Cold War Reenactors? REFORGER anyone?

[willysmb44]

Yeah, I found a "Desert Shield Leader's guide" stuck in the upper office of my unit's motor pool from when they had moved over from germany after Desert Storm. I grabbed it and still have it to this day, it's in a display case with some of my other DS stuff.

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

A forum member from either this forum or another sent me some 2/505 stationary and a Southern Grenada map. The paperwork from our wars gets used and lost mostly so it's nice. I've got quite a nice collection of Urgent Fury era items and uniforms but the Cuban stuff I brought back is long gone. The soviet/cuban helmet I brought back ended up getting rotted out as I placed it in the weather. I think I gave it to a young cousin, along with an AK 47 Magazine.

 

Rock

[DeltaRecon226]

I'm working on a group of impressions Panama '89 to Somalia '93. I really like the post-Nam gear and history.

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

I've stored all of my gear, uniforms, insignia, paraphenalia and all associated original items away in locked footlockers. It's true that in my day we didn't use footlockers for personal items, we used wall lockers instead, but I pulled out the old stencils and paint to finally store away these items so that they would be preserved for whatever. To commemorate my time in the 82nd and Berlin I put the unit, serial number (blotted out) and decorative insignia on the outside to match my previous project.

 

The Green 82nd Footlocker holds a ton of valuable jungle fatigues, ERDL's and Class A's and B's plus insgnia, pictures and other items. It's been put away and locked and weighs a ton so I'm not going to pull it out any time soon. I hand painted all of the insignia and it was a pain in the behind but finally this project, which I've wanted to do for 10 years is done!

 

 

 

 

You will see below the green footlocker is a Korean War era blue USAF Footlocker that holds all of my Berlin Brigade items. I would have painted it green some years ago but left it blue because it matched the Berlin SSI. It's pretty south of cheese and the paint was starting to chip but I went ahead and finally finished this project as well.

 

dead links

edited 2/9/2018

dwiv

[BEAST]

Ran across some of my old papers last night and this was still in the notebook I carried when I was with 3rd ID. This is a pass that allowed us to travel through East Germany to Berlin.

 

 

 

[gwb123]

Those were commonly referred to as "Flag Orders", for obvious reasons.

 

They were required if you went by private owned vehicle, or by train.

 

I took a plane and was disappointed that they were not required if you flew in. But a lot of troops hung onto them as souvenirs.

[BEAST]

Those were commonly referred to as "Flag Orders", for obvious reasons.

 

They were required if you went by private owned vehicle, or by train.

 

I took a plane and was disappointed that they were not required if you flew in. But a lot of troops hung onto them as souvenirs.

 

Your right Gil, I had forgotten they were called flag orders. The two times that I was in Berlin, I went by POV.

 

[Rakkasan187]

I still have all of my Flag Orders when I was stationed in Berlin. Every time I took my POV or traveled by train from Berlin to the West I had my orders..

 

 

Travel to East Berlin was a little different for those stationed in Berlin. At the Company level we had to fill out a request form (pass form) at least 1 week prior to going over to East Berlin. That form had our names, DOB's, SSN's and Geneva Convention code information. After the proper approvals from section, platoon, 1SG and Commander, the form was then forwarded to Battalion HQ for review by the S-2 and then signed buy the BN commander. That information was then forwarded to a master roster at Checkpoint Charlie to the MP's on duty. Prior to crossing at Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin, we had to sign in at the MP desk, showing our ID cards, and that would match the roster of personnel authorized to travel into the East on that particular day. We signed the roster and then were informed to be back in the US sector before 2400 hours or midnight.

 

 

I do not ever recall having to carry any paperwork (flag orders) through the checkpoint into East Berlin. I went through numerous times and only used my ID card and signed in and out at the MP desk at Checkpoint Charlie.

 

 

We had to travel in Dress Green uniform when going to East Berlin. We did not wear name tags on our greens, but did wear all of our ribbons. When going through CP Charlie into the East, when driving through, when told to stop by the East German Guards we held our ID cards up to the window and waited for the Guards to wave us through. It would take a while sometimes so the East Germans could take pictures of our ID cards, cars, license plates and any other information they felt was necessary. It was all part of the cat and mouse games played during the Cold War Period..

