JSP;mjw  
  Serial 00640  
                                                                                                                    August 8, 1943  
  SECRET  
     
 
From: Lieut, James S. Plaut, USNR.
To: Commander Moroccan Sea Frontier Forces.
   
Subject: German Naval Officer prisoners-of-war, irregularities in handling of.
   
Reference: (a)  Conf. C.N.O. ltr. Serial No. 01227316, dated May 19, 1942.
 
     
          1.        Thirteen survivors from a German U-boat sunk by aircraft from the USS BOGUE on July 23, 1943, were landed by BOGUE in Casablanca on August 1 1943.  The writer and Lieut. (jg) H. T. Hardenburg were ordered by Commander, Naval Forces North Africa Waters to report on temporary additional duty to Commander Moroccan Sea Frontier Forces, for the purpose of interrogating these prisoners.  
     
          2.        Inasmuch as it seemed advisable to the writer and Lt. Hardenburg to conduct a preliminary interrogation of these prisoners and then expedite their transfer to U.S. for thorough, final interrogation, the possibilities of their retention in naval custody for this brief interim period were explored.  The Naval brig was found to be so constituted as to preclude the segregation of officers and men which is indispensable to interrogation.  The three commissioned officers, two warrant officers, and eight enlisted men had been segregated aboard ship in compliance with Reference (a).  Accordingly, and after arrangements had been made with the office of the Provost Marshal General, AES, the three commissioned officers were taken directly from the ship to an isolated enclosure at P.W.E. 100.  The warrant officers and six enlisted men were quartered temporarily in the Navy brig, and two enlisted men with leg fractures were taken to the Naval Hospital.  After preliminary interrogation of the warrant officers and enlisted men, segregation of these two groups wa abandoned and all eight were sent to an isolated enclosure at P.W.E. 101.  
     
          3.        The office of the Provost Marshal General agreed to isolation and special handling of the eleven prisoners given into their custody, with the understanding that custody was to be temporary and that CoMorSeaFron would arrange the most expeditious transfer possible to U.S.  
     
          4.        The thirteen survivors were embarked this date in EMPRESS OF SCOTLAND for transfer to U.S.  
     
          5.        The writer and Lt. Hardenburg went to P.W.E. 100 during the afternoon of August 3, 1943, to conduct a preliminary interrogation of each of the three commissioned officer prisoners.  Upon arrival it was learned that these men had already been interrogated formally by a major Meyer.  
     
 
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JSP;mjw
  Serial 00640  
                                                                                                                August 8, 1943  
  SECRET  
     
  Subject:        German Naval Officer prisoners-of-war, irregularities in handling of.  
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          8.        It is the considered opinion of the writer and Lt. Hardenburg that all irregularities involved were the direct outcome of Major Meyer's actions.  No blame whatever, attaches to the handling of these prisoners by the properly constituted Army and Navy authorities involved.  The Office of the Provost Marshal followed all instructions literally and competently.  
     
     
     
                                                                                             J. S. PLAUT  
     
     
     
     
     
 
     
     
     
     
     
  cc:  
          (1)  ComNavNaw  
 
        (1)  Comdr. J.L. Riheldaffer (Op.16.Z)
  
          (1)  JICA (Naval Section) N.A.  
     
   
 
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