Berlin duty certificate

[speagle]

Here is a certificate my Mom and Dad (1st Sergeant-Berlin Brigade) received when he retired. (Sorry for the flash feedback).

[Long Thrust VI]

A nice & rare certificate. Military service in Cold War Berlin was a unique experience for American Soldiers. Military personnel serving in Berlin from 1945 - 1990 were awarded the Army of Occupation Medal. Those serving from 14 August 1961 - 01 June 1963 were awarded the U.S. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for serving in a "Cold War hot spot" during a period of International Crisis.

[IrishGunner]

Long Thrust, did you serve in Berlin?

I was there '83 - '86 in C Btry, 94th FA. We didn't get a great certificate like speagle's Dad! Although, I did get a nice 75mm pack howitzer canister brasso'ed and engraved.

[speagle]

Gunner,

How about a picture of your howitzer canister please?

[dond]

I was in Berlin from 89-91. No certificates then either.

[Long Thrust VI]

Yes, Sir, I served in Berlin, spring - summer 1963 as an Enlisted Soldier in an augmenting unit (1st Battle Group, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division). Beginning August 1961, in response to the Third Berlin Crisis, President Kennedy ordered the reinforcement of the U.S. Berlin garrison. Augmenting Task Forces were comprised of one Infantry Battle Group reinforced by a Light (105 mm) Artillery Battery, a Light (2.5 T) Truck Company, & lesser support elements. 7th Army, in West Germany provided the first two Task Forces (1st Battle Group, 18th Infantry, 8th Infantry Division & 1st Battle Group, 19th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division). In 1962 & 1963, augmentation was provided by 4th Infantry Division (Ft. Lewis, WA) & 1st Infantry Division (Ft. Riley, KS) which rotated reinforced Battle Groups, quarterly, under "Operation Long Thrust." From late 1963 - 1966 (following the ROAD reorganization), 24th Infantry Division in West Germany augmented Berlin Brigade by rotating Infantry Battalions into the City. It was my privilege to be in Berlin on 26 June 1963, during President Kennedy's memorable "Ich bin ein Berliner" visit.

[speagle]

Long Thrust,

Thanks for your comments.

It would be nice if you would post (at least) your first name for us.

Thanks again.

Ed

[IrishGunner]

Yes, Sir, I served in Berlin, spring - summer 1963 as an Enlisted Soldier in an augmenting unit (1st Battle Group, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division). Beginning August 1961, in response to the Third Berlin Crisis, President Kennedy ordered the reinforcement of the U.S. Berlin garrison. Augmenting Task Forces were comprised of one Infantry Battle Group reinforced by a Light (105 mm) Artillery Battery, a Light (2.5 T) Truck Company, & lesser support elements. 7th Army, in West Germany provided the first two Task Forces (1st Battle Group, 18th Infantry, 8th Infantry Division & 1st Battle Group, 19th Infantry, 24th Infantry Division). In 1962 & 1963, augmentation was provided by 4th Infantry Division (Ft. Lewis, WA) & 1st Infantry Division (Ft. Riley, KS) which rotated reinforced Battle Groups, quarterly, under "Operation Long Thrust." From late 1963 - 1966 (following the ROAD reorganization), 24th Infantry Division in West Germany augmented Berlin Brigade by rotating Infantry Battalions into the City. It was my privilege to be in Berlin on 26 June 1963, during President Kennedy's memorable "Ich bin ein Berliner" visit.

What a memorable time that must be for you. It would be great if you posted anything you have from that period...

[IrishGunner]

Gunner,

How about a picture of your howitzer canister please?

I haven't forgotten! Just forgotten where the camera is...

[Long Thrust VI]

IrishGunner, thank you for your interest. I have authored two published articles regarding that period: "FREEDOM AFFIRMED - A Berlin Veteran Remembers 26 June 1963" (about President Kennedy's Berlin visit) & "OPERATION LONG THRUST - Cold War Troop Surge Behind the Iron Curtain" (a history of the augmentation of U.S. Berlin Brigade from CONUS, units involved, etc.). If I can figure out how it's done, I'll post them both on this site. Or, it would be much easier to just email them to anyone who's interested.

Regards,

John

[IrishGunner]

John, posting articles on GMIC is quite easy! Here is the Article page link: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/page/index.html/_/articles/

You will see a button in the upper right "Add Article". Click on it and it will open a dialogue box that will guide you through the process; essentially it's cut and past into boxes similar to those you see here to make a post. I just uploaded my first article this week and found it very easy.

I encourage you to give it a try with your articles! They would be received very well I am sure!

[Long Thrust VI]

Gunner, my attempts to upload those articles were unsuccessful -- likely the result of my lack of computer skills. I'll keep trying until I get this thing figured out. I'm beginning to think my articles must be too long to post on this site. In any case, I've attempted to post some press photos taken the day JFK came to Berlin. These photos were taken on Clayallee as the President was enroute to the U.S. Clay HQ to address Berlin's American community.