 

 

During the East German and Soviet May Day celebrations, the Soviet's would always invite the US Commander and others from the Allied Forces to their parades. The Allies also invited the Soviets to the Allied Forces Parades. During the parades in the East, there was always a display of Soviet and East German armor and other vehicles. We would send the TOW platoon and 90 mm recoilless rifle gunners to the parades so they could see up close and personal the Soviet armor and East German BMP's, BRDM's ZSU-23-4 vehicles so they could identify the "soft spots" and other areas on the vehicles they were to engage in case war broke out and the Soviets crossed the borders..

 

Those were good times...

 

Leigh

[dan_the_hun84]

Man, I have enough 70s and 80s Bundeswehr gear to equip a platoon of Panzergrenadiers!

[T-Bone]

Man, I have enough 70s and 80s Bundeswehr gear to equip a platoon of Panzergrenadiers!

And you are located where?????

[Sabre117]

What time period are trying to portray (1945-1991)? I have a whole bunch of Cold War reenactors (Mostly Korea, Vietnam, and the 80s)

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

I still have all of my Flag Orders when I was stationed in Berlin. Every time I took my POV or traveled by train from Berlin to the West I had my orders..

 

 

Travel to East Berlin was a little different for those stationed in Berlin. At the Company level we had to fill out a request form (pass form) at least 1 week prior to going over to East Berlin. That form had our names, DOB's, SSN's and Geneva Convention code information. After the proper approvals from section, platoon, 1SG and Commander, the form was then forwarded to Battalion HQ for review by the S-2 and then signed buy the BN commander. That information was then forwarded to a master roster at Checkpoint Charlie to the MP's on duty. Prior to crossing at Checkpoint Charlie into East Berlin, we had to sign in at the MP desk, showing our ID cards, and that would match the roster of personnel authorized to travel into the East on that particular day. We signed the roster and then were informed to be back in the US sector before 2400 hours or midnight.

 

 

I do not ever recall having to carry any paperwork (flag orders) through the checkpoint into East Berlin. I went through numerous times and only used my ID card and signed in and out at the MP desk at Checkpoint Charlie.

 

 

We had to travel in Dress Green uniform when going to East Berlin. We did not wear name tags on our greens, but did wear all of our ribbons. When going through CP Charlie into the East, when driving through, when told to stop by the East German Guards we held our ID cards up to the window and waited for the Guards to wave us through. It would take a while sometimes so the East Germans could take pictures of our ID cards, cars, license plates and any other information they felt was necessary. It was all part of the cat and mouse games played during the Cold War Period..

 

 

During the East German and Soviet May Day celebrations, the Soviet's would always invite the US Commander and others from the Allied Forces to their parades. The Allies also invited the Soviets to the Allied Forces Parades. During the parades in the East, there was always a display of Soviet and East German armor and other vehicles. We would send the TOW platoon and 90 mm recoilless rifle gunners to the parades so they could see up close and personal the Soviet armor and East German BMP's, BRDM's ZSU-23-4 vehicles so they could identify the "soft spots" and other areas on the vehicles they were to engage in case war broke out and the Soviets crossed the borders..

 

 

Those were good times...

 

Leigh

 

I went to East Berlin a couple of times and have no memory (too many blows to the head) of the specific papers required. During initial orientation we were given a PT Test, study guides, learned some basic German Language ("Ein Bier Bitte" was the most used by me!), the rules of the road and road signs in Europe etc. The Germans knew how to drive and geting a license there wasn't easy for them. If you had right of way, take it! If you don't, don't waffle, because nobody will hesitate there. During Orientation all Service Members travelled to East Berlin to view the Communist "Utopia" which was their version of shopping malls and high rise apartments. The shopping was ok, the cars were all the tiny cars, and the apartments were all concrete blocks stacked one-on-top of the other. The Communist Sector was basically dark, bleak, dank, lightless, and the people usually not very happy, not that I blame them.

 

As Leigh said, when travelling to the East Berlin Sector we were considered "Guests of our Allies, the Russians" as Berlin was still considered an Occupied Sector and that is why you will occasionally see the WWII Occupation Medal on modern uniforms- oddly enough, this medal qualifies the wearer for the VFW. It's just a "been there" medal but the significance of it if taken in the proper perspective cannot be dismissed. Millions were affected in WWII, especially the Russians, and they earned their right to Occupy Berlin.

