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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 contact me.

ComZ (Page 1)

USADC, Eastern Fr.

USADC, Western Fr.

List of ComZ Units (30 June, 1965)

Major Depots
Captieux Ammo Depot
Fontenet Ord Depot
Ingrandes QM Depot
Metz QM Depot
Nancy General Depot
Perigueux QM Depot
Sampigny Chem Depot
 Trois-Fontaines Ammo Depot
Verdun Signal Depot
Engineer Depots
Medical Depots
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)  
        at Donges  
        La Rochelle (at La Pallice)  
        St. Nazaire  
 
Captieux Ammunition Depot
 
1959
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, July 22, 1959)

Captieux Ammo Depot located south of Bordeaux, France, is USAREUR Com Z's southern most post. It is also one of the largest installations in all of USAREUR, covering approximately 23,000 acres in a wooded section near Captieux. It includes a 120-mile road network and 117 miles of telephone lines.

Like most of Com Z's depots, it was established in the early 1950s as the new line of communications was created through France. First came the depot warehouses, followed by troop facilities and finally housing units (in two nearby towns, Bazas and Captieux) for the depot families. (Some families live "on the economy.")

Captieux is the receiving point for ammunition arriving from the US. Most of the ammo comes through Bassens, a Com Z port near Bordeaux. From there the ammo is shipped by rail to the Captieux depot for storage. The ammo is stored in thousands of storage huts.

When the first elements of Army troops (7711th Trans Bn) arrived at the Captieux facility in the Fall of 1950 to establish the depot, they found a collection of bombed-out barracks and other buildings that had previously served as a French Air Force training and operation station in WWII. Ammunition arrived almost immediately and was stored in plasterboard and "filloid" huts, usually mounted on wooden planking. A rewarehousing program later placed the ammo on pierced steel planking, high above ground.

Recent rehabilitation and construction efforts have added a gym, new dependent school, movie theater, bowling alley, EM Club and other rec and athletic facilities.

Future plans call for the addition of more warehouses, a community building, another rail spur and concrete igloos to replace the current storage hutments.

 
Fontenet Ordnance Depot
 
1955
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Jan 28, 1955)
Fontenet Ord Depot 's primary mission is providing fifth echelon repair on ordnance equipment, to include everything from tanks to padlocks. This mission is in direct support of Com Z. It includes subassemblies, chassis and body parts, and the disassembly and rebuild of general purpose and combat vehicles.

However, between 1950 and January 1955, the depot was heavily involved with the MDAP mission under which the facility provided for storage and extensive rebuild of over 5,000 WWII-era vehicles destined for NATO countries.

After the end of WWII, the US Army collected a large number of excess WWII vehicles at points throughout Europe for storage. With the build up of allied forces under NATO in the early 1950s, it became necessary to process these vehicles to prepare them for delivery to the armoed forces of these countries. Under MDAP, which started in Nov 1950, the Fontenet depot would receive orders from an allied country and then perform maintenance and rebuild work on the desired vehicles. An inspector from the country would then check the vehicles before they were shipped to the designated country.

After the phase out of the MDAP mission, Fontenet depot will now increase its work force and revert back to its original mission.

MDAP .... Mutual Defense Assistance Program
 
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Sept 1, 1955)
Units located at Fontenet (incomplete list) at this time:
Hq, Hq & Svc Co, 601st Ord Bn (Armt Rebuild)
CompanyD, 601st Ord Bn (Armt Rebuild)
Storage Co, 7850 AU

Armt .... Armament
 
(Source: Email from John Trouve)
Reading your request for information on the 106th Transport Battalion operations in France between 1959-1963, I may have just a few basic information to contribute on the US Army depot at Fontenet during those years.

I was a civilian employee of the Post Engineer’s office at Fontenet US Army depot from late 1960 to mid-1963 and, following that, of the Post Engineer’s office at the Saumur US Army Signal depot until early-1965.

During my time, a unit of the 77th Engineers Batallion under the command of Colonel Griess and the 595th Transport Company (Heavy Lift) were posted at Fontenet.

At the height of the cold war, USAREUR designated the Fontenet depot as a Vehicles and Mobile Equipment Restoration Center. This included armored cars, trucks, tanks, field guns, engineers machinery, and just about everything else on wheels.

Fontenet was probably selected for its ideal strategic location:

a) - Directly situated on COMZ road network, but not too close of the Atlantic coastal fringe.

b) - Far away enough from the potential front lines in the East.

c) - Yet in proximity of a port (LaRochelle), from which spare parts shipments could be received directly from the States.

