User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 1:32:30 AM EDT
[#1]
A close family friend was a crew chief on a Huey with the 11th Cav back in those days. He said it was an interesting feeling knowing your job was to be a speed bump
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:25:50 AM EDT
[#2]
I was TDY in 86, billet and Landstuhl, commuted to Rammstein.
Zulu Alert: Jets had to be in the air in under 5 minutes from when the Klaxon went off. I believe someplace on YouTube there is a vid of some F-4's taking the taxiway at a rather high rate of speed onto the runway. We would drink at a little hole in the wall bar in Landstuhl, I believe its name was The Keller. One of the guys I was stationed there with ended up knocking boots with the bar maid there, on a regular bassis... A rather ruff looking gal with a deep voice for a gal, could be due to her smoking... Manwela (SP) was her name.... The hill going back up to the base out of Landstuhl was rather steep with switchback's, it was a long walk for a stumbling drunk.. Even longer if you fell over the side of the hill when the guard rails disappear.. Anyway, this is the only vid I could find.  Scramble Happy Hooligan F-4D's.mp4 |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:52:30 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I was TDY in 86, billet and Landstuhl, commuted to Rammstein. Zulu Alert: Jets had to be in the air in under 5 minutes from when the Klaxon went off. I believe someplace on YouTube there is a vid of some F-4's taking the taxiway at a rather high rate of speed onto the runway. Anyway, this is the only vid I could find.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6pKVlLCnSUWe had F-15’s on “Zulu” alert 24/7 at Bitburg  Bitburg Air Base F-15 Zulu Alert Take-Off |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:57:31 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I was TDY in 86, billet and Landstuhl, commuted to Rammstein. Zulu Alert: Jets had to be in the air in under 5 minutes from when the Klaxon went off. I believe someplace on YouTube there is a vid of some F-4's taking the taxiway at a rather high rate of speed onto the runway. Anyway, this is the only vid I could find. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6pKVlLCnSUWe had F-15’s on “Zulu” alert 24/7 at Bitburg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeZu4gRfYgAWe TDY'd in to cover alert for Ramstein while they converted from F-4E's to F-16's. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:12:40 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I gotta ask  ........While I understand it was a black comedy, how close was the movie Buffalo Soldiers to the type of shit that went down in that era. A buddy who served in Germany during the Cold War put me on to this flick: https://i.imgur.com/5ZlFsNy.gif https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAXDWjXsvzwLooks like I know what I'll be watching next. I don't remember anyone stoned out of their gourds like that but there was at least one one or two cases of dudes who pretended to be taking an M113 to the wash bay and instead went on a road trip until they ran out of fuel. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:12:54 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted: F the Red Cross. My uncle was an infantryman in WWII ETO. Like every other guy who spent time at the front, he hated the Red Cross. Any service they performed was done so grudgingly, and GIs resented having to pay for items that Americans had donated for the troops. Nothing in my experience indicated that my uncle had it wrong. An example: A SGT in my unit had his father on his deathbed. As was normal with a married E-5 with kids, living in an apartment off base was tight on the family budget. He also had a small leave balance and there was also going to be the cost of a flight back to the States. The timing was going to be critical because if he left too soon, he wold go into deficit on leave and have the expenses while in the States. So, knowing the medical condition of his father every day was critical to getting the proper timing of all of the emergency leave stuff done. International phone calls were still costly, and hours of talk time would be another strain on the budget. The solution was Red Cross messages. After a few days of Red Cross messages back and forth, I get a visit from the Red Cross rep. "You gotta tell this guy to lay off the Red Cross messages. This is costing us too much money." This gave me the opportunity to give the Red Cross rep the benefit of my thinking on the usefulness of the service performed and overall contribution to the mission of US Army Europe in general. I also mentioned that any further interaction would result in my research into what it would take to have the rep banned from post, and disqualifying the Red Cross as an organization providing charitable services to the US Army in favor of the Salvation Army and USO. Both of those organizations just helped GIs no questions asked period. The book There's a War to be Won is an excellent write up on the logistical effort that went into the war. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2082893.There_s_a_War_to_Be_Won |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:25:41 PM EDT
[#7]
Echo Co. 2/6 Infantry checking in.
