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Verdun
Signal Depot
Communications Zone
Looking for more information from military/civilian
personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army
in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any
stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me .
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Depot
History |
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![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%20Wikimapia.jpg)
Recent satellite view of former Verdun Signal Depot (Wikimapia) |
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1951
- 1960's |
(Source: Email from Frank Santoro) |
Verdun Signal Depot (7773 Army Unit)
On November 30, 1951, the Verdun Signal Depot ( ) was originally authorized by the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Headquarters European Command. Verdun Signal Depot personnel were first authorized as 7768 Signal Detachment, effective December 10, 1951.
Located 2 miles Northwest of Verdun, the depot occupied approximately 20 acres of ground utilized for administration and storage buildings with hard stands for open storage. The Verdun Garrison water supply was located within this station. The station had railroad spurs and a sewage disposal plant. Post, camp and station type facilities, were not included in the station, but were provided by the Verdun Garrison in nearby Maginot ( ) and Gribeauval ( ) Casernes. Family housing facilities were located at the dependent quarters in the Bevaux area. Approximately 200 sets of quarters were constructed, which included a refrigerator and electric stove, but otherwise unfurnished. Each unit contained central heat, hot water heater and bath fixtures.
In January 1958, construction began to add an additional 146 units with a completion date of early 1959. |
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![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Signal%20Depot%206%20600.jpg)
Main gate, General Depot Verdun (Frank Santoro) |
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The depot occupied premises originally constructed for a synthetic textile plant in 1928 by the Verdun Textile Society. Due to financial difficulty, equipment was never installed and the buildings remained unoccupied except for short intervals when they were used as a French and later as a German prison.
In 1951 the French Government leased the buildings and grounds to the United States Army for the purpose of housing a signal depot. In order to make the textile plant premises suitable for a signal depot operation, new construction and rehabilitation was initiated on October 15, 1953 and was completed in a little over a year’s time on November 14, 1954.
Gribeauval Caserne
APO 122
Verdun, France
The Verdun Signal Depot is located approximately two miles northwest of Verdun. Post, camp and station type facilities were provided by the Verdun Garrison’s in the nearby Maginot and Gribeauval Caserne’s.
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Verdun Town Map, 1958
Gribeauval Caserne
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Administrative and storage buildings, along with hard stands for open storage utilized the twenty acres of ground storage. Constructed by the Verdun Textile Society in 1928, the buildings never were utilized and remained unoccupied except for short intervals when they were used as a French and later as a German prison. In 1951 the French Government leased the buildings and grounds to the United States Army for the purpose of housing a signal depot. On the 30th of November 1951, the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, European Command authorized the Verdun Signal Depot.
The 7768 Signal Detachment housed in the Gribeauval Caserne was authorized effective the 10th of December 1951. Along with the 7768, the 39th Ordnance occupied housing in the Caserne. In order to make the textile plant premises suitable for Signal Depot operations, new construction and rehabilitation was initiated on the 15th of October 1953 and was completed in a little over a year’s time on the 14th of November 1954.
The French Government reclaimed all the facilities in the 1960’s. |
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![](../ComZ/Gribeauval%20Caserne%202%20sm.jpg)
1. Barracks at Gribeauval |
![](../ComZ/Gribeauval%20Caserne%201%20sm.jpg)
2. Gribeauval Caserne |
![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%207%20sm.jpg)
3. IG Inspection
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![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%208%20sm.jpg)
4. Armistice Day parade |
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If you have more
information on the history or organization of the Verdun Signal
Depot, please contact me . |
![](../../EUCOM_patchwhite.jpg) |
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(Source: Email from Frank Santoro) |
Verdun General Depot |
Verdun General Depot, 1958 |
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(Source: Map and photos submitted by Angelo Cinti, via Frank Santoro) |
![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%202%20sm.jpg)
1. Map of Signal Depot, mid 1950s (KB) |
![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%203%20sm.jpg)
2. Aerial view of VSD, 1950s (KB) |
![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%201%20sm.jpg)
3. Gribeauval Cas. sign (KB)
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![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%204%20sm.jpg)
4. Cinti and Jones (KB) |
![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%206%20sm.jpg)
5. (KB) |
![](../ComZ/Verdun%20Sig%20Depot%205%20sm.jpg)
6. (KB) |
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(Source: Photos submitted by Leon Purdham, via Frank Santoro) |
![](Verdun%20Personnel%201%20sm.jpg)
1. (KB) |
![](Verdun%20Personnel%202%20sm.jpg)
2. (KB) |
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Related Links: |
![](../ComZ/Verdun%20website%203.jpg) |
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US Army - Verdun, France - APO 122 - Frank Santoro's website featuring military installations and units in the Verdun, France, area from 1950-1967. |
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![](../ComZ/Verdun%20website%202.jpg) |
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Verdun Tour (then and now) - Harry Puncec's photo pages on the Worldisround.com website includes photos of Verdun and surroundings from the WWII and Com Z days - including some of Maginot Caserne. |
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![](../ComZ/256th%20Sig%20Co%20website.jpg) |
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256th Signal Co (SPT) - a website dedicated to those who served with the 256th Signal Co. (SPT) from its beginning in Verdun until being disbanded. |
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![](Saumur%20Signal%20Depot%20website.jpg) |
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Saumur Signal Depot - website developed for the interest of the many soldiers and dependents who were stationed at the US Army 7794th Saumur Signal Depot at Saumur, France. |
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