon the departure of the unit from the command. In the 1st Infantry Division the RA enlisted personnel whose tours would be extended were predominantly senior NCO's, whose loss would have a definite impact on operational readiness. The suggested duration of the involuntary extension period was 6 months—sufficient time to cover the Gyroscope unit's stabilization period without seriously conflicting with the desires of the individuals concerned.⁸

USAREUR opinion, however, did not prevail. In August 1955 the Department of the Army finally rejected the principle of involuntary extension of overseas tours as incompatible with the voluntary nature of Operation GYROSCOPE. Suggested alternatives were maximum planning effort and judicious transfer of personnel, especially those without dependents.⁹

b. Incoming Units. Units arriving in Europe were to be at 110 percent of their TOE strength. However, when the first increment of the 10th Division arrived, the strength of some of its units was discovered to be as low as 90 percent. The understrength caused some alarm, for a continuation of such arrivals would seriously jeopardize USAREUR's operational readiness. The understrength apparently occurred because some personnel had already arrived in the theater as part of the advance party and others, though assigned to the first increment, would travel with later increments.¹⁰

After definite strength figures had been ascertained there were still understrengths. The Department of the Army promised to correct the situation by air transporting at the end of September 1955 the proper number of 16-weeks-trained enlisted men to fill the ranks of the first increment. In the future, attempts would be made to send all increments at 110 percent strength. If this proved impossible, because of unforeseen attrition losses between readiness for overseas movement and the actual departure, the necessary replacements would be made.¹¹

However, as further Gyroscope exchanges were implemented it was discovered that the large overstrengths granted to incoming Gyroscope

8. Comment 3, USAREUR G1 to COFS, 11 Jun 55, sub: Foreign Service Tour Extension, Gyroscope Personnel. In file above.
9. Cable DA-335267, DA to CINCUSAREUR, 22 Aug 55. In file above.
10. ODE, USAREUR COFS to G1, 21 Jul 55, sub: understrength in Initial Elements of the 10th Division. In file above.
11. Cable DA-350944, DA to CINCUSAREUR, 26 Sep 55. In USAREUR SGS 322 Army (1955), B/P, Vol. III.

units at a time when USAREUR manning levels were being reduced created shortages in USAREUR non-Gyroscope units.¹² Studies of this situation based on the arrivals of the 10th Infantry, 11th Airborne, and 3d Armored Divisions, indicated that a Gyroscope division should arrive in Germany at 105 instead of 110 percent of TOE-strength. The Department of the Army in late 1956 agreed to this change in arrival strength, thereby alleviating Seventh Army's enlisted strength difficulties.¹³

7. Officer Personnel Policies

The assignment of officers and the determination of the length of their tour with a Gyroscope unit also caused some difficulties in the planning and implementation of the operation. Early in 1955, the Department of the Army decided that officers assigned to Gyroscope unit a during the stabilization period would be returned to the United States with those units, regardless of the length of individual overseen tours and if necessary by involuntary extension of overseas tours. The only exception to this rule was that reassignment within USAREUR was possible for officers whose families had been in the command for less than 12 months at R-day.¹⁴

This policy was amended by AR 220-20, which stipulated that an officer assigned to a Gyroscope unit at the time of return to the United States would be rotated with the unit only if he had completed at least two-thirds (24 months) of his current overseas tour. The amended policy was followed for the departing 1st Infantry Division, but as succeeding units were designated to gyroscope the number of eligible officers dwindled. Seventh Army no longer had a sufficient number of officers with the required 24 months overseas time.¹⁵ Moreover, unless an adjustment was made there would not be sufficient housing for all incoming officers plus the officers forced to remain in the command after their units had rotated. In July 1955, therefore, USAREUR strongly recommended to the Department of the Army that 4th and 5th Infantry Division officer personnel with dependents be returned to the United States with their units even if they had served only 18 months of their current tours. At first the Department of the Army disapproved

the suggestion because of budgetary cute in FY 1956 travel funds, and continued to insist upon the 24 months overseas criterion. Finally an

12. Seventh Army Ann Hist Rept, 1 Jul 55-30 Jun 56.
13. (1) Cable SC-2828, USAREUR to DA, 21 Nov 56. (2) Cable SC-30845, USAREUR to Seventh Arty, 17 Dec 56. Both in USAREUR SGS 322 GYRO (1956).
14. USAREUR ltr, 1 Feb 55, sub: Operation Gyroscope. AG 370.2 GOT-AGO.
15. Seventh Army Ann Hist Rept, 1 Jul 55-30 Jun 56.

