Cold War Reenactors? REFORGER anyone?

[gwb123]

You can see Sgt (Ja)ckson with his buddy Hamlet or Hanslet, both 8th InfDiv "Pathfinders" (patch with tab). On the right sleeve Jackson wears the patch of the Americal Div, also with tab.

 

Inside the newspaper:

 

Okay, now too many coincidences here. I arrived in Germany in August 1981 and I believe I was given that same newspaper as part of orientation. I remember looking at these open pages, and seeing that unit crest for the 709th MP. I am not sure if I still have it or not as we had a household goods warehouse fire on our next move.

 

It took me a couple of days to get quarters on Baumholder. The BOQ's were located on a hill above the main tank trail. This was a work of engineering. It was extra wide and reinforced paving bricks that stood up to the weight of the vehicles. I was still jet lagged from my trip over the big pond, but that night elements of a German Panzer division moved out under darkness starting around 10 pm and continuing until 3 pm. The next day I sought quieter quarters elsewhere.

 

I am going to have to look up Allendorf on a map now. It has a familar sound, but I might be thinking of Alsfeld.

[T-Bone]

D.A.T. said:

I know, I'm repeating myself again, happens more often the older I get. But these pictures and "Cold War " stories bring back good and bad memories, but the bads ones are almost all gone now. As I look out my window now, Saterday, 28th March, it's raining and cold right now in my part of Germany it is definately Reforger/field problem weather!

Back to Cold War reenacting, you can't forget the ever observing enemy, the East german Border guard.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6407/cimg0926v.jpg

I think heer Leutentant would be dressed more like this;

 

 

and carrying one of these;

 

 

Oh Ja and wearing one of these;

 

 

Yes I also have the boots! I have done this for Living History displays, and yes I have the class As.

 

T-Bone

 

I knew I forgot something, 1SGT will give me extra duty for sure if I forget my...

 

 

Anyone get one of these?

 

 

Anyone get one of these? Reverse

 

 

Almost forgot about the entertaiment committees!

 

NATO MP brassards, can anyone add a US Army or USAF SP?

 

 

Canada, UK, Belgium and Germany

[BEAST]

One good thing about reenacting the Cold War and REFORGER is that everyone can play a part! Here are some kids greating us during REFORGER 1989.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Reforger: USN/NATO afloat version

 

STANAVFORLANT (Standing Naval Forces Atlantic) squadron, Flagship is the USS LUCE (DDG-38) with yours truly aboard. It was doubtful that the Soviets would use nukes in central Europe, before using smaller tactical nukes at sea. There would be much less outcry nor reaction if they were only killing sailors and fish, rather than irradiating European soil.

 

Reforger exercises in the USN were laughable.....we always lost the standing force when it was vaporized (on paper thank goodness) early on. The follow up Carrier fleet would then defeat the Reds in our memory.

 

USS LUCE (DDG-38) as Flagship (centre) accompanied on her starboard side by the Dutch frigate Isaac Sweers (F 814) and the Norwegian frigate Stavanger (F 303). Astern of Luce is the Canadian Nippigon. On Luce's portside is the RN frigate HMS Bacchante (F 69) and the West German frigate Karlsruhe (F 223). Picture taken during a Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) Exercise in 1979.

[DwightPruitt]

I am going to have to look up Allendorf on a map now. It has a familar sound, but I might be thinking of Alsfeld.

 

Gil,

 

I've killed a few brain cells since 1980, but if I remember correctly, Stadt Allendorf is about 20 km east of Marburg. To make things a little confusing, there is a smaller village called Allendorf in the vicinity, but it's about 15 km south of Marburg and southwest of Stadt Allendorf.

 

Speaking of killing brain cells, I miss Licher Bier.

[gwb123]

Gil,

 

I've killed a few brain cells since 1980, but if I remember correctly, Stadt Allendorf is about 20 km east of Marburg. To make things a little confusing, there is a smaller village called Allendorf in the vicinity, but it's about 15 km south of Marburg and southwest of Stadt Allendorf.

 

Speaking of killing brain cells, I miss Licher Bier.

 

Kirner Pils was our local brew. Good stuff. Shock of shocks, I walked into a German restaurant in Plano, Texas and saw they had it in stock, along with 120 other European micro-brews.

 

One positive thing about being permanently stationed at Baumholder was that we were within easy drive of three of the five primary wine regions in Germany. I developed a taste for Nahe Valley wines, while my wife swears by the Mosel wines.

