USAREUR Gallery - Mystery Photos

Photo #1
Source: 18th FA Group Yearbook 1957

Known Information: photo is from 1957 or before; jeep leaving the installation has tactical markings of the 3rd FA Rkt Btry (7A 3F -- X 8); gate is identified as Gate #2.

Question: Which kaserne or training area are we looking at?

Response: (1) This is just speculation: the photo might have been taken at Grafenwoehr Training Area's Gate #2, which lies in the German community of "Tanzfleck". Today, as far as I know, Gate #2 still is located at Tanzfleck, south gate of GTA. (Oliver Geyer)

(2) The unknown picture number 1 is Gate 2 in Vilseck (Südlager) and it used to be the exit of the Grafenwöhr Training Area to Vilseck and Sorghof. Now it is the main gate of the "Südlager" and looks totally different. The gate at Tanzfleck is and has always been Gate 4.

Best wishes,

Frank Hummel (Germany)

Photo #2
Source: Author's collection

Known Information: photo is from 1950's; location is most likely the football field at Coleman Kaserne, Gelnhausen; the Home team, the Warriors, are behind 0-13...

Question: Who are the "Warriors" (a unit team probably) and can anybody identify the year that the photo was taken?

Responses: (1) The 12th Infantry Regiment, with home station in Gelnhausen, in the early 1950s, were known as the "Warriors." So, the photo was taken sometime between 1951 and 1956 when the 4th left Europe and was replaced by the 3rd Armd Div.

(2) Your mystery pic of Coleman Kaserne at Gelnhausen Germany was probably taken either before 1953 or after 1956. My building was the one directly behind the post chapel. I do not recall there ever being a football game in the 35 months that I was stationed there and I don't remember the score board either. One of Mr. Thompson's pix of the post taken in May 1950 shows the football field as being close to the south perimeter fence (you can see the goal posts in the picture) and that area was the truck park and well graveled when I arrived there in the summer of 1953.

Thanks for all your hard work on a really nice site. (Harold Varney)

Photos #3A, 3B & #3C
Source: Terry Burroughs, son of a veteran of Battery B, 580th AAA AW Bn

Known Information: photos were at a kaserne in Munich that was occupied by US troops in 1945 soon after the end of WWII; unit stationed there at that time was Battery B, 580th AAA AW Bn; this same kaserne was also used by Battery B, 398th AAA Battalion which operated PX Depot #198 from a large warehouse type building there; the soldiers knew the installation only as Saarkaserne and there was an airfield nearby; also, the kaseren was "generically" referred to as "SS Barracks" .

Question: Who can identify the kaserne and, possibly, provide more details?

Responses: Photos # 3A, # 3B, and # 3C are at Panzer Kaserne (later renamed Will Kaserne) located on Ingolstadter Strasse directly east the SS Kaserne Freimann, in north Munich. The location of Panzer Kaserne is shown on the map on your website for installations in north Munich.

I am unable to find much historical information relative to the Panzer (Will) Kaserne. Would appreciate any historical information about Will Kaserne anyone could send, and desire a possible confirmation of these photos from anyone who served a postwar assignment at Will Kaserne.
Terry Burroughs

Photo #4
Source: Terry Burroughs, son of a veteran of Battery B, 580th AAA AW Bn

Known Information: photo is from late 1945; location is a former factory or industrial plant named "Bayritex" in Munich. Battery D 489th AAA Battalion was billeted in this building or complex in late 1945; it is believed that the complex was located somewhere on Tegernseerlandstrasse.

Question: Who can identify the complex and provide more details?

Responses: (1) The location of the BAYRITEX building in photo # 4, is presently suspected to be near or possibly within McGraw Kaserne in southeast Munich. There were some wartime industrial production operations at the McGraw Kaserne complex. BAYRITEX could be one of these.

I am thinking BAYRITEX is a logo for a Bavarian or Bayern textile products manufacturing facility. There were some German military units responsible for the development, production, and testing of military textile items and clothing. Perhaps BAYRITEX was such an operation and located within the McGraw Kaserne complex.

