If you do NOT see the Table of Contents frame to the left of this page, then
Click here to open 'USArmyGermany' frameset

7th Medical Brigade
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 contact me.


Brigade History (19.. - 19..)

30th Med Gp

31st Med Gp

62nd Med Gp

Related Links



 
7th Medical Brigade History

7th Medical Brigade Organization, March 1966 (Footnotes)

Formation of a Medical Brigade Organization, CO-STAR II
7th Medical Brigade DUI
1965
(Source: USAREUR Medical Bulletin, May 1965, Vol. 22, No. 5)
Under the CO-STAR II configuration introduced in 1965, the vertical technical service oriented organization of the Field Army was eliminated and replaced by a horizontal, composite, functionalized, logistics support system. Its goal was to create a more efficient, responsive, and less cumbersome logistics organization.

The impact on the Army-wide medical services through the creation of a Medical Brigade under the newly established Field Army Support Command is described in the article above.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The three Medical Groups attached to the newly formed 7th Medical Brigade (Coffey Barracks, Ludwigsburg) were:

30th Medical Group, Krabbenloch Kaserne, Ludwigsburg
31st Medical Group, Cambrai-Fritsch Kaserne, Darmstadt
62nd Medical Group, Army Hospital, Bad Kreuznach

Units attached to the 30th Med Gp (list might not be complete):

128th Evacuation Hospital (Smbl), Krabbenloch Kaserne, Ludwigsburg
4th Surgical Hospital (Mbl), Krabbenloch Kaserne, Ludwigsburg
32nd Surgical Hospital (Mbl), Hindenburg Kaserne, Würzburg
Hq/Hq Det, 56th Medical Battalion, Wharton Barracks, Heilbronn
417th Medical Ambulance Company, Wharton Barracks, Heilbronn
556th Medical Ambulance Company, Wharton Barracks, Heilbronn
651st Medical Ambulance Company, Wilkin Barracks, Kornwestheim
546th Medical Clearing Company, Wharton Barracks, Heilbronn
595th Medical Clearing Company, Wharton Barracks, Heilbronn
574th Medical Detachment, Ludendorff Kaserne, Kornwestheim
757th Medical Detachment, Flak Kaserne, Ludwigsburg

Some of the units attached to the 31st Med Gp (list might not be complete):

7th Evacuation Hospital (Smbl), Cambrai-Fritsch Kaserne, Darmstadt
5th Surgical Hospital (Mbl), Nachrichten Kaserne, Heidelberg
31st Surgical Hospital (Mbl), Michael Barracks, Hoechst
Hq/Hq Det, 36th Medical Battalion, Yorkhof Kaserne, Hanau
427th Medical Ambulance Company, Yorkhof Kaserne, Hanau
557th Medical Ambulance Company, Yorkhof Kaserne, Hanau
695th Medical Ambulance Company, Yorkhof Kaserne, Hanau
547th Medical Clearing Company, Michael Barracks, Hoechst
4th Platoon, 421st Medical Company (Air Ambulance), xxxx

Some of the units attached to the 62nd Med Gp (list might not be complete):

2nd Evacuation Hospital (Smbl), Army Hospital, Bad Kreuznach
8th Evacuation Hospital (Smbl), Marceau Kaserne, Landstuhl
15th Evacuation Hospital (Smbl), Army Hospital, Münchweiler
46th Surgical Hospital (Mbl), Marceau Kaserne, Landstuhl
565th Medical Ambulance Company, Smith Barracks, Baumholder
517th Medical Clearing Company, Army Hospital, Bad Kreuznach
629th Medical Clearing Company, Air Station, Pruem
15th Medical Detachment (Hcptr Amb), Army Hospital, Bad Kreuznach

The 62nd Med Gp is comprised of Hq/Hq Det; three evacuation hospitals; one surgical hospital; three medical companies (one clearing and two ambulance); a helicopter detachment and a dispensary detachment (S&S June 7, 1965).

For additions or corrections, please contact the webmaster (see email link at top of page)

1968
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Oct 8, 1968 )
The 7th Medical Brigade, headquartered at Flak Kaserne, Ludwigsburg, has been placed under the command of US Army Medical Command, Europe. Previously (for the past three years), the unit was part of Seventh Army Support Command.

