SUBJECT:  Report of inspection by Major D. L. Schwieger and Captain Harry Zorfas, (Office of the Provost Marshal General), of Prisoner of War Camp, Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and PW Branch Camps, Austin and Windfall, Indiana, 6 - 10 September 1945.

TO: Commanding General, Camp Atterbury, Indiana

1.  In accordance with the provisions of Section I, Part I, ASF Circular #299, 6 August 1945, the following report is submitted.

LOCATION: 35 miles southeast of Indianapolis, Indiana
TELEPHONE NO. Camp Atterbury, Ext. 472
POST COMMANDER: Brigadier General Ernest A. Bixby, USA
PW CAMP COMMANDER: Colonel John L. Gammell, FA
DATE OF ACTIVATION: 15 December 1942
FIRST PW RECEIVED: 30 April 1943
NATIONALITY: German

NUMBER OF PRISONERS:

AMERICAN OFFICER PERSONNEL:  See Tab "A" for breakdown of American Officers, organizational and functional duties.

AMERICAN ENLISTED PERSONNEL:

A. CAMP ADMINISTRATION AND DISCIPLINE:

1.  U. S. Organization and Overhead Personnel.
     a.  The morale and discipline of American personnel is very satisfactory.
     b.  Excellent military courtesy rendered by American personnel.
     c.  Complete file of 1945 ASF Circulars pertaining to prisoners of war on file at base camp and branch camps visited.
     d.  Some American Officers not provided with TM 19-500, "Enemy Prisoners of War" although records indicate a number of requisitions have been placed for same. Recommend that another requisition be placed for enough copies in order that each Officer have a complete TM 19-500 in his possession.  (See "Foreword", TM 19-500, Enemy Prisoners of War, 5 October1944.)

2.  Stockade Administration.
     a.  Stockade being operated with a minimum of prisoner of war personnel.
     b.  Pay Roll WD AGO Form 25, 25a is prepared in accordance with par. 23 c, Chap. 4, TM 19-500.
     c.  A spot check of PW files show them to be in order and up to date.  Records of 1200 German Officer prisoners just received from Concordia, Kansas contained no Individual Pay Data Records (WD AGO Form 19-13), although this should have been accomplished by the Concordia camp in accordance with par. 22, Chap. 2, TM 19-500, dated 20 April 1945.  This necessitates a large amount of additional work for personnel of Atterbury PW camp, but PW Camp Adjutant stated Forms 19-13 would be completed at an early date.

3.  Discipline.
     a.  Proper military courtesy was rendered American Officers by prisoners of war.
     b.  Marking of PW clothing in accordance with existing regulations.

4.  PW Canteen.
     a.  Canteen operated in accordance with existing regulations.

5.  Rations.
     a.  Food furnished prisoners appeared adequate as there were no registered food complaints.

6.  PW Mail.
     a.  PW mail regulations being complied with.

B.  WORK PROGRAM.  (See Tab "B", Camp Labor Report.)

1.  Military Work.
     a.  Unpaid work:  101 of the 325 prisoners employed on Camp Overhead are paid by contributions from prisoners employed on projects for which they are paid from government funds.
     b.  2217 prisoners have been allocated by the 5th Service Command to Camp Atterbury for Post and Army Work and records indicate that approximately this number of prisoners are being used daily on such work.  Prisoners are working a full eight hours and in many instances up to 14 and 15 hours in garrison messes.  All agencies on the post which employ prisoners are on a ful 48 hours a week basis.

2.  Contract Work.
     a.  WD AGO Form 19-19, "Contract For Labor of Prisoners of War" is in use in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5, TM 19-500.
     b.  Practically all private contract work will be completed by 1 November 1945 with the exception of use of approximately 500 prisoners by the Morgan Packing Company at Austin, Indiana.
     c.  The contract with the Morgan Packing Company, Austin, Indiana, for 1500 prisoners, "Common labor for food processing plant", at forty cents ($.40) per hour plus overtime, and so certified by the WMC actually expired on 31 August 1945.  The PW Branch, 5th Service Command, authorized extension of this contract to and including 10 Sept. 1945, based on the fact that total man hours called for in original contract had not been furnished up to and including 31 August 1945.  A new contract for 1500 prisoners, effective 1 Sept. 1945, for "Common labor in food processing plant" at $.50 per hour plus overtime, so certified by the WMC, was being held in abeyance pending receipt of WLB General Order No. 30 by WMC which apparently would permit contract to be entered into on a $.40 an hour basis.  To date, 10 Sept. 1945, there is no written contract in possession of this camp covering employment of prisoners by the Morgan Packing Company after 10 Sept. 1945.

The inspecting officers visited the Morgan Packing Company plant, Austin, Indiana on 6 September 1945 and found approximately twenty five (25) prisoners engaged in new construction - building scaffolds, laying glazed interior and rough-exterior brick and another group of approximately forty (40) prisoners mixing and pouring concrete drive-ways and parking areas.  A visit was made to WMC representative, Mr. Joe Lavaux and Mr. Dick Barnes, Indianapolis, Indiana and they stated their "Certification of Need" for common labor at food processing plants did not cover such skilled work by prisoners.  The improper use of prisoners by the Morgan packing Company was brought to the attention of the PW Camp Commander and he in turn informed Mr. Jack Morgan, 1130 8 September 1945, that effective at once no prisoners would be used on skilled work unless so certified by the WMC.

(Handwritten notation) Inquiry revealed this had been going on for past 3 weeks.  This is not maintenance p it's all new construction.

     d. PW Branch Camp, Windfall, Indiana
         A total of 1200 German Officer  prisoners were received at this camp on 7 September 1945 and previous to their arrival the American Officers and enlisted personnel had worked continuously for 48 hours transferring all German enlisted prisoners to other camps, having additional tentage erected, and making general preparations for arrival of the German Officer prisoners.  All of the German Officer prisoners have signed up for remunerative labor and understand they will be entitled to accommodations and living quarters equal to those furnished enlisted prisoners.  (See sample "Application for Remunerative Labor", Tab "C".)  1100 of these Officer prisoners will be stationed at the Windfall PW Branch camp and will perform all work in connection with same.  100 will be quartered at the Eaton PW branch camp and used on private contract work in that vicinity.

3.  Availability of Civilian Labor.
     a.  The Post Personnel Officer states that he is unable to hire any civilians to replace prisoners of war.
     b.  The WMC representatives in Indianapolis, Indiana state that civilians in this vicinity are unwilling to accept employment at this camp (Camp Atterbury) at the wages now prevailing plus the difficulties in obtaining transportation to and from their homes and uncertainly of length of employment based upon existence of camp.

FOR THE PROVOST MARSHALL

D. L. Schwieger
Major CMP
Labor and Liaison Officer
PWO Divison

dd:  Commanding General, 5th Ser. Cmd. (Attn. Prov. Marshal.)
       Chief, Labor and Liaison Branch, PMGO
       Commanding Officer, PW Camp.
       (Tabs "A" to "C" incl. with PMGO copy only.

ASF, Camp Atterbury, Indiana 14 September 1945
TO: Provost Marshal General's Office, Washington, D. C.
Thru: Commanding General , 5th SVC, Fort Hayes, Columbus 18, Ohio
Contents noted.

ERNEST A. BIXBY
Brigadier General, U. S. Army
Commanding