I remain inconclusive about the precise location of the BAYRITEX building in the photo, but now think it to be relative to McGraw Kaserne. I am certain BAYRITEX is located on Tergernseerland Strasse somewhere between Mariahilf Platz and McGraw Kaserne.
Terry Burroughs

(2) Due to historical research I came accross the US Army web page. Regarding your missing info page, I have seen the picture (#4) showing the BAYRITEX building. The Bayritex GmbH was a company purchasing/selling cloth/textiles for distribution to sewing companies for different reasons during the time of the 3rd Reich and were located all over Germany in major cities. In the last years of WWII it was replaced by the Reichszeugmeisterei (RZM).

The Munich RZM headquarters was located in today's Tegernseer Landstrasse 210 backyard to the St.-Quirin-Strasse (entrance same street) and used by the US Troops in Munich. The building still exists but there are rumors that something new will be built on that area. When I find the chance, I will take a current picture to submit to you. I hope I have supported you with my information.
Klaus Hinkelmann, München, Germany

Photo #5
Source: photo album, unknown member of WOC, 97th Sig Bn

Known Information: comments written on back of the photo identify this building as the Headquarters Building for Seventh Army in 1954.

Question: Who can provide confirmation or details on which building this might be?

Response #1: That is Patch Barracks, yes. There were about five bldgs. the same. They were the G Sections: G-1,G-2, G-3, G-4. They looked much better in the early 1960`s. All had basements for storage and snack bars (AYO), profits for little league and Pop Warner style football teams, for the dependent "brats." All of us personnel were assigned as Clerks, paper pushers, were in Hq.Company.
Jack Dawes, US Army, Patch Barracks, Hq. Company, AG Printing Plant, 1963-1965

USEUCOM J-1 Bldg, 2007

Response #2: I was looking at your mystery photos and saw photo #5 and recognized the building, as I work next to it. Its now the US European Command J1 building. I've attached two photos taken of the building this past Friday (April 2007). Please let me know if you have any other photos of Patch back in the 1950s. We would like copies to put on display here at HQ, USEUCOM is possible.
LTC David S. Jones, US Army, J-2, USEUCOM, present

If anyone has pics that they think might be of interest, please contact the webmaster. I will be happy to forward all information/pictures to David. David mentioned in a subsequent email that they (USEUCOM) will hold the Army Ball there on 9 June - this is a great chance to display stuff related to the US Army history in Europe.

Image #6
Source: Author's collection

Known Information: identified as the crest for the USAREUR Communications Command Network.

Question: Who can provide confirmation or details on time period, organization of the unit(s) who wore this crest?

Responses:

Photo #7
Source: author's collection

Known Information: from comments written on back of the photo, this is a photo taken of the IG Farben Building in 1951

Question: Who can provide information on the antenna visible on the roof of the Farben Building? What type of communications is it used for and which unit would have been using it at that time in Frankfurt? (I have many pictures of various types of antennas used by signal units in germany through the years but never seen anything like this one.)

Response #1: The antenna atop the I.G. Farben Building. I am a ham radio operator and that antenna looks very much like what we call a cubic quad antenna. It is a directional HF (high frequency) antenna. Since HF was very much a primary means of command and control communications back when the picture was taken (I'm guessing sometime in the early 1950's) it would make sense that they were using this type of antenna.

By the way, I used to work in the I.G. Farben building (we called it the Abrams Building) back in the early 1980's for the V Corps Engineer Office. Absolutely fascinating place. The continuously moving Paternoster elevators were a constant source of amusement. We'd have people drive all the way from Fulda just to ride those things! Having pulled many a tour as staff duty officer for the headquarters I can tell you that building could get awful spooky late at night when the offices and hallways were empty. Your could almost hear the ghosts of all the soldiers that served in that building from 1945 on still going about their business.

I had the chance to take the family back to Frankfurt and drive around our old 'haunts' when we went back for a second tour in the mid-90's (I was stationed in Hanau at the time). It was sad to see what had happened to Drake Kaserne and the old Edwards Housing area. I really wanted to take them into the old Abrams Building, but by that time it was off limits to Americans. Virtually all the old US facilities in Frankfurt had been turned over to the Germans and many of them stood empty and vandalized. The old PX complex had been torn down to make way for, I believe, a German police facility.
Brian Haren

Response #2: My old stamping grounds . . . the I.G. Farben Bldg in Frankfurt.