‘88-89. Black Bear Pils Eckla We were at Range 305 in Graf shooting.50’s. Tracers were starting fires so we had to remove all of them, about 40 cans worth. Little bit later, the CO comes to me and asks if he could shoot my .50. No problem sir. What does he grab, a 100 round belt of tracer and proceeded to rip it off into the woods. Of course it started another fire, and he bailed. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:35:38 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did you know SGT Dodge Powell? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: 82nd Engineer Bn, Bamberg. 82-83, 89-92 We were suppose to blow the routes in our sector that would allow ruski armor to roll into West Germany. I doubt we would have even made it out of the motor pool, much less to our targets. Also had 2 ADM nuke targets, big autobahn bridges... One on the 3 just east of Wurzburg, and one on the 9 close to the Czech border. No fucking around. No soy boys need apply. Prior to the breech, no. Everyone knew of him after the 27th. One other KIA and a few injured from our Bn in the same battle w/50-12 Armor. Sad day. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 3:48:21 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: We would drink at a little hole in the wall bar in Landstuhl, I believe its name was The Keller. Brickskeller, literally a brick cellar. I was a regular at Schaeferstube. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 5:28:10 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The movies at the time that showed military brats being able to get away with a lot of stuff on an air base were not too far from the truth. We'd go everywhere on our bmx bikes, past sleepy guards and all around the ammo bunkers, across the runway, perimeter bunkers, anywhere we wanted. If an adult tried to do that, I'm sure they would have been shot.  |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 5:53:53 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Prior to the breech, no. Everyone knew of him after the 27th. One other KIA and a few injured from our Bn in the same battle w/50-12 Armor. Sad day.  Dodge was an excellent soccer player and actually played professional soccer in the Bundesliga. As best I remember at the time, Schweinfurt was a Klasse "C" team and he played for them one season. The owner was a Greek that owned a Gasthaus & bar. We watched the Germans play/win the 1990 World Cup back when Lothar Matthaus & Jurgen Klinsmann were on the team, in the owner's bar, drinking Ouzo. Good times!  |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 6:10:11 PM EDT
[#12]
 Attached File Attached FileCombat Engineer 12B10. 547th Combat Engineer Bn. Darmstadt Germany Kelly Barracks. 1976-79. Pics are from demo training and Reforger maneuver damage. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 6:13:23 PM EDT
[#13]
Noted your We Work Weekends patch!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 6:15:00 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/79217/raytnt_JPG-1803756.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/79217/raymavdamage_JPG-1803758.JPG Combat Engineer 12B10. Darmstadt Germany Kelly Barracks. 1976-79. Pics are from demo training and Reforger maneuver damage. ETA: Or the above. lol.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 6:16:38 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: One of the cultural difference in renting an apartment in Germany was that it would be unfurnished meaning bare kitchen and no light fixtures. You had to pay to have that (including the kitchen sink) installed. Depending on your capitalistic instincts, this was an opportunity for a deal to be made. The sales tax on this work was going to be 14%. If you told the tradesman doing the job, you did not need a receipt (code in German for off the books work) it would cost less. If you were willing to toss American cigarettes and Jack Daniels into the deal, a bigger price break would occur. at first I was like WTF? But then I remembered renting a house in Louisiana outside Fort Polk, that had a cutout for the dishwasher in the kitchen cabinets, and the landlord refused to let us purchase a brand new dishwasher from the PX on our dime, install it on our dime, and leave it behind when we moved out because, in his words, "I don't trust them thangs; they're too newfangled for me." True story. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 6:18:49 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I was Doug's team leader. We had many shenanigans together that he described in the book. I just ordered the book because I was at the "other" Pershing unit in Schwäbisch Gmünd in the same timeframe. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 6:48:14 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My beer coasters from 1985-1987: https://i.imgur.com/kQaoqBm.jpg These are kind of neat: https://i.imgur.com/Y8M4hve.jpg https://i.imgur.com/XJnq6J5.jpg https://i.imgur.com/ZQo9vMq.jpg  Attached File |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 6:52:11 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I was Doug's team leader. We had many shenanigans together that he described in the book. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: C Co 2d BN 4th INF, 56th Field Artillery BDE (Pershing) from 86-88. Yes there were infantry guys, a whole BN, assigned to a FA BDE. A guy in our unit wrote a book about it, warts and all. SAT & BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat https://i.imgur.com/kP8G1V8l.jpg I knew Doug through another internet forum and read his book several years ago. Good stuff. I was Doug's team leader. We had many shenanigans together that he described in the book. Just got the kindle version. Thanks for highlighting this book. