USAREUR Units - Communications Zone

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US Army Communciations Zone, Europe
Communications Zone Army Depots
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 email me (webmaster).

HQ ComZ (Page 1)

List of ComZ Units (30 June, 1965)

Nancy General Depot

Perigueux QM Depot

Toul Engineer Depot

Trois-Fontaines Ammo Depot

Verdun Signal Depot

Related Links

(Source: List submitted by Mme. Martine Dernoncourt, France)

List of Army Depots, Hospitals and Ports in France, 1952

DEPOTS:	ADSEC	BASEC
Chemical	Sampigny	Bussac
Engineer	Toul	Chinon
Medical	Vassincourt	Fontainbleau
		La Pallice
Ordnance	Nancy	Braconne
	Trois Fontaines (ammo)	Captieux (ammo)
		Fontenet
Quartermaster	Metz	Ingrandes
		Perigueux
Signal	Verdun	Saumur
Transportation	Metz	Bussac
		Rochefort

HOSPITALS:	ADSEC	BASEC
	Verdun	Captieux
		Fontainbleau
		La Chapelle
		La Rochelle

PORTS:	ADSEC	BASEC
		Bordeaux (at Bassens)
		La Rochelle (at La Pallice)
		Nantes
		St. Nazaire (at Donges)

Nancy General Depot

1951 - 1966

History of the US Army General Depot Nancy

The US Army General Depot Nancy was activated on 24 September 1951 as the USAREUR Communications Zone, Advance Section Ordnance Depot. It was first occupied by the 109th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company under the administrative supervision of the ADSEC Commanding General and technically supervised by the Chief of Ordnance, USAREUR, through the Commanding Officer, 7847 Ordnance Supply Group, Mannheim, Germany.

Its status at activation was that of a Class II activity at a Class I installation. On 1 December 1952 the status of the installation changed to the present Class I status.

Complete reorganization of the Depot, effective 20 April 1953, made the 7839th 0rdnance Depot Detachment responsible for the operations of the Stock Control Division, Post Motor Pool, Depot Property, Security, Post Engineer and other miscellaneous services assigned to the Depot. This unit established and operated the major portion of the depot activities untill the arrival of the 80th Ordnance Company.

During the latter quarter of calendar year 1953, the depot assumed a portion of its current distribution mission. This mission was subsequently increased to include major items, tires, tubes, batteries, and other Ordnance Class II and IV material.

The establishment of the Depot was not widely publicized. The original occupants were billeted in tents, in the midst of what was then an undeveloped forest and a sea of mud. Supplies for storage were received at a rate which greatly exceeded the capacity of the personnel to store properly. Materials, of necessity, were stored in open storage areas with little or no protection from the elements.

The railspur was placed into operation effective 23 March 1953.

During the calendar year 1955 supplies were rewarehoused into permanent storage facilities as these facilities became available. The construction of operational facilities was emphasized during the early stages of construction and as a result, the availability of troop and support facilities was delayed.

The official designation of "Nancy Ordnance Depot" was changed on 1 November 1956, to read: "US ARMY ORDNANCE DEPOT NANCY" - Under GO #71, dated 12 June 1958, the official designation was changed to "US ARMY GENERAL DEPOT NANCY (Provisional)," effective 16 June 1958, and under GO #144, effective 1 November 1958, the official designation became "US ARMY GENERAL DEPOT NANCY."

On 1 April 1960, under COMZ GO #71, the support facilities were withdrawn from the Depot, and made a responsibility of separate Command known as the US Army Toul Post.

On 1 May 1960, the USA Toul General Depot was merged with the USA Nancy General Depot. The machine record (Stock Management) facilities, the receiving and shipping activities were consolidated at the Nancy location, the Toul location becoming primarily a Storage Site with adequate Maintenance in Storage facilities, and as an Engineer Equipment repair facility.

Three months later, on 1 August 1960, the Metz General Depot was merged with the Nancy General Depot, with the headquarters of this complex being located at Nancy. The mission operations at Metz will remain intact at Metz and will be known as Woippy Storage Site.