Prior to being transferred to V Corps, which was headquartered in this building, I was an auditor with the Office of the Inspector General, Hq. 3rd Armored Div. at Drake Kaserne. I came there from Fort Knox KY with the I.G. advance party in February 1956. I do not remember with which division we rotated . . . could have been the 4th Inf.? Drake at the time became Hq 3rd Armored Div., Hq 3rd AD Artillery, and 3rd AD Band (at that time became known as the greatest military band in NATO).

Across the street was Edwards Kaserne with division Signal Corps and CIC (counter intelligence). In 1957 I transferred to Headquarters V Corps, Office of Civil Affairs/Military Goverment, as maneuver damage control officer. The Officers Club was located right behind the IG Farben Bldg.

Regarding the antenna on top of the bldg. It was erected during the 1956 period and it was "rumored" to be an MP radio mast (MP Hq was located nearby in a 1 or 2 story building). However within V Corps Hq the story went around that the mast had something to do with the G-2 (Mil. Intel.) section. While I was stationed there the mast remained subject to many speculations.

Joe Andreoli

Response #3: (Click here to read David Freed's lengthy response to Mystery Photo #7; David served with the 3816th Sig Svc Unit at the IG Farben Building in Frankfurt in the late-1960's.)

Photo #8
Source: author's collection

Known Information: only know that this is Nellingen Post and possibly late 1950s. Could this be Post Headquarters?

Question: Who can provide confirmation or details on which building this might be?

Response: Photo #8 is indeed the Post HQ at Nellingen. The pic. was before 1966. I was there 1966-67. Your looking North, and when I was there the two other bldgs. were not there. I was in the 93rd Engr. Co. FB. assigned to post security police, and I raised and lowered that Post Flag everyday. Our VII Corps patch had roman numerals of VII in a circle.
Jerry McGinnis

Photo #9
Source: author's collection

Known Information: only know that this was probably taken in 1954. Was found with other photos associated with the 95th AAA Bn in Sandhofen - but this is not Coleman Barracks, Mannheim-Sandhofen.

Question: Who can provide confirmation or details on which kaserne this might be?

Responses: The license plate that appears on the front of the Army ambulance is correct for 1952-1954 at least, which helps confirm the date of the photo as 1954 - same as the others in the batch where you found it. The military vehicle plates beginning in 1952 no longer had a year on them, just the legend US ARMY at the bottom. They were black-on-white, or a very dark color on a light background....I haven't seen a color photo from those years! The letter P as a prefix in the serial number designates a truck under 1 ton in weight. This designation began in 1949, the same year the letter J replaced P on plates on MP Jeeps; from 1946 thru 1948, P designated Police (or MP).
Mike Montgomery, USAREUR

Response #2: Saw your most interesting article of US Army in Europe (USAREUR). Thank you for this historic almanach. The picture nr. 9 is most likely taken at Smiley Barracks, Karlsruhe, Germany. It shows the motor pool area located on the north side of the barracks.
W. L. Zahn, 1st Lt, 6970th LS Engr Construction Bn.

Photo #10
Source: author's collection

Known Information: This aerial photo came along with a pamphlet distributed on occasion of the 5th Anniversary of the Rhine Ordnance Depot, May 1953. I do not believe that this is "ROD" which later became known as Rhein Ordnance Barracks and is located in the western end of Kaiserslautern. However, I do believe the photo is a period photo (1952-1955) and shows an American kaserne in southern Germany.

Question: Who can ID this kaserne or location and provide details?

Responses: There are two casernes shown on this picture. They are in Esslingen am Neckar. In the foreground you have the Funker-Kaserne and in the background the Kaserne named Becelaerekaserne. The Funker - Kaserne is a typical WH kaserne layed out in a U-shape and was constructed in the 1930's. The Becelaere Kaserne is an older type of Kaserne and may have been built in the beginning of 1900th century. So that's all i know about the picture. (Location of kasernes --

.)
Ralf Beck, Germany

Photo #11
Source: author's collection

Known Information: This photo was found among several other photos from a visit to the former Dachau Concentration Camp around 1953. My guess is that it shows part of the Dachau Kaserne, a US Army installation adjacent to the former concentration camp.

Question: Who can ID this kaserne or location and provide details?