CO of the 7th Med Bde is Col Roger A. Juel; CG of USAMEDCOMEUR (and USAREUR Surgeon) is Maj Gen James T. McGobony.

USAMEDCOMEUR controls all medical functions, facilities and resources (units) in USAREUR and Seventh Army except those medical elements organic to major troops (such as medical battalions of the divisions).

(Source: Email from Elaine Everett Shelton, wife of James Dwight Everett, former member of the 762nd Med Det, Karls Ksn)
I cannot find any information on the 7th Army which was stationed at Karls Kaserne for sure in 1967 and 1968.  My husband was a Medic stationed there in a clinic, which also did physicals for the short timers going back to the states.  I remember there was also barracks in part of the same building. 

Karls Kaserne was located in Ludwigsburg and we were fortunate enough to live on the economy in a nearby little village called Kornwestheim.  I can see it clearly in my mind, but can find no trace of it on the Internet.  His 7th Army patch as I remember it, was like an upside 7? (Webmaster Note: this was the 7th Med Bde Patch - see above)   He finished up his two years as Specialist 4th Class. 

I was delighted to see you had emailed a picture of the VERY patch I was referring to.  I looked at the Google picture () of Karl's Kaserne and that is definitely the very place he was stationed. I could actually see the building that housed the dispensary and everything.  It looked vacant though with no cars visable, so I am assuming it is no longer being used.

 

It was in bad shape even in 1967.  The steam heat was piped in, I understand, from another city and it was always cold in the buildings, since there was no heat a lot of the time.  My husband was there from October, 1967 to October, 1968 and I went over in May, 1968 and stayed until Sept. 1968.  I was only there in the summer months, but when I arrived in May, it was still freezing every morning, and the old buildings were cold.  I also found the street we lived on in Kornwestheim and I believe I found the very house we lived in.   It was so nice reminiscing about one of the best times of my life and seeing those places again. 

We had a 1954 VW bug and every time he had days off, we were on the road going somewhere.  We went to Salzburg, Austria; all down in Switzerland; Garmisch; down into Italy to Rome, Venice, Pisa, etc.  A lot of my pictures got water damage two years ago, but I salvaged many.  With this information and the maps, I am going to try to create a scrapbook for our only son who is 35 now and born after we came back from Germany.  He has no clue of our lives in Germany and this information will help me very much in putting it all together. 

After I sent the email to you, I remembered my husband was part of the 762nd Medical Detachment.  I still haven't found any information about that.  I found a picture just a few minutes ago, that by miracle wasn't ruined and this is my husband standing in front of the sign at his dispensary, at Karls Kaserne, Summer of 1968. 

My husband who passed away was James Dwight Everett.  He trained at Ft. Polk, La. and received his specialty training in San Antonio.  He and another boy in his unit came down on two seperate sets of orders.  One set had them going to Viet Nam and the other set had them going to Germany.  Their superior officer by the goodness in his heart, let them choose their destinations. GOD IS GOOD!! Medics didn't fare very well in Viet Nam.  We had a good life even though he died at an early age, 100% disabled.  Nothing could ever erase the happy memories I have of those times. 

Thank you so much for all your help.  I greatly appreciate it.
If you have more information on the history or organization of the 7th Medical Bde, please contact me.

7TH MED BDE ORGANIZATION (MARCH 1966) - Footnotes

I have attempted to compile an organizational chart for the 7th MED BDE showing the brigade's structure after the reorganization of 7th Army support units under COSTAR. Corrections and any relevant details are very much appreciated (webmaster). Sources used for compiling the org chart: FM 8-6, Medical Service, Field Army, June 1965 (doctrine) and STATION LIST, 31 March 1966. (This is a draft and subject to change as new information or corrections are submitted.)

(1) 234th Medical Equipment Maintenance Detachment. (Were there any other TOE 8-500 units assigned directly to HQ 7th Med Bde?)
(2) 67th Medical Depot.
(3) 421st Air Ambulance Company with detachments located at various airfields.
(4) 485th Preventive Medicine Service Unit.

Return to chart

Related Links: