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Griesheim Army Airfield
V Corps Aviation
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History

Air Sec, V Corps Arty

Air Sec, 10th Arty Gp

4th Pltn, 421st Med Co (AA)

 Newspaper articles

Related Links
Additional Information

 

Griesheim Army Airfield, 1960
 

Griesheim Army Airfield, 2007
History
 

Griesheim Army Airfield, July 1959 (STARS & STRIPES)
 

Griesheim AAF Operations, July 1959 (STARS & STRIPES)
 
1959
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, July 25, 1959)
Griesheim Army Airfield is under the operational control of V Corps Artillery. Aviation units of V Corps and 7th Army also use the field. Aircraft based at the airfield include: H-13s, H-19s, L19s and L20s.

Airfield commander is Capt Dwight G. Lorenz; Operations officer is 1st Lt Charles A. Stephenson.
 
1965
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, May 24, 1965)
Griesheim Airfield is one of 45 army airfields and airstrips in USAREUR.

Airfield commander is Maj James N. Hembree. He also serves as the Aviation Staff Officer for V Corps Artillery and the CO of Btry F.

There are three small Army aviation units stationed at the airfield:
Btry F, 26th Arty (the V Corps artillery aviation battery)
4th Pltn, 421st Med Air Abm Co (a medical evacuation unit)
Air Section, HQ 10th Arty Gp

Btry F performs target acquisition, routine reconnaissance and liaison duties.

With four HU-1B helicopters, 4th Pltn provides round-the-clock emergency medical air evacuation for the Frankfurt-Darmstadt area, and moves patients between hospitals in USAREUR. The unit is attached to the 31st Medical Group.

Aviation Section is responsible for providing logistical and command support for Group headquarters and its subordinate missile units.
 
1968
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, April 25, 1968)
14 farmers affected by a project to extend the runway at Griesheim AAF have protested to city of Darmstadt and US Army officials. The extension of the runway used by the Army airfield is necessary because of land lost to a new autobahn project (the "Darmstädter Kreuz" - an intersection for north-south Autobahns A-5 and A-67). A compromise between the farmers and officials seems to have been reached.

Construction work should start soon.
 
1989
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, July 6, 1989)
Griesheim Army Airfield is currently home to 14 US Army medical helicopters (UH-60 Blackhawks) of the 159th Medical Co (Air Amb).

In addition to the military mission, a civilian American flying club is located at the airfield - the Darmstadt Flying Club. The club has 200 members (the vast majority are US servicemembers) who fly five Cessna 152 trainers and two Cessna 172's. (The club was originally located in Hanau but moved to Griesheim in 1986.)

According to the S&S article, the citizens of Griesheim have waged a three-year campaign to get rid of the flying club because they feel that noise and danger levels have increased due to the club's flying and pilot training activities.

Airfield CO: Maj Emil F. Meis III.
  Source: GOOGLE MAPS (link)



One measure taken by the Army has been to move the runway's compass-rose point. This is an emblem painted on the runway that is used to calibrate helicopter compasses. The old one was on the far west end of the runway, about 50 meters or less from citizens' homes. The compass has now been moved to the southeastern end of the runway where no homes are located.
 
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