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 7:05:29 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/79217/raytnt_JPG-1803756.JPGhttps://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/79217/raymavdamage_JPG-1803758.JPG Combat Engineer 12B10. Darmstadt Germany Kelly Barracks. 1976-79. Pics are from demo training and Reforger maneuver damage. Did you ever go to Frankenstein's Castle? Some of the US folks from Darmstadt started having a big Halloween festival there in that time frame and it's turned into a major event that still goes on even after the US forces are gone (we were there '77-79, Dad was with the 32nd AADCOM, I believe). |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 7:42:12 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did you ever go to Frankenstein's Castle? Some of the US folks from Darmstadt started having a big Halloween festival there in that time frame and it's turned into a major event that still goes on even after the US forces are gone (we were there '77-79, Dad was with the 32nd AADCOM, I believe). I remember stopping in Frankenstein on the train home after a weekend in either Bad Durkheim or Mannheim. It was probably Bad Durkheim. My one life regret to too much drinking and not enough traveling. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 7:56:00 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I just ordered the book because I was at the "other" Pershing unit in Schwäbisch Gmünd in the same timeframe. Quote HistoryQuoted: I just ordered the book because I was at the "other" Pershing unit in Schwäbisch Gmünd in the same timeframe. I knew you'd check in. Quoted: Just got the kindle version. Thanks for highlighting this book. Don't expect some great tome, written by Shakespeare. It's just a first hand account of someone in a unit that had milliseconds to live if the balloon went up. We had the local protestors, all the European terrorists, Spetsnaz, and the entire Soviet nuclear force looking to kill us. Doug's book is written in plain 11B English, so it's an easy read. I'm Jeff Pojar in the book.  Doug changed the names of people that were still on active duty to hide their identity, mine included, when he wrote the book. He also rearranged a few time lines and incidents, but only a very few. My signed copy. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 8:11:05 PM EDT
[#22]
I had a college professor that was a teenager behind the iron curtain during the Cold War. He told us a story about how they’d bring young men out to ride along in the tanks as a way of showing the strength and might of the communist system.
He mentioned that in a rare moment of candor one of the tank drivers mentioned how much he hated his job. He inquired about why and the said, “if we get orders to cross into West Germany, they American helicopters will shoot us like fish in a barrel” It seems there was fatalism on both sides. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 8:51:10 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did you ever go to Frankenstein's Castle? Some of the US folks from Darmstadt started having a big Halloween festival there in that time frame and it's turned into a major event that still goes on even after the US forces are gone (we were there '77-79, Dad was with the 32nd AADCOM, I believe). Yes, It was a place everyone had to check out because of the name. The place had a great view of Darmstadt. I don't recall the Halloween Festival. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 8:56:37 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Noted your We Work Weekends patch! 547th was in the field over 6 months out of the year. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 9:03:39 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yes, It was a place everyone had to check out because of the name. The place had a great view of Darmstadt. I don't recall the Halloween Festival. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Did you ever go to Frankenstein's Castle? Some of the US folks from Darmstadt started having a big Halloween festival there in that time frame and it's turned into a major event that still goes on even after the US forces are gone (we were there '77-79, Dad was with the 32nd AADCOM, I believe). Yes, It was a place everyone had to check out because of the name. The place had a great view of Darmstadt. I don't recall the Halloween Festival. It didn't get started until '77, I don't remember if we went that year or in '78, we PCS'd before we could go in '79. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 9:07:45 PM EDT
[#26]
Wish i had access to our family photo books right now to share some pics - I lived on two different bases back then, as a little boy.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 9:08:05 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I grew up in West Berlin during that time in the American Sector - in the South of Berlin |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 9:14:07 PM EDT
[#28]
