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1st Armored Division
(Page 3)


Looking for more information from military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with the
U.S. Army in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.


Main Page

Support Command

Div Data Center

Related LInks
47th Med Bn

123rd Maint Bn


501st S&T Bn


61st AMC

 
Division Support Command
1982
(Source: IRONSIDES, December 3, 1982)
  Article on the 1st Armd Div Maintenance Assistance Instruction Team.

 
Division Data Center
1982
(Source: NUERNBERG SENTINEL, May 3, 1982)
  Article describes the 1st Armd Div Data Center at Monteith Barracks, Fuerth.

1984
(Source: IRONSIDES, May 3, 1982)
  Article describes the ADP equipment upgrade at the 1st Armd Div Data Center, Fuerth.

System in the photo (top right) appears to be an IBM 360/40.


Can anyone confirm and maybe provide further details?

Also looking for information on where the DDC was located on Monteith and for photos of the building and vans.

1985
(Source: IRONSIDES, May 3, 1982)
  1st Armored Division was the first USAREUR division to receive the Unit Level Logistics System.

Looking for additional information on ULLS.

 
123rd Maintenance Battalion

D Company sign in front of shop area, 1977 (Thomas Parrish)
123rd Maintenance Bn DI
1974
(Source: Email from Russell Jones, B Co, 123rd Maint Bn, 1974-1976)
I was in B Co. 123rd Maint Bn., Monteith Barracks, Fuerth. Our mission was Direct Maintenance Support, to the front line. 

We were a mobile unit and performed maintenance and repair on just about anything in use from typewriters, generators, vehicles, armament, including machining and welding, recovery of disabled equipment and vehicles.

We did not generally move but supported the range at Grafenwoehr and Reforger exercises.  Mostly with vehicle maintenance and the Armament platoons.

Click here to read Russell's information on some of the buildings at Monteith Barracks.

1977
(Source: Email from Thomas Parrish, D Co, 123rd Maint Bn, 1977-1980)
(To view some additional Ferris Bks photos submitted by Tom, click here.)

I served in Delta Co., 123rd Maintenance Battalion from Sept. 1977 to Sept. 1980. I was at Ferris Barracks, Erlangen.

As a 2nd lieutenant, I served as a platoon leader, then later as a 1st Lieutenant, I was a shop officer and Company Commander. I then served on the battalion staff where I was promoted to captain.

One attachment is the welcome booklet that I got when I arrived, the other is an article about my unit capturing an SMLM vehicle during a REFORGER exercise. A tank was involved & he tried to take the credit, but the vehicle was blocked by vehicles from D Co., 123rd until the MPs arrived.
Yes, D Company - our nick name - the Delta Demons - supported the tank heavy 2nd Brigade at Ferris barracks. I got there in late September 1977, and due to a TO&E change, F Company - the aviation support company was moved from the 123rd Maintenance Battalion to the Aviation battalion on October 1.

Bldg 4053, D Company shop area, 1977

Entrance to D Company shop area on Ferris Bks

Rear of shop area, 1977

In garrison, we had a technical supply (repair parts for units of the 2nd BDE), a radiator/glass repair shop - they could also do body repair & general welding, small engine repair (generators), smalls arms (M16, M60, etc.) repair, radio/field phone (commo) repair, fire control (tank sights and main gun hydraulics), a shop where we would exchange & then rebuild wheel cylinders, carbs, alternators, and then the main automotive shop - replace engines, transmissions, clutches, axles, replace head gaskets, injectors and the like.

We were authorized 3 (but needed & used 4) automotive contact teams that would travel with the combat battalions (3 armor and 1 mech infantry) when on maneuvers. The division would take 6 weeks to go through gunnery training/qualification at Graf once a year. Each of the 3 forward support maintenance companies (C, D, E) would be at Graf for 2 weeks supporting when their Brigade headquarters was there. Generally each of the maintenance companies would have a commo repair and fire control and small arms team at one of the three main ranges for the entire 6 week period. The automotive contact teams would leave garrison with the battalion they supported and then return when they came back. The automotive contact teams were attached to the combat battalions' maintenance platoon and were with them whenever they were on maneuvers, at Graf, or at Hoenfels.

We did not handle medical, transport (fuel, food), or satellite commo. We did also support the Target Acquisition Battery (of DivArty) which was stationed at a small base near us (Herzo I think). We did have our own tractor/trailer rigs to haul repair parts from the A Company warehouse - engines, transmissions, transfer cases, axles, tires, batteries, light bulbs, filters, tank track, etc. - back to our supply section and out to the field.


1982
(Source: IRONSIDES, December 3, 1982)
  Article on the 123rd Maintenance Battalion - some history and organizational information.


 
501st Supply & Transportation Battalion
1971
(Source: Email from Gonzalo Chavez)
I was stationed at Monteith Barracks with A Company, 501st S&T BN, 1971-1973. Through some of the links in your page I found information about the 1st Armored Div "Old Ironsides" but I have not been able to find anything about the 501st and also would like to find some pictures, if possible, about Monteith Barracks.  

I was assigned to the "A" Company motor pool. I drove the tow truck "A-10". Some of the guys that I remember are: SP4 J. Whitman, SP4 J Nabor,  SP4 J Hernandez, SP5  K Frakes,  SP4 d Melville (he used to call me "chacha").

