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30th Medical Group
7th Army
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).

Group History (1955-Present)

56th Med Bn

47th Med Det (HA)

128th Evac Hosp

274th Med Det (HA)

Newspaper articles


 
30th Medical Group History
1955 - Present
(Source: 30th Medical Group History)
30th Medical Group DI

Post-WWII
After V-E Day the 30th Medical Group was assigned responsibility for supervising the hospitalization of repatriated allied military personnel, prisoners of war, and displaced persons in an area of approximately 350 square miles (Webmaster Note: in the 9th Army zone), embracing the cities of Wittenberg, Salzwedel, Hannover, Braunschweig and Magdeburg, Germany.

After accomplishing this mission the Group was moved to Koppel, Germany, near the college town of Marburg to prepare for redeployment to the Pacific Theater. The Group departed Germany on 27 June 1945 for Camp Philadelphia near Rheims, France, for processing of personnel and equipment. It departed that station on 8 August 1945 enroute to the Calais Staging Area near Marseilles, France. While at the staging area the war in the Pacific ended, and the Group received orders reassigning it to CONUS. The unit departed Marseilles on 20 August 1945 aboard the USAT Boronqueen, arrived in New York on 30 August and proceeded to Camp Kilmer, NJ.

Germany 1955 and beyond
On 21 February 1955, the Group - at zero strength - was transferred to US Army, Europe as replacement for Headquarters, 95th Medical Group. The 30th was assigned to Seventh Army with station at Landstuhl Army Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany in accordance with GO #10, Headquarters, Eighth Army (Forward) (it had been stationed in Korea) and GO #231, Headquarters, USAREUR, 1954. On that same date, the Group acquired by attachment two Evacuation Hospitals, three Surgical Hospitals (Mobile, Army), a Medical Battalion (Separate), five Medical Companies (Separate), two Medical Companies (Hcptr)(Amb), seven Medical Detachments (OA-KI cells), and three Labor Service units (German), all in a training status plus one Evacuation Hospital (operational) attached for training only. The 30th Med Group performed its normal mission at this station and was in support of Army troops in the rear of VII Corps.

On April 1, 1955, Headquarters, 30th Medical Group moved from Landstuhl to its present location in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Attached units consisted of one Medical Battalion, two Surgical Hospitals, one Evacuation Hospital, a Preventive Medicine Company, a Medical Company (Air Ambulance), and eight Medical Detachments (OA).

Members of the 30th Medical Group accompanied the task force to Lebabon from 26 July - 14 October 1958. Elements of the 30th Medical Group have performed distinguished service while providing relief to flood stricken areas in Somali, 26 November 1961 - 7 January 1962; Tanganyika, 26 April - 19 June 1962; and Morocco, 8 - 13 January 1963. Group personnel also participated in missions to the earthquake disaster areas of Iran, 5 September - 5 October 1962 and Yugoslavia, 27 July - 15 August 1963.

In June 1965, the Headquarters, 30th Medical Group and its attached units were released from assignment to Seventh Army and reassigned to Headquarters, 7th Field Army Support Command. Effective 1 September 1965, the Group was further attcahed to Headquarters, 7th Medical Brigade and in 1974, the 30th Medical Group was assigned to 2nd Support Command (Corps) and given the mission of providing medical care to VII Corps.

On 21 June 1976, the 30th was reassigned to the US Army Medical Command, Europe, the predecessor of 7th Medical Command. HHD was further reassigned to VII Corps on 21 October 1978 and then 3rd Corps Support Command on 17 October 1991 (after VII Corps had been inactivated).

The 30th Medical Group was reorganized as the 30th Medical Brigade per Order #175-5, dated 25 October 1991, effective 16 March 1992. The unit still serves in Germany as an element of V Corps.
If you have more information on the history or organization of the 30th Medical Gp, please contact me.
 
