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Service de renseignements 79th
US Division - Harbouey 17/18 novembre 1944
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Intelligence
Agencies and Operations Analytical Study Report Of Committee No. 12
Coverage of Small Villages Demands Efficiency
Small villages were just as
likely to contain troublemakers as large cities, but could not be
allotted the time of many CIC [Counter Intelligence Corps] agents.
Because the village would probably not be revisited by CIC and time
was limited during the initial check, work had to be done quickly
and efficiently.
Among the great number of small villages covered by the 79th CIC
Detachment was Harbouey, checked on 17 and 18 November. Harbouey had
a population of 250, increased to 500 due to an influx of refugees,
mostly Poles, brought to the village in 1940 and then left behind by
the Nazis. The regular inhabitants and the refugees were screened
quickly, told that no travel was permitted, and informed of the
curfew. Two suspects were uncovered during the screening, but
neither was considered dangerous to military security. The next day,
the S2 of a 79th Infantry Division regiment reported that civilians
of Harbouey had been violating the curfew. CIC quickly instituted
more rigid checks during the hours of darkness to apprehend
violators. Later in the day, four individuals accused of harboring
German wounded were arrested, but investigation failed to
substantiate the charge. These men were restricted to their homes
until the area was out of the combat zone.
After these two days of activity, CIC left the village in the hands
of the French authorities.*
* 79th CIC Det, Subj: Road Blocks, Road Patrols, and
Screening of Civilians, To: AC of S, G2, 79th Inf Div, 19 Nov
1944,/s/ Irvin Bogatin, Capt, Sig C, Commanding, (UNCLASSIFIED),
from the bound records of the 79th CIC Det, (Historical Project
Files). |
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