 

They had programs for some of the Infantry units where they would take stellar troops and loan them out to the vinyards during harvest time. Some of these were on hillsides with a 45 degree or steeper slope. These guys would go out in the morning an rapell down the sides of these hills picking grapes with local farmers. Part of the deal in this labor exchange was a home cooked lunch and dinner, with the evening spent sampling the local wines. And then up at the crack of dawn to do it again! This went on for about a week or so and everyone who I ever talked to thought it was a blast and a half! (They also gained a lot of respect for those farm families who spent their entire life hauling things up and down those slope, including the farmer's daughters who could outclimb most of them!)

 

When people ask me what I did for three years in Europe, I tell them that I defended the wine regions of Germany from Communist aggression. During my tenure, not one drop fell into their hands! Of course, quite a bit fell into mine!

[CamoDeafie]

is there a reliable way of knowing which units drew REFORGER exercises from the first year till the last year, which I believe is 1983? (correct me if I'm wrong) I'm trying to find out what year my father went over to Germany for an exercise, and the descriptions seems to match a REFORGER exercise, as he's mentioned communicating with M60 tank crews, learning the beers, some of the language, brought back some souveniors (a childrens book in german, a Lufthansa travel bag of some sort, etc)...I'll have to dig through the storage for his stuff and see what I can find with his permission

[D.A.T.]

 

D.A.T - What you have is a put together franken-(stein) Border Guard (Grenztruppen der DDR) uniform with a combination of officer, warrant officer and NCO insignia. Stuff like this was commonly sold in Berlin and West Germany in the early 90s with insignia added to increase it's appeal and price tag.

 

It probably started as an unissued standard wool non-career enlisted uniform because of the enlisted collar tabs. But it also has the Warrant Officer arm patch and NCO shoulder boards, but does not have the NCO silver collar tress. It's also got an officer's academy badge on the right pocket. On the left pocket it has an incorrect Kampfgruppen qualification badge. I can't really make out the ribbon bar but from what I can see its a combination unlikely to be worn by the border guards.

 

So you have several pieces of Cold War history, just none of them go together.

 

I see you "know your enemy". When I went in my basement and dug out the 5 buckle boots yesterday, I saw the DDR uniform, forgot all about it. Like you said, it's pieced together, it had even more medals on it, I've been living here over half my life now, but I'm still an AMERICAN and I like souvenirs, after the "Mauerfall" East German militaria was everywhere, and I had a pretty decent collection going, helmet, jack-boots, service hat, belt, holster etc., but when family & friends came over to visit me from the States, I like to show off my "war-room", I gave alot of it away,(what a jerk ) including chunks "of the wall", I should clean the uniform up, right insignia etc., and build up all the stuff I gave away, it is Cold War history, like me, you and alot others here in the forum, it was a crazy time, to say the least, I was young and indestructible!

And as to "destroying brain cells", Deutches bier ist IMMER noch gut!

Looks like T-Bone has a decent DDR collection himself.

[Proud Kraut]

Gil,

 

I've killed a few brain cells since 1980, but if I remember correctly, Stadt Allendorf is about 20 km east of Marburg. To make things a little confusing, there is a smaller village called Allendorf in the vicinity, but it's about 15 km south of Marburg and southwest of Stadt Allendorf.

 

Speaking of killing brain cells, I miss Licher Bier.

 

DP you are absolutely right: Since the early 80's written in one word: Stadtallendorf, not too far away from Giessen, Alsfeld.... You mentioned Licher Bier, was kind of mother's milk for me!

[D.A.T.]

DP you are absolutely right: Since the early 80's written in one word: Stadtallendorf, not too far away from Giessen, Alsfeld.... You mentioned Licher Bier, was kind of mother's milk for me!

Hey Lars, when are you coming down to Stuttgart, and try "ein gutes Stuttgarter bier?"

[D.A.T.]

A Cold War souvenir I picked up "along the way", on the subject of destroying brain cells.

 

dead link

edited 2/9/2018

dwiv

[Proud Kraut]

Hey Lars, when are you coming down to Stuttgart, and try "ein gutes Stuttgarter bier?"

 

 

HI my friend! I'll let you know when I visit Stttt the next time. You have a very nice "Stein" there btw!!!

[D.A.T.]

Hey Lars, sounds good to me!

Going Cold War crazy here, anybody remember this song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHei01J8q4w

[D.A.T.]