Responses: This photo was taken from the second or third floor window of Eastman Barracks looking towards the former concentration camp. I was housed to the right off the picture. I was a military brat and was there in 1962-63 and part of 1964. At the time Eastman was the home of the 37th Arty commanded by Lt. Col. Harry Walters. Behind Eastman toward the ball field was covered with underground tunnels and bunkers. We lived in the last big house on the left side of the main street entering the main gate and turning right (Ave of SS). At the time the concentration camp was full of DP's and not a very safe place to hang out. Camp Dachau was just what a young boy needed for adventure and the place was left pretty much as the Germans left it. The corners of our home were still decorated with SS insignia.
Joe Jarosz

Photo #12
Source: author's collection

Known Information: This photo was probably taken in Munich or Bad Toelz in the mid-1945 to early 1946 timeframe. It might have been located near a train station - one of the signs points to an RTO (Rail Transportation Office).

Question: Who can ID this kaserne or location and provide details?

Responses:

Photo #13
Source: author's collection

Known Information: I am trying to find out where this photo was taken - it shows a US Army ambulance car attached to a German DB dining car at an unidentified German train station. The ambulance car is one of the 65 (Type WLB4üm-52) sleeper/ambulance cars built in 1952 for the US Army Transportation Corps by Linke-Hofmann-Busch GmbH in Salzgitter, Germany.

Question: Who can ID the Bahnhof and maybe provide some details on the hospital train that used these type of ambulance cars?

Responses: This photo was posted on the "Historic Railways" forum of the German website "Drehscheibe Online." Based on input from several contributors, the final consensus was that the photo was taken at the Orleans, France, train station. To read all the posts in reference to the photo, click here.

If you were stationed at Orleans or passed through there frequently, maybe you can provide some additional details? Would love to hear from you.

Photo #14
Source: author's collection

Known Information: This wonderful aerial photo was taken by a US Army fixed-wing aircraft on or about May 17, 1950. It shows tanks and vehicles of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (USCON) driving through the streets of Stuttgart. Five years after the end of WWII, this part of town still shows the ravages of war.

Question: Who can ID the part of Stuttgart this aerial photo shows? Maybe some of our German friends can help us out on this one?)

Responses: The tanks in Stuttgart are heading east on what is now the Hauptstätterstraße about to cross Charlottenstraße and enter Charlottenplatz. The 'U' shaped building at the bottom left of the photo is the Altes Waisenhaus. This view is looking almost due south. At the top of the picture is Alt-Katholische Kirche St.-Katharina in the Katharinenplatz. (

- Hauptstätterstraße, bottom right hand corner; St.-Katharina Kirche/Church, top left hand corner)
Tom Ludlam

15A

15B

Former Saumur Depot, 1991

Photo #15
Source: author's collection

Known Information: Two photos appear to show a US Army medical clinic in France (Com Z) in the early 1960s.

Question: Who can ID the medical clinic?

Response #1: I'm French and I do research on the (former) American bases in France. I live in the old Cite de Brassioux, the housing annex of the USAFE base in Chateauroux, Chateauroux Air Station. This photo isn't a clinic, it is the Saumur Signal Depot, near Saumur; this chateau (in the first picture) is in Warrains, where troops were billeted. Signal equipment and supplies were stored in caves, in this area. I think I have more information on this installation, but you can already visit http://www.egroelle.net/

The main gate was on the left of the chateau. This picture belongs in the COMZ section.

The second photo is at the same place, it is "The quadrangle." I am sending you a photo I took on October 5, 1991. You can see the chateau -- the small building which is at the back of the French flag.
Yves Bardet, France

Response #2: Looking at photo # 15 in the Mystery Photo section of your website, I can confirm Yves Bardet's reply that the first photo depicts the main building at the Varrains annex of the Saumur US Army Signal Depot. This building may well have been used as a medical clinic for surrounding US military facilities, but it's too long ago and I'm not sure.

The post at Varrains shown in the photos was not the main Saumur Signal depot, it was only a small annex used as a communication center situated a dozen or so miles away from the depot. The main depot itself occupied a rather large real estate.

I was a civilian employee of the Post-Engineer's office at the US Army Signal Depot in Saumur from mid-1963 to early 1965. The Saumur depot at that time was under the command of Lt Colonel Wyatt B. Peterson, Signal Corps.

In reference to Yves Bardet's mention that signal equipment and supplies were stored in caves in this area, I remember that a very small quantity of equipment was stored in only one cave. All the sandstone required to build the castles along the banks of the Loire river and farther afield was extracted from this region and resulted in a vast network of caves, some of which were located under the Varrains annex.

