ADSEC

ADSEC, officially the Advance Section of the Communications Zone, was a military logistics unit active in the Second World War. It was the farthest forward supply unit in the US Army's European Theater of Operations (ETOUSA). The section moved forward with the armies, established by the Communications Zone, the area directly behind the Combat Zone, in order to provide close support to soldiers in combat.

Advanced Section Communications Zone European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army
Shoulder sleeve insignia for Communications Zone, ETO
Active	1944 to 1945
Country	United States of America
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	Army
Role	Services of Supply
Part of	European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army (ETOUSA)
Garrison/HQ	None
Engagements	Normandy Landings
Commanders
Notable commanders	Brig. Gen. Ewart G. Plank, Lt. Gen. John C. H. Lee

Creation

ADSEC was formally activated at Bristol, England in February 1944. Upon its creation, ADSEC was attached to the U.S. First Army, but from the outset was one of the ten geographic sections of the Communications Zone (Com-Z, ETO) logistics organization, and was the first Army logistical agency on the continent. ADSEC officially began operations on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings (D-Day).

Mode of operation

Because ADSEC moved with front lines, it did not have a "base" of operations and was designed to be on the move continuously. Instead, major operations always had a designated "D" day or start date, upon (or a few days after) which, ADSEC units were moved into the operating areas. They stayed until about D+40, then moved on to the next "D" location, leaving FECOMZ (Forward Echelon, Communications Zone) units to take over. By the end of the war, the Com-Z comprised the United Kingdom Base, Channel Base, Normandy Base, Oise Intermediate Base, Seine Base Sections, ADSEC, the Bremen Port Command established to move materiel to the Pacific theater of Operations, and the Assembly Area Command to move men to the PTO or home. The Com-Z also comprised the Delta Base and Continental Advance Section (CONAD) coming from southern France in support of the Sixth United States Army Group.

Roles

ADSEC trucks at Carentan railway station, 15 August 1944

ADSEC units included field hospitals close to the rear of the advancing armies. The Com-Z also operated blood banks for the refrigerated storage of large quantities of blood for use at front line ADSEC hospitals. This system of location of storage depots was flexible, so that in advance of a major military operation blood would be stored where needed, close to front line, but when the engagement was over then blood would be transported back to hospitals and other bases, or wherever it was needed.

Besides staging supplies for the advancing armies to be sustained by ADSEC, the Com-Z also rehabilitated railway rolling stock, restoring rail operations to ever-more forward bases, and provided transportation of food, ordnance, and POL (Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants) using motor operations (see Red Ball Express).

ADSEC also included Finance disbursement units. These units were employed to compute payrolls, travel vouchers, etc. and prepare disbursements and collections of currency, though combat soldiers usually banked their pay until on R & R. ADSEC also coordinated disbursement of ordnance and munitions to keep the front lines supplied. Com-Z officials were responsible for overseeing Red Ball Express trucking within the Com-Z Transportation Section that brought materiel to ADSEC to distribute it. ADSEC units had to anticipate the needs of the advancing armies and provide as close support as possible as the situations demanded. These units also provided heavy maintenance work for the advancing armies within the Com-Z Ordnance Section.

Activities

After the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, ADSEC was detached from the U.S. First Army and took control of activities on Omaha Beach, prior to the capture of the port of Cherbourg Harbor on 27 June. Its engineering activities included managing the beaches and building artificial ports before handing control of the area to Com-Z units.

Eventually the Com-Z and ADSEC were supporting all three northwest Europe U.S. combat armies (1st, 3rd, & 9th) moving across France and into Belgium, Holland and Germany. Com-Z had split into two sections in the fall of 1942 to support the Operation Torch invasion of North Africa, then Sicily, Italy, and southern France, continuing with its Delta Base Section feeding the ADSEC-similar Continental Advance Section (CONAD) that followed the U.S. 7th and French 1st Armies coming at Germany from the south.

End of combat operations

After victory on 8 May 1945, all Communication Zone units, including the Advance Section, were rebranded as Theater Service Forces, European Theater (TSF/ET) as they were no longer supporting combat operations. At the end of hostilities, ADSEC was close at hand in central and eastern Germany, and sustained the Allied armies as they settled in for occupation duty. They distributed food and fuel to aid the millions of refugees.

Insignia

Embroidered shoulder patch insignia of ADSEC

The patch, which is actually the entire Communications Zone ETO patch, represents the Allies breaking the chains of Nazi oppression. Soldiers in ADSEC would add a tab above the Com-Z patch, distinguishing them from the other nine geographic sections of the Com-Z. The patch is similar to the ETOUSA patch, with the addition of the blue 5 pointed star in the white six-lobed field, the emblem of the Army Service Forces organization.

See also

• Services of Supply
• Army Service Forces
• American transportation in the Siegfried Line campaign