Information on U.S. Civilian Auxiliary Military Police badge

[Montana40]

Many of our Fathers, Mothers, Grandfathers and Grandmothers served in the active military during WWII and many, many more served the War effort at home. During WWII the U.S. Army had to assume the major responsibility for protecting those public works, public utilities and industrial plants in the continental U.S. whose continued operation it deemed vital to the War Effort. Normally the National Guard and Home Guard units were dependent upon to conduct these vital security functions. But with the induction of the Guard units into federal service it left a void in the security responsibilities at home. From the early part of the war the Army relied upon Civilian Guards employed by private industries to protect industries and fill this void. In the summer of 1942 the Army began to organize these guards as "Auxiliary Military Police" in a manner that put them under Army rule and regulation. The Auxiliary Military Police, whose strength reached a maximum of 200,000 during 1943, never became soldiers but they did become and Army controlled force that answered WWII requirements for plant protection in the continental U.S..

I have an interest in the Auxiliary Military Police because my father was one of the force that guarded the Anaconda Copper Mining Co. plant in Anaconda Montana which was one of the primary copper smelters in the U.S. at the time. Fortunately I have one of his badges that he wore during 1943-45 and wanted to share it with the forum as it is in my estimation at least was an important function of the WWII war effort at home.

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

Paste this link into Google it you can find some other forum discussions on the Aux MP's

 

site:usmilitariaforum.com Auxiliary Military Police

[RVer]

My father also was Auxiliary Military Police, serving as a guard at a steel mill in Youngstown, Ohio, 1942 to 1945 when war ended. I have not found his badge, so was glad to see one posted with explanation about critical industry guards on home front. Thank you--I have told others about the guards and the AMP but have been met with disbelief! So far, I have found a photo of my father in uniform, but the badge on hat and jacket are not directly towards camera and a large class photo of the guards at the steel mill. I also have a pocket-sized New Testament bible, "National" edition, with letter dated 1941 to the Armed Forces from President Roosevelt. This bible is signed inside front cover by my father with his name, address, SSN, and date 11-22-42.

 

 

There is a document/letter not yet located which was submitted to the funeral director. Feedback a couple of days later was that AMP service was not recognized. Yet at the time of enlisting, these men were told they could be reassigned at any time if need was determined, even to the point of going overseas.

 

 

 

[MastersMate]

Sounds just like a similar Port Security Organization administered by the various Coast Guard Captains of the Port during WW 2..

 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015035902991;view=1up;seq=9

[MP25]

The U.S. Navy also had federalized civilian guards for naval ship yards and ordnance plants.

They were the Coast Guard Police. At one time I had a great identified Coast Guard Police

group with two badges, a brassard and other items.