One morning in 1964, a storage building located to the right of the Filloid building seen at the right in the foreground of photo# 15 had sunk due to subsidence caused by a cave under it. The roof of the building was down at ground level. I was subsequently ordered to conduct a survey and to produce a map of the cave network under the annex. Nothing was ever stored in caves after this incident.

Regarding the Filloid building, my only recollection is that it was based on prefabricated steel elements that allowed fast erection of a truss-free and central-support-free semi-permanent building in the field. It was a standard issue in the US military forces and was commonly used in US installations in France and, I believe, in the Pacific theater during WWII. The principal characteristic of this kind of construction is that it was not temporary and was also relocatable.

I am unable to give you such details as dimensions and technical specifications. What I can tell you is that the Filloid building construction method was conceived and developped by an American engineer. Was he an Army engineer and was his name Filloid? I can't remember. Sorry.

John Trouve

Photo #16
Source: author's collection

Known Information: Photo appears to show a US kaserne in Germany around 1946. Building in picture is designated Building #3 (EM Billets). (Photo was part of a lot that included pictures of Fritzlar Air Base in 1946. Could indicate that the kaserne was near there.)

Question: Who can ID the kaserne?

Responses:

17A

17B

17C

Photos #17A, 17B & #17C
Source: Bill Mullen, son of a veteran of 4th Armored Division

Known Information: "You recently (11/23/08) posted several photos of Pioneer and Leopold Kasernes in Regensburg from 2007 submitted by Bill Beumer (Regensburg Page, Kaserne section). I have attached three photos from my father taken in Regensburg and dated 1946. They resemble the Pioneer Kaserne photos on your website. Notations on the photos indicate that, at the time, the buildings housed the Headquarters Reserve Command of the 4th Armored Division as well as billets. I would appreciate if you or someone else could confirm if they are the Pioneer Kaserne. Thanks."

Question: Who can identify the kaserne and, possibly, provide more details?

Responses:

Photo #18
Source: Germany

Known Information: Shown here is a section of an aerial photo of the Griesheim Airfield (probably from the early 1960s.) Of interest here are the three areas on the northwestern side of the airfield that are surrounded by perimeter fences. #2 appears to be the IFC for the NIKE battery stationed at the airfield (bottom left of photo). #1 could also be related to the AAA Missile battalion or Group (BOC or GOC?). And #3, don't have a clue.

Question: Who can provide details on these facilities?

Responses:

19A

19B

Photo #19
Source: Michael von Ascheberg

Known Information: Shown here are two photos of an Army Airfield in Germany, around 1963. It looks like Pirmasens, but need confirmation. The H-34 CHOCTTAW in the bottom photo has the blue with white trim color band that would identify it as part of the 26th Trans Co (Lt Hel) which would further confirm this as being Pirmasens airfield.

Question: Who can provide details on this AAF?

Responses: OK, it is Pirmasens AAF.

	Highlighted area shows the support posts (as seen through the bubble cockpit of an OH-13) for the control tower which was mounted on a platform on the northern end of the large hangar. (See corresponding Mystery Photo #17A.)

	This photo from the mid-1960s (taken approximately in the same time period as our Mystery Photo 17B) shows the hangars at Pirmasens from the street side. A close study of this photo definitely shows enough similarities with the Mystery photo to prove that we are dealing with the same hangar.

Photo #20
Source: Joe McKnight

Known Information: Shown here is the motor park at an Army installation - probably in the Kaiserslautern area - in the early 1950s. The photo is from the son of a veteran who served with the 291st Engineer Company (Heavy Equipment ). This unit was stationed in Kaiserslautern and then moved to Karlsruhe.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Responses: Hi Walter,
the photo shows Daenner Kaserne in Kaiserslautern. Picture taken from the (now) post office overlooking what's now the Daenner Sportsfield. The large building to the left is a motor pool. The building straight ahead past the vehicle staging area is currently being renovated.
Phil Newton

Photo #21
Source: Author's private collection

Known Information: Picture is from a soldier who served with V Corps Special Troops in the mid-1950s. Track appears to be an M-44 155 self-propelled howitzer. It is passing a military installation - possibly a dependent housing area. Could be Frankfurt?