Regards,

John

Edited February 11, 2014 by Long Thrust VI

[Long Thrust VI]

Gentlemen:

For those interested in the U.S. military occupation of West Berlin, this website is recommended: www.berlin-brigade.de -- Webmaster Reinhard von Bronewski has posted, to the best of my knowledge, the world's finest collection of information regarding America's Berlin experience. In addition, he's added Berlin memories of numerous U.S. Soldiers (including my two articles mentioned above). ENJOY!

My regards,

John

[IrishGunner]

I've visited that site often; excellent site.

[speagle]

REF #13:

John, Thanks so much for posting the web address for the Berlin Brigade. My Mom is 90 and has Dementia, however, when I showed her the pics on the site, she readily identified the type of housing she and Dad lived in. I know this is a fact as we have other pics that were taken while they were stationed there. It was enjoyable to travel back with her and listen to some of the "more reliable" memories.

Thanks again,

Ed

Edited February 20, 2014 by speagle

[Long Thrust VI]

During my unit's all to brief Berlin assignment I quartered at the U.S. Army's Andrews Barracks, a facility of significant history, surrounded by brick walls. On one of those walls is a plaque which reads:

PREUSSISCHE HAUPTKADETTENANSTALT

1878 - 1920

Erbaut von 1872 bis 1878, Realgymnasium for

jungen in der Weimarer Republik von

1920 bis 1933. Wahrend des Dritten Reiches

Kaserne der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

Im Juni 1934 zahlreiche Erschiesungen

im Zusammenhang mit der Ermordung Rohms und der

Entmachtung der SA.

Seit 1945 Andrews-Barracks der amerikanischeri

Schutzmacht

It's been said that every German Kaiser attended military academy at this facility. Many famous & infamous persons went to military school there including, among others, Hermann Goering & Franz von Papen. During the June 1934 "Night of Long Knives," Berlin's Strumabteilung (storm troopers or SA) leadership was executed, by SS firing squad, on this kaserne. During the period of Hitler's SS body guard, the facility underwent extensive renovation (including the addition of an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool) & was considered, internationally, as a state-of-the-art military barracks. Following the Battle of Berlin, Soviet troops briefly occupied the facility & formally turned it over to the U.S. Army in July 1945 -- among those present at the ceremonies was General Omar Bradley.

Here are some of my personal photos taken at Andrews Barracks in 1963.

[Long Thrust VI]

During my unit's all to brief Berlin assignment I quartered at the U.S. Army's Andrews Barracks, a facility of significant history, surrounded by brick walls. On one of those walls is a plaque which reads:

PREUSSISCHE HAUPTKADETTENANSTALT

1878 - 1920

Erbaut von 1872 bis 1878, Realgymnasium for

jungen in der Weimarer Republik von

1920 bis 1933. Wahrend des Dritten Reiches

Kaserne der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler

Im Juni 1934 zahlreiche Erschiesungen

im Zusammenhang mit der Ermordung Rohms und der

Entmachtung der SA.

Seit 1945 Andrews-Barracks der amerikanischeri

Schutzmacht

It's been said that every German Kaiser attended military academy at this facility. Many famous & infamous persons went to military school there including, among others, Hermann Goering & Franz von Papen. During the June 1934 "Night of Long Knives," Berlin's Strumabteilung (storm troopers or SA) leadership was executed, by SS firing squad, on this kaserne. During the period of Hitler's SS body guard, the facility underwent extensive renovation (including the addition of an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool) & was considered, internationally, as a state-of-the-art military barracks. Following the Battle of Berlin, Soviet troops briefly occupied the facility & formally turned it over to the U.S. Army in July 1945 -- among those present at the ceremonies was General Omar Bradley.

Here are some of my personal photos taken at Andrews Barracks in 1963.

It's my understanding that since German reunification, this old facility is now used by the German Federal Government to house archives, including STASSI surveillance documents from Cold War East Germany.

Regards,

John

[Long Thrust VI]

Gentlemen:

Unfortunately, I'm incapable of erasing the first of those duplicate posts & editing the second. Hopefully, someone else will do it for me. Thank you.

Here's a diagram of the original Lichterfelde kaserne -- back when it was still a Prussian military academy. The 1930s Nazi-era renovations changed it significantly & WW II made further changes. Many of the buildings were damaged beyond repair. Notice the huge fenced-off building behind the Soldiers, in the above photos, posing with their anti-tank gun. That building sustained so much war damage that trees were growing from it. In 1963 (18 years following WW II), the U.S. Army utilized it for ammunition storage & I'm informed it was demolished about 1967. It was my good fortune to reside in a post-WW II rebuilt wing of a similar building (seen in a couple other above photographs) which still stands.