 

Leigh will tell you about the Russian Obstacle Course, which was incredible and mostly up in the air like the Seal Team Six "O" Course and it was awesome to behold and quite intimidating. The Russians trained their Soldiers in many manner of gymastics type courses because it required balance, courage, core body strength, coordination and enough fear to instill the necessity to stay on the thing or you will fall a long way! I went through the Special Forces Obstacle Course at Fort Bragg (or was that McKall?) and it was challenging but these Russian raised platform courses were really something to behold.

 

As far as paperwork and travel, when I got to Berlin the Monetary Exchange really benefitted the US Dollar. The Mark was relatively worthless and we could feed and water ourselves in relative luxury. I think it was like 10-12 Marks for one dollar and a high of about 29 East German Marks for one dollar. A guy could go out on the town in West Berlin on 10 USD and stay out all night. In the East, the Russians monitored their monetary system and refused to devalue their money so an East German Mark had to spent as though it were one dollar. 10 USD would allow a US Soldier to eat at the finest East German establishments like a KING! I took advantage very little as I spent most of my off-time in a small Irish Pub at the base of the bombed out Church right in the middle of Berlin. I liked British Beer and spent much of my cash on Guinness and listening to the pretty Irish Barkeepers. They were the closest thing to American Women in the area (nothing against Germans, but American Women are second to none!)

 

Anyway, I reminice...the older I get, the better I was!!

 

Rock

[BEAST]

Karl, the unfunny Marx Brother! (East Berlin 1988)

 

[BEAST]

 

I went to East Berlin a couple of times and have no memory (too many blows to the head) of the specific papers required. During initial orientation we were given a PT Test, study guides, learned some basic German Language ("Ein Bier Bitte" was the most used by me!), the rules of the road and road signs in Europe etc. The Germans knew how to drive and geting a license there wasn't easy for them. If you had right of way, take it! If you don't, don't waffle, because nobody will hesitate there. During Orientation all Service Members travelled to East Berlin to view the Communist "Utopia" which was their version of shopping malls and high rise apartments. The shopping was ok, the cars were all the tiny cars, and the apartments were all concrete blocks stacked one-on-top of the other. The Communist Sector was basically dark, bleak, dank, lightless, and the people usually not very happy, not that I blame them.

 

As Leigh said, when travelling to the East Berlin Sector we were considered "Guests of our Allies, the Russians" as Berlin was still considered an Occupied Sector and that is why you will occasionally see the WWII Occupation Medal on modern uniforms- oddly enough, this medal qualifies the wearer for the VFW. It's just a "been there" medal but the significance of it if taken in the proper perspective cannot be dismissed. Millions were affected in WWII, especially the Russians, and they earned their right to Occupy Berlin.

 

Leigh will tell you about the Russian Obstacle Course, which was incredible and mostly up in the air like the Seal Team Six "O" Course and it was awesome to behold and quite intimidating. The Russians trained their Soldiers in many manner of gymastics type courses because it required balance, courage, core body strength, coordination and enough fear to instill the necessity to stay on the thing or you will fall a long way! I went through the Special Forces Obstacle Course at Fort Bragg (or was that McKall?) and it was challenging but these Russian raised platform courses were really something to behold.

 

As far as paperwork and travel, when I got to Berlin the Monetary Exchange really benefitted the US Dollar. The Mark was relatively worthless and we could feed and water ourselves in relative luxury. I think it was like 10-12 Marks for one dollar and a high of about 29 East German Marks for one dollar. A guy could go out on the town in West Berlin on 10 USD and stay out all night. In the East, the Russians monitored their monetary system and refused to devalue their money so an East German Mark had to spent as though it were one dollar. 10 USD would allow a US Soldier to eat at the finest East German establishments like a KING! I took advantage very little as I spent most of my off-time in a small Irish Pub at the base of the bombed out Church right in the middle of Berlin. I liked British Beer and spent much of my cash on Guinness and listening to the pretty Irish Barkeepers. They were the closest thing to American Women in the area (nothing against Germans, but American Women are second to none!)

 

Anyway, I reminice...the older I get, the better I was!!

 

Rock

 

 

Rock,

Is this the church? I took this sometime around 1988.

