[8-3.1 CN 1]

 

 

OPERATION GYROSCOPE IN THE

UNITED STATES ARMY, EUROPE

 

 

HEADQUARTERS

UNITED STATES ARMY, EUROPE

HISTORICAL DIVISION

6 September 1957

 

[Note: This manuscript was prepared by the Army's historians based in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1957. It was subsequently deposited at the Office of the Chief of Military History (OCMH; now US Army Center of Military History) for reference use by historians preparing the official history of the Army. It is typical of the kinds of detailed studies routinely carried out by those field historical offices following World War II which continue to be relevant for current military planners. The original is on file in the Historical Manuscripts Collection (HMC) under file number 8-3.1 CN 1, which should be cited in footnotes, along with the title. It is reproduced here with only those limited modifications required to adapt to the World Wide Web; spelling, punctuation, and slang usage have not been altered from the original. Where modern explanatory notes were required, they have been inserted as italicized text in square brackets. This item originally carried a SECRET security classification, but is now unclassified; all references to that past classification have been omitted.]

 

FOREWORD

The purpose of this monograph is to tell the story of Operation GYROSCOPE in the United States Army, Europe, from its proposal in 1954 through the principal interchanges of Fiscal Year 1957. The study analyzes some of the problems associated with maintaining combat readiness during Gyroscope movements and points out the importance of advance planning. It was prepared by Dr. David A. Lane, SP3 Robert Gumerove, and Mrs. Elizabeth W. Holtzworth of the Current History Branch, Historical Division, and is based on research in USAREUR headquarters files and on interviews with key personnel.

Recent monographs and special studies published by this Division are listed on the inside front cover. A limited number of these publications is available for distribution upon request addressed to the Chief, Historical Division, USAREUR Headquarters, APO 164.

[- i -]

CONTENTS

Page

FOREWORD i
CHAPTER 1: THE GYROSCOPE CONCEPT  
1. Motivation for the Gyroscope Program 2
2. Basic Principles of Gyroscope 5
CHAPTER 2: PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST GYROSCOPE OPERATION  
3. Initial Steps 9
4. Assignment and Coordination of Staff Responsibilities 11
5. The "Little Gyroscope" Experiment 14
CHAPTER 3: IMPLEMENTATION OF USAREUR POLICIES  
6. Enlisted Personnel Policies 16
7. Officer Personnel Policies 19
8. Medical Personnel Policies 20
9. Seventh Army Training Policies 20
10. Problems of Unit Location 21
11. Family Accommodations in Germany 21
CHAPTER 4: EXCHANGE PROCEDURES  
12. Interchange of 1st and 10th Infantry Divisions 26
13. The Rotation of Unlike Divisions 32
14. The 8th and 9th Infantry Divisions 39
15. The Exchange of the 2d and 3d Armored Cavalry Regiments 40
16. Rotation of Battalion-Size Units 41
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS  
17. Goals Fulfilled? 44
18. Size of Units to be Rotated 48

Chart

Chart 1--Rotation of X and Y Divisions Under Gyroscope 7

- ii -


page updated 6 June 2001


Return to CMH Online