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U.S. ARMY INSTALLATIONS - ASCHAFFENBURG
For additions, corrections, or suggestions please contact the webmaster
MAPS
Installation Maps - early 1980s

1. Jaeger Kaserne, 1977

2. Fiori Barracks, 1978

3. Smith Barracks, 1978

4. Graves Barracks, 1977


5. Ready Barracks, 1977

6. Jaeger Ksn & Smith Bks, 1959





PHOTOS
Click on thumbnail to view larger image

Aschaffenburg Kasernes




A. Bois Brule Kaserne (?)


B. Jäger Kaserne

C. Jäger Kaserne

       
Jaeger Ksn

   

Jaeger, LaGarde (Smith) and Pionier (Fiori) Kasernes, around 1950
 

Jaeger Kaserne, mid-1950s (10th Infantry Division Yearbook, 1957)
 

Jaeger Kaserne main gate, 1954 (Samuel E Gee collection)
 

Recent view of former Jaeger Kasernes (Bing)
 

1. Snack bar (bldg on left) on Jaeger Kaserne

2. 18th Inf Regt honor guard marches by, Fiori Bks

3. 18th Inf Regt Drum & Bugle Corps
 
     

Main Gate, Jaeger Kaserne, Aschaffenburg, c. 1960 (Walter King)
 

"A" Company barracks, Jaeger Kaserne, Aschaffenburg, c. 1960 (Walter King)
 

Motor pool at Jaeger Kaserne, c. 1960 (Walter King)
       
Army Airfield

   

Aschaffenburg Airstrip, 1954
 

Aschaffenburg AAF, 2007 (Martin Stenger)
       
Fiori Bks

   

Aerial view of Fiori Barracks, 1950 (Webmaster's collection)
 

Fiori Barracks, home of 2nd Battalion, 18th Inf, 1954 (Webmaster's collection)
 

Fiori Barracks, home of 2nd Battalion, 18th Inf, 1954 (Webmaster's collection)
 

Bldg #109, Fiori Barracks, 1954 (Webmaster's collection)
 

1. Bldg #115

2. Post gym

3. Bldg #105

4. Southwestern corner of Fiori

5. Spessart Manor

6. Spessart Manor
   

7. Fiori Bks, 2008

8. Memorial Plaque
   

Fiori Barracks, 1972 (Gerald Zickefoose)
 

557th Maintenance Company maintenance shops, Fiori Bks (Gerald Zickefoose)
 

3. Travis Park Housing

4. Parade ground
   
     

Würzburgerstrasse, 1969 (Douglas Brown)
 

Main gate and HQ building, 3/21st FA, Fiori Barracks, 1969 (Douglas Brown)
 

Fiori Barracks, 1969 (Douglas Brown)
 

Fiori Barracks, 1969 (Douglas Brown)

5. Sign to US Army facilities
     
       
Graves Bks
     

1st Battalion motor pool, Graves Barracks, 1954 (Webmaster's collection)
 

1. Graves Ksn, 2008

2. Graves Ksn, 2008
   
       
Ready Bks

   

3rd Bn, 69th Arm, Ready Barracks, 1987 (Paul Trefry)
 

1. Ready Bks 1960

2. Artillery barracks 1960

3. Artillery barracks 1960

4. Mess hall 1960

5. Ready Bks 1960

6. Maintenance shops

7. Maintenance shops
 

8. Main Gate, Ready Bks 1975

9. Bldg 406, barracks bldg in center

10. Bldg 426, next to main gate

11. Bldg 401

12. Bldg 406, Ready Bks

13. Mess Hall

14. Walker Bulldog Display

15. Ready Bks

16. Ready Bks

17. Dependent Housing

18. Michael d'Oliveira


19. Looking towards main gate

20. Sälzerweg

21. Former gym/squash center

22. Bldg 404

23. Old Daddy Saloon
     
     

View of Ready Barracks main gate from inside the kaserne, 1975-77 (Scott Van Ness)
 

3rd Brigade headquarters building on the left, 1975-77 (Scott Van Ness)
 

Bldg #422, motor pool area, 1975-77 (Scott Van Ness)
 

24. Looking towards Graves Barracks

25. 4/64th Arm motor pool

26. Tank convoy on Würzburgerstrasse
 
       
Smith Bks

   

Smith Barracks, main gate, 1954 (Webmaster's collection)

Looking towards Bldg 206 from the motor pool area, 1980 (Michael Swoope)
 

1. Smith Bks, 1980

2. Smith Bks, 1980

 
 

 
Taylor Bks

   

Former Taylor Barracks, recent (Bing)
 

Taylor Barracks, Aschaffenburg, early 1950s
 

AES Depot, Warehouse #100, Aschaffenburg, 1946



 
 

1. Ball field across the street

2. Depot entrance

3. Depot railspur to warehouses
 
       
Aschaffenburg Misc.
     