 

I miss that exchange rate! A group of us at at a restaurant in East Berlin and I think we left the equivilent of USD $30 or $40 dollars which was somewhere around a 300-400 East German marks as a tip. I think we blew the waitress' mind. I credit this act with helping bring down the wall!

[Rakkasan187]

The "Irish Pub" in the Europa Center is the pub Rock is referring to. It is located just a few meters from the church pictured. I spent many of my nights in a Club called the Ku'Dam, Short for Kurfurstendam (sp??) a little distance away and off a side street. Inside there were numerous small pubs and discos. When I have time I will post some pictures..

 

Leigh

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

The Kidsm rocked. Small food establishments inside these underground clubs. There were sausage vendors on street corners and my personal favorite was the brats on bread with a boy o' mustard.

 

Americans can't make good bratwurst.

 

Rock

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

Kudam, I meant

 

The name slipped me for years.

 

There was a cathouse not too far away either, so I've heard.

 

Rock

[Rakkasan187]

The Kidsm rocked. Small food establishments inside these underground clubs. There were sausage vendors on street corners and my personal favorite was the brats on bread with a boy o' mustard.

 

Americans can't make good bratwurst.

 

Rock

 

 

Curry Wurst and pommes frittes was my poison.. Right out side the Kudam club next to the U bahn station Kufurstendamm was my favorite Imbis stand...

 

Always got a double order and in the winter time I would get a hot chocolate to wash it all down..

 

Ah the good ole days...

 

Leigh

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

 

 

Curry Wurst and pommes frittes was my poison.. Right out side the Kudam club next to the U bahn station Kufurstendamm was my favorite Imbis stand...

 

Always got a double order and in the winter time I would get a hot chocolate to wash it all down..

 

Ah the good ole days...

 

Leigh

 

My first couple of days my "host" Berlin Brigade Specialist took me out the back gate of the McNair Kaserne where there was a Curry Stand. Sausage or 1/2 a chicken with pommes frittes. Covered in Curry Sauce. It was good and I ate that for about three days then went to our Chow Hall after that. At Fort Bragg, no offense to our Airborne Cooks, had pretty average to low grade chow, but our Berlin Brigade Chow Hall was fantastic!! I will always lift up the Cookies from any unit for keeping us fed, but the Berlin Brigade (5/502nd) Chow Hall was top of the line!!

 

They treated us well, fed us well, and made very good food. At Fort Bragg, most of us ate a double cheesburger for every lunch and dinner because the main dish was usually not as palatable. In Berlin 95% of the time you could eat and enjoy the main meal unless you just wanted a cheesburger.

 

Kudo's to all you Cookies out there!

 

Rock

[Rakkasan187]

 

My first couple of days my "host" Berlin Brigade Specialist took me out the back gate of the McNair Kaserne where there was a Curry Stand. Sausage or 1/2 a chicken with pommes frittes. Covered in Curry Sauce. It was good and I ate that for about three days then went to our Chow Hall after that. At Fort Bragg, no offense to our Airborne Cooks, had pretty average to low grade chow, but our Berlin Brigade Chow Hall was fantastic!! I will always lift up the Cookies from any unit for keeping us fed, but the Berlin Brigade (5/502nd) Chow Hall was top of the line!!

 

They treated us well, fed us well, and made very good food. At Fort Bragg, most of us ate a double cheesburger for every lunch and dinner because the main dish was usually not as palatable. In Berlin 95% of the time you could eat and enjoy the main meal unless you just wanted a cheesburger.

 

Kudo's to all you Cookies out there!

 

Rock

 

 

Rock,

 

Couldn't agree with you more. Those cooks in Berlin were number 1. We really ate some good chow. Loved the whole "down in the basement" dining facility get ups at McNair. Nice atmosphere. The Holiday spreads were somethig else. Shrimp, steak, turkey, ham, all the fixings, desserts, pies, what ever. Also loved the breakfasts, omletes made to order, eggs made to order, waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, ceral, grits, fruit, whatever you wanted...No wonder why we ran 8-10 miles a day. We ate too good...but it was worth it....

 

Leigh

[gwb123]

The best dining facility I ever experienced was in a small sub Kaserne named Neubrucke, outside of Baumholder.

 

What made it unique was that it was a combined US Army and USAF operation. For some reason, there were certain food items that were in the US Army supply system that were not in the Air Force's, and vice versa.

