Headquarters, V Corps Artillery is located at Cambrai-Fritsch Kaserne in Darmstadt. CG of V Corps Arty is Brig Gen John C. Hayden. Hayden assumed command of the organization in Nov 1955. (He replaced Brig Gen Donald Dunford.)

The command's 14 battalions and 4 special batteries are equipped with weapons that range from self-propelled 155mm howitzers to the 85-ton 280mm cannons as well as free-flight rockets and guided missiles. (In addition to the units directly assigned to V Corps Arty, artillery units of the V Corps combat divisions (4th and 10th Inf Div; 2nd Armd Div) are classified as "artillery with the corps.")

Besides various towed and self-propelled artillery weapons that fire conventional charges, V Corps Artillery also fields three systems that can carry a nuclear warhead: the 280mm cannon, the free-flight Honest John rocket and the Corporal guided missile.

To make sure that V Corps artillerymen are ready at any time to fulfill their mission, training is conducted 12-months-a-year. Garrison training is constant at the kasernes where the various subordinate units are located. Then, three times a year, each unit is sent to the gunnery ranges at either Grafenwoehr or Baumholder for field training. Work at the ranges is for three-weeks at a stretch and includes night marches, cross country drives, reconnaissance, selection and occupation of firing positions.

Each unit concludes the yearly training cycle with battery firing tests twice a year and battalion tests once a year. These tests determine the ability of the units to conduct simulated combat operations.

The Battery tests last half a day in which units are given five missions (targets). They are expected to fire around 60 rounds. The Battalion test lasts 36 hours and includes 16 missions with an expenditure of around 250 rounds. Emphasis is on accurate and timely artillery fire.

There were over 400 men in the TAB unit and we supported the Firing of the artillery at Grafenwoher. The men rotated out every two weeks to the field as there was only one TAB unit at that time. Officers that served during my time there were:
Lt Bettingheimer
Lt Frutchy (West Pointer)
Lt Weaver
Lt Crutchley
CWO4 Shannon METRO unit

The first sergeant there was named Garcia.

We reported to Col Charles Morrow who was the CO of V Corps Artillery.

Memorable times:
Once a year trip to FULDA on alert. In 1973 ( Israel war) we were really serious about the trip

In 1973, it was mandated that all combat units take a sealed troop train to Berlin to see the wall. They took all four hundred of us and put us in a resort for three days. I visited Berlin and Cambrai Fritsch Kaserne in 2011 when, I believe, we closed the Kaserne down. Pretty interesting going across into Berlin in 2011 as I couldn’t go across in 1973 ( security clearance too high to go into East Germany)

In 1974 right before I left, the Company Clerk was hauled away to Leavenworth Prison for dealing drugs in Darmstadt area. Go figure.

Last tidbit was I was present in 1973 of the last firing of the Honest John missile which couldn’t hit anywhere near where it was pointed.

It was a strange time. Vietnam was still going on and all of the LTs had escaped to Germany duty ( including me) so as to avoid that tour in Nam. The Captains had been there and didn’t talk much about it. Most of the sergeants had been there and talked about the experience all of the time. Most of the officers mentioned stayed active duty and all reached the rank of LTC or COL. I went into the Reserves after four years of active duty and retired as a LTC with 28 years.

B Btry, 1st TAB, 26th FA, or B-TAB as most called it, was my first assignment as a lieutenant. When I arrived in July 1974 it was stationed at Cambrai-Fritsch Kaserne in Darmstadt. CPT David R. Rogers was the commander then.

At that time there was no longer a battalion headquarters, we were a separate battery under V Corps Artillery, which was on the same kaserne.

1SG Price was our First Sergeant.

I was assigned as Flash Platoon Commander and SFC Little was my Platoon Sergeant, SFC Diffey was the Survey Platoon Sergeant; CW2 Staley was the Radar Warrant.

At some point in 1975 or 76 we received PCS orders to move the entire battery to Babenhausen Kaserne. There we shared a barracks building with D/3-59th ADA. They had the upstairs and we the downstairs. D Battery ran the Hawk Missile site behind the Kaserne next to the airfield.

In Babenhausen we were assigned to 41st FA Group which was located there also. CPT Rogers did not move with us, our new battery commander was CPT James McDonough.

This arrangement did not last too long. B-TAB received orders again to PCS. It was redesignated as F Battery, 333rd FA as part of an Army reorganization in which all Target Acquisition assets were shifted from Corps to Division.

In May 1977 B-TAB moved to Baumholder to become part of 8th Infantry Division Artillery. I did not move with them, I transferred to 2-5th FA and stayed in Babenhausen until Feb 1978.

LTC Michael Bunting, AUS Retired

CORRECTION:
(Source: Email from Santos Alvarado)
Some of the above information is incorrect:

1. B Btry, 1st TAB, 26th FA was redesignated as C Btry 333d FA about the same time as their sister unit, A Btry, 1st TAB, 26th FA was redesignated (in 1978) as F Btry 333d FA.

2. Also, in 1976 Btry A (TAB), 26th FA was not at Pendelton Bks, but at Giessen Army Depot next to 42nd Field Artillery Group. In November 1976, A Btry was transferred from the 42nd FA Group to 3rd AD DIVARTY and moved to Francois Kaserne in Hanau.

I was with A Btry from 1976 to 1979. They also should have moved to Baumholder the same time we moved from Giessen in late of 1976.

I was assigned to F Btry 333d FA (A Btry 1/26 FA) 1976-79  and C Btry 333d FA from 1980-83 and 1987- 90.