HUNGARIAN RIVER PATROL/MEGYER RIVER PATROL KASERNE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A000700740001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 14
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 25, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 30, 1957
• Content Type: REPORT

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This material contains information affecting the
INFORMATION REPORT
National Defense of the United States within the
meaning of the Espionage Laws. Title 18. U.S.C.
PREPARED AND DISSEMINATED BY
Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation
of which In any manner to an unauthorized per-
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
son is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY
Hunizary
SUBJECT
DATE DISTRIBUTED
30 AP= 57
Hungarian River Patrol/Megyer River Patrol
NO. OF PAGES NO. OF ENCLS.
Baserne
5
SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT ft
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
his report is the result of a joint collection e or or the AIr
orce, the Army and CIA and is disseminated in accordance with the
provisions of NSCID 47
2. My basic training lasted from 9 Nov to 21 Dec 49. It was the skis
basic infantry training and included the following:
a. Close order drill9 saluting, military courtesy.
be Gun drill and firing small-arm weapons such as the pistol, car-
bine and rifle (Soviet type), and the submachine gun. 1 ro
c. Bayonet training,
d. Marches these were held day and night and were for distances
up to 30 kilometers. / v <
e. Night training -- covered attack and defensive tactics for the
squad, platoon and company~ The normal procedure was that an
alarm would be sounded around 2300 hours and we would move out
to the hills of Buda, Here we practiced offensive and
defensive tactics,I Afterwards we would have a meeting and
critique.
f. Map training and map exercises -- covered map symbols* use of
the compasso how to read mapst methods of finding direction by
using trees, watches, etc.
g, Chemical training -- we did not receive any during our basic
1 t f 1 t i i
training. This came later as par o our regular ra n ng.
3. After I had completed basic traininIz. I an aranted Christmas leave.
DISTRIBUTIDN I I STATE
USAF review completed.
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ENCLOSURE ATTACHW
PLEASE ROUTE
 4. In 1950 and 1951, we received ski training in the northern part of
Hungary at Matra Haza, Almost every type of unit had men there for
the training. We received instruction on how to use skis and par-
ticular emphasis was placed on patrol training. During this train-
ing, we carried our weapons and had our rucksacks on our backs.
5. In the summer time, the Hungarian River Patrol normally has from
three to nix mon s of summer training. There is a summer traini
area Note: Source can pinpoint its location on a ma
near Baja which is a city on the Danube. Both the Regular Army and
the Reserves use this area. Units of the River Patrol train here
separately and sometimes jointly. In May 1952, Z received two or
'tree weeks of summer training. This included training as a helmsman
z one of the smaller boats. During this period, we either lived in
into ashore or else on our boats. I am not sure of the date, but I
think it was in the fall of 1952 when the Hungarian Army conducted
maneuvers and the River Patrol participated. I do not know what
role the River Patrol played as I was due to be discharged and did
not participate.
it was steadily growing 25X1
.n Budapest. It was commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel hose name
I An not remember7who was dismissed by the Communists and replaced
and many changes were made in its orga national structure and in
r,f ment that it used. 25X1
it was located in a kaserne at Laktanya Street , 25X1
by Major Gyula Toth, a Communist. In November 1952, Major Toth
was transferred to a Military Academy (Hadi Akademia) and Major
Boleros became the new commander of the River Patrol.
7. In November 19499 the Hlln;z Ian River Patrol was about the size of
a battalion. Jn file is a chart of organizatiogal
structure of he Hungarian River Patrol (1949) d CONFIDENTIAL.
Besides the Commanding Officer, it had a Political Officer, a
Headquarters Staff,, a Headquarters Platoon, a Signal Platoon, a
Mine Layer Company and a Mine Observers Company. I will discuss
each of these in turn.
Commanding Officer -- The Table of Organization authorizes a
a
.
Brigadier General or a Colonel, but as I have already indicated
the position was usually held by a Lieutenant Colonel or Major.
b. Political Officer --,. He was responsible for our political
training and had much authority, perhaps even more than the
Commander himself.
c. Headquarters Staff - This had five officers and included the
Executive Officer, the Security Officer (AVO), the Commanding
Officer+s Aide, the Party Secretary, and the Personnel Officer
for enlisted men.
d. Headquarters Platoon e- It consisted of approximately 25 enlisted
men and included the cobbler,, tailor, cooks,, clerks, drivers,
first aid men and other administrative personnel.
e. Signal Platoon mm I do not remember how many men it had but I
do know that it had two telephone squads, one radio squad, and
I think it may have had a second radio squad.
 f. Mine Layer Company It was responsible for the laying and
picking up of our mines, Commanded by a Captain,, it also had
a Political Officer and three Lieutenants who served as
platoon leaders. It had 90-100 enlisted personnel and was
divided into three platoons, Each platoon had three squads
and a Corporal was in charge of a squad,
g. Mine Observers Company -- It was responsible for the detection
and removal of enemy mines, It too was commanded by a Captain
and had a Political Officer. It also had 90-100 enlisted per-
sonnel and was divided into three platoons and each platoon had
three squads, Lieutenants commanded the platoons and Corporals
were in charge of the squads.
8. In early 1950, an Armored Company was added to the Hungarian
River Patrol. 5n file a chart of the organizational 25X1
structure of the Hungarian River Patrol in early 1950 CONFIDENPIAL_7
The other units remained essentially the same, The new Armored
;ompany was responsible for teaching navigation and for training
iavigators. It was divided into three platoons. One platoon con-
sisted only of gun crews, The other two platoons were each assigned
a boat, and each platoon had three squads: one for the motor, one
for the deck, and one for the anchor.
