Memories of Army Life and MPs of the 529th
It isn’t often that one is able to maintain that his or her military unit was the top-dog in the entire United States Army, but that’s the remarkable truth regarding the 529th Military Police Company in 1974 – and euphemistically for the decade of the 1970s.
In the early 1970s, it had been barely 25 years since the end of World War II in Europe, and Germany, again, was a place of violence. The children of some of the former henchmen of Nazi Germany were determined to rid their country of its occupiers – whatever the cost – and the leader of the United States Army in Europe (USAREUR) – Gen. Michael S. Davison – was a primary target in Heidelberg, Germany.
Standing between these criminals and the pursuit of their goals in Heidelberg was the 529th Military Police Company of Patton Barracks. Though the Nazi descendants struck with violent and often fatal terroristic attacks throughout Germany during the 1970s and 1980s in their effort to oust the American presence – striking in Heidelberg on two separate occasions causing three deaths, numerous injuries, and massive destruction of property – they were never successful in achieving their goal of supplanting the American presence.
In 1952, the 529th had been transferred from La Rochelle, France, to Heidelberg, and assigned the mission of protection and security for the commander-in-chief (CINC) of the United States Army in Europe (USAREUR) and his staff at the sprawling USAREUR headquarters command post which had been set up in a former Nazi Germany Wehrmacht (army) installation.
In this security mission, the 529th was designated not only as the protective unit for the CINC and the Deputy-CINC and their staff, but also for the Command Building at which the CINC and his staff were located; the USAREUR Command and Control Center (“War Room”); the airfield at which the CINC’s aircraft were located; the CINC’s residence; and the large complex of buildings and staff comprising the USAREUR Headquarters.
From the outset, the 529th in Heidelberg was also designated as an “honor guard” unit which represented and “carried the torch” for the USAREUR Command at various official ceremonies and functions in Heidelberg and throughout Europe. Within this “honor guard” mission, the 529th in Heidelberg was a sister-unit to the famed “Old Guard” in Washington, D.C.
As a result of all of the above, the 529th Military Police Company was held to an exceptionally high standard, and its proficiency soon became obvious. Only the best were selected for and retained in this unit to support its mission of the defense and protection of the USAREUR command center.
In 1973, the first indication of the growing excellence of the 529th was made apparent. It was named “First Runner-Up” for the coveted “Brig. Gen. Jeremiah P. Holland Award” recognizing the best military police company in the United States Army worldwide. In 1974, the 529th stepped to the fore in an even bigger way, winning the Holland Award outright as the top unit. In 2009, it was the recipient of the “Griffin Award” as the best U.S. Army MP unit in Europe. And in 2012 – the unit’s final year to be headquartered in Heidelberg – it again was named “First Runner-Up” for the Holland Award.
Prior to its relocation to Wiesbaden, Germany, in 2013, the 529th had existed in Heidelberg for a total of 60 years (1952-2012). Aside from its distinguished record in this historic town, this unit also quite often was composed of a very “colorful” cast of characters over the years, a few of whom are highlighted on the pages of this book. This then is the story of the award-winning men and women of the 529th Military Police Company of Heidelberg, Germany, who persevered in a time of deadly terrorism during the 1970s.