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Response #1:
With regards to your mystery photo number 21 (posted today), I believe that this is not Frankfurt but the nearby town of Hanau. The photo shows the armored artillery passing PIONEER KASERNE. The buildings on the left are not dependent housing but barrack units in Pioneer Kaserne. The bottom one of the row had the base library. One of the other barracks buildings housed the base dispensary. How do I know? Well, my Dad was stationed in Hanau in the 1970s.

Furthermore, this was in Hanau - Wolfgang. The three barracks to the left were pre-war buildings. As said, the first one on the right housed the library. The middle one housed the dispensary. The barrack to the right of the traffic is post - war US Army construction. The truck with the lights on is almost directly in front of Hanau Elementary School (out of shot to the right, across the road). The dependents' Housing Area was to the right as well, across the road from Pioneer Kaserne and downwards from where this photo was taken. The area was called Sportfield Housing Area, I recall. The main gate was between the three barracks on the left and the barrack building behind the traffic. This was, I recall, also dependent housing. The gas station was right across from the main gate. The SP howistzer is travelling towards Hanau city center.

Alex Sutherland (Army brat)

Response #2:
Kevin Scherrer (A Company, 503rd Avn Bn) has gone to the trouble of comparing the Mystery photo with a Google Maps aerial view of the Pioneer Kaserne area. Click here to see the results.

Photo #22
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Picture is from a former member of the French Air Force. Pictured is the motor park of a 90mm AAA gun battalion. City and kaserne are unknown.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Responses: I'm prettty sure I know where Mystery photo 22 is. It's the old TMP2 in Worms. I used to work in Worms in the early 80s and by then there were no tactical units in Worms, so the TMP was turned into the auto crafts shop. The maintenance building is 5937 according to the map you have on Worms and was still there last time I was in Worms 6 months ago. The Germans have since straightened the B9 highway right through the old motor pool and the other TMP6 which is north of where the picture is. The church at the bottom left is the Liebfrauenkirche and is still surrounded by that vinyard which is even bigger now than it was then. The road on the bottom right is the old B9 and the rail tracks are still there, leading to the harbor area on the Rhine. The road directly above the TMP on the picture is the road leading to Taukkunen Bks which is left of the TMP.

My guess is the other 2 pictures are of US installations in the former French zone but don't look familiar.
Robert Szostek

Photo #23
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Picture is from a former member of the French Air Force. Pictured is the motor park of a 8-inch towed howitzer battalion. Across the road (top of photo) is a HAWK tactical site. City and kaserne are unknown.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Responses:

Photo #24
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Picture is from a former member of the French Air Force. Pictured is a motor park of an 175mm SP gun unit and a shop area. City and kaserne are unknown.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Responses: I have figured out where photo#24 is. Its Rivers Barracks in Giessen. A quick look at the 42nd FA Bde page showed buildings like the one in the top right of the picture and the map (Rivers Bks, Giessen Page) on your site is exactly the right shape. Also, the building on the top left is obviously a chapel - we had one just like it on Taylor Bks Mannheim where I have also worked - and the map also shows that building as a chapel so that should be conclusive enough.
Robert Szostek

Photo #25
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Picture shows a 280mm gun battalion motor pool. Six of the "atomic cannons" are visible in this very interesting photo. City and kaserne are unknown.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Responses: Initial observations by Bill Terry (264th FA Battalion):
I have made the following observations and probably more questions.
The six 280mm guns indicate a Battalion. The white markings on the fork tips of the T10's are strange. Never saw those before. Also, doesn't seem to be enough support vehicles (trucks, etc) for a Battalion. But the ammo trucks are probably in an ammo dump. Guns are parked haphazardly which is very unlikely for a TOE Battalion.

Also the presence of a M55 SP gun throws this picture way off. Perhaps a receiving or shipping Ordnance unit?

Hope this gets solved - it's a mystery to me....

Photo #26
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: A small motor pool is visible - might be a field artillery unit as several M8A1 high speed tractors can been seen. The trucks appear to be 10-ton M125's. City and kaserne are unknown. (Alain says the photo was taken in 1959 and thinks it could be Schwaebisch Hall?)

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Responses:

27A

27B

Photo #27
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Alain has provided two photos of the same post - looks like an M-52 105mm SP howitzer battalion. There is also a 280mm atomic cannon visible. Photo probably taken in the 1950s.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Response #1: The photos are of Pinder Barracks, in Zirndorf Germany. I thought I recognized the curved-type long building, and checked through the overhead maps of Kasernes I have visited during my time in Germany. I was stationed in Ansbach in the 1980s, and made several trips to Pinder Barracks, while it was the home of DIVARTY, 1st Armd Div.