On 10 October 1961, under COMZ GO #177, the Woippy Storage Site was transferred from the US Army General Depot, Nancy command to the command of the US Army General Depot, Verdun.

(Source: US Army, General Depot, Nancy Facilities, APO 679 - probably a command briefing document)

LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION

1. Official Designation: United States Army General Depot, Nancy, APO 679.

2. Headquarters Location:

a. Site: The United States Army General Depot, Nancy is located in a forest know as "Foret de Haye", 7 miles west of the city of Nancy, on the National Road N-4 (Paris-Nancy-Strasbourg). The Depot covers an area of 1297 acres, and has several satellites designated as:

Toul Depot Activity: 15 miles west of Nancy and 3 miles north of the City of Toul, with an area of 572 acres, including Lamarch Caserne, storage site, situated on the West Toul City border.

Chalons Depot Activity: Approximately 123 miles west of Nancy and 7 miles of the city of Chalons on Marne, with a satellite known as Sommesous Activity.

Chenevieres Depot Activity: 28 miles south-east of Nancy and 14 miles south-east of Luneville, between Luneville and Baccarat.

Fresnes St Mames: 40 miles south of Nancy and 15 miles south-west of city of Vesoul.

b. Railroads: One of the main gates of France, Nancy is situated on the principal crossroads and railway lines on route from Belgium and Luxembourg to Switzerland and Italy, and is on the direct route from France to Germany. As there is no RTO available in Nancy, the nearest RTO is located at Metz, France. However, travel by rail can be arranged almost at will by the Transportation Officer USAGDN.

c. Airports: Airport facilities are available for military aircraft at Toul-Rosieres Air Base, a major US AIR FORCE Installation about 20 miles north-east from the Depot Headquarters. A French Military Airport, with facilities limited to light aircraft only, is located at the south-east sector of the city of Nancy, approximately 15 miles from the Depot. No civilian commercial airline facilities are available. On the south perimeter of the Depot there is an aircraft strip suitable for small aircraft opweations, i.e. L-19, L-20 and helicopter aircraft. Pilots should be first checked out on this strip before attempting to use it.

d. Automobile: When traveling to Nancy by highway routes there are many historic and picturesque sites to be observed. The best route to use when motoring from Paris, is route N-4, from Luxembourg N-53 and N-57 and from Karlsruhe, Germany via Strasbourg N-4.

I. DEPOT MISSION: Distribution
Receive; Store; Maintain in Storage; Issue; Ordnance, Engineer, Signal, Chemical, Quartermaster Class I, Class II and IV and Class III supplies.

T.C. fixed wing aircraft repair parts.

Classification of returned materiel Ordnance, Engineer and T.C.

II. DEPOT MISSION: Maintenance
Depot Maintenance - Engineer and Ordnance Maintenance Major and Secondary Items.

Modification Work Order to include Guided Missiles Components.

III. ADMINISTRATIVE & LOGISTICAL SUPPORT ON AN AREA BASIS:
Ordnance Field Maintenance, Quartermaster Field Maintenance, Commissary, Jeanne d'Arc medical and dental care, Dependent Elementary and High School Housing, Post Engineer, Transportation, Property Disposal, Accident Investigation, Patrol of Highways, P.I.O., Transient Billets, Special Services.

1. 4th Logistical Command, 1961	2. Nancy General Depot map, 1961	3. Nancy Depot Complex
4. Nancy General Depot organizational chart	5. Area served by Toul Break Bulk Point

(Source: Email from Doran Ditlow)

I spent from Oct. 1954 to May 1957 at NOD. I started as a private E-2 and left as SPC-2 E-5. I worked as a Fuel and Electrical System and Wheel Vehicle Repairman in the base motorpool.

I have a few black and white photo's of the base if you are interested. I spent my first winter there in a large warehouse as they were putting floors in the temporary barracks and didn't get them done before winter. The whole 109th Ordnance Co was in this warehouse. It was heated with several coal burning round stoves which had pipes extending through the roof, about 30 feet high. It was cold and miserable.

