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80th
Ordnance Battalion (M&S) |
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| 80th Ordnance Battalion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1947 - 1956 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 80th Ordnance Bn, Index Kaserne, Esslingen (Dave Stalker, Spring 1954) |
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80th Ordnance Bn DUI |
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| The 80th Ordnance QM Bn served in the European Theatre during WWII, and remained in the ETO as part of the Occupation troops after VE-Day. The Bn was located in Esslingen during the Occupationa and inactivated there on Jan 20, 1947. Hq/Hq Company, 80th Ordnance Battalion was reactivated at Karlsfeld Ordnance Depot in Munich in June 1949. The battalion later changed station and moved to Esslingen (Index Kaserne, a.k.a. Index Werke). According to a STARS & STRIPES article from Dec 1954, the Index Werke plant was derequisitioned and returned to German ownership in late 1954. Sometime before that the 80th moved its headquarters to Funker Kaserne. |
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ORGANIZATION
(30 June 1954):
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| The 80th Ord Bn was replaced by the 66th Ord Bn in the spring of 1956 as part of Operation GYROSCOPE. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
If you have more
information on the history or organization of the 80th Ord Bn, please
contact me . |
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 Index Werke (formerly Index Ksn) shortly after being returned to the original owners in late 1954 (Source: company website) |
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| (Source: Email from Dave Stalker) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I arrived in Esslingen Index Kaserne in April 1954 which was soon to be vacated. I was stationed there with the 77th Ordnance Company. We moved to the Funker Kaserne in early Summer 1954. As mentioned, I was at Index about 2 months before we relocated to the much better Funker on the top of a hill in Esslingen. The Index Kaserne was pretty primitive in comparison. The sleeping quarters was one long open hall with cots lined up in a row (much like boot camp) and a large stall shower at one end. Me and a bunch of others received driving lessons on trucks at Index since we were a mobile ordnance operation (everything was in huge vans that got hooked up and hauled to the field.) Made for some interesting experiences traveling the narrow winding mountain roads of that area. Kind of scary for someone who never drove a truck before and never used air brakes. We went out quite often on drills. This was going on about the time when the much-touted 280 mm atomic cannon and its transporter was brought over to Germany and it was found to be much too cumbersome and almost impossible to haul around those narrow roads. One fell in a ditch. I'm sure the natives were scratching their heads at this sight. Lots of fun memories though. I remained with the 77th until late Feb. 1955 and was then rotated back stateside to be processed out. Enclosing 3 pictures. One of Index Kaserne in late Spring of 1954 (see above) which I took with my new Kodak Retina IA which I just purchased for $40. at Robinson Barracks PX in Stuttgart. The one of Index Werke is from their website (which I googled). It is from 1955 after the American Army vacated the facility in Summer of 1954. The website describes this transition and states they are a Lathe maker (started in 1922) and has a world wide customer base. The last picture is of our 77th Ordnance Depot Company baseball team in front of the Funker Kaserne in Summer of 1954 which was taken by a newsletter photographer. |
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| 569th Ordnance Company (DAS) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Brief notes taken while doing research at the USAREUR Military History Office in the early 1980s.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 569th Ordnance
Company (Direct Automotive Support), APO 154 The Company was activated as the 569th Ordnance Medium Automotive Maintenance Company on 18 June 1947 at Allach (Munich), Germany in the former Junkers factory. The Company's mission at that time was to support, in conjunction with the 558th Ord MAM Co, wheeled vehicles and small arms in the Munich Military Post area. In addition to military personnel, the Company supervised, together with the 558th, approximately 1,500 German personnel in the maintenance, repair and supply of ordnance material. On 13 June 1948, the Company relocated to Dachau, with station in the Munich Military Post Center, and no change in its support mission. On 25 June 1949, the Company was attached to the 85th Ord Bn. On 4 October 1950, the Company moved to Jaeger Ksn, Aschaffenburg, was relieved from attachment to the 85th and