(Source: The Champion, August 30, 1989)
30th Med history told

The 30th Medical Group dates from October 1, 1933 when it was constituted in the Regular Army as the 30th Medical Regiment (Armored). It was called into active service at Camp Berkley, Texas, on July 25,1942 and was redesignated as the 30th Medical Group on September 1, 1943. The unit was transferred to Liverpool, England in 1944 and left from there for Omaha Beach, where it provided support to the staging area at Valogne. On December 4, 1944 the Group reassigned to the Ninth Army in support of actions in the Rhine and Ruhr Valleys and in the drive to the Elbe River.

After the war the 30th Medical Group supervised the hospitalization of repatriated allied military personnel, prisoners of war and displaced persons. Upon completing this mission, the unit returned to CONUS where it served in a training status at Camp Swift, Texas, Camp Polk, Louisiana and Fort Benning, Georgia. It was deactivated at Fort Benning in 1949.

In 1953 the Group was reactivated in Korea where it coordinated the operation of all medical units in 8th Army area, as well as providing primary medical and dental care and evacuation for UN troops. The unit was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for this action.

In 1955 the Group was transferred to USAREUR, assigned to 7th Army and stationed at Landstuhl Army Medical Center. In addition to its training mission it supported Army troops in the rear of VII Corps. In 1955 the Group moved to Coffey Barracks, where on September 1, 1965 it was attached to Headquarters, 7th Medical Brigade. In August 1973, the Brigade Headquarters was deactivated and the Group became directly subordinate to Headquarters USA Medical Command. October 26, 1979, 30th Medical Group was transferred to 2d Corps Support Command, VII Corps and now consists of HQ and HQ Detachment, two Combat Support Hospitals and two Medical Companies.

The mission of the Group is to furnish health services support to all VII Corps units and other U.S. or allied forces in the sector as directed.
 
(Source: Jon Bacon, 10th Trans Gp (Hwy Trk), Hq/Hq Det, 4th Trans Bn; 590th Trans Co; 47th Med Det (HA); 4th Surg Hosp(MA); Co C 547th Engr Bn (Bridge Builders)
After a serving at Flak Kaserne in Ludwigsburg in the 10th Trans Grp, 4th Trans Bn HQ Det and 590th Trans Co, I transfered to the 47th Med Det (Helicopter Ambulance), Illesheim Installation for a short time in late 1960. Then I transfered to the 4th Surgical Hospital (Mobile Army) in the same building as Headquarters, 30th Medical Group at Krabbenloch Kaserne in Ludwigsburg, Germany. In 1960 I was tranfered to Luwigsburg. We flew over Regensburg (what a view!) and "Whiskey Outbound" (http://www.ansbach.army.mil/locallandmark.htm) on the way to Ludwigsburg.

At the 47th Med Det, I remember a seat of the pants pilot / CO but I am not sure of his name. I worked for 1st Lt Dan Acosta and SFC William G. Tulloch. I was supposed to be a clerk even though I was not trained for it. I remember Pelar Garza (Pilar), Sp/5 Bob Shine, Sp/4 Albert Cassady, Sp/4 Taylor, Pvt. William E. McKee, Pvt John P. Lucore and Cree. I think McKee and Lucore were promoted when I was there. Some of the men and a chopper or two were TDY or lived off site and worked away from the Hanger so I did not get to know them. I remember seeing the painted over 8th Infantry Division insignia on one of the Choppers. Someone said that one of ours was leaking and the 8th Inf CO's was "taken" as a replacement.

The old lady who took care of our barracks always came in the morning saying "aufstehen" until Lucore would say "Get out so we CAN aufstehen". She always smelled of BO so someone gave her a new bar of soap. She still smelled bad after that. Someone said she sold the soap.

In the 30th Medical Group, I worked for Master Sergeant Maskel of 30th Med Group training as an Audio Video operator. I was licensed at the AAFES school in Munich and received my Methods of Instruction training at 30th Group. We provided training to medical and non-medical officers in Med units. Otherwise I worked in 4th SHMA Pharmacy Lab and X Ray. Sometimes I worked for the German-American Affairs Activity. 128th Evac was in the next building.

