NAVY DEPARTMENT
 
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
 
 
OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE
 
 
In reply refer to No.
 
 
Op-16-F-9                                               WASHINGTON
  
     
                                                                                                       November 18, 1941  
  MEMORANDUM FOR FILE.  
     
 
SUBJECT: Memorandum of Meeting which took place at the Office of Immigration Authorities, 10th & D Streets, at 11:00 a.m., November 18, 1941.
 
     
          1.        Present:  
 
Mr. Dimmock.
Mr. Kelly.
Mr. Shea of Immigration.
Captain Schuirmann.
Lieut-Comdr. Riheldaffer.
 
     
          2.        Mr. Shea showed a telegram received from U.S. Attorney, Mr. Snyder, at San Juan copy of which is attached.  
     
          3.        The Department of Justice is filing a libel suit for salvage against the M.S. ODENWALD, and are requesting that the crew of the ODENWALD, as well as the Naval personnel of the U.S.S. OMAHA and U.S.S. SOMERS be placed at the disposal of the United States District Attorney for questioning.  
     
          4.        The Army now has custody over the ODENWALD crew and will transport them to New York when they are no longer needed in San Juan.  It is the intention of the Department of Justice to have the personnel of the ODENWALD turned over to them in New York for immigration questioning and eventual detention probably at Lincoln, Nebraska where the crews of the other German ships have been interned.  
     
          5.        Department of Justice representatives were informed that Captain Chandler of the OMAHA had particularly requested that the engineer, Siedl, of the ODENWALD should be kept separate from the other personnel of that vessel.  
     
          6.        The Department of Justice representatives were informed unofficially and purely for their information, that the Army and Navy considered the ODENWALD personnel as dangerous and preferred that they be kept in custody of the Army, as the Army did not consider that the security of the detention camps under the Department of Justice as satisfactory.  This is purely a fight between the Provost Marshal General's office and Department of Justice.  
     
 
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  Op-16-F-9
     
 
SUBJECT: Memorandum of Meeting which took place at the Office of Immigration Authorities, 10th & D Streets, at 11:00 a.m., November 18, 1941.
 
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          7.        It is apparent to me that there is considerable jealousy between the Army and the Department of Justice regarding the responsibility for the safekeeping of alien and other belligerent persons.  It is also my opinion that the Department of Justice is making plans so that all prisoners either in the present state of emergency or actual war conditions will be their responsibility.  
     
          8.        Major Bendetson was advised of this by telephone.  Captain Schuirmann undertook to advise the Judge Advocate General's Office.  
     
                                                                                           
                                                                                                    John L. Riheldaffer.  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
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