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 9:14:14 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Wish i had access to our family photo books right now to share some pics - I lived on two different bases back then, as a little boy. I have a bunch of photo albums plus a drawer full of photos not in albums, but if they're not labeled, I'm not sure where the pictures would have been taken in many cases :-) Dad carried his camera around a lot in Europe, our vacations took us to London, Switzerland, Denmark (I remember going to the original Legoland), the Netherlands, Belgium, etc... |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 9:19:14 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have a bunch of photo albums plus a drawer full of photos not in albums, but if they're not labeled, I'm not sure where the pictures would have been taken in many cases :-) Dad carried his camera around a lot in Europe, our vacations took us to London, Switzerland, Denmark (I remember going to the original Legoland), the Netherlands, Belgium, etc... We were there in the 70s. That sounds familiar.  |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 9:23:55 PM EDT
[#31]
If this was covered then disregard but if anyone listens to the Jocko podcast, make sure you listen to episode 223 with Pat McNamara. He was over there during that time and used to cross into East Germany as part of his duties so he has some cool stories to tell.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/30/2021 10:14:43 PM EDT
[#32]
Zweibrucken 1972 - 1974. It was a forward nuclear base then with F4C and F4D jets. By the end of that first year, all of the nukes and fighters had been dispersed to Hahn, Bitburg and Spangdahlem and the RF-4Cs consolidated to "Sunny Zwei." Got there just before Black September. Fun times, those.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 3:03:44 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Did you ever go to Frankenstein's Castle? Some of the US folks from Darmstadt started having a big Halloween festival there in that time frame and it's turned into a major event that still goes on even after the US forces are gone (we were there '77-79, Dad was with the 32nd AADCOM, I believe). Near Frankfurt? I think we visited the castle after a trip to the hospital at Wiesbaden with my youngest. It’s a ruin if I remember right? |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 4:07:54 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Near Frankfurt? I think we visited the castle after a trip to the hospital at Wiesbaden with my youngest. It's a ruin if I remember right? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Did you ever go to Frankenstein's Castle? Some of the US folks from Darmstadt started having a big Halloween festival there in that time frame and it's turned into a major event that still goes on even after the US forces are gone (we were there '77-79, Dad was with the 32nd AADCOM, I believe). Near Frankfurt? I think we visited the castle after a trip to the hospital at Wiesbaden with my youngest. It's a ruin if I remember right? Yeah, it's not too far from Frankfurt, less than 30 miles, and it's largely ruins. Almost due south from Frankfurt, Wiesbaden is about the same distance west of Frankfurt. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 4:10:38 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Yeah, it's not too far from Frankfurt, less than 30 miles, and it's largely ruins. Almost due south from Frankfurt, Wiesbaden is about the same distance west of Frankfurt. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Did you ever go to Frankenstein's Castle? Some of the US folks from Darmstadt started having a big Halloween festival there in that time frame and it's turned into a major event that still goes on even after the US forces are gone (we were there '77-79, Dad was with the 32nd AADCOM, I believe). Near Frankfurt? I think we visited the castle after a trip to the hospital at Wiesbaden with my youngest. It's a ruin if I remember right? Yeah, it's not too far from Frankfurt, less than 30 miles, and it's largely ruins. Almost due south from Frankfurt, Wiesbaden is about the same distance west of Frankfurt. Here's a picture of it at Halloween from MilitaryInGermany<dot>com:  |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 4:18:32 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Dodge was my best friend. I was pretty tight with his whole squad. (smh) Dodge was an excellent soccer player and actually played professional soccer in the Bundesliga. As best I remember at the time, Schweinfurt was a Klasse "C" team and he played for them one season. The owner was a Greek that owned a Gasthaus & bar. We watched the Germans play/win the 1990 World Cup back when Lothar Matthaus & Jurgen Klinsmann were on the team, in the owner's bar, drinking Ouzo. Good times! Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Prior to the breech, no. Everyone knew of him after the 27th. One other KIA and a few injured from our Bn in the same battle w/50-12 Armor. Sad day. Dodge was an excellent soccer player and actually played professional soccer in the Bundesliga. As best I remember at the time, Schweinfurt was a Klasse "C" team and he played for them one season. The owner was a Greek that owned a Gasthaus & bar. We watched the Germans play/win the 1990 World Cup back when Lothar Matthaus & Jurgen Klinsmann were on the team, in the owner's bar, drinking Ouzo. Good times! 1990 Germany winning was Epic the Party on the Ku'dam in Berlin was awesome I remember it still very much |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 4:27:41 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Re-unification has destroyed German society. It is now a nation of sitzpinkler. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I grew up in West Germany. I miss it so. Came to the states in 94. Different place these days. Re-unification has destroyed German society. It is now a nation of sitzpinkler. das ist leider zum grossten teil wahr 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 4:30:08 AM EDT
[#38]
1st BN 70th Armor Wiesbaden Air Base Jan 83-April 84 then 1st BN 69th Armor at Lee Barracks in Mainz until Jan 86. I retired in 2001.