In addition to existing warehouses, the US Army had planned this formidable project to include several large factory buildings which were to be serviced by an industrial steam-generation plant and a railway spur linked to the French mainline railway network. Only the railway spur and the steam-generation plant were completed and, although all three of the gigantic furnaces were installed, only one was commissioned but was never put into service.

As we know, the project was abandoned when the then French president DeGaulle became errr… for the sake of good manners, let us say “uncooperative” with NATO.

I’m only guessing here, but the hypothetical role of a Heavy Lift Transport Co at Fontenet (the 595th at that time) “might” have been to move both damaged and restored vehicles between the on-post railway terminal and the planned workshops.

Regrettably, that’s all I can contribute to your opus and I have no photographs from either Fontenet or Saumur.
 
Ingrandes Quartermaster Depot
 

Ingrandes General Depot, Ingrandes-sur-Vienne (Bing)
 

Ingrandes General Depot (Ken Moe and 202nd MP Co website)
 
1954
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Jan 11, 1954)
The Ingrandes Quartermaster Depot was activated in March 1952. At that time Lt Col Homer E. Long and a small detachment set up operations on a 40-acre former French ammo dump. The had to initially clear the area of thousands of dud explosives.

Until September 1952, Ingrandes was a sub-depot of the Perigueux QM Depot. At that time the roles were reversed.

Today the depot, under the command of COL Jack E. Weske, covers 131 acres and many new prefabs, hutments and warehouses have been added to the original three buildings that already stood from the original French period. The depot furnishes all non-perishable subsistence for Base Section, and the Orleans and Seine Area Commands, and both perishable and non-perishable subsistence for Poitiers District, Chinon Engineer Depot, Saumur Signal Depot, and the Ingrandes depot. It also handles clothing, equipment and spare parts and performs fifth-echelon maintenance.

In 1953, the depot saw several new facilities open: the commissary, clothing store, an enlarged PX, service club, snack bar, and a six-bed infirmary.

By the end of 1954, all the men will be housed in hutments (some are currently still living in winterized tents).

Currently, the troop area and seven warehouses are still powered by Army generators. Only the headquarters building, PX, theater and barber shop are fed electricity from a French power line. A transformer is scheduled to be installed soon to provide power to the troop area.

Construction of 11 new warehouses is planned for the near future.

Families live on the economy. A new school building should be finished soon - students currently attend school in a French building in nearby Chatellerault. High-school students go to school at Chateauroux AB and live in dorms at the air base.
 

Troop area, Ingrandes General Depot (202nd MP Co website)
 
1956
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Jan 20, 1956)
Depot Maintenance Division
Chief of the Maintenance Division, Ingrandes QM Depot, is Maj Guy E. Roberds.

In 1952, the mission of the Maint Div was to rebuild and repair (QM) equipment for the Communications Zone.

In April 1955, the division expanded its role to include rebuilding office machines, appliances, calculators, adding machines, typewriters, and anything else found in an office that had moving metal parts, for USAREUR.

Recently, the division was assigned the additional mission of rebuilding and repairing combat-type QM equipment for USAREUR.

Now, worn-out or damaged laundry units, cranes, various types of vehicles, electric motors and other equipment will be brought via rail (the depot has its own railhead) from all over France and Germany to the depot for the necessary work.

The Maint Div stocks approximately 38,000 parts.

An exchange pool for electric motors has been set up by the division. In addition, the division has mobile refirgeration teams that travel throughout ComZ to service installations within the command.

The division has a staff of 104 Army enlisted men and 171 French civilian employees. Plans are in place to increase the number of personnel soon. Once the division strength has been increased, new monthly production goals will be put in place:
-- Major end items (forklifts, tractors, and cranes): 39
-- Major assemblies (transmissions and differentials): 408
-- Minor assemblies (carburetors, generators, and fuel pumps): 900
-- Refrigerators and mechanical kitches: 169
-- Typewriters and office machines: (illegible)
-- Metal and wooden items: 250
 
Metz Quartermaster Depot
 
1950 - 1966

Colin Caserne, Montigny-les-Metz (Bing Maps)
 
Colin Caserne (a.k.a. Quartier Colin), Metz, France ()
 
(Source: Across the Face of France: Liberation and Recovery, 1944-63, by James A. Huston)
The main quartermaster depot in the Advance Section was the Metz QM Depot.