Later we had permanent poured concrete barracks, I think three stories high. I was in the 109th Ordnance Co. for a short time and then we became the Maintenance Co. of the 7839th Army Unit.

NOD was APO 204, NY, NY all the time I was stationed there.

In the storage part of the depot were Jeeps.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
When I first arrived at NOD the only military designations I was aware of was 109th Ord Co, 80th ( Ord ?) Co and 112th maybe storage company? I know after we were designated 7839th AU there was Maintenance Co which was where I spent all my time, Storage Co which looked after equipment in storage, and Headquarters Co, of course they took care of the paperwork.

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS
Two and One-Half Years in The Life of Doran A. Ditlow or Thirty Months in US Army, Europe

In mid October, 1954 I boarded the USNS Geiger in New York Harbor. The Geiger was a troop ship bound for Bremerhaven, Germany via Southampton, England where she disembarked a large contingent of US Airmen. The rest of us were US Army troops who went from Bremerhaven to the replacement depot at Zweibrucken, Germany.

I was assigned to the 109th Ordnance Co. Park, located at Nancy Ordnance Depot, near Nancy, France. The 109th was housed in a large warehouse heated very poorly by several small pot belly stoves. There was coal soot on everything, including the bunks. Someone had come up with the idea of covering each bunk with a pup-tent shelter-half. It was put on top of the blankets and at least they were kept clean. It was cold and miserable, water would freeze in a canteen next to your bunk. The climate was not nearly as cold there as where I came from in Michigan and rarely was the ground covered with snow. What we had was rain and clay mud, lots of both. The reason for the warehouse was the wooden floors in the pre-fab barracks we were supposed to be in were being replaced with poured concrete and didn't get done before cold weather.

I had completed a course in automotive fuel and electrical system repair at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland and was awarded the primary MOS (military occupational specialty) of 634.1. I was assigned to the NOD Motorpool second echelon shop. I replaced most any component of a vehicle electrical or fuel system. We had Jeeps, 3/4 ton weapons carriers, 2-1/2 ton trucks, 5 ton semi-tractors, 5 ton wreckers, staff cars, school buses, some large Faegol Twin-Coach buses which were converted to amblulances. We also had a few small ambulances and three World War II semi tractors, in the motorpool.

The shop was run by an SFC Hubbard, I don't recall the officer in charge, but later we had a Second Lieutenant Andrew Matika for shop officer. He was later promoted to First Lieutenant. SFC Hubbard had a second SGT to assist him, but I forgot his name. Lt. Matika was fresh from OCS when he took over the shop, he was a nice person to work for. Later, LT. Matika was also company commander of Maintenance Co. of 7839AU which was the unit's new designation in Dec. 1954 when the 109th ORD Co. was released from Federal Service. The 109th was a National Guard Co. from Alabama which was activated in early 1950's for the Korean War. CPL Hart was in charge of fuel and electrical system repair at the shop. There was also a PFC Harrold in the C&I division (Carburetion and Ignition) as it was called.

We had an old truck body set on the ground which was used as a work area for battery charging and filling new batteries with acid as we received them dry. PFC Harrold had fallen off the roof of the battery shack when filling the gas tank of the engine which ran the battery charger and was hobbling on a crutch with a leg in a cast when I arrived. The shop was reorganized on a bay system, there were 5 or 6 bays in the shop and each one was given a different area of the vehicle to work on. The shop was a pretty good place to work, just about like a civilian job, we worked 8 hours a day and unless you had company duty you were free to go to town, the EM club, USO, Snack-bar, movies at night. (You haven't lived until you have seen a John Wayne movie with French Subtitles! Like "Attention, Messieurs!" as John hauled out his six-shooter.) CPL Hart was promoted to SGT, married a French woman, re-enlisted, took leave time and we never saw him again.