Great times, seems like it was another life...      
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 8:31:12 AM EDT
[#39]
D and then A / 5-8 INF, followed by D/3-8 once 5/8 deactivated, 1st Bde, 8th ID(M), Lee Barracks, Mainz-Gonsenheim, Jan 90 to NOV 91
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 12:05:20 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: To be fair regarding Red Cross during WW2, US high command directed them to charge GIs for coffee/donuts because British soldiers had always been charged and they didn't want free coffee to wear on esprit de corps. The book There's a War to be Won is an excellent write up on the logistical effort that went into the war. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2082893.There_s_a_War_to_Be_Won To be fair, Fuck the Red Cross, they were not part of the military and did not take orders from "the US High Command". The Salvation Army gave my father a Cup of Coffee and a Doughnut as he got off the troop ship in England. Right after the Red Cross offered to sell him a doughnut and cup of coffee for a Nickle. He told them to fuck right off. At the time you could see a fist run movie, get a coke and a box of popcorn or Ten Cents. So around $50 in today's money.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 12:13:09 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: at first I was like WTF? But then I remembered renting a house in Louisiana outside Fort Polk, that had a cutout for the dishwasher in the kitchen cabinets, and the landlord refused to let us purchase a brand new dishwasher from the PX on our dime, install it on our dime, and leave it behind when we moved out because, in his words, "I don't trust them thangs; they're too newfangled for me." True story. In 2002 I was a Department of the Army Civilian working between Heidelberg and Mannheim. The "Kitchen" in my house in Weinheim had hot and cold water faucets and a drain pipe on the wall with bare wires hanging from the ceiling for a light. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 12:16:09 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted: In the mid 1990s various archives of the Warsaw Pact and Soviet Union got opened and we got a look at their war plans. They intended to go tactical nuke on day 1, and thus our life expectancy was really short. Yep. NATO saw tactical nuclear weapons as something they would us as a last resort, if pressed into a corner (figuratively speaking), and kind of assumed that the Soviets viewed nuclear weapons the same way. But it turned out that the Soviets saw tactical nukes as just another tool in the toolkit, and pretty much planned on using them immediately. So yeah, lots of front line western units that we intended to defend against the initial WaPa attack, were just going to be vaporized. Relatively recently, records recovered from Poland showed that Danish defensive positions on the main island were going to be hit with 7-9 tactical nukes very early on. That would pretty much have winded out most of the Danish forces defending the islands (and Copenhagen), leaving only our armor in Jutland that would join up with German armor and British reinforcements. My unit (and the brigade we were in) would have been nuked. 
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 12:45:38 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Echo Co. 2/6 Infantry checking in. ‘88-89. Black Bear Pils Eckla We were at Range 305 in Graf shooting.50’s. Tracers were starting fires so we had to remove all of them, about 40 cans worth. Little bit later, the CO comes to me and asks if he could shoot my .50. No problem sir. What does he grab, a 100 round belt of tracer and proceeded to rip it off into the woods. Of course it started another fire, and he bailed. @Stump70 Was Kilpinski still there as a 1sgt, or Sgt Major? His daughter was literally built like a brick shit house, then we found out she was only 14.  That was about 85' so legal when you were there. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 12:48:52 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: C Co. 3-36 IN, 3AD, 1984-1987, Kirchgoens, Ayers Kaserne, The Rock B Co. 6-6 IN, 1AD, 1990-1991, Bamberg, Warner Barracks Three years on the Rock in the 80's, we spent a lot of time in the field training for the Soviets to come through the Fulda Gap. My time in Bamberg was limited due to deploying to Desert Shield/Storm and deactivation upon return for the drawdown.  |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 2:07:44 PM EDT
[#45]
D Co, 1st Bn, 37th Armor, 1st Armored Division. Rose Barracks, Vilseck, March 1990-March 1992.