A small detachment of the line of communications unit (possibly from the 7965th Area Command) was sent to Metz in November 1950 to set up operations. The first depot, established in August 1951, was a subordinate unit (sub-depot) of the Giessen QM Depot in Germany. In October, the subdepot came under direct control of the European Command.

In February 1962, the sub-depot was redesignated as the Metz Quartermaster Depot.

In December 1952, the depot was assigned to the Advance Section and several satellite indstallations in the area were subsequently attached to the depot.

Depot headquarters was located at Colin Caserne, in Montigny-les-Metz. The main troop billets were located at Tournebride, two miles from the city.

The satellite facilities included:
A subdepot (Class I, II and IV supplies) at Woippy, seven miles north of Metz;
Cold storage areas at Metz and Paris;
Gasoline and POL subdepots at Buzy and Pouilly (near Metz);
additional five gasoline and oil subdepots (served by the Donges-Metz pipeline)
1956
(Source: a three-part series on Metz QM Depot, STARS & STRIPES, April 17 - 19, 1956)
The first Americans arrived at Metz on Oct 1 1951 to set up a supply depot to support 7th Army in Germany and units in the Advance Section (of Com Z).

The depot is divided into three main areas:
Colin Casern in Metz
Woippy Storage Area, north of Metz
Tournabride Area, south of Metz

Colin Casern is home of Headquarters, Metz Quartermaster Depot. Initially, work was done on getting the depot up and running. Supplies had to be stored, warehouses constructed, rail sidings and barracks built. There was little time for beautifying Colin Casern. Now that the storage areas are completed, efforts are underway to improve the housing and headquarters areas.

Just recently construction of the first units of the Woippy housing area - the first American community in eastern France - has been completed. Until now, American families in Metz have had to live on the French economy where there is a shortage of homes and rent is very high.

The casern itself offers many of the facilities found on most large US military posts in Germany - six-lane bowling alley; EM and service clubs; library; and a movie theater. The NCO club was recently remodeled and the Officers Club is new.

Woippy Storage Division - the storage division is responsible for a wide area. It issues all non-perishable subsistence for three commands: ADSEC in eastern France; Western Area Command and Wiesbaden Area Command in Germany.

The warehouses at Woippy provide approximately 735,000 square feet of indoor storage space. Recently, a large open storage shed covering 439,000 square feet was added. (Includes a woodworking shop where crates and boxes from incoming shipments are dismantled and rebuilt for future outgoing shipments to outlying installations.)

The Storage Division operates its own diesel switching engine over its 6,000 feet of railroad tracks. The division can handle up to 600 rail cars or their equivalent in semitrailers and trucks.

Initially, the warehouses on the depot were low, galvanized sheds. These are still in use but primarily for static storage. Two heated warehouses (each with 106,000 sq feet) were recently constructed and are now the center of today's activity. Forklifts carry boxes from the rail cars which have arrived from Com Z ports to the warehouses. As the items are broken down into smaller lots, a surveillance team test shipments for damage. The Woippy warehouses handle large lots of nearly everything that a messhall needs - flour, dehydrated products, potatoes, canned beef with gravy, maraschino cherries.

The Storage Division also has a Petroleum Branch. The branch directs three petroleum subdepots in ADSEC and supervises a petroleum products testing laboratory at the Tournabride Area. The lab (staffed only with enlisted men) is responsible for analyzing all depot petroleum stocks, reserve stocks of other ADSEC organizations and the gasoline sold at French filling stations to American personnel. The lab also tests stocks used by the 12th Air Force bases in eastern France.
 
1961
(Source: Email from Larry Howell, son of Roland W. Howell who was stationed at Colin Caserne, Metz during the Berlin Crisis)
My dad was SFC Roland W. Howell. His unit, A Company 34th QM BN, left Ft Lee, Va. in the summer of 1961 for Metz, France (Colin Caserne) in response to the Berlin Crisis. Dependant travel was banned.

My family traveled to England to stay with my mother's family and joined my father in Metz in March 1962 when travel was authorized again. 

My dad's platoon handled POL supply.