I was re-assigned to the bay which repaired drive-trains. We packed wheel bearings, replaced drive shafts, brakes and adjusted clutches. I worked for an SP-3 Walton W. "Bill" East. We also helped other bays if one got behind, we did whatever we could to help out. I recall replacing radiators for the bay next to us, they did cooling system repair. We had no major problems in the shop, except one period the GI's got really ticked off at the officers and NCO's, I think it was because we couldn't get all the repair parts we needed. One specific item I recall was brake fluid. The guys who worked in the storage part of the Depot had it by the gallon and we couldn't get enough to repair motorpool vehicles. Somehow we worked a deal with the storage guys and got brake fluid we needed. The only power the workers had was the ability to hang a "deadline" tag on a vehicle and no one could drive it. We had a good percentage of the motorpool vehicles "deadlined" before the problems all got solved. Someone made up a small cloth flag with a drawing of a donkey on it and the words "Lt Matika's Mule Barn, Why don't you ride our ass too? Everyone else does." Eventually it all got straightened out and we got parts again.

This was at the time when the Army instituted the Specialist Ratings. I don't recall any promotion to NCO in the time I spent at NOD, except for SGT Hart. There were lots of NCO's when I arrived at NOD, made it a real pain because there weren't enough PVT's and PFC's to pull KP, fire guard, latrine orderly etc. Seemed like I was always on company duty. Later it was the opposite, no CPL's, a few Staff SGT's and quite a few SFC's. By late 1955 we had a bunch of Pvt's, Pfc's and Sp-3's.

I complained to Lt. Matika about not working under my MOS and he arranged for me to go to the Ordnance School in Fuessen, Germany in the summer of 1955. I was promoted to PFC before I went. The school was really nice, almost like a vacation. The school was in an old German Army barracks, still had racks in the walls for rifles and a concrete fence around the post with three strands of barbed wire on insulators on top of the wall. I learned about mechanical parts of Jeeps, trucks, etc. I don't even recall pulling any company duty at the school.

While I was at school, the concrete floors in the pre-fab barracks were finished and when I returned I moved into one of them, no more warehouse. These were quite nice, had maybe 30 to 50 men in each one, just one long room, 20 ft wide and 50 ft long as a guess, and they had oil-fired furnaces, no more soot. I was promoted to SP-3 and continued to work for Bill East in the Shop. Bill got a small dog collar someplace and short piece of dog chain which he attached to the collar. He had a pretend dog in the collar and took it to work with us every day, chaining the dog to a leg of a work bench.

Bill got out of the Army on a hardship discharge and I was promoted to Bay-Chief. Lt. Matika said when Bill left the dog had to go, too! I had three or four men working for me, Tom Lee, Richard Paisley, Tom Hatfield, Tagalong Howard (Tag was probably best mechanic in the shop, called Tag because his brother was stationed at NOD, and where his brother was, Tag was). Coleman, Reeves and Mazzaresi also worked in bay I was in at one time or another. Other soldiers working in the shop were CPL Bianco, SGT Haas, Hindle, Erickson, a black CPL Huey, who ran the grease rack and others I have forgotten. CPL Bianco was a special case, only one I recall in my three years in Army, he was Enlisted Reserve and they let him carry his rank on active duty for two years. I don't recall whether he was made into a SP-4 when we went to Spec. Ratings, I don't think he was.

I was a CPL in Michigan National Guard when I enlisted and was told I couldn't go on active duty through the Guard. I did keep my NG serial number, and was promoted to PVT E-2 as of my enlistment date in regular Army. Other names I recall: SFC Odell, First SGT Kulikauskas (We called him SGT KK), MSGT French, SP-2 Reece.

During this time, 1955-1957 we had more French Nationals working for us, they worked in the mess hall, shop, and other places. No more KP, it was great! When I was promoted to SP-2, however, I had to pull CQ, Charge of Quarters, check guys on pass in and out and take bed-check, try and stay awake all night. I and SP-2 Reece, who was promoted to SP-2 when I was, were made co-barracks SGT's. Would have been great but the position called for an NCO. Unfortunately the Army didn't see any need for an NCO, but we had no authority and the officers and NCO's we did have, wouldn't back us up so everybody laughed when we tried to get anything done.

The GI's still did the mechanical work in the shop but some of the labor was done by the French, parts cleaning, sweeping. There was a nice older Frenchman, probably 40 or 50 years old who handed out tools from the toolroom, stuff we didn't have in our own boxes. His name was Jean Stein and he lived in Nancy. We also had French drivers in the motorpool. Sometimes you would find an empty wine bottle in a truck cab, a fact of life in France.

Sometime in 1956 we moved into new three story barracks buildings. They were poured concrete and quite nice, didn't have to go outside to get to latrine like we used to.

During November or December 1954 I was on some company detail and at the end of the day I was told to report to the orderly room. Turned out Bob Hope was giving performance for troops in Paris and I was selected to go, we took a large bus load of troops from NOD. I got picked because I wasn't around and someone asked for volunteers without saying what for. Guess they thought it would be good joke on me. We saw the show and someone in group I got attached to found out Bob was putting on another show right after the one we saw, this one for 180th (I think.) anniversary of the Marine Corps. This person found out where show was to be and we took a taxi to the theater. We caught Bob Hope as he was going into building and all shook hands with him. Some of the guys got his autograph. On the way back to NOD the GI driving the bus had to stop for a light and swung in towards the curb as he stopped to make a little more room for cars going the other direction. There was a French Gendarme standing on the curb facing the street, he had on a really long billed cap and the bus mirror struck the bill of his hat and knocked it off. Boy, was he mad!! He made the driver open the door and stepped up into the bus and really gave him a good chewing out. I wish I knew what the Gendarme said, of course it was all French!! We were allowed to leave and the rest of the trip back to NOD was uneventful.

The rest of my stay at NOD was more or less uneventful and in May of 1957 I was sent to US on the USNS Geiger, the same ship I went over on. As a first three grader I pulled no duty and the weather was ok so was a good trip. I went by troop train to Fort Sheridan, Illinois where I was discharged to the Ready Reserve for the rest of my eight year obligation.

1. 109th Ord Co, NOD (KB)	2. HHC, Nancy Ord Depot sign (KB)	3. 4506 LS Co (KB)
4. Consolidated Mess (KB)	5. Depot water tower (KB)	6. 109th Ord Co barracks (KB)
7. Winter in Nancy (KB)	8. Bill East (left) (KB)	9. (KB)
10. Schwegel (right) (KB)	11. Tag-Along Howard (KB)	12. Tom Lee (KB)
13. John Baker (KB)	14. Walton (Bill) East (KB)	15. Tom Hatfield (KB)
16. Jerry Horton (KB)	17. Doran Ditlow, 1957 (KB)	18. Potbellied stove, 1955 (KB)
19. (KB)	20. (KB)	21. 2nd Echelon Maint Shop (KB)

Perigueux Quartermaster Depot

(Source: Email from Maurice Lewton, Perigueux QM Depot, 1956-)

History (as I remember it) of the US Army QM Depot, Perigueux, France APO 257
(Actually, the depot was located in Coulouniex-Chamiers)

This site was for the manufacturing of cement poles prior the Americans taking it over. (Betonarnes ?)

I don’t know when the Perigueux QM Depot was started, but sometime after WW 2.

This was a Quartermaster Depot, its purpose was to maintain and store material used by the US Army, Europe (C-rations (food), clothing, blankets and graves registration). This depot was also to receive the bodies of the soldiers killed in any conflict in Europe (Graves Registration).

US Army depots were scattered all over France and Germany to support and supply the US Army in Europe.

I arrived at the Depot in late April or early May 1956. The depot consisted of about 200 enlisted soldiers, and a little over 20 officers. It employed about 200 French nationals who did most of the work loading and unloading material.

The depot consisted of the following major buildings when I arrived in 1956:

1. Headquarters (2 story)

	1st Floor had the offices of the Depot Commander (Major Bradly) and his second, telephone exchange, crypto room, lavatory, and another room.
	2nd Floor had the Radio/Teletype room, military personnel records, secretaries (2 French Nationals that did the day to day typing), and 2 other offices.
	I worked on the 2nd floor in the Radio/Teletype room and in the military personnel records office.