The 1930s renovation moved the kaserne's main entrance to Finkensteinallee. Originally, standing on either side of that gate were large concrete statues of armed/helmeted sentries (referred to by locals as "The Eternal Corporals"). Apparently, shortly after the U.S. Army took possession, those statues were encased in concrete, turning them into rectangular blocks. Close inspection confirms those blocks are made of two types of concrete, causing speculation that if one were to chip away enough American concrete, he would reveal the original Nazi-era Eternal Corporals statues.

It was my experience to stand formation on the cobblestone courtyard near the main entrance. Historic photos show Prussian Cadets, Leibstandarte members, Soviet Soldiers, & U.S. Army troops parading on that same courtyard. No wonder we all find history so fastinating. Hopefully, you've enjoyed this little lesson about Berlin's Andrews Barracks.

My regards,

John

[IrishGunner]

The photo of the Main Gate; in the early 80s, I spent many long boring nights as the battalion duty officer in the Guard House to the right. My battery was located on McNair Barracks, but my battalion HQ was on Andrews. The large building back behind the gate - there used to be a Burger Bar on the first floor and an EM club upstairs. A long way from what the Prussians or the SS probably used the building for...

I remember the plaque you mention. But I never heard the Eternal Corporal statue story.

Oh, and if the picture were reversed...going out the gate...there was a great imbiss across the street.

[Long Thrust VI]

Gentlemen:

Here are four Nazi-era photos of the kaserne we called Andrews Barracks. Irish Gunner will recognize the first three as being of the Finkensteinallee (main) entrance. Please notice the concrete "Eternal Corporals" statues & compare their identical location to that of the concrete blocks (on which are attached Berlin Special Troops distinctive unit insignia) in the previously posted 1963 photo.

Another interesting location at Andrews Barracks was a small sports field we Amis called "Yankee Stadium." Located toward the kasern's back (from the main gate), Yankee Stadium was used primarily for physical training, etc. On 28 May 1963, 1st Battle Group, 28th Infantry held its annual Organization Day activities there. Yankee Stadium had a neat cut-stone reviewing stand with iron or steel railings, not dissimilar from that at Nuremberg, which overlooked the field. During the Third Berlin Crisis, 287th Military Police Company utilized Yankee Stadium as a helicopter landing pad for MP teams sent into Steinstuken, a small West Berlin enclave located within East Germany. I'm told Yankee Stadium has given way to modern condominiums. If possible, I'll locate & post photos of Yankee Stadium.

Regards,

John

[Long Thrust VI]

Gentlemen:

Unfortunately, I was unable to find photos of Andrews Barracks "Yankee Stadium" as discussed above (but I'll continue looking). However, the following photographs were located from other Internet websites -- hopefully, it's not a breach of ethics to post them here. The first is a "map" of Andrews Barracks during the U.S. occupation of that kaserne & in which Yankee Stadium is clearly identified. The second is a more recent view of the two concrete pillars at the Finkensteinallee entrance -- that's the brick guard building in which Irish Gunner mentioned spending considerable time. Please notice the clear vertical seam or "cold joint" between two types of concrete in the pillars. The last two photos are particularly interesting & may be the removed heads of the concrete statues "Eternal Corporals (Rottenfurher)" which flanked the Finkensteinallee entrance during the Nazi era -- notice SS helmet insignia. Quite possibly, the heads were removed by Soviet or U.S. Soldiers prior to the statues being covered with cement; creating two concrete pillars or blocks which, to the best of my knowledge, exist to this day.

[Long Thrust VI]

ADDENDUM: Looking at the above Andrews kaserne map, I'm told the courtyard area near Buildings 109 & 110 (upper left corner) is where the "Night of Long Knives" executions were conducted, 30 June 1934. One source suggests that the firing squad executions were conducted with full military formality & included a drummer.

The Home Page of a Russian militaria website: http://sergeygavrilov.blogspot.com includes the two above statue heads photos, stating, "Granite Head Statues - entrance of the barracks of the SS Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler.' Sculptor Bernhard Bleeker - Photos from the Bundesarchiv - Offer price 50,000 euros."

Regards,

John

[speagle]

John,

Thanks for your entries. It is very interesting to see how my original post has "blossomed" into all this information.

Thanks again,

Ed

[Long Thrust VI]

Thank you, Ed! Anyone who served in Cold War Berlin is encouraged to join the Berlin U.S. Military Veterans Association (BUSMVA) checkout the website at www.berlinveterans.com -- quarterly newsletters, annual reunions -- every fourth year (including 2014), they reunite in BERLIN. BUSMVA is a good, solid Veterans organization! My regards! John

[speagle]

Found this ascot patch my Dad wore while in Berlin.

2nd BG, 6th Inf-Berlin-Parade Scarf Patch