That is a much older photo, but I kept coming back to the covered entry way in the corner, and was able to match it up with Pinder.

Take care, and what a great and interesting site you have.
Laney Rich

Response #2: the Mystery Photos 27a and b are Pinder Barracks in Zirndorf, Germany.

See map and photos from 556 Ord. Co Website.
Marco Horl

Photo #28
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Alain has provided a photo of an unidentified Matador Missile Support Area (MSA). Location and time frame of photo are unknown.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Responses: Sources: Sebastian Hoock, Klaus Stark and others from the geschichtsspuren.de forum:

On your website you posted a marvellous photograph of a former Matador Missile Support Area of USAFE, taken by Alain Dailloux (Mystery Photo #28).

There were Tactical Missile Groups with Matador in Bitburg AB, Hahn AB and Sembach AB, each operating three Off-Base-Locations. I strongly believe the photograph was taken near Enkenbach.

On the right hand side, behind the trees, you can see the "Autobahn" A 6.

(Sebastian is a frequent contributor to usarmygermany.com; Klaus has just had an extensive article published on the history and deployment of USAFE Matador and Mace missiles in Germany (German-language excerpt of Fliegerrevue article).

Google Maps link

Photo #29
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Alain is challenging us with another photo of an unidentified US Army facility - possibly a depot in Germany. Location and time frame of photo are unknown. Facility appears to be a former air base with hangars and an airfield tower.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Response #1:

The photo shows Nellingen Airfield near Stuttgart. You can see four hangars. Behind them is the old fire station with two garages. The hangars were south of the barracks (on the southern side of the installation).
Florian Retsch, Germany

Response #2:

Florian is right. The US Army turned the Luftwaffe aircraft hangars and original airfield (at Nellingen) into truck and engineer equipment repair/rebuilt depots and a salvage yard. Great photo!

The US Army rebuilt the airfield and a helicopter hangar and tower about a mile northeast. Go to the book Helicopters of the 3rd Reich and you can find pictures of these hangars with US and Luftwaffe aircraft there in 1945. It was a stop over for German aircraft headed for the US and England.
David Guilliams

Photo #30
Source: Alain Dailloux, France

Known Information: Alain has another photo of an unidentified US Army facility for us. Location and time frame of photo are unknown. Facility appears to be a moto vehicle park with a shop area. Movie theater (?) in the upper left hand side.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Response: The aerial photo shows the motor park at Anderson Barracks, Dexheim - probably late 1950s. I recently found a nice aerial of the Dexheim cantonment just after construction was completed. The motor park is clearly visible on the right hand side of the photo. See photo on the Bad Kreuznach Page, Kaserne section.
Walter Elkins, webmaster

Photo #31
Source: Walter Elkins

Known Information: Photo of an unidentified Army airfield in southern Germany, early 1960s. Photographer was a member of the 385th MP Bn and stationed in Kornwestheim. Two closest airfields were Echterdingen and Pattonville (Ludwigsburg). Don't believe this photo is any one of those two.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Response #1:
I think the mystery photo was taken at Echterdingen airfield. Behind the aircraft (on the left) you see the flight control and the back side of the fire station.
Florian, Germany

Response #2:
I agree with Florian that the photo is of the Stuttgart Echterdingen Army Airfield on the Bernhausen side. If you look at the map of the facility from back in the good old days (very little left now), the photo is taken from the west side.

On the left is the back of Bldg #3254, the Fire Station (2 Truck Bays) and also was the guard shack across a VIP sedan/emergency vehicle driveway from the Base Operations Tower /Headquarters Bldg #3255 (north side of road and parking lot.)

To the right in the photo is the back of the small NCO/Em Club (Bldg #T-3253). By the poplar type trees is the end of the small PX, Dry Cleaners, Snack Bar (Bldg #T-3252).

They face a asphalt parking lot that was used for of course military sedan, POV vehicle parking. Also was the 24-hour guard mount formation area by the flag pole.