Then I transfered to Co C, 547th Combat Engineer Bn (Bridge Builders) at Kelley Barracks in Darmstadt. We trained on various bridges and field maneuvers and we spent part of the winter in Mannheim building a tent city for the Berlin Crisis troop movement. In Combat Engineers, the CO found that I was good at electronics so I worked in Radio Maintenance. That I could do. In Sep 1962 I rotated back to the States 6 months late because of the Berlin and Cuban crisis.

In 1963 I enlisted again and attended Signal school at Ft Monmouth and continued service in Hawaii 'til 1966. I served for 3 years mostly in Europe and then 8 months reserve and then another 3 years active mostly in Hawaii. After the Army I worked for Department of Defense High Priority Army Communications in the West Pacific and Air Force Communications in Western Alaska. I have been in Industrial and Aerospace Electronics since then. I currently work with Flight Management Systems.
Jon Bacon
 
56th Medical Battalion
19.. - 19..
(Source: Email from Bill Thomas, 595th Med Co (CLR), 1966-68)
I wrote you some time ago about components of the 30th Med. Group not included in these writings. I was a part of the 595th Medical Co. (Clearing) which was part of the 56th Med. Battalion which was part of the 30th Med Group.

Other companies in the battallion were, as I recall, the 546th Medical Co. CLR, and three ambulance companies, and a HQ CO.

I was assigned from 1966-68 at Wharton Barracks in Heilbronn, Germany and then relocated to McKee Barracks in Crailsheim, Germany. Everyone was relocated back to the states in early 1968 as part of something called Operation Reforger. As I recall, this was the relocation of about 100K troops back to the US.

I'm vacationing in southern Germany this summer and will visit Heilbronn and Crailsheim. I have not been able to get much current info about the status of those posts. I have been able to contact the son of the people my wife and I lived with off-base. We are to meet him and his brother and sister while we are there.

I shared some names of a few people I remembered in my earlier writing. One exercise I remember took a special unit from my company to Moron and Zaragosa, Spain in support of a joint airborne exercise.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATON
Thanks for returning my email so quickly. There appears to be a sizeable void in information about elements of the 30th from 1965-'75. I might have some information about some of the units' locations and duties from 1966-'68.

Group HQ was in Ludwigsburg in 1968. I remember because I had to take a complaint to the IG and was interviewed there.

I'm not certain the 595th Med CO Clr was part of the 56th Medical Bn. It might have been the 51st. Either way, we were made up of two clearing companies (field hospitals) and three ambulance companies. I think I remember the 417th was one of them.

Wharton Barracks in Heilbronn was my initial post. With the change from 7th Army to the 7th Medical Brigade, the entire battallion was assigned to Crailsheim in early/mid 1967.

All elements of my battallion were sent back to the states in '68 as part of something called "Operation Reforger", part of 100,000 troops being sent back to bases in the US. My company was assigned to Ft. Devens. I don't know where the other elements were assigned. I was given an early release to go to college in August of 1968.

I was part of a unit activated to go to Israel during the 6 Day War of 1967. We got as far as the tarmac of an air base, waiting for a C-130 to take us to Israel for medical support.. We were being issued as many clips of live ammunition as we wanted when word was sent down the war was over.

Beyond that, it was limited to a 30 day TDY to Spain for medical support of a joint Spanish/US airborne exercise, and monthly drills in the woods to set up our equipment, and 90 day TDY assignments at hospitals and dispensaries.

I was TDY to the 5th General Hospital in Bad Cannstatt, just outside Stuttgart. Another TDY was with the base dispensary in Heilbronn.

I remember taking and picking up TDY personnel at Dachau.

Most of the time I drove a deuce and a half and then a jeep for the XO. A lot of my time was spent in the motor pool as my MOS as an x-ray tech was pretty useless when I discovered the machines intended for field hospitals proved to be faulty and were dropped from our inventory but the personnel slots somehow were not.

My wife and I lived off-base because of my lack of rank and time in service. We still managed to buy a car and see some of the world while we were there. Sadly, I did not get contact info from some of the guys I once knew. I found a cook from the 546th some years ago. His wife was there and my wife and I ran around with them some. Another was a basic medic assigned to my company who was kin to an aunt (by marriage). The wife and I liked him and took him with us when we went to some special places. He became an arson investigator for the Alexandria, La. fire department.