Colin Caserne

 

1. Inflatable fuel tanks
2. Bus stop.

3. Two men from my dad's outfit.

4. POL equipment on display.
5. 5,000-gallon fuel tanker.
6. Roland Howell and unidentified Pltn Leader.		  

7. My dad and his platoon in formation
8. Dependent housing in Woippy.

 
 
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

2. HHC, Nancy Ord Depot sign
3. 4506 LS Co

4. Consolidated Mess KB)
5. Depot water tower
6. 109th Ord Co barracks 		   

7. Winter in Nancy
8. Bill East (left)
9. 		   

10. Schwegel (right)
11. Tag-Along Howard
12. Tom Lee		    

13. John Baker
14. Walton (Bill) East
15. Tom Hatfield 		   

16. Jerry Horton
17. Doran Ditlow, 1957
18. Potbellied stove, 1955 		   

19.
20.
21. 2nd Echelon Maint Shop
   
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, November 6 1955)
A large construction program has been underway almost from the time when the Nancy Ordnance Depot was formed in Nov 1951.

In the early days, much of the storage for equipment was outside. Roads were unpaved and personnel performed the various depot activities often in ankle-deep mud. Troops were housed in tarpaper shacks - better known as winterized tents. Depot administrative activities were perfomed in Butler buildings.

Phase Two of the construction project, soon to be completed, has seen contractors pave roads, build brick office buildings and administrative facilities. Nerve center of the depot will be the new stock control building being built near depot headquarters (near the main gate). It should be completed by December. The new building replaces several Butler buildings where the stock control activities are currently being perfomed. (The electric accounting machines used for stock control automation will also be moved into the new builing when it is ready. They are currently housed in the headquarters building.)

Phase Three, already underway, is the construction of more permanent troop barracks, a motion picture theater and a bowling alley.

The first storage warehouses were completed late in 1953. By late 1955, most of the equipment stored at the depot was being stored in warehouses or permanent sheds or were on skids and covered with tarps ready to be moved into new shelters as soon as they were completed.

A new wing is also being added to the headquarters building and a new commissary will be added. Currently, military personnel and dependents have to catch a ride on a deuce-and-a-half for the trip to Toul-Rosiere AB, the nearest commissary (a 46-mile round trip).

One of the main new buildings already completed is the bin warehouse in the depot's maintenance and storage area. It stretches along the railhead for almost a quarter-mile.

Large hangar-like sheds, having a single span and open on all four sides, are used for storing large pieces, crated items and certain vehicles that cannot be weatherized and placed on hardstands. Once these type of sheds are filled, they are neatly sealed with canvas which is wrapped around the sides from the roof to the concrete base.

The depot should be receiving its own diesel switch engine soon. In the meantime, trucks on railroad sheels pull freight cars to the railhead.

Additional buildings to be completed by December:
three 216-man barracks
a 1,000-man mess hall
a new main gate
a T&I building
a cinemascope movie theater
 
 
Nancy Ord Depot
If anybody who can help identify some of these buildings or has input on the Nancy Depot in the 1950-60s, please contact the webmaster


1. Motor park
2. Barracks
3. Barracks 		   

4. Pre-fab depot buildings
5. Winter in Nancy
6. Winter in Nancy		    

7. New construction
8. Service Club
9. Military Bus Stop		    

10. Bulletin Board
11. Troop Commander sign
12. Wrecker 		   

13. Dependents with POV
14. Train Station - where?
   
(Source: Letter from Jean Kauffmann, France)
 
I was employed at Nancy General Depot for 11 years, from 1953 to 1956.

Initially, I worked as a statistical draftsman (1953-56) and then as manager/advisor in the Plans and Engineering office (1958-67).

I found your study on NOD and GDN interesting. I think that I was the draftsman who drew the map (of the Nancy depot) that you show on your website. This period was a pleasant time for me and I kept some very good souvenirs of this time.

If you need some information that I can give to you, it will be a pleasure for me to answer. I am now retired but I still remain in "touch" with US Army history by reconditioning old WW II vehicles with which we commemorate the liberation of France, especially in the Provence, on the 15th of August in Cavalaire.

LEFT: French language insert in the Nancy Depot newspaper
 
 
(Source: Email from Claude Montigneaut, France)
Please find attached some pix of the NANCY ORDNANCE DEPOT today. If you could use them ... Let me know if you are looking for something else. It would be a pleasure to help. I live in NANCY.

I am a license plate collector (U.S. FORCES / CDN FORCES IN FRANCE & GERMANY during the Cold War till nowadays).

You manage an outstanding website.

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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
2. With annotations
3. Depot, 1957

4. Main gate and Snack Bar , 1956/57
5. Looking NE
6. Maurice & Pierrette, 1957		  

7. Maurice Lewton
8. The Underwoods, 1957

 

9. Former QM depot, 1982
10. Former QM depot, 1982
11. Former QM depot, 1982
  

12. Wide-angle view of main gate area and barracks building in the background, July 2006
 
 
Sampigny Chemical Depot
 
1953
(Source: Letter from Bob Cannon, 337th Chem Depot Co, Sampigny, 1953-55)
Please find enclosed photos and information about the 337th Chemical Depot Company at Sampigny, France (), during my time there 1953-1955.