Aschaffenburg Down Town Snack Bar, 1952 (Webmaster's collection)



 
 

USMCA Aschaffenburg (APO 09162) - Garrison History & Operations
 

US Army installations in and around Aschaffenburg, 1990 (GOOGLE)
 

"Army Life in Aschaffenburg," slide show of Army installations in Aschaffenburg (YouTube)
Aschaffenburg MILCOM pach
 
Aschaffenburg is located on the Main River about 50 kilometers southeast of Frankfurt am Main. Community Commander for Aschaffenburg was the Commander of 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

HHD USMCA Aschaffenburg was activated on June 27, 1974. In May 1988, HHD was reorganized as Headquarters and Headquarters Company as a result of the Standard Installation Reorganization. HHC is located in Building 20, Jaeger Kaserne.

Geographic Locations identified as part of Aschaffenburg MILCOM in USAREUR Reg 10-20, 14 Dec 1978 (1):
Aschaffenburg installations: Jaeger Kaserne; Fiori Barracks; Graves Barracks; Ready Barracks, Smith Barracks; Taylor Barracks; Aschaffenburg AAF (= Nilkheim AAF?)
Breitsol strategic radio station (European Wideband)
Marktheidenfeld  
Moenchberg communications facility
Oberberg  
Sachenbach  
Vielbrunn Pre-stock storage point (ammo)
    Click here for the Aschaffenburg MILCOM section of the BICC list
 
(1) The list of remote sites associated with Aschaffenburg MILCOM in the 1978 Reg was incomplete. At least one missing site: Schwanheim local training area. There were probably others. Additional information and details would be appreciated! Contact the webmaster.

Aschaffenburg military community was redesignated as Aschaffenburg Base Support Battalion (Provisional) and assigned to the newly activated 98th Area Support Group under the US Army Europe Community Command Plan. The Aschaffenburg Base Support Battalion (Provisional) was disbanded on 30 October 1992.

 
(Source: The Aschaffenburg Forum, July 31, 1992)
Aschaffenburg MILCOM goes down in history

by Dana S. Ray

At the end of World War II, military installations in Aschaffenburg were occupied by American forces, with the exception of Fiori Barracks, Jaeger Kaserne and the Special Services Depot. The once-German military kasemes were converted for use by U.S. military personnel, initially as processing centers for displaced persons at the end of the war. (Webmaster note: I think the author was trying to say that only Jaeger, Fiori and the Depot were utilized by American troops in the first years of the Occupation.)

The American presence in the Aschaffenburg military community began after the general renovations in 1948.

Jaeger Kaserne, Aschaffenburg (Bing Maps)
 
JAEGER KASERNE
In 1949 Jaeger Kaserne housed the 18th Infantry Regiment Headquarters Company, Medical Company and Signal Platoon. The unit was replaced in 1955 by the 87th Infantry Medics and Headquarters Company. However, after the reorganization of the 87th Inf Reg in 1957, all 87th troops vacated the kaserne. The 557th Ordnance Company (Direct Support) were housed on Jaeger from 1949 until 1957. Bachelor Officers Quarters have been in Building 16 since 1948.

Jaeger Kaseme has remained the military community headquarters since 1949 for USAREUR units stationed here.

Today Jaeger Kaserne is occupied by the 3rd Platoon, 3rd Military Police Company; 4th Platoon, 212th Military Police Company; 3rd Finance Support Unit; 92nd Medical Detachment (Dental); 40th AG Postal Detachment and 178th Personnel Service Company. It is also the site for the Shoppette, Sight and Sound, Main Exchange, Jaeger Movie Theater, Jaeger Library, Four Seasons and the Stars and Stripes bookstore.