attached to the 71st Ord Bn. Its mission was to support the 18th Inf Regt, 1st Inf Div. The Company also assumed support responsibilities for other units so that, eventually, it supported a total 45 units in the Aschaffenburg-Darmstadt area. On 1 May 1951, the unit was relieved from attachment to the 71st and re-attached to the 85th Ord Bn, with no change in mission or station. On 5 September 1951, the Company was attached directly to the 47th Ord Gp. On 18th September 1951, the Company was further attached to the 80th Ord Bn and relocated to Ludwigsburg. On 25 October 1951, the unit moved to Zuffenhausen. On 15 July 1952, the Company was relocated once again, this time to Ludendorff Kaserne, Ludwigsburg. It now supported 56 units. On 1 April 1953, the unit was reorganized and redesignated as the 569th Ord Co (DAS) under TO&E 9-127A; no change in mission; 45 units supported. On 10 June 1954, the 569th was moved to Flak Ksn, Ludwigsburg. In July 1955, the Company was supporting 38 units. |
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| 1954 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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(Source:
David Taylor, 569th Ord Co, Ludwigsburg, 1954-1955)
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| (Source: Email from Milan Kurutz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I was stationed with the 569th Ord. Company at Flak Kaserne from 1954 until June 1956. My CO was Capt. Cuinningham and then Capt. Cherry. I was with the 569th when it transferred over from Ludendorff Kaserne in Kornwestheim. I am trying to get information about the 569th, but so far not any luck. I was at Flak Kaserne last Sept. 2013 and also in Sept. 2009. There is a museum upstairs of the old guard house but nothing of the 569 Ord. Company. |
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| 8902nd Labor Service Company (ORD MAM) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 80th Ord Bn sign (far right) in front of the gate on Plochinger Strasse (Brigitte Miller) |
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 Three members of the 8902nd LS Co at Index Kaserne (Brigitte Miller) |
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 Horst "Harry" Dittmar, 802nd LS Co at Index Kaserne (Brigitte Miller) |
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| 1950 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Email from Brigitte Miller, daughter of the late Horst Dittmar, 8902nd Labor Service Company, 1950-53) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| My father Horst (Harry) Dittmar worked for the American Army around 1950 -1953 in Esslingen with the 80th Ordnance Battalion. My Dad was a keen photographer and I have many photos of his days in Esslingen. Dad migrated to Australia in 1953, returning to Germany briefly in 1956 to late 1957. |
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| 82nd Ordnance Detachment (Tech Intel) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1952 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Email from Richard L. Joseph) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Just a little information on the 80th and the 82nd Ord. Tech. Int. Det. I was company clerk when I first arrived in Esslingen after a 6 days trip from USA. We were sent to Sonthofen, Rep. Dep, and then shipped to our units.
I spent about 3 months with the Hq Det. 80th Ord. Bn. and was then transferred to the 82nd Ord Tech Intel Det. under the leadership of Capt. Homer N. Olsen. I was still billeted at the Index Kaserne and mess with the 77th Ord Dep. Co, also of the Index. The 82nd was a more or less tech type of unit not the run of the mill army fighting unit we did lots of investigative work of weapons and specialty items. It was a very interesting unit to work with, which consisted of 1 Capt. who was the commanding officer, and 3 enlisted men. The complete unit was 4 personal.
This Index was an old factory building made over into barracks form. Not a good place to be but kindof on our own. Was at this location until winter of 1952-53, was then discharged from the Robinson Barracks of Bad Cannstatt, Germany on March 15th, 1953 to become a full fledged private USA citizen once again. I was married to my German wife on March 17th 1953 at the Rathhaus of Esslingen by the Burgermeister of Esslingen. We then had to wait for all the paper work to clear and did then rotate to the USA on May 14th 1953 after spending 2 years in this Man's US Army as a draftee US man.
I have many good fond memories of the Index and Esslingen, and of course Germany. We have been married now 60 years and still enjoying life and our memories. Hope this sheds a little light on activities back in the "50's." Good to see this web page thanks for the chance to connect all. |
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Related Links: |
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152nd
Ord Det (IFC Repair)
