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17th
Field Artillery Brigade |
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| 17th FA Brigade History | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1978 - 19.. | ||||||||||||||||||
17th Field Artillery
Brigade DUI |
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| (Source: Field Artillery Journal, Sept-Oct 1978) | ||||||||||||||||||
| The 17th Field Artillery Group was activated in Augsburg, Germany on 22 Aug 1978. Subordinate units of this headquarters will be the following: |
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| Commanding the reorganized unit (formerly the 46th Artillery Brigade) is COL Donald L. Burton. | ||||||||||||||||||
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- 1st Battalion, 36th FA In the Spring of 1957, the 36th FA Battalion was designated a GYROSCOPE unit and prepared to depart for Germany. The Battalion arrived in Europe and was assigned to Seventh Army on 13 Feb 1958, with its home station at Schwäbisch Hall. On 1 Aug 1963, the 1st Bn, 36th FA and 1st Bn, 83rd FA exchanged colors anbd home stations, which resulted in 1st/36th FA being stationed at Ferris Barracks, Erlangen. On 7 July 1966, the Battalion moved to Wiley Barracks in Neu Ulm and remained there until 12 Aug 1968. At that time it moved to Reese Barracks in Augsburg, and was later assigned to the 17th FA Brigade. - 2nd Battalion, 42nd FA 2nd Bn, 42nd FA was activated on 1 Oct 1973 as a LANCE missile unit at McKee Barracks, Crailsheim, Germany and was later assigned to the 17th FA Bde.. |
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| If you have more information on the history or organization of the 17th FA Bde (or any of the subordinate units), please contact me. | ||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Email from Mike Rogers, HHB, 17th FA Bde) | ||||||||||||||||||
| The 1/18 FA in 1982-83 was at Sheridan Kasserne in Augsburg. I don`t remember the name of the Barracks, but HHB Barracks were right next door to an NCO Academy. We had the Honor of unloading and carrying ALL the furniture up those stairs to the rooms before it opened. I also recall the Movie Theater on the way to the Mess Hall being right there. Service Battery was in our Barracks but the Firing Batteries were down by the Motor Pool. Also an MP unit next to us with Medics. Here are a couple pics from an 'Open House' when some German Comrads came to visit. One from HQ the other in the parking lot facing HQ. Amazing how clear the memories are after 23 years. |
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| 1st Bn, 18th FA (155mm SP) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1976 - 19.. | ||||||||||||||||||
 1st Bn, 18th FA DI (Dec 1982 issue) |
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| 2nd Bn, 42nd FA (LANCE) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 19.. - 19.. (72nd FA Bde) | ||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Email from Sean Kivler, 2nd Bn, 42nd FA - 1976-1979 (72nd FA Gp); 1981-1984 (17th FA Bde) | ||||||||||||||||||
| I was browsing your site once again and wanted to make a couple of comments reference the 2/42 FA BN of formerly the 72d FA Group then later the 17th FA BDE.
I spent 2 tours of duty with this battalion as a FA surveyor. My first tour of duty was March 1976 thru January 1979; and the 2d was September 1981 thru August 1984. My initial tour was spent on the survey crew for A Btry as a surveyor/computer. At this time the bn was subordinate element of the 72d FA Group of Wertheim, FRG. My survey chief(s) were SSG Alexander, SSG Penrose and SFC Eustice Smith. I can't recall the Btry Cmdr's name but do recall he was a short black man who got his commission while in the Republic of Vietnam. I do remember he later got "RIFed" during the days of the "hollow army" and went back to his former enlisted MOS as a gun chief in an artillery unit; I believe he had orders for Ft Polk, LA. This first tour of duty was spent typically in the field. Our missions always seemed to take us to the GDP area if not the LTA near McKee Barracks. More often then not, we were doing GDP missions in the vicinity of the then Czech border. I can remember a lot of cold and miserable days without proper gear and only the friendliness of a the German people we met along our travels. Crailsheim, what little time I did get to spend there, was a pleasant place and enabled me to make a lot of friends. As this was my 2nd tour to Germany, I already could speak German conversationally and this opened a lot of doors that most GI's couldn't get through. Places like the "New Yorker" discoteque and the "Gasthaus Stern" bring back good memories of those times I could get into town. I eventually bought a used car and spent many weekends and evenings away travelling the countryside. Even this told me that I wasn't seeing the people so I started "trampen" wie wir sagen.... thumbing from McKee Barracks to over the border destinations. Actually I spoke pretty decent German and French. These