Fiori Barracks, Aschaffenburg (Bing Maps)

Installation map overlay on sat view of Fiori Barracks, Aschaffenburg (Google Maps)
(Click on image to view higher resolution of overlay image)
 

A recent photo from inside the former Fiori Barracks, Aschaffenburg (Ingmar Pätzold)

FIORI KASERNE
At the end of the war, Fiori Barracks, or Pionier Kaseme, served as the Headquarters of United Rehabilitation and Relief Team 610 and also housed displaced persons. It was occupied by USAREUR units in 1949 which included the 1st Infantry Division, 18th Infantry and complete 2nd and 3rd Battalion. In 1955, the 10th Division, 87th Infantry, moved onto Fiori Barracks. Elements of the 87th Inf moved off the kaseme in 1957 when it became the home of the 1st Field Artillery Observation Battalion; Company A, 899th Tank Battalion; 557th Ordnance Company and the 3rd Medical Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The kaserne today is occupied by the 4th Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment. 3rd Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, which recently occupied Fiori as well, inactivated Oct. 15, 1991. The 557th Maintenance Company, which was located on Fiori, was restationed to Fort Irwin, Calif, Nov. 15,1991, as part of the Enhanced CONUS-based Contingency Capability. 26th Support Battalion filled the gap by moving off Ready and Graves Kasemes and onto Fiori in late 1991.

(Source: Email from Ingmar Pätzold, Germany)
I have been doing some research on the former US barracks in Aschaffenburg, because last year, we have moved to a newly built house inside the former "Fiori Barracks". So I was interested to see what was going on here a few decades ago, which buildings were here, and, most of all, what was exacly on the place where our house stands now.

Your site was very helpful in this regard, because it shows all the old maps! Thank you very much!

I have found that one picture at about 1/3 of the page, titled with "Fiori Barracks, main gate, 1954" (Webmaster's note: photo now moved to Smith Barracks section), showing two columns at the gate. But this is not Fiori (Fiori had only one column in the middle) but the entry of Smith Barracks at the Würzburger Straße. I took some pictures to show you how it looks like today: some of the buildings, 201, 204, 205, 206 are renovated and host mostly town administration offices and a radio station (two pictures following this post). At the right of the gate is a big supermarket.

The 3rd picture is from "inside" Fiori Barracks, looking from the place where about Building 113 used to be towards former Building 111 (a psychiatric clinic nowadays). In the middle-right, you see the day nursery and kindergarten where my little daughter plays.

My house, by the way, is a few meters from there, right in the middle between the letters "H-3" (Fiori map) and former Building 113. Do you by chance know what was on the area H-3 during the active times of the barracks?

The 4th picture is an overlay I made, using the map from your site and the current Google maps sattelite picture (which is from about Sept 2013). This is nice to see which of the buildings are still there and which not.

I hope that might be interesting for you..

Recent photo of the main gate area of Smith Barracks, Aschaffenburg (Ingmar Pätzold)
 

View of former Smith Barracks from Würzburger Straße (Ingmar Pätzold)
 
SMITH BARRACKS
From 1945 until 1948, Smith Barracks was unoccupied. Then in 1949, the first U.S. troops to live on Smith were soldiers from Headquarters and 3rd Battalion of the 18th Infantry Regiment. This unit stayed on Smith until 1955 when the 87th Infantry Regiment occupied the kaseme through 1957. Known to the Germans as Lagarde Kaseme, Smith Barracks was occupied in 1958 by the 9th Engineer Battalion.


Graves Barracks, Aschaffenburg (Bing Maps)
 
GRAVES BARRACKS
Known to the Germans as Bois-Brule Kaseme, Graves Barracks was first occupied by U.S. troops in the summer of 1949. Elements of the U.S. Army, 10th Division, 18th Infantry, 1st Battalion were stationed on the kaserne from 1949 until 1955. In 1955, the kaseme was occupied by the 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, until 1958. In 1958, Graves Barracks was designated as a 3rd Infantry Division kaseme.

Today Graves is occupied by the 1st Battalion, 7th Infantry, as well as 9th General Dispensary and Staff Judge Advocate.

 
READY BARRACKS
After the renovations of the kaseme in 1948, Ready Barracks or Artillery Kaseme was occupied by the 32nd Field Artillery Battalion but was replaced by the 40th Field Artillery Battalion in 1955. Afterward the 7th Transportation Truck Company moved to the kaseme in 1954. In 1957, after the reorganization of the 10th Division, the kaserne housed the 87th Infantry, 1st Battle Group.

Today the kaserne is occupied by the 4th Battalion, 66th Armor, as well as the Headquarters, 4th Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (formerly 3rd Brigade); 252nd Signal Company and the Branch Movement Control Team, more commonly known as BMCT, of the 502nd Branch Movement Control Center in Wiesbaden.