(Source: Email from Gary Clark)
By shear luck I stumbled on to your web site about the 501st. I was stationed at Headquarters Headquarters Co., 501st S&T Battalion from 1971-1973. I was the communications specialist located in the cellar of the Headquarters Co. building. This was the building attached to the mess hall. My job was to install and maintain all of the radio equipment within the company vehicles. I was the first one out in the field so that communication lines could be run through the woods for ground phones and switchboards.

My last 3 months there I was the company ration driver. My closest friend there was our company clerk, Ronald Kalous. I still stay in touch with him today. I saw on another site that Monteith Barracks has been given back to the Germans and that it is being turned into a class golf course and a park for the city of Furth. Good luck with your site.

1982
(Source: IRONSIDES, December 3, 1982)
  Article on 501st S&T Battalion in 1982 - some history and organizational information.
ORGANIZATION (1982):

UNIT DESIGNATION

STATION COMMENTS
HHC, 501st S&T Battalion Monteith Bks, Fuerth  
A Company Monteith Bks, Fuerth  
B Company Monteith Bks, Fuerth  
69th Chem Company Monteith Bks, Fuerth attached
     

 
61st Aviation Maintenance Company / Co I, 1st Avn Regt
 
61st AMC pocket patch
1987
(Source: Email from Michael Vieira)
I served in Germany at Katterbach (Ansbach Army Airfield) with the 1st Armored Division, with the 61st AMC (later we became I Co., 1st Avn. Regt.) from September 1987 to September 1989 . I was a 68M (later 68J) with the armament shop.

We came under DISCOM (Division Support Command), and wore the DUI for the 1st Armored Division, until we became part of the 1st Aviation Regiment (then we wore the "Super Primum" DUI - which we jokingly called 'Super Premium").

I was thrilled to see the reference to Mr. Robert Quillen - he was, at one time, our platoon leader (he was a CWO3 at the time, I believe), and we referred to him as the "Skipper", because of the huge vintage American automobile (convertible) he drove (I remember him taking a sizable chunk of the platoon down to Hindenburg Kaserne in the summer time, with the top down). Before he was our boss, we had Mr. Gundrum, another experienced CWO3. Later we got a Captain (I don't remember his name at this moment, but give me a minute...)

I still have my armament platoon black ball cap (with the orginal blue cobra patch designed by Sgt Jamie Carlson), and I treasure my Army aircrew badge above all other awards.

We supported the 501st Avn Battalion, Task Foce Phoenix, 1/1 Cav, and the Apaches when they first came to Ansbach AAF.

We were the divisional AVIM unit - we were a huge company (bigger than a battalion), but paraded with just one guideon (it was hilarious to see I Co. march as a unit at change of command ceremonies - we looked like a huge mob marching behind our one guideon!)

A lot has happened since those days. I got out of the Army, went to university, moved to Japan, then came back to the States after 9/11 and went back into the military. I am currently a mustang Navy officer (Lieutenant Junior Grade), but the lessons I learned under 1stSgt Ruiz, SSG Hale, SSG Seabolt, SGT Carlson and Chief Quillen have held me in good stead all these years.

One particular memory was a winter flight over to Grafenwöhr. We were supporting a gunnery and our armament shop was going to send some folks via ground convoy, and a few lucky individuals would get to fly there. I was chosen to fly, and we were told that everybody, except one, would ride a UH-1H - one very lucky individual would get to ride front-seat in an AH-1S Cobra. For some reason, I was that guy, and it was one of the biggest treats of my entire military career!

The pilot was an extremely experienced CWO4, and we took off into a cold gray sky that quickly turned very cloudy with flurries. Our group was made up of a bunch of Cobras, some OH-58 scouts and a lone crowded Huey. The weather never really cooperated that day, and I remember that we had to put down in some poor German farmer's field to get ourselves orientated (some of the aircrew sprinted between helicopters to try to get our bearings and deliver instructions). At some point, the German farmer, whose field we were using as an impromptu landing area, suddenly appeared through the wafting snow in his tractor, gawking at the gaggle of aircraft (all running with full lights and rotors)! We pulled pitch and flew off into the fog.

We had to fly low, and followed an autobahn for a while. The pilot suggested that I use the TSU (Telescopic Sighting Unit), and I had great fun following the cars below. We ended up flying nap-of-the-earth for a while, and the ride was so smooth and steady (thanks to the Air Data Sensor - designed to help make the Cobra a steady weapons platform) that it was an absolute dream flight, despite the horrendous weather. I was bundled in all my cold weather issue (we had recently gotten the old-style green fishtail parka with the big fur-ruff hood), and was very comfortable.

When we finally landed at Grafenwöhr I was in great shape - my buddies, in the Huey, not so much. They had had a very uncomfortable ride, and many (if not all) were air-sick. That ADT definitely made a big difference.

When my platoon finally formed up, we traded notes on the ride up: the convoy folks had not enjoyed themselves; the Huey folks had gotten a rough ride, but they counted themselves luckier than the ground group; me, I had lucked out, and to this day I consider it a great honor to have been chosen to fly on the Cobra.

Your website has brought back a slew of memories - things I haven't thought about for a very long time.

Thank you, and I sincerely hope to hear from some of my old comrades from I Co. (61st AMC)!

 
 

 
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