exception was made in the case of the 5th Division. It was to return at from 80 to 100 percent officer strength, and officers who had completed 18 months of their current foreign service tour would be allowed to return if their families had been in the command for at least 12 months. USAREUR had urged this exception because it reduced the number of intratheater transfers of officers from 549 to 191.¹⁶

8. Medical Personnel Policies

In the early stages of Gyroscope planning the Medical Corps had stated that its efficiency and training would be adversely affected by participation in unit rotation. To meet this objection, it was agreed in January 1955 that USAREUR would submit to the Department of the Army its recommendations for the medical staffing of incoming units and also that units returning to the United States would be staffed accordingly. The requirement thus set for a rotating infantry division was 15 Medical Corps, 2 Dental Corps, and 38 Medical Service Corps officers.¹⁷

In February 1955, however, the Department of the Army announced that a larger number of medical personnel would be shipped overseas with the 10th Division and asked that the 1st Division be returned at the same medical strength. It had already been stipulated that after a unites arrival overseas the medical staffing could be adjusted in accordance with the commend' a capability and that the staff of returning Gyroscope units should be composed of officers scheduled for early separation. In addition, the Office of the Surgeon General required that Medical and Dental Corps officers continue to rotate between fixed and field assignments as far as possible. It soon became apparent that if the several requirements were to be met, overseas commanders would have to be allowed discretionary judgment. In Day 1955, therefore, the Department returned to the earlier policy under which overseas theaters would be asked for a statement of their medical personnel requirements for Gyroscope units. Units leaving the United States would be staffed accordingly.¹⁸

9. Seventh Army Training Policies

The Seventh Army training policy for incoming Gyroscope Units provided that formal training would begin immediately upon the unit's

16. (1) Cable SC-1497, CINCUSAREUR to DA, 28 Jul 55. (2) Cable SC-42792, USAREUR to Seventh Army, 30 Jun 55. Both in USAREUR SGS 322 Army (1955), B/P, Vol. II. (3) USAREUR CINC's Wkly Stf Conf, No. 21, 30 Aug 55.
17. Cable SC-11284, USAREUR to DA, 10 Jan 55. In file above.
18. (1) Cable DA-58806, DA to CINCUSAREUR, 16 Feb 55. (2) Cable DA-579035, DA to CINCUSAREUR, 13 Jan 55. (3) Cable DA-313841, DA to CINCUSAREUR, 18 May 55. All in file above.

arrival at its overseas home station. Each battalion was expected to conduct a reinforced battalion FTX no later than the second week after coming to Germany. Corps commanders had the authority to determine whether newly arrived Gyroscope units were to participate in war games. Occasionally units were excused from annual training tests, CPX's, and FTX's, including regimental combat team and combat command exercises. Gyroscope units scheduled to leave USAREUR continued training, within the limits of movement requirements, until their actual rotation dates.¹⁹

10. Problems of Unit Location

Two problems arose in connection with the location of units scheduled to gyroscope. One developed after the Department of the Army had restricted, on a need-to-know basis, the knowledge of where the 1st Division would be stationed in the United States and had prevented the use of its publication channels for disseminating this information. The 1st Division commander, however, pointed out that the refusal to release information affected the morale of the troops and that maximum recruiting results for Gyroscope could be obtained only through universal knowledge of the unit's future location. The Department of the Army agreed, and in March 1955 the 1st Division was authorized to announce that its future station in the United States would be Fort Riley, Kansas.²⁰

Another difficulty was that many individuals, both military and civilian, had received the impression from various publicity releases that the Department of the Army would guarantee the return of a given Gyroscope unit to the same home station in the United States. The actual policy was that units would be returned to the same U.S. station when feasible and that exceptions would be announced well in advance. It was emphasized that changing world conditions might cancel even an unqualified commitment.²¹

11. Family Accommodations in Germany

One of the great inducements to reenlist or volunteer for a Gyroscope unit had been the prospect of concurrent travel; but almost from the inception of Gyroscope planning USAREUR was beset by the problem of fulfilling this virtual promise and providing adequate housing facilities for the incoming units. Initially the command proposed that

19. Seventh Army Ann Hist Rept, 1 Jul 55-30 Jun 56. In Hist Div Lib.
20. (1) DF, USAREUR G1 to COFS, 24 Feb 55, sub: CONUS Destination of 1st Division. (2) Cable DA-592617, DA from G3 to CINCUSAREUR, 4 Mar 55. Both in USAREUR SGS 322 Army (1955), B/P, Vol. I.
21. DF, USAREUR G1 to COFS, 3 Nov 55, sub: Item for Weekly Directive, Re: Station of Gyroscope Units. In USAREUR SGS 322 Army (1955), B/P, Vol. III.

