European Civil Affairs Division

European Civil Affairs Division 1944-1945

The European Civil Affairs Division (ECAD) was a unit assigned to the European Theater of Operations (ETO) from February 1944[1] to July 1945. ECAD was created in Shrivenham, England before D-Day and Colonel Cuthbert P. Stearns was its first commander and was soon promoted to Brigadier General.[2]

After the Normandy invasion, ECAD began to move into the formerly Nazi controlled areas beginning on September 9, 1944 to set up civil government run by the US Army until such time as it was practical to allow local administration. As the US Army moved east, the amount of former Nazi held territory grew and ECAD could not keep up with the need for specialists in medical, educational, sanitation[3], and every other type of civil management.

Fighting against disease was just as important to the ECAD as de-Nazifying the populace and installing working governance. The ECAD found typhus outbreaks as well as a lack of food and drinking water.[4] In August 1944, ECAD set up a School of Military Government near Paris to help with the issue.

Subordinate Units

  • 6901st European Civil Affairs Regiment[5] (later 1st European Civil Affairs Regiment) deployed with 14th Military Government (First Army)
  • 6902nd European Civil Affairs Regiment (later 2nd European Civil Affairs Regiment) deployed with Third Army
  • 6903rd European Civil Affairs Regiment (later 3rd European Civil Affairs Regiment) deployed with Sixth Army

Special Detachments

  • 6904th Civil Affairs Detachment
  • 6905th Transportation Company
  • 6907th Special Mission Detachment (Norway)
  • 6908th Special Mission Detachment (Denmark)
  • 6910th Special Mission Detachment (Belgium)
  • 6911th Special Mission Detachment (Germany)
  • 6912th Special Mission Detachment (France)
  • European Civil Affairs Medical Group
  • Civil Affairs Port and Supply HQ
  • Regimental Reserve Detachment
  • European Civil Affairs Currency Section

References

  1. ^ "US Army Civil Affairs History Handbook" (PDF). USASOC History Office. 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  2. ^ "Stearns, Cuthbert Powell". Generals of WWII. 2000.
  3. ^ "CHAPTER XIII: The European Theater of Operations (1944-45)". AMEDD Center of History & Heritage. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  4. ^ Callender, Harold (April 12, 1943). "OCCUPATION DUTIES TAUGHT TO OFFICERS". New York Times.
  5. ^ "U.S. Army Special Operations Command's post". Facebook. February 12, 2019.
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