2. Barracks (3 story)

	1st Floor was the Armory, store rooms, day room, photo laboratory.
	2nd Floor was the bunks for the enlisted men (I was on the 2nd floor).
	3rd Floor was the bunks for the enlisted men.
	Note: the barracks were not too old when I arrived, as some of the men talked about living in tents before it was built. It was one of the few buildings built for the Americans.

3. Mess hall/ kitchen

4. Company Commander and the First Sergeant

5. Enlisted Men’s Club

6. Officers Club (Very small building near water tower)

7. Library (was at one end of the Enlisted Men's club)

8. Chapel

9. Motor Pool

10. Warehouses

11. Dispensary (Doctor and Dentist)

12. PX (Post Exchange)

13. Snack Bar (like a small restaurant)

14. Guard House

15. Watch towers

16. Fire House (with a La France truck)

17. Movie Theater

18. Bowling alley

19. Other buildings that I don't remember

The Officers lived off the base in housing provided by the US Army (most lived in the houses built for the Americans at Chamiers.

Life on the Depot
In 1956, when I arrived, life at the depot was as follows for the enlisted men:

Get up at 6 AM, shower/shave, fall out into formation by 6:30
Company Commander would have roll call and inspection every morning
Then we would have police call (pick up the cigarette buts and trash on the grounds)
After that we went and had breakfast in the mess hall
Reported to work at our duty stations at 8:00
Back to the mess hall at 12:00 to 13:00
Our normal duty was over by 17:00

This was our typical schedule Monday through Friday. On Saturday we would have military duties until about 12:00. Sundays we were all off except for those that had special duties.

We had alerts from time to time. These alerts were for practice and also when there was any trouble in Europe. Also had alerts when the communists would rally in Perigueux. During the alerts we had to carry our M1 rifles with us all day, at work, at the snack bar and everywhere we went on the depot while the alert was on.

The Depot had a military intelligence officer or a CIA man, I never did find out which, but he spoke perfect French and perfect English. He would keep up on the news in town. He had contacts with the French Police in Perigueux. When I was a part time bartender at the officers club he would show up from time to time to socialize with the officers.

My job was Radio Repair, Teletype Operator and sometimes Radio Operator (CW). All the communications to and from the Depot were by Teletype or Radio (CW).The Teletype signals went on the French telephone lines and had to be encrypted and de-crypted.

When there were French Holidays, we sometimes had the French Army as guests. We had parades, competed with them in marching and close order drill. The French Army always performed the best; I think they had more practice. They were all about the same size, unlike the Americans who had tall and short soldiers.

In early 1958 the depot was reduced in personnel. Officers and Enlisted men were reduced to about 20. (Operation transferred to Boussac and Ingrandes APO 258). All the enlisted men were removed except for about 5 (which included myself) The reason some enlisted men stayed was because our jobs were critical to the operation of the Depot until it was closed. (Radio Repair, Radio/Teletype Operator, Crypto, Telephone, etc.) The French Nationals still numbered about 100.

I left the Depot in June 11, 1958 as my military service was completed.

Life in Dordogne
Perigueux was as beautiful as ever, no traffic except for a lot of bicycles in the morning and evening. Most of the French commuted by bicycle and moped. Parking was not a problem. There were very few one-way streets. Perigueux got its first traffic light in 1956 at Rue Chanzy and Maréchal Juin.

It snowed in the winter of 1957 - 1958. I remember driving down Avenue du General de Gaulle and at the bottom of the hill where the joins the Pt. la Cité, my Dauphine turned around several times when I tried to turn. The road was slippery about 10 cm of snow.

The Blvd. Montaigne had several fishponds with very big carp. Some of our soldiers would get drunk in town and fall into these ponds.The Military Police would have to go into town from time to time to get the drunk and unruly soldiers and bring them back to the depot for discipline. Since we were so few it didn't happen often.