families of personnel assigned to incoming Gyroscope units should not travel concurrently, but should arrive about two weeks after their sponsors. On the other hand, dependents of personnel of outbound units should travel concurrently to the extent that cabin spaces and requirements for single and unaccompanied officers and NCO's traveling with troops would permit. Outbound dependents not able to obtain concurrent travel should precede their sponsors by about a week.²²

The Department of the Army objected to this suggestion, principally because it did not meet the basic objectives of family stability and welfare. USAREUR replied that the command's basic policy was to provide the maximum possible concurrent travel, subject to housing availability, transportation arrangements, composition of travel increments, the overriding requirements of operational efficiency, and other factors certain to develop. It was stressed that sponsors and dependents should not be allowed to believe that concurrent travelers assured for all families eligible for quarters. The command reiterated that initially some families would not be able to travel concurrently and that the waiting time for them would be approximately from 15 to 20 Weeks. Moreover, concurrent travel for Gyroscope units should not take precedence over all other concurrent travel.²³

a. Estimated Requirements. As early as the first week in January 1955 USAREUR requested the 10th Division to estimate its housing unit requirement, by increments, sad also a date when a final requirement could be stated.²⁴ After the receipt of the approximate strength figures for the first increment, USAREUR estimated that 680 family units would be needed for that increment, but that only 598 would be available. Based on experience factors with an infantry division already in the command, 1,965 of a total requirement of 2,250 units could be provided, leaving a deficiency of about 285 units. Again it was stressed that concurrent travel would have to be limited by the housing available.²⁵

A later and more precise 10th Division statement of requirements indicated that for the first increment along USAREUR would be short 281 sets of quarters—a deficiency of about 200 more than originally predicted. Very grave results were anticipated by USAREUR if this deficiency was allowed to develop. In some localities the requirements of the 10th Division alone would absorb all of the dependent housing

22. Cables SC-26267, 9 Dec 54, and SC-26432, 10 Dec 54, USAREUR to DA. In USAREUR SGS 510 (1954), B/P, Vol. II.
23. Cables SC-27196, 17 Dec 54, and SC-28705, 30 Dec 54, USAREUR to DA. In file above.
24. Cable SC-10115, USAREUR to Fifth Army, Second Army, 4 Jan 55. In USAREUR SGS 510 (1955), B/P, Vol. I.
25. Cable SC-13495, USAREUR to DA for G1, 24 Jan 55. In file above.

and preclude the housing of dependents of other units; in others it would exceed the total number of government quarters. The 10th Division had asked that USAREUR waive experience factors as criteria for housing requirements, because the widespread publicity regarding Gyroscope concurrent travel and other family benefits had brought an unusually large number of married personnel into the division.²⁶ USAREUR pointed out that the suggested waiver of experience factors as criteria in no way increased the availability of housing in Germany, that the influx of married personnel into the Division would have to be curbed, and the erroneous publicity corrected.²⁷ However, in spite of USAREUR's strong remonstrances, the 10th Division still hoped to obtain more government housing facilities.

Both points of view had considerable justification. On the one hand, USAREUR lacked sufficient housing. On the other, the impression had grown among 10th Division personnel that the families of all eligible men would travel concurrently, and the Department of the Army feared the effect of broken promises on the future of Operation GYROSCOPE. Since the Department estimated that the unit rotation plan would continue to attract increased numbers of married Regular Army personnel—a development desirable from many points of view—Washington officials urged that everything possible be done to obtain the necessary housing.²⁸

b. Planning Agreement Reached. An agreement was finally reached when the 10th Division promised to make a breakdown of dependents by areas that its several units would occupy; to redistribute married personnel within the division whenever possible; and to inform personnel that availability of housing overseas would govern the degree of concurrent or subsequent travel. Moreover, the division accepted the total housing availability submitted by USAREUR as final, and all sponsors of dependents were informed of prevailing conditions.²⁹

By then the Department of the Army and USAREUR had jointly recognized every major aspect of the housing program. USAREUR was making every effort to provide the maximum housing for incoming Gyroscope units short of materially slowing the German housing derequisition program or of permitting Gyroscope units to absorb an inordinate percentage of

26. Cable ALRD-GA-2-100, 10th Infantry Div to CINCUSAREUR, 1 Feb 55. In file above.
27. DF, USAREUR G1 to ACOFS sgd Newman, 5 Feb 55, sub: Concurrent Travel (GYROSCOPE). In file above.
28. (1) Telecon, Maj Gen J. F. Uncles, USAREUR COFS, with Maj Gen R. N. Young, ACOFS G1, 6 Feb 55. (2) Ltr, Gen Young to Gen Uncles, 9 Feb 55. Both in file above.
29. Cable SC-15374, CG 10th Div to ACOFS G1, n.d. In file above.

family housing. In addition, plans were under way for shifting to Gyroscope areas 250 new housing units scheduled for construction elsewhere.³⁰

c. Other Attempted Solutions. While the availability of government housing in Germany had become the determining factor in assigning married personnel to a Gyroscope unit, the 10th Division continued to express doubts about this policy. The division maintained that transferring its volunteer personnel in the first three grades to other units in the United States would break faith completely with the personnel involved, affect the division's operational efficiency adversely, and result in poor publicity for the entire operation.³¹ Because of this point of view, attempts to find more housing were continued.