 

When the cooks could order from both, they put out just a wonderful spread, especially for brunch on weekends. (sounds like a country club, doesn't it?)

 

Neubrucke was an odd place to begin with. About 12 miles away from Baumholder, it was actually a mothballed reserve hospital set aside for the anticipated casualties from World War III. It was a huge complex of jointly connected buildings, most of them cordoned off. But it was its own self contained community, with a movie theater, bowling alley and small commissary. In residence was a 32nd AADCOM unit, a theater ambulance unit, a smattering of USAF units with off site remote locations. It also provided overflow housing for officers and NCO's assigned to Baumholder. It was just a much more relaxed atmosphere than living on the main post.

 

Although maybe a bit too relaxed. I was hanging out with a friend in my BOQ late when night when I heard somebody open my door and walk to my bedroom. I wasn't quite sure what was going on, and I cautiously looked in. The guy was dead drunk and had crashed out on my bed! I gently rocked him and politely suggested that he leave. He looked quite surprised to see me and even more surprised to realize he was in a room he'd never seen before! Last I saw him he was stumbling down the hall, out the door and down the hill back to his barracks!

[Azeeze312]

 

modified wet weather jackets.. either known as Baumholder Jackets or Graf Jackets

 

In regards to the modified wet weather jackets, where these taken privately to local tailor/seamstress shops?

 

-Nick

[Sgt_Rock_EasyCo]

"Rock,

 

Couldn't agree with you more. Those cooks in Berlin were number 1. We really ate some good chow. Loved the whole "down in the basement" dining facility get ups at McNair. Nice atmosphere. The Holiday spreads were somethig else. Shrimp, steak, turkey, ham, all the fixings, desserts, pies, what ever. Also loved the breakfasts, omletes made to order, eggs made to order, waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, ceral, grits, fruit, whatever you wanted...No wonder why we ran 8-10 miles a day. We ate too good...but it was worth it....

 

Leigh"

 

 

Initally, my Company (CSC, 5/502nd) was located at the front gate of the Kaserne but we were soon moved across the quad to the new building and it was nice enough. As Leigh menioned, the means were fantastic. I would have a ham, cheese and pepper omellete, home fried potatoes, creamed beef over toast, giant southern biscuit (with creamed beef), sweet rolls, choice of toast, fruit, milk or fresh juice and whatnot. It was simply restaraunt food! Any of you Berlin Cooks on the Forum need to stop by my house so I can cook you steak and eggs; you deserve it!

 

The 8-10 mile runs...When I came to Berlin there were many of us from the Airborne and Ranger Batts that had gone to Grenada- The Army seemed to spread us out around the Army like hot coals. The amount of PT we did, at least in my Platoon was pretty intimidating, even for the guys from the Ranger Batts. We did our morning run of a minimum of 1.7 miles (sounds easy, dunnit?) unless of course you're sprinting around the graveyard the whole way! Then there were the Steiglitz runs of 7 miles in 42 minutes (math= Six minutes each mile). Then Leutenant Steet had us doing some form of post lunch PT (hand to hand, runs, situps and crunches or running the stairs) and then PT sometimes after last formation. He was a beast and we were beasts.

 

Some independent company came into Berlin and our BC chose our Platoon for a physical fitness evaluation. These civilians put us through a series of exercises like stair climbing. Our heart rates simply didn't climb much beyond resting and recovered within 20 seconds. They were astounded by our level of fitness. Honestly, the 82nd Airborne PT was easier but their field problems much more difficult. Lots of humping and rucking. In Berlin the PT was pretty good and the field problems were lesser.

 

Rock

[Rakkasan187]

In regards to the modified wet weather jackets, where these taken privately to local tailor/seamstress shops?

 

-Nick

 

 

Nick,

 

To answeryour question, Yes. You could purchase both items at clothing an sales and then take them to a local shop that sewed patches on uniforms made alterations, made tour jackets and of course they could make the "Graf Jacket" for you. The poncho liner or green Army blanket were sewn to on the inside of the wet weather parka and in some cases the tailors would sew a pocket on the inside of the coat.

 

Leigh

[Azeeze312]

Thanks Leigh, for clearing that up! They are nice looking jackets!

-Nick