On 1 July 1964, the Army Northern Area Command (NACom) and the Army Southern Area Command (SACom) were inactivated and both were replaced with the activation of the U.S. Army Area Command (USAACOM), which provided one unified support and service headquarters.
During this reorganization and activation of the USAACOM, the 2nd Military Police Group was established under USAACOM to provide police and investigative services to the Command.
The 2nd MP Group was activated with Colonel Robert L. Staver, USAACOM Provost Marshal serving in a dual-hat capacity, that as Provost Marshal, United States Army Area Command and as the Commander, 2nd Military Police Group.
The 2nd MP Group had two (2) sectors:PM NORTH located at Turley Barracks, Mannheim and PM SOUTH (Bavaria), located in William O. Darby Kaserne, Nurnberg,
Due to this reorganization, the 508th Military Police Battalion, Munich under the Southern Area Command (SACom), and the 382nd Military Police Battalion, Kaiserslautern, under the Northern Area Command (NACom) as well as several lesser units were inactivated in Germany.
The new Group was organized with a Headquarters Detachment; two (2) MP Battalions (709th Military Police Battalion and 793rd Military Police Battalion); four (4) separate Companies; one (1) railway security unit; two (2) criminal investigation detachments; and one (1) Stockade detachment.
LTC John S. Gibson was named as the Commanding Officer, 709th Military Police Battalion and as the Provost Marshal, North, headquartered at Turley Barracks, Mannheim. Major Frank Conway assumed Command of the 793rd Military Police Battalion and was named Provost Marshal South (Bavaria) pending arrival of LTC William Brandenberg in late July 1964.
The 2nd MP Group supplied the equipment and personnel for six (6) Stockades, two (2) sector Provost Marshal Offices, twenty nine (29) MP Stations and thirty one (31) MPCI Field Offices.
In support of the 2nd MP Group’s enforcement mission, 7th Army provided military police officers and enlisted personnel at selected MP Stations. Those were under the operational control of the MP Station Commander in coordination with the 7th Army Provost Marshals.
The Confinement Mission of USAAC was accomplished through the operation of six (6) stockades by members of the 2nd MP Group, under the operational control of the respective post commanders.
The 42nd MP Group (Customs), the 6th MP (CI) and the 37th MP (CI), were assigned to the 2nd MP Group, however, they were not employed by the U.S. Army Area Command (USAAC). They were assigned and performed certain theater-wide functions and came under the operational control and supervision of the USAREUR Provost Marshal.
With the 15th MP Brigade being activated in Frankfurt, this authorized the activation of 15th MP Brigade Area Provost Marshal (APM) Detachments throughout the 15th MP Brigade area of operation (AO). These Area Provost Marshal Detachments replaced the PM North and PM South, 2nd MP Group, which were inactivated.
(Source of information is from the MP School Historical Department, 15th MP Brigade Griffin newspapers and open source information, which was researched, compiled and written by Richard W. Burch, retired member of the MP Corps, and former member of PM North, MP Operations, 2nd MP Group, Mannheim for the PM North/PM South, 2nd MP Group website)