My wife and I are scheduled to go to Germany on July 7th for two weeks. I have not been able to confirm ANY active units at McKee Barracks or Wharton Barracks. I have hopes of actually going onto the bases just to see what all has changed. What with the security the way it is now, that may not be possible.

We are renting a car and driving ourselves from Munich to Stuttgart, to Heilbronn, to Rothenberg, to Salzburg, to Munich over the two weeks.

I have a very few pictures of some of the guys in my unit I can share if you are interested.

It looks like you have a lot of work involved in this effort. I'd be pleased to provide any help I can though it was 40 years ago.

TRIP REPORT
My wife and I returned from Germany this past Saturday. We toured all of the towns we remembered from the late 1960's.  You are correct about Wharton Barracks in Heilbronn, it is closed. The Polizei I spoke with said the base had been closed since 1990 and the city had bought the property.  Most of the acreage was in apartments but about half was in an existing and a new construction of Polizei facilities.
 
Crailsheim was essentially the same story with one item of special interest to me.  The family we lived with produced 2 architects, just like their father.  One of them helped design and oversee the renovations of the dependent housing into apartments while the barracks areas and maintenance shed areas were leveled and new single occupant houses had been built.  It seems a large contingent of "foreigners" had moved there and many of them were concentrated on the former base.  A new school was also on the former base to take care of the newcomers.
 
A brand new McDonald's sits across the street from the former gate to McKee Barracks.  We stopped there just to get a Coke with some ice!!!!!
 
I did take time to stop at Kelly Barracks in Stuttgart and we saw a sign for Robinson Barracks. Guards at Kelly indicated the 5th General Hospital in Bad Cannstatt was also closed about 1990 and it too had been converted to apartments.
 
We toured the castle in Heidelberg and saw one uniformed soldier outside the army hospital there.  Much has changed but it needed to.
 
I hope this info helps confirm or fill in a few holes for you.  Reading your site and email from you prepared me for most of the changes
 
47th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance)
1954 - 1961
(Source: 47th Med Det (HA) History submitted by Alfons Kraus, a German national who has been doing research on the History of the US Army Aviation in Germany for several years)
47th Medical Detachment (HA)

The 47th Medical Detachment (HA) was activated on 15 July 1954 at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

The 47th was ordered to move to Europe and sailed from New York for Bremerhaven, Germany in November 1954. The unit was kept uninformed about its final destination. Finally the train conductor on the train they had taken from Bremerhaven told CPT Kuchera that they would be unloaded at Bad Windsheim, West Germany. There they were picked up by trucks from an ordnance battalion, which transported them to Illesheim Kaserne.

47th Med Det Pocket Patch
  The US Army base was located in what had been five well-camouflaged hangers where Stuka dive-bombers were assembled during WW II. The Germans had not built a runway at the site, but moved the assembled aircraft at nearby airfields by truck. The Americans had constructed an asphalt runway.

Approximately six weeks after arrival in Illesheim, the pilots picked up five new H-13Gs at Mannheim and flew them back to Illesheim. In 1956 the H-13Gs were traded in for five H-19Cs, one of which was kept on permanent standby at Grafenwoehr Training Area.

The 47th supported the Army units assigned for training at the Wildflecken Training Area. It also rotated coverage with the 274th Medical Detachment for the Grafenwoehr Training Area and the armored cavalry unit that patrolled the nearby Czech border. Most emergency evacuations were from Grafenwoehr and Vilseck Training Areas to the 130th Field Hospital in Nürnberg.

CPT Jack Snipes was in command in July 1958 when the 47th was alerted for deployment to Beirut, Lebanon. Also deploying with the unit were CPT Henry V Capozzi, LT William Campbell, and LT Kenneth Armstrong. Since the 47th was not at full strength, it was augmented by pilots from the 274th Medical Detachment, LT Richard Healy, LT Donald Bush and LT Vincent J. Cedola.
The deployment followed an urgent request by pro-Western Lebanese President Camille Chamoun for intervention in Lebanon on 15 July. Lebanon was beset with political unrest among its internal factions as the Arab world evolved into pro Western and anti Western factions. On 14 July, King Faisal of Iraq was murdered, prompting fear of the fall of Jordan, which was allied with Iraq, and a collapse of government in Lebanon. Two Marine battalion landing teams landed on Red Beach near Beirut International Airport on 15 July. The Army set into operation a contingency plan developed in late 1957, and sent an airborne battle group from the 24th Airborne Brigade in Germany as part of American Land Forces Task Force 201.