(1) Additional Allocations. The 10th Division's required housing estimates rose slightly during the winter months, but by early March 1955 USAREUR was able to offer more housing—a gain created by additional allocations of 137 housing units. Another helpful factor was that the 10th Division needed 135 fewer units for officers' dependents than did the 1st Division. The surplus could be used for families of enlisted sponsors, thus reducing the over-all shortage to about 300 units.³²

(2) Use of Requisitioned Housing. One suggested method of accommodating more dependent families was to quarter them temporarily in nearby areas. For example, it would be possible to put 70 families of the 86th Regimental Combat Team (first increment) into requisitioned housing in Wuerzburg, a nearby community. In this was concurrent travel could be authorized for all 482 families of that organization's personnel. The disadvantage of this procedure was that a few months after the arrival of the 70 families the requisitioned housing would have to be returned to the West German Government. Sponsors would then be forced to rent quarters for themselves from private German owners or would have to be transferred to other communities. USAREUR recommended that the 70 sets of requisitioned quarters not be retained, since such a solution would be only temporary. However, they were retained in the interest of the success of Operation GYROSCOPE.³³

30. Ltr, Gen Uncles to Gen Young, 21 Feb 55. In file above.
31. Cable DA-59078, DA from G1 to CINCUSAREUR, 3 Mar 55. In file above.
32. DF, USAREUR G1 to COFS, 10 Mar 55, sub: Housing for 10th Division Dependents. In file above.
33. (1) DF, USAREUR G1 to COFS, 10 Mar 55, cited above. (2) DF, USAREUR COFS to ACOFS G1, 29 Mar 55, sub: Family Housing for 10th Infantry Division. (3) Cable SC-21781, CINCUSAREUR to CG 10th Div. 12 Mar 55. All in file above.

(3) Private Rentals. The 10th Division had also suggested that private rentals from German landlords might relieve the housing congestion in each area. By mid-April 1955 it was evident that a number of eligible E-5's would not be assigned government quarters for their families. Several solutions were possible: (a) to train them with the division, transport them to Bremerhaven with their families, and then reassign them to other divisions in areas of Germany where quarters would be available; (b) to move them with the division to Germany, but to move their dependents only after the sponsors had secured private rental housing; (c) to transfer them in the United States-to other Gyroscope units destined for Germany; or (d) to allow them to complete training with the 10th Division in the United States and be reported for levy shipment to Germany. It was believed that offering these alternatives would lessen the adverse effect upon the morale of those eligible E-5's whose dependents could not travel concurrently.³⁴

USAREUR advocated that all unacommodated married personnel of the 10th Division be transferred in the United States to other units destined to gyroscope to Germany. The sponsor would thus join a unit whose ratio of married personnel was dictated by the dependent housing available in Germany. It was not believed desirable to grant concurrent travel to 10th Division personnel in the hope that they might rent German quarters after arrival, Difficulties in contract negotiation and the generally unsatisfactory conditions associated with residence in rented German housing made it advisable for the individual sponsor to see his future home in person before entering into a rental agreement.³⁵

However, USAREUR finally agreed to the establishment of a housing board, composed of members of the advance party of the 10th Division and authorized to negotiate for German rental housing. Concurrent travel for dependents who were to live in rented facilities would be permitted only when the facilities were comparable to government quarters. However, the maximum number of such housing units available was estimated at 19. Therefore, personnel action would still have to be taken in the United States to prevent the Gyroscope movement to Europe of married personnel for whom no family quarters were available.³⁶

34. Cable ALFD-GA-4-134; 10th Div to CINCUSAREUR, 19 Apr 55. In file above.
35. (1) Cable SC-29344, USAREUR to DA for G1, 26 Apr 55. (2) DF, USAREUR COFS to ACOFS G1, 19 Apr 55, sub: Family Housing for the 10th Infantry Division. Both in file above.
36. Cable SC-28906, CINCUSAREUR to CG 10th Div. 23 Apr 55. In file above.