PLEASE STOP ME!

http://www.coldwarjokes.com/

[msgt norway]

here is a few reforger pictures i made today

i was trying to be a radioman getting some c rats for chow time.

wanted:m65 jacket od/woodland large regular,5buckle boots size 10
m16 blank fire adaptor.

 

more pictures,this time 1980 time line.

this time i was trying to look like a m60 ammo runner
note have 100rounds of captured german ammo around my neck

also carrying the first style of mres.beef patty,beef frankfurtes with beans tomato sauce:)

cheers ken in norway

wanted:m65 jacket od/woodland large regular,5buckle boots size 10
m16 blank fire adaptor.

[msgt norway]

do any of you people know this us army soldiers?



the one on the left is sgt guzhman? 2nd ? 3rd sgt dave jensen 4th ?

this was taken in 1997 in norway,they was stationed in manheim germany
and was motorpool armys.

i did a lot of trading with these fellows greate people.
sgt dave jensen was transfered to fort hood and atteched to chem batalion
afther that we lost contact...
so if any know this people please lett me know

cheers ken

wanted:m65 jacket od/woodland large regular,5buckle boots size 10
m16 blank fire adaptor.

[Mercenary25]

Don't forget this top-secret RV. Every cold war re-enactor unit should have one.

[a6skin9]

This was taken in 1986 in the Kafertal Wald when I was with Mortar Plt. HHC 5/68 Armor, 8th I.D.. When the DATs would go out for training they would send us out after them in the middle of the night to shake-up their world.

[T-Bone]

Don't forget this top-secret RV. Every cold war re-enactor unit should have one.

That is one heavily armed recreational vehichle!!!!!

[gwb123]

is there a reliable way of knowing which units drew REFORGER exercises from the first year till the last year, which I believe is 1983? (correct me if I'm wrong) I'm trying to find out what year my father went over to Germany for an exercise, and the descriptions seems to match a REFORGER exercise, as he's mentioned communicating with M60 tank crews, learning the beers, some of the language, brought back some souveniors (a childrens book in german, a Lufthansa travel bag of some sort, etc)...I'll have to dig through the storage for his stuff and see what I can find with his permission

 

I haven't found such a list, but I do see there are some books on the market on the subject.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=s...p;x=18&y=23

 

I have not read these yet, so I don't know what level of detail they go into.

[D.A.T.]

This was taken in 1986 in the Kafertal Wald when I was with Mortar Plt. HHC 5/68 Armor, 8th I.D.. When the DATs would go out for training they would send us out after them in the middle of the night to shake-up their world.



Well, "Somebody had to do it"!
On the subject of DATs, I spent about two years of my life on Alpha 22, M60A1 Main Battle Tank, I made SP/4 on that tank, and lost my SP/4 on that tank, and then I became a discipline problem, and then they made me the Mess Hall truck driver, HQ platoon, my last 6 months, I think I would have reenlisted for that job, my bosses were two Vietnam Vets, a Spec 6 and Spec 5, we had steak & eggs for breakfast quite a bit, and would take out powdered eggs and greasy bacon to the troops, we also "partied" a little bit, I looked like a foreign KP, long hair and Fu-manchu, wish I had pictures of that time.
So here are two pictures of my "Home away from Home"

 

dead link

edited 2/9/2018

dwiv

[ehrentitle]

Don't forget this top-secret RV. Every cold war re-enactor unit should have one.

 

John Winger: C'mon, it's Czechoslovakia. We zip in, we pick 'em up, we zip right out again. We're not going to Moscow. It's Czechoslovakia. It's like going into Wisconsin.

Russell Ziskey: Well I got the shinola kicked out of me in Wisconsin once. Forget it!

 

 

General Barnicke: Where have you been soldier?

John Winger: Training, sir.

Soldiers: Training, sir.

General Barnicke: What kind of training?

John Winger: Army training, sir.

Soldiers: Army training, sir.

[Proud Kraut]

 

 

Hey Lars, sounds good to me!
Going Cold War crazy here, anybody remember this song?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHei01J8q4w

Apropos Fräuleins, I absolutely prefer this (pre Reforger) one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFFBtPjHIQw...feature=related

One of my all times favourites

[ehrentitle]

Here is an outstanding blog with photos of a US Soldier's encounter at the East German border in 1982:

http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=9228

[gwb123]

This is one of the photos from the above mentioned site.

 

http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=9228

 

I realized looking at that the US soldier was taking a photos of the East German border guard taking his photo. I suppose that means somewhere in East Germany there is a photo of the author of this blog with his camera raised! Makes you wonder who was watching whom!