We were training for CAT '91. Dana J.H. Pittard was our CO. Grafenwohr was our second home for much of my time there. Especially Range 301 and the Calibration Complex.  When When Iraq/Kuwait happened, we pulled out of the competition to go to Desert Shield/Storm instead. We landed in Saudi Arabia on New Year's Eve. My buddies and I spent plenty of time in the Green Goose and Nashville (Later the Miami) in Vilseck, but our favorite place was Discothek Happy Rock in Sulzbach-Rosenberg, not too far from Amberg or Nuremberg. It was far enough away from base to keep the number of Americans there to a minimum. Bumper sticker from there:  One of the coolest things I did was participate in a Schutzenschnur. We went to Eisber Kaserne (sp?) and spend a couple days drinking with the Bundeswehr and shooting their weapons. I got a silver badge, missed gold by 2 or 3 points because the Uzi on auto was a bitch to keep on target. When I ETS'ed back to the states, I promptly got a passport and went back to Germany to continue hanging out with my Fraulein and I lived on the economy for almost another year. I worked on base at an AAFES store and had a tiny flat in Sulzbach. Those were good times. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 2:30:30 PM EDT
[#46]
I was a Cold War kid. I spent 71-74 in Heilbronn and 77-80 in Furth.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 2:30:54 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: 1st BN 70th Armor Wiesbaden Air Base Jan 83-April 84 then 1st BN 69th Armor at Lee Barracks in Mainz until Jan 86. I retired in 2001. Great times, seems like it was another life... https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/855/pe0e.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/840/dtcg.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/822/jy0y.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/843/d2oo.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/842/7yky.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/iMJhD3.jpg Lee Barracks was a great place to be stationed? What building were you in? I was there from 89 to 91 and our battalion was in the main gate U shaped building that you drove under to get on the barracks. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 2:41:52 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Lee Barracks was a great place to be stationed? What building were you in? I was there from 89 to 91 and our battalion was in the main gate U shaped building that you drove under to get on the barracks. IIRC when you entered the main gate, we were right there to the left. Seems like I remember the motor pool was next to the back gate, which I always used to come and go because I still lived in housing in Wiesbaden. We had to go under the building and through a walk way to get to the motor pool, mess hall, PX, etc. I remember a large parade field as well. Sounds like we were in the same U shape building, we would have been on the west wing? I am assuming, it's been a long time, the main gate was at the south end of Lee Barracks? |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 3:54:04 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: To be fair, Fuck the Red Cross, they were not part of the military and did not take orders from "the US High Command". The Salvation Army gave my father a Cup of Coffee and a Doughnut as he got off the troop ship in England. Right after the Red Cross offered to sell him a doughnut and cup of coffee for a Nickle. He told them to fuck right off. At the time you could see a fist run movie, get a coke and a box of popcorn or Ten Cents. So around $50 in today's money. I used to live in Kansas. I saw the Red Cross Fuckery first hand after tornados. I was never hit at my house, but I had a rent house damaged by the tornado at hit McConnell AFB and my brother and his family had a narrow escape. Helped clean up after a few others. Typical deal after a big tornado... Pizza Hut shows up in what looks like a beer truck but is loaded with hot pizza, they hand out free pizza, soda and water. Salvation Army is there day and night, handing sandwiches, water, lemonade, blankets, gloves, boots, clothes etc. All free. Mennonite relief shows up with men and tools and flatbed trucks, ready to work and they bust their asses and stay until the job is done. Local businesses show up with free food and drinks. Red Cross has a few bologna sandwiches and cool aid, and charges for all of it. I have donated to the Salvation Army and to Mennonite Relief. Not a dime to Red Cross. |
|
|
|
Posted: 1/31/2021 4:21:31 PM EDT
[#50]
Anyone else go stereo component shopping in that huge as complex in K-town?
|
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
Attached File
Attached File