two languages with my American English, got me a lot of friendships all over the West European continent. My 2d tour as I stated, was from Sept of 1981 thru Aug 1984. This time I brought my newly wed wife with me and was able to get "Quarters" in the housing area across the street from McKee Barracks. I was assigned to C Btry as a survey section chief under Chief of Survey SFC Meiggs, and my rater 1Lt Eide. The other survey section chief was SSG Richard Humphries. The Btry Cmdr was CPT Schwarnenburg, the Bn Cmdr was LTC Fredrick E Van Horn and the CSM was named Wilson then later replaced by CSM Farrow. I admired the Bn Cmdr immensly as he was Airborne Ranger qualified and he had an esprit de corps attitude I haven't seen since, but many times tried to emulate. I got many Certificates of Appreciation from him that ended up in my promo packets and ended up on my "fiche" that said "Nuke 'em"; where our bn logo would've normally read: "Festina Lente"... Make Haste Slowly". I loved the runs he took us on after bn calisthenics; through furrowed fields at 0:dark 30 and would last for at least an hour, if not 2. That LTC always made me want to grab the battalion guidon and run with him and around the running bn formation. As survey teams, we spent the majority of our time living in tents in the field. Villages with names like Marktredwitz, Tirschenreuth, Weiden, and Bernau bring back some educational memories. I still have the VHS I took while on the Hof Border Tour. It still opens the eyes of those who thought we were only there for fun and games... (REFORGER). Many good times were spent with my associates in survey at the Rod & Gun Club on the Kaserne. By the way, the 501st SPT Bn was that bn eluded to by Robert Eide who made comments on your site. |
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| 19.. - 19.. (17th FA Bde) | ||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Email from Robert W. Eide) | ||||||||||||||||||
| I stumbled across this site pertaining to the 17th FA BDE, with your link as a contact for information. I was assigned to the 2/42 FA (Lance) on October 25 1980 as a 2LT assigned to Battery C. 1Lt Rick Harris was in command of Battery C, LTC Fred Van Horn was the battalion commander, Maj. John Westerlund was BN XO, Cpt Crary had A Btry, CPT Salzer had SVC Btry, CPT John Hughes had B Btry, and HHB was commanded by CPT (can't remember his name). I spent 18 months as a platoon leader and 18 months as BMO. LTC Van Horn had command for three years, into the middle of 1983. He initiated the Goetz Von Berlichingen ceremony for the officers and Sr. NCOs, sort of a battalion level St. Barbara event that was still going in 1986 when I visited the battalion during a REFORGER exercise. LTG Livsey became VII Corps commander during my time in Crailsheim and visited the battalion several times, including one memorable 'no notice walk in' to the motor pool when I was BMO. A few months later I escorted him to see the battalion during annual service practice (live fire) at NAMFI installation Crete. During LTC Van Horn's command he had several XO's including Maj Larry Taylor and one other between him and John Westerlund. I can't remember the middle one's name. I believe it was LTC Robert Wilson who succeeded Van Horn in battalion command. I last visited Crailsheim in 2002. McKee Barracks no longer exists. Only the trees remained and stacks of water pipes that were dug out of the ground. The housing area has been converted to civilian (3rd world national) housing and the DOD school is now a German grade school. I did find the widow of the German Maintenance Kaserne commander that adjoined the back of the McKee Barracks and she had fond memories of the early 80's when her husband commanded the German Kaserne. In fact, Werner made a point of finding me and meeting one time in Minnesota when he was visiting his daughter. Van Horn cultivated a close relationship with the local military and local police that paid off dividends during several incidents. I remain in contact with the daughter of the German colonel as she now lives in the States married to a former infantry officer. The 1/51 Inf Bn shared our Kaserne along with an ordnance company, a medical detachment, and a DS maintenance detachment. Those were great days and I have fond memories of my time there. |
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| (Source: Email from Dave Hein) | ||||||||||||||||||
| I happened across this site and noticed that there was a '?' after 2nd BN 42nd FA. Back in 1983-86 when I was stationed in Augsburg FRG, this battalion was part of the 17th FA BDE, VII Corps Artillery. 2nd Bn, 42nd FA was stationed at Crailsheim FRG, the other 3 battalions of the 17th FA BDE......1st Bn, 36th FA (8"SP), 1st Bn, 30th FA (8"SP), 1st Bn, 18th FA (155mm SP), were stationed in Augsburg. The 1-36th was stationed at Flak Kaserne and the 1-18th and 1-30th were stationed at Sheridan Kaserne. Hope you can use this info. I like your site. |
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