Saturday night the French younger people would dress in their finest clothing and walk up and the Blvd. Montaigne.The French dressed very well in those days, men always wore ties, even those doing dirty work.

The people were, on the most part, friendly with us, especially those who were in WW II. Some of the young did not like us and the communists did not like us. When we were off duty, in town, we had to wear civilian clothes. I understand, that after I left in 1958, the French were getting to like us less and less.

Red table wine was about 12 cents (American) a liter. One Hundred French Francs was about 25 cents. My pay was $85 a month as a PFC, then to $105 when I became an SP3. We were paid in Script every month. Script was only good at the American facilities. We would exchange it for FF at the Depot for use in the local economy. Cigarettes cost us $1.50 a carton on the depot. We were allowed only 2 cartons a week and I used to sell mine in town for $3.00 a carton, as I did not smoke. Local gasoline was expensive, but we bought gasoline coupon books from the military that were good at all French Esso Stations. Cost us about $7 for 80 liters. I was only authorized to purchase one 80-liter book a month since I had a small car, Dauphine. We could buy all the gas we wanted on the Depot without coupons. When I left France I took a new 80-liter book to an Esso Station and they gave me 4 new tires for it. (Cours St. George)

Automobile dealers would come to the Depot and park their new cars outside the gate for us to look at. I bought a 1957 Dauphine and had to pick it up at the factory in Paris. I was torn between the Dauphine, Volkswagen and Panhard but the Dauphine looked nicer. (I should have bought the Volkswagen as they lasted a lot longer)

French food can't be beat. When I got to France, in 1956, I discovered French bread. I would go to the small outdoor restaurants and order French bread and butter with a glass of wine. There were many more small restaurants and bars then than now. I spent most of my off duty time looking at the sights in Dordogne, I especially liked to see the castles. (Dordogne has over 1000 and I still to this day have not seen them all)

I met a girl, who would later become my wife, at Pl. St. Martin, in Perigueux, during a small fair in the summer of 1956. (I think French girls make better wives than American girls). A few of the soldiers never left the Depot, they spent all their free time in the EM Club getting drunk and complaining about the Army. We had the draft then and almost everyone had to go in the military.

Perigueux only had one street that was "Off Limits" for the American soldiers; it was the rue Neuve (spelling may be incorrect) in the old part of town. I think the street may have been demolished.

Additional Information
I understand the Americans had an Army camp in Perigueux sometime after WW I, located near Cite Bel Air. A lot of the streets are named after Americans, Edison, Franklin, etc. Many of the houses were built by or for the Americans and still exist today. A friend, who is in his 70’s, said that his father talked about the camp and the Americans. His father told him that one day they all left without any notification.

Perigueux QM Depot

1. Aerial of depot, 1985 (179 KB)

2. With annotations (183 KB)

3. Depot, 1957 (119 KB)

4. Main gate and Snack Bar , 1956/57 (KB)

5. Looking NE (KB)

6. Maurice & Pierrette, 1957 (KB)

7.Maurice Lewton (KB)

8. The Underwoods, 1957 (KB)

9. Former QM depot, 1982 (KB)

10. Former QM depot, 1982 (KB)

11. Former QM depot, 1982 (KB)

12. Wide-angle view of main gate area and barracks building in the background, July 2006 (KB)

Toul Engineer Depot

1951 - 1966

The Birth and Growth of the Toul Storage Site

The US Army Engineer Depot Toul was activated on 26 September 1951 under the Command of Lt Colonel H. Dejarnette, III, then Commanding Officer of 552nd Engineer Service Battalion. There was little evidence that the area was once an airfield used during World War I and II.

The third platoon of the 83rd Engineer Depot Company and the first platoon of the 420th Engineer Field Maintenance Company were given the task of clearing the area of mud and debris.

Facilities at the time of activation consisted of only 15 buildings. Storage facilities were inadequate and trained personnel mere insufficient to handle the supplies as they arrived in November 1951. A tent city had been established by the 83rd Engineer Depot Company and 420th Engineer Field Maintenance Company upon their arrival and construction started on covered working space, storage pads, and roads. Lack of trained personnel hampered early construction efforts.

