Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110
§908a Art. 108a. Captured or Abandoned Property
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 47 — UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE › SUBCHAPTER X — PUNITIVE ARTICLES › § 908a
Summary
People must secure public property seized from the enemy for U.S. use and promptly notify and turn over any captured or abandoned property they have. If they fail, deal in it for profit or to help someone connected to them, or loot, a court-martial may punish them.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §908a
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)All persons subject to this chapter shall secure all public property taken from the enemy for the service of the United States, and shall give notice and turn over to the proper authority without delay all captured or abandoned property in their possession, custody, or control.
(b)Any person subject to this chapter who—
(1)fails to carry out the duties prescribed in subsection (a);
(2)buys, sells, trades, or in any way deals in or disposes of captured or abandoned property, whereby he receives or expects any profit, benefit, or advantage to himself or another directly or indirectly connected with himself; or
(3)engages in looting or pillaging;
shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 903(a)903(b)50:697(a).50:697(b).May 5, 1950, ch. 169, § 1 (Art. 103), 64 Stat. 138. In subsection (b)(1), the words “of this section” are omitted as surplusage.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2016—Pub. L. 114–328 renumbered section 903 of this title as this section.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2016 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 114–328 effective on Jan. 1, 2019, as designated by the President, with implementing
Regulations
and provisions relating to applicability to various situations, see section 5542 of Pub. L. 114–328 and Ex. Ord. No. 13825, set out as notes under section 801 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 908a
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110