The 47th Medical Detachment was one of the support elements of the Task Force that followed by ship. Its H-19Ds were flown from Illesheim to the docks at Bremerhaven, where the personnel and aircraft were loaded on the USS Comet, a prototype roll-on, roll-off ship between 22 and 26 July. On arrival in Beirut, the helicopters were off loaded on to narrow commercial piers where they were manhandled to the edge of the piers. The blades were unfolded and the engines started. With little clearance from the pier sheds, and little attention paid to the fact that they had been in sea storage for a week, the aircraft were flown out to sea over the port buildings and ships and to the Beirut International Airport, where camp was set up in tents in the 2000 year old olive groves east of the airport.

The primary mission of the 47th was the combat support of the American Forces. It also provided twice a day sick call to Marine medical stations on the high ground around Beirut, and 24 hour on call duty at emergency sites. The aircraft also delivered medical supplies to civilian locations. Fortunately, there was no protracted armed conflict, although there were occasional clashes in the nearby mountains, and one of the unit aircraft took a sniper bullet through a rotor blade.

In mid-October, the unit was loaded onto a small Navy carrier and transported to Leghorn, Italy. The flyable aircraft were flown back to Illesheim via France, since Austria, with its neutrality policy, would allow no overflights.

The 47th was inactivated on 21 August 1961. Its assets were used to form the Second Platoon of the 421st Medical Company (AA) which was activated on that date.
 
(Source: Email from Bill McKee, 47th Med Det, 1959-1962)

I was attached to the 47th, at Illesheim Kaserne, as a helicopter mechanic from 28 Nov 1959 to 9 Apr 1962. I crewed H-19D 55-3214 for a little over a year. My first duty as crew chief was at Graf. then Hohenfels several times one week at a pop. I was in Wintershield I and II, Brick Bound, and one or two other training ops.

When I arrived the 47th was just coming off of an alert for Turkey. The officers and men were as follows on 1 Dec 59:


PFC Bill McKee, age 21, next to his H-19D
  Pilots officers
Capt. Jack Snipes
Capt. Kenneth Armstrong
1Lt William Campbell
1Lt John Dean
1Lt Dan Acosta.

First Sgt
SFC William G. Tulloch

Clerks. office & supply
Sp/5 Fellts
Sp/4 Jerry Deem
Sp/5 Pelar Garza
Sp/5 Helms

Crew chiefs
Sp/5 Roy Hoy
Sp/5 Bob Shine
Sp/5 Wasfart
Sp/4 Maxwell
Sp/5 Felix Ledkins

Medics
Sp/5 Bailey
Sp/4 Hoffman
Sgt DeGise
Sp/5 Cosby
Sp/4 Taylor
Sp/5 K. K. Kass

Mechanics & gas truck drivers
Sp/4 Albert Cassady
Pvt. William E. McKee
Pvt John P. Lucore

Radio Operiator
Sp/4 Windel Walker
Not bad for 40 years, what?

I have talked to Lucore and Ledkins in the past year but no one else. I was told that Capt Jack had passed away in Texas not long ago and that Ledkins had seen Sgt Tulloch not long ago. I did run in to Ltc. John W. Dean in Chu Lia RVN in 68, I was a civilian Tec REP for Lier Siegler. I have not been in touch with him since. One crew chief from a later time was Sgt Richard C. Harman who was in the Golden Knights for several years in the 60s. He died of a heart attack a few years back at an auto race. Another later member was Sp/4 Glenn C Payne. He is in Midland Texas retired from the postal service.

I am the head of maintenance for the Ft. Smith Public Library in Ft. Smith, Ark. I do have some pictures of the H-19D air craft that were attached to the 47th, also some pictures of the personnel at the time.

I remember it was the 30th Med Gp that we were under while I was at Illesheim APO 177. We used to have to make a commo check with the 30th when we were on CQ.

I also remembered the a medic, SP/5 K. K. Kass. He was a WW II troop and had also been Heavy Weight Champion of USAEUR in the late 40s or early 50s. Also a PFC Cole, SP/4 Moore, and a old SP/5 - these guys were all medics who worked in the motor pool.

I was also in the 47th when it became the 2nd PLT. 421st Med Det. (Air Amb.) in late 1961. At about the time the Berlin Wall was built and we all got extended for the convenience of the government. That is why I had over a three year on my enlistment.

I could probably come up with most of the Officers and men of our unit when it was first organized. I do remember that the first company clerk at Nellingen was Dean Martin's oldest son, Craig Martin. He was part of one of the other small Med Det. Hel Amb units that made up the original 421 AA.

Major Phiffer was the CO. and Martin married his daughter. Two of the HQ Plt Crew Chiefs were SP/5 W. Shell and SP/5 Don Butcher.

I attended Helicopter Mechanics school and Ft. Eustis Va. with them summer and fall of 1959 we all shipped out for Germany on 17 Nov. 59.

47th Med Det (HA)
Illesheim

 

1. Aerial view of Illesheim Airfield (110 KB)
Click here to supersize (202 KB)
2. McKee and Det sign (106 KB)

3. Back side of Hangar #3 (95 KB)

4. Inside of Hangar #4 (74 KB)
5. H-19D takes off from Illesheim airfield (66 KB)
6. H-19D during Exercise Wintershield I, 1960 (114 KB)		  
 
128th Evacuation Hospital
1955 - 19..
The 128th Evacuation Hospital was reactivated on Jan 17, 1955. It was moved to Ludwigsburg, Germany on Aug 1, 1955.

On Sept 29, 1972 the 12th Evac Hosp was redesignated as the 128th Combat Support Hospital. Recently, the unit relocated to Nellingen Barracks.

The 128th has supported VII Corps from 1955 until the present. The unit;s mission: to provide hospitalization and area medical services in support of VII Corps and other forces, as required.
 
274th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance)
1954 - 19..
(Source: Email from Dr. Robert Romack)
The 274th Med Det was formed at Brooke Air Base but attached to Brooke Army Hospital, both in San Antonio in approximately april 1954.

We shared a WWI balloon hanger with Cpt. Kuchera (47th Med Det (HA)) and his similar group when they came in approx 3 months later. Each group had five H-13G Bells.

The 274th was shipped thru New York to Bremerhaven and on to Stuttgart (Nellingen air field) in approx Aug 1954. The 274th assembled 5 new H-13G Bell helios at Stuttgart municipal airport to be used as helio ambulances. Cpt Cross was commander with five pilots incl. Lt's Smith, Harker, Bosworth, Meachem??? and Martin who's father was General Martin in charge of all U.S. military in Germany.

274th and 47th Med Det helicopters in German field

  Mechanics incl Sgt Bernstead in charge with Cpls Buscher, Hill, Koppell, McIntosh and Romack. Assorted personal incl approx 5 drivers and 5 corpsmen as well as a supply and records enlisted men. Those names will be sent later as remembered. We had a few replacement members arrive prior to me leaving in aug 1956. I think Lt Healy was one.

Our first well remembered operation was the evacuation of a group of people who were in the largest flood on the Rio Grande while in San Antonio.

We sent our wounded to Ludwigsburg (Patch Barracks) I believe. I have gone to Germany many times since and was there two weeks prior to the closing of Nellingen base. I have heard of many occurances at Nellingen but do know them to be true. The large barracks and the hanger are supposed to be the only remaining buildings, and I wonder what happened to the town of Nelligen if all military left. I do hope some members can help me with names as too much muddy water has passed under my bridge.
Robert Romack

Lt. Bosworth with sign he made for five 'copters.

Cpl. Romack next to company sign. Lt. Bosworth made the sign and it was the det's unofficial signage.