On the far side was the base consolidated Mess Hall (Bldg #3251). (When the USAF ran the base it ran 24 hrs a day. No KPs)

If you go to Goggle Earth and put in Bernhausen, Fliederstadt, Germany (48*40,916 N 9*11,890 E) you will see that there are only a couple of the older buildings left (3254, 3255) and the parking lot, because of the new air freight terminal that has taken over the most of area. Looks like all the old 1936-shot up large wooden hangars and small wooden hangars, the stucco buildings and quonset huts are all gone.
Also Frau Schultz's Flughafen Stube at the Bernhausen back gate.

The map of the smaller air strip at Ludwigsburg/Pattonville only had a couple buildings on it. Drop off/pick up of passengers/cargo; overnight parking; etc.
Dave Guilliams

32A

32B

32C

Photo #32
Source: Anne (Tubinis) Audette

Known Information: My deceased dad was stationed in Germany with the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters (1951-1953). I have many photos of his time in Germany. His one year anniversary with 1st Division Headquarters was on September 3, 1952, as he stated in a letter to my mother. He also mentioned he was about to go on a 10-day maneuver with the 4th Infantry Division. How would I go about finding what city (or cities) he was stationed in and the names of the bases?

On the back of a photo my dad took of the Marienberg Fortress, he wrote his Kaserne was about ½ mile away. Possibly he was stationed at two locations near or in Wurzburg? I know at one time he was in Darmstadt. The back of his army photo is stamped with a Darmstadt studio. My mom and sister recall him being in Mainz and Stuttgart. Possibly he was stationed in three locations?

Webmaster note: several of the photos sent by Anne were identified as Emery Barracks, Würzburg (link). The mystery photos in this series, however, were definitely not taken at Emery.

Question: Who can provide details on this installation?

Response: I am an unofficial historian for USAG Darmstadt, working on a book about the Americans coming to Darmstadt in 1945. At the present time my archive materials are in a storage facility as I make the move from the Germany back to the States. Though I cannot verify them with 100% accuracy, I believe that the three photos are on the Freiherr von Fritsch side of CFK Barracks in Darmstadt.

The 1st ID was headquartered in CFK in the early 1950's and the photo of the motor pool should be to the right of the Hornet's Nest, looking back to the buildings. By the time we closed in 2008 this had become the ACS building with a ball field on the site of the motor pool. The building in the far background became the library.

In another of the photos an identical building can be seen behind the library. This became the Darmstadt headquarters building. Both of these buildings were mess halls for the two artillery battalions of the 33rd Artillery Regiment of the Wehrmacht and at least one was used as an US mess hall in the 1950's.

I will provide photos to you when I can access my archive materials again.

Thank you very much for your hard work and efforts in keeping your site up to date and informative. I have enjoyed going through it very much.
George Robinson, Jr.
Darmstadt 1994-2008

Photo #33
Source: Kenneth O. Bruce

Known Information: Although Ken submitted this 1954 photo of an Army airfield several years ago with a bunch of 426th FA Bn photos, I have so far been unsuccessful in identifying the airfield. The 426th was stationed at Schwäbisch Hall.

The BIRD DOG in front of the buildings is from the Air Section, HQ 30th FA Group. The 30th was stationed at Heilbronn at that time.

Question: Who can identify this airfield and provide details?

Response:

Photo #34
Source: Author's private collection

Known Information: Photo was found in a photo lot from a former member of the 8th Infantry Regiment (4th Inf Div) who was stationed at Schloss Kaserne in Butzbach, early 1950s.

Webmaster believes this might show a US services facility (PX, commissary, or similar activity) at Bad Nauheim....

Question: Who can identify this city?

Response: a quick answer from Germany:
The new mystery photo #34 is the Parkstrasse in Bad Nauheim.
Markus Ruehl, Germany

OK, now the question is: was there a US facility/activity located on the Park Strasse and, if so, what kind was it?

Photo #35
Source: Paul Cleary

Known Information: Photo was submitted by Paul Cleary who served with 3rd Sq, 8th Cav at Coleman Bks, Sandhofen, mid-1960s. There were only two CH-37 MOJAVE units in Europe, the 4th and 90th Aviation Companies. I believe that the 90th's helicopters sported a band across the front with the Bavarian colors (blue and white) throughout its stay in Germany. That leaves only the 4th. But I don't remember having seen this color scheme before.

Question: Who can identify the unit that this CH-37 belonged to?

Response: