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.

All units were barracked at Gibbs. Along with the 45th Medical Battalion which was part of 3rd Armored Division. Obviously no aircraft were at Gibbs. I do not recall the name of the airfield. But it was not far away. Just north of Drake-Edwards Kaserne as I recall. (The City of Frankfurt is turning Gibbs into a new emergency center for the fire department.)

Basically this battalion was a conglomeration of various unrelated units assigned to direct support for the Corps Headquarters staff. The battalion was "provisional". Meaning that it had no TOE. Battalion staff and equipment was drawn from the units assigned to V Corps. Many years later the Corps were given a TOE for their Special Troops Battalions.

Hq Company did what Hq companies still do I guess. Provide personnel and equipment and some mobility to Corps staff. 35th TC (light truck) had 60 2½-ton trucks with trailers for moving Corps staff to the field. 66th Aviation Company had a small variety of light aircraft to support Corps staff. 69th Engineer Company provided complete mapping services to Corps staff. 92nd TC (Car) had 20 each jeeps/trlrs, ¾-tons w/trlrs, and sedans (Fords if I remember correctly). 109th MPs provided security and traffic control around Corps areas. LRRP Company was airborne. They were sort of secretive but I understand they were trained as small teams to be air dropped behind enemy lines as listening posts/intel types.

During my 3 years assigned to V Corps I was assigned to the 35th Transportation Company (Light Truck). My last 18 months or so I was assigned to battalion staff as S-4. My duties as platoon leader in the 35th were suspended except for when we went on ready alerts and field maneuvers. Battalion S-1 came from the 92nd Transportation Company. Battalion CO and the S-2 and S-3 came from Corps HQ somewhere.

For one year of my three years I had the pleasure to serve under Creighton Abrams. What a difference from the other 3 star generals. Less spit and polish and parades and more training and useful experience.

One parade of note was in June 1963 (I think) when the 3rd Armored Division (a V Corps unit) stood for inspection by President Kennedy. He went on to Berlin where he made is famous "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech. Five months later I was just going off duty when I heard that he had been shot and killed.

I greatly value my 3 years service in Germany (out of total service time of 40 months). Back then you could get 4 deutschmark for a dollar, gas was 19 cents at the PX, and life was pretty good. And we were all doing our little part to help keep those commies on their side of the wall that they put up to keep their own people in.

Almost 30 years later that system sure crashed.