At first I was hoping to meet other GI's from that time and still am, but also hoping now to provide information to your web site about the 337th because none exists it seems anywhere.

The 337th Chemical Depot, as I remember my time there in Sampigny, France, was a time well spent with approximately 100 enlisted men and 10 officers on a area of land on the east side of Sampigny, approximately 1/2 mile x 1 mile in size. At the time Sampigny Chem Depot seemed small having come from Ft Sill after basic.

It was a cold day as I rode a 2½-ton truck down from Verdun to Sampigny, and took my duffel bag and walked across a muddy field to our tent, and moved in with 5 other privates. I wish I could think of their names - part of the reason I am writing this memoranda is to perhaps make contact with someone who served in Sampigny at that time.

Thanks for this Website I know more about Com Z now then I did then.

I was assigned to the 13th Chemical Battalion (SVC) motor pool, driving a 2½-ton truck to Verdun for supplies and on occasion over to Trois Fontaines Ord. Depot to pick up a movie film and army training films. A popular song of the day was "I Know I Will go from Rags to Riches" by Julis la Rosa. That was a good idea, that way its only one way to go.

The 337th Chem Depot primary operation was to received, store and ship out chemicals including liquids as ordered. The Depot was headed up by Colonel Campbell; Capt. Sherman B. Richardson - adjuntant, and 1st LT Morris E. Williams of the motor pool. From the motor pool and the 13th I was transferred to the 337" warehouse across the road where Capt. Charles F. Barrie and 2nd LT Frederic D. Shannon were in charge. My direct supervisor was S/Sgt Anderson.

Thinking back to those day of black and white pictures and half forgotten faces, I have read their names on old orders and remember that the personnel at Sampigny represented a diversity of backgrounds but experience was yet to be earned, because most were young. But I can only speak for myself. All served their country well. Drug use and theft was unheard of in Sampgny as far as I know.

Another order by Lt. Colonell Cambell worth remembering, we could not leave camp in civilian clothes without dress coat and tie. I took leave to Paris a couple of times, traveling by train from Commercy to Paris.

In recent years I have traveled back to Paris and walked down Rue Pigal to the very comer where in the 1950's GI's would be standing around eating hotdogs and hard buns with hot mustard, late on cold nights.

By 1955 my two years were up and I retraced my path back to Verdun, Metz and by train to Bremerhaven to catch the USNS Taylor to New York and a train to camp Chaffee Ark, and discharge. Like so many at that time I was thinking about making a living.

Now that part of my life is over I have been thinking about 1953 in Sampigny -- about muddy roads, pot belled stoves, KP, shoe polish, cold cuts on Sunday afternoon, line up for chow, and the coffee is free. Everything changes they say, so be it.

For what it is worth, I am proud to have served our country.

 

Legend:

1
   Main Gate
2
   Administration; Medical; PX Bldg; 337th Chem Co
3
   Motor Pool; Mechanical Bldg; 13th Chem Bn
4
   Parade Field; Flag poles; Bulletin Board; Movie Theater; Post Chapel
5
   Paint and Carpenter Shop
6
   Mess Hall; Bowling Alley
7
   Outside storage
8
   Warehouse
9
   Warehouse
10
   Latrines
11
   Tents -- Enlisted Men living quarters
12
   Test field
13
   Enlisted Mens Club
14
   Supply tents
15
   Vehicle Park
16
   Showers and Latrines

Sampigny Chem Depot

 

1. Main gate (KB)
2. Main gate (KB)

3. Bulletin board and parade ground (KB)

4. (KB)
5. (KB)
6. (KB)		  

7. Outside storage (KB)
8. Movie theater and chapel (KB)
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10. Motor pool (KB)
11. Supply tents (KB)
12. Enlisted mens tents (KB)
  

13. Bowling alley (KB)
14. Inside an enlisted mens tent (KB)
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17. (KB)
 
Related Links
  Chinon APO 256 - Larry Randall's website features US Army hospital, Chinon and Chinon Army Depot.  
  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.  
  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.  
  US Armed Forces Verdun, APO 122 - website featuring military installations and units in the Verdun, France, area from 1950-1967.