10. The River Patrol continued to grow and by 19529 had become a I
"Dondar." Collector's Note: A "Dondar' Is a Hungarian designa-
tion for a military unit that is rou ly comparable thing
in between a regiment and a brigades 15n file is 25X1
chart showin the organizational structure of Dondar, 1952 --
CONFIDENTIAL It has an approximate strength of 86 officers and
1030 enlisted men, As I remember, it had a Political Section, a
Headquarters Staff, a Service Platoon,, a'Signal Company, a
Maintenance Unit, and three Battalions: a Mine Layer Battalion,
a Mine Observer Battalion, and an Armored Battalion, The following
information is what I remember about each,
a. Political Section It had approximately six officers and
they were charged with the responsibility of our political
training,
b, Headquarters Staff - This included about 13 officers. Some
of them were charged with personnel, medical and supply matters.
I remember that three of them were AVO officers,
e. Service Platoon - Consisting of approxi:'iately 30=40 enlisted
men, it handled such things as transportation, maintenance
and supply, financeg food and similar functions,
d. Signal Company - It had approximately seven officers and 90
enlisted men, I do not know its internal organization,
e, Maintenance Unit u,- I do not know much about this unit. It was
separate from us and was located in Ujpest, I think it was
almost the size of a battalion, Collector's Note: Because
source did not have more definite information as to the size
of the Maintenance Unit, it has not been included in the
figures of the approximate strength of the River Patrol]
 f Mine Layer Battalion It had 10 or 15 boats and approximately
20 officers and 300 enlisted men, It was divided into two Mine
Layer Companies, Each of these Mine Layer Companies had three
platoons and each platoon had three squads.
g. Mine Observer Battalion It had approximately 20 officers
and 300 enlisted men. It was divided into two Mine Observer
Companies. Each of these Mine Observer Companies had three
platoons and each platoon had three squads,
h. Armored Battalion -m It had approximately 20 officers and 300
enlisted men. It was divided into two Armored Companies. Each
of these Armored Companies had three platoons and each platoon
had three squadso
11. In 1951, a Reserve Unit for the Hungarian River Patrol was created.
I do not know too much about it except that I have heard it is ap-
proximately the same size as the active Hungarian River Patrol.
Z ollector's Note. This would indicate that the Reserve Unit is
about the size of a "Dondar,117 I do know that this unit goes to
summer camp every summer for three months of summer training. I
have heard that the Commanding Officer of this Reserve Unit is as-
signed by the active Hungarian River Patrol's headquarters.
Megyer River Patrol Kaserne
12. In 1951, construction was begun on a new kaserne in Ujpest for the
Hungarian River Patrol, This construction was completed in early
1952, and in February of that year, the Hungarian River Patrol
moved to its new kaserne. It is called the Megyer River Patrol
uuNF'wt rlALj The old kaserne at Laktanya Street 33, in Budapest,
was occupied by AVO troops.
13. I am able to draw a sketch of the approximate physical layout of
the Megyer Kaserne . There are about
fourteen buildings of varying sizes in the aserne which is com-
pletely surrounded by a wire fence approximately 5 ft high on
top of which are three strands of barbed wire. The buildings
are of red brick construction and almost all of them have base-
ments. Central heating facilities are located in the basement
of the Medical Building, However, I do not know what buildings
are heated by these facilities.
14. While I was stationed at the Megyer Kaserne, it was guarded only
by River Patrol guards. There was an Officer of the Day in charge
of the Guard and he and the personnel of the Guard were changed
every day. There were no AVO guards,
15. A training field is located to the west of Megyer Kaserne. This
is a sandy, open areaabout la kilometers wide and formerly was
used as a dump. As a result, numerous junk and trash piles are
25X j
25X1
25X10
 scattered throughout the area. Training was conducted here by
all kinds of troops from the Budapest area including AVO troops,
Infantry units held small practice maneuvers here in which some
were designated as the aggressors and others as defenders. The
AVO troops received the usual infantry tactical training and some-
times took part in the practice maneuvers, Blank cartridges were
frequently used in these maneuvers, Part of this training area is
occupied by an Ammunition Depot which is enclosed by a wire fence.
As I remember, there are three or four magazine-type structures in
the Depot. In addition to the wire fence, the Ammunition Depot is
also protected by walking guards.
16. There is a water purification system located across the road from
the training field. It consists of several small, round, stone
buildings enclosed by a wire fence. A water pipeline was being
laid when I was there in 1952. I do not know where the water from
this purification system is used.
1'r'. across the road from the Megyer Kaserne, they planned to build
)iers and docks on the Danube River for the boats of the River
Patrol. I do not know if this has been done or not. The Danube
is approximately 600 meters wide in this stretch of the river.
18. In 1956, I passed by the Megyer Kaserne and noticed that another
kaserne. I noticed that they were two or three stories high and
of red brick construction. I saw some troops around these build-
ings who were wearing the uniforms of ground observers. Ground
observers come under the Ministry of Interior, In the beginning
they wore the same uniform as the police - medium blue, with
bright, light green shoulder boards and collar tabs. Later they
wore khaki uniforms with light green collar tabs and medium blue
braid.
ffn file are the following:
a, Organizatia,313tructure of the Hungarian River Patrol (1949) -
CONFIDENTIAL.
b, Organizational Structure of the Hungarian River Patrol (early
1950) - CONFIDENTIAL.
c, Organizational Structure of Dondar (1952) - CONFIDENTIAL,
d, Megyer River Patrol Kaserne - CONFIDENTIAL)
m end .,
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