In the latter part of 1951, contracts were let to European construction firms for the construction of warehouses, rail spurs, permanent roads, storage areas and administrative buildings to make the US Army General Depot, Toul, a thriving military establishment.

The growing pains were many, the hours long and the first phase of construction of troop housing and rail spurs was not completed until late May 1952. More and more units arrived for integration into the mission of the Depot, and in December 1952, the US Army Engineer Depot, Toul, was changed from a Class II installation to a Class I installation.

Initial plans for the US Army Engineer Depot, Toul contemplated a relatively inactive type depot, since the supplies to be stored were to be primarily reserve stocks.

In 1955, plans were changed as the depot was to become the primary engineer issue depot for all of France and Germany. However, plans were again revised in 1956, providing for the depot to have a distribution mission for France only.

On 19 June 1959, the Toul Depot was redesignated as a General Depot with an Ordnance as well as an Engineer Supply Mission. On 1 May 1960, the depot was consolidated with the US Army General Depot, Nancy under COMZ GO #71.

On 1 November 1961, Toul Post was deactivated and Post responsibilities transferred to Nancy General Depot.

(Source: THE MILITARY ENGINEER, Nov-Dec 1955)

American Engineer Depot in France

When Caesar's Legions were in France, they established an occupation post, called Tullum, and on that same site is now located the Toul Engineer Depot of the United States Army -- storing, classifying, and distributing engineer equipment for the Advance Section and furnishing support for other commands in Europe.

Four years ago the site was a huge barren field of mud and rubble. After lying idle since the devastation of World War II, the area was turned over to the United States Army under terms of an agreement with the French signed in November 1950. The task of transforming this ancient Roman "post" into a modern military establishment was largely a battle against mud and obstacles. A network of truck roads and railroads to transport the equipment and supplies was a first requirement. While they were being constructed modern prefabricated troop billets were built to replace the hastily-erected tents and hutments originally used (Figure 1). Old buildings were reconstructed wherever possible. New ones were built and a coat of paint gave an air of permanence and beauty to the installation.

Warehouses, offices, and buildings for troop support activities were started to place the depot in operational condition.

Although the project is not yet completed, four years of continuous effort have resulted in an active depot with men and machines loading, unloading, classifying and processing thousands of tons of material annually (Figure 3). Modern maintenance shops and neatly parked equipment give evidence of the orderliness and efficiency that has been achieved.

In the development of military efficiency, the welfare of the troops has not been overlooked. New buildings house various clubs, a crafts shop, and dispensary. A new chapel, theater, and post exchange under construction were scheduled for opening this fall.

Morale of the troops is high -- an outstanding example of it being the baseball team, the Toul-Nancy Dodgers, that finished first in the Eastern Com Z League this year. Toul Engineer Depot also produced the five best netmen in the 1955 ADSEC Tenis Tournament, and the track team captured second place in the ADSEC meet. The Toul-Nancy football team also offers heavy competition to any challenger.

1. The early days

2. Toul Engineer Depot Main Gate, 1955

3. Maintenance on heavy equipment

Related Links
Saumur Signal Depot - website developed for the interest of the many soldiers and dependents who were stationed at the US Army 7794th Saumur Signal Depot at Saumur, France.
US Armed Forces Verdun, APO 122 - website featuring military installations and units in the Verdun, France, area from 1950-1967.
Chinon APO 256 - Larry Randall's website features US Army hospital, Chinon and Chinon Army Depot.
Orleans APO 58 - a new site started by Thomas Lindenberg that will cover all of the U.S. Army casernes that were located in or near Orleans, France (Calogny, Harbord Barracks, La Chapelle, Maison Fort & Saran Airfield).
Trois-Fontaines Ammunition Depot - a website by Alain Baubat for anybody who lived and worked at the Trois-Fontaines Ammunition Depot between 1952 and 1967