 
TAYLOR BARRACKS
Taylor Barracks sports several names whether it be the first American name of the Special Services Depot, or Heeresverpflegungsamt. The depot has served as a supply depot throughout the German and U.S. occupation. Formerly a German Army Class I supply point, the depot was initially used in 1948 as a U.S. Army Exchange Service, fore-runner of Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Supply Depot. Later the Depot, or Taylor Barracks, housed the Post Quartermaster Class I, Class III and Household Furniture Supply Points.

HISTORIES & MISC. INFORMATION
 
Research Request
 
Information is being compiled for a history of the U.S. Army installations in the Aschaffenburg area, 1945 to 1990s.
Help keep the memories alive!
 
1. Historical information on installations and units
Requester:
Webmaster
Subject:
Looking for historical information on units and military activities including base support in the Aschaffenburg area between 1945 and the 1990s.
Contact: webmaster


2. Aerial & ground photos of kasernes & housing areas
Requester:
Webmaster
Subject: Looking for period photos of the US Army installations (including dependent housing areas, schools, shopping centers, service (gas) stations & miscellaneous storage or maintenance facilities used by EES/AAFES, Quartermaster, Ordnance, Signal and Transportation units/activities) in and around Aschaffenburg from 1945 to the 1990s.
Contact: webmaster


3. Installation maps
Requester:
Webmaster
Subject: Looking for facility/post engineer maps of the various installations, activities and housing areas in the Aschaffenburg area from 1945 to 1990s.
Contact: webmaster

4. Military Community map
Requester:
Webmaster
Subject: Looking for a map that shows in detail the Aschaffenburg military community boundaries for the period 1974-1990.
Contact: webmaster

5. AAFES Service Station
Requester:
Webmaster & Michael Fink
Subject: Looking for photos of the AAFES gas station (Bldg # 685) next to the Spessart Manor Housing Area. (The Service station was located on the corner of Würzburg Strasse and Rhönstrasse, between Spessart Manor and Ready Barracks.) Unfortunately, before I thought to take photos, the gas station was demolished and to this day I regret that I never thought to photograph it. It was likely built in the 1950's based on the design.
Contact: webmaster
 
(Source: Webmaster's collection)
American Red Cross Club
Aschaffenburg, Germany

First Anniversary, September 1, 1945 - September 1, 1946

Present Staff

Ann Kivlighan
Staunton, Virginia
Pat Pitt
Kansas City, Missouri
Maxine Brodie
Wagner, South Carolina
Margie O'Brien
Minneapolis, Minnesota

MEMORIES


Around about August last year, the 6th Armored Division requested that a Red Cross be set up in Aschaffenburg, Germany to serve the officers and men of that division. Aschaffenburg was at this time eighty-five percent warworn and looking it, as was the building finally requisitioned for the Club. It was the former townhall and stood incomplete with no roof, no plumbing, no lights and a warterwarped floor. The three Red Cross girls sent here at that time, Roberta Peay, Toby Shafter and Nan Purtell, hadn't much to encourage them but the division that had requested them and the willingness of the local Military Government detachment to give them what aid they could in rehabilitating and furnishing the afore described building.

It was at this time that Lt. Col. Thomas Crawford willed us our present manager, Mr. William (Doc) Jellinek, who had been released by the 6th Armored from Buchenwald where he had been imprisoned for seven years. With Doc's invaluable aid and the work of the original three girls, the Aschaffenburg Red Cross became a going concern September 1, the date the 6th Armored pulled out for home. The 79th Division next kept the club busy, the 313th Infantry staying in Aschaffenburg until December. For these boys, the club was the only avocation, recreation and goof-off center in town. Coffee and donuts, games and a friendly atmosphere were the drawing cards for the club.

Toby found an orchestra led by Herr A Ott that provided music several times a week. Entertainers were scrounged by Doc and Toby from the DP and German market. First of these entertainers was Inca Sommers, dancer, who still trips the light fantastic in our Sunday floor shows. Maria Walewska, a polish singer, sang and still does, American songs in a seductive manner very popular with the boys. At this time Roberta Peay left for the States and was replaced by Pat Pitt, who has been Program Director in this club ever since.
 

First Anniversary, 1946
 
Boxing matches were soon inagurated as were the ever popular movies. Pvt. Jack Schutes began to help us with the production of four very popular and very professional GI shows. Herr Ott's orchestra began to play in an American manner after coaching from one of the GIs.

Ping Pong Tournaments were very rugged affairs accompained by much cussing, cheering and threatened throat cuttings. A baseball quizz, which the GIs wrote themselves with the aid of a World Almanac, caused quite heated duscussions in the club for weeks. Toby left and Kay Brainard joined the staff. Shipping orders kept getting cancelled and morale went down despite what we could do. Men who thought they would be home by the first of November were transfered to outfits not scheduled to pull-out until the first of the year.

After the 79th Division left, the club seemed full of ghosts. One morning we opened the door of the snack bar to a mob scene created by the coming of the 80th Division - A whole division was in the area living in tent city where the food was served cold, and bathing was impossible. The Red Cross became billets, Mess hall, a PX and a necessity. We were jamed with people all day, and program began at nine in the morning and ended at ten at night. Movie night was a nightmare of broken projectors, worn film, and old pictures. The boys began asking when we would serve binoculars and ear trumpets with the shows. There was no space for games, so all program became the spectator type. We had GI bands, Bingo, and games with prizes. Nan and Kay were transfered and Elsie Langler came to the club as Director with Ellice Dayton as staff-assistant.
 
 
The 80th Division said goodbye the week before Christmas, but the 5th Field was still with us. We spent Christmas Eve popping corn, pulling taffy, singing carols and unwrapping Christmas presents. At this time we started serving special cakes and french fries. The space left to us by having fewer troops was utilized to erect a volley ball and badminton court in the middle of the snack bar. Ann Amen arrived in January to take over from Elsie as Director.

Redecoration and re-emphasis on sports was the keynote for the early spring months. Floor shows and orchesras were improved and a booking service installed to help other clubs out with program. The 1st Division's 5th Field (Artillery Battalion) was replaced by D Company of the 15th Infantry in March. The AES Warehouse No. 100 and the 333rd Engineers, C Company came into Aschaffenburg also. To give these units (away from their parent and brother units), a chance to keep in the swim of things, we started a sports booking service. We sent out fishing and hunting trips with experienced German guides to insure profitable ventures. We also had a coffee and donut run to the outlying units, which was operated by Eleanor McAndrews.

Early summer brought B Troop, 10th Constabulary to replace the 15th Infantry. The summer has been full of events like our Fashion Show, our reopening formal dance, the plantation party and our tours. We are proud to say that we have regularly scheduled USO and Soldier shows. Eddie, our Austrian pianist has built up a Boogie show with novel arrangements and the only scat singer in Germany. Our floor shows have reached the professional stage and we are once again in full swing with a GI variety production. Our shows are always attended by the boys from the 85th Field in Babenhausen, and the 343rd Engineers are the backbone of the club.


Mid summer saw the departure of Ann Amen and Ellice Dayton to other assignments and the arrival of Ann Kivlighan, Maxine Brodie and Margie O'Brien. All of us are helping celebrate this year that is so full of memories, both of past successes and failures. We would like to thank all of the permanent units who have helped us so much - the Military Government Detachment, the Coal Supply Point, the AES Warehouse No. 100, and the Signal Corp Detachment. We would like for everyone to know that every Red Cross girl in this club has done her share to contribute to its success and that the forgotten man in this club is Doc, who has helped the club for the entire year. We have had an awfully good time and to all the American GIs who have stopped here, we would like to say "Its been swell knowing you!"


Pat Pitt
Program Director, October 1945 to September 1946

 
US Army Recreation Service Support Center, Europe

(Source: The Aschaffenburg Forum, Oct 4, 1989)
Aschaffenburg's USARSSCE depot houses the Bowling and Billiards Division, the Entertainment Division, the Graphic Arts Division and the Supply Division.

Bowling and Billiards
repairs and constructs bowling lanes, repairs game tables, refinishes gym and racquetball floors, and services clay tennis courts. Entertainment provides technical guidance, loans costumes and special equipment. Graphic Arts designs and illustrates as well as produces silk-screen posters. Supply operates a supply support activity providing appropriated-and nonappropriated-fund Morale, Welfare and Recreation items.

"We're the only one of its kind in the Army," Miller (Lt Col Gary Miller, new CO of USARSSCE) said. "We're involved in 39 communities, and we have a net of distribution for all over Europe. Our services stretch from Belgium to Moscow. In fact, last year, our Bowling and Billiards Division repaired bowling lanes for the U.S. embassy in Moscow."

USARSSCE was originally the 7731st Recreation Services Depot located in Belgium. It relocated here in 1948.

"We're in our 41st year of service," Miller said. "I look upon us as a business operation because 75 percent is NAF. At the same time, we have a service to provide to soldiers and families. The depot has a wealth of talent, and people have a lot of pride in their work."

Miller noted that the average person (on a staff of over 100, 70 percent of which are local nationals) has been working for USARSSCE for 25 years, which translates into skill and dedication.

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