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1st Infantry Division
Big Red One
(Page 1 - Division History / Headquarters & Division Troops)
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.

Cold War History

Operation GYROSCOPE

1st Inf Div (FWD)



DIVISION TROOPS

Related Links



Division History
1945 - 1955
Special Anniversary editions of The American Traveler
Operation GYROSCOPE
1955
(Source: Email from Bennett Dickson, Army dependent, 1st Infantry Div)

1st Inf Div returns to US, 1955
  
I came across your pictures of the return of the Big Red One in July, 1955.  The ship was the USNS Upshur and I was standing somewhere on the deck, near the band. I was eight years old at the time.  My father had commanded the 3d Battalion, 16th Infantry, but was appointed the Division G4 and put in charge of the Advance Party for our trip to Ft. Riley.  Many other ships were to follow, but we were the first. This took place in Bayonne, I think.

My Aunt and Uncle lived in New Jersey, so we went to their house while they unloaded our car which was in the hold and we drove to Kansas.  The troops went by train.  That night, the band and my dad appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in New York City.  It was the first time that I had seen a television.
I later served a total of 9 1/2 years in Germany in the 3d Armored Division and 8th Infantry Division in Gelnhausen, Hanau, Mainz, and Bad Kreuznach from 1971-75 and 1981-86. We left Germany in 1986 and went to Ft. Riley (where else?) where I commanded the 5th Battalion, 16th Infantry.

On another page, you have the 16th Infantry Regiment in Furth from 1951-55.  They were at Ledward Barracks, Schweinfurt in 1954-55.

Great web site, glad so see someone doing the labor of love to document all of this, it's almost all gone now.

A historical look at the Big Red One, DUTY FIRST, Summer 2006
 
1st Infantry Division Troops
 

Headquarters, 1st Infantry Division

701st Ordnance Maintenance Battalion

63rd Tank Bn

1st Engineer (Cbt) Bn

1st Medical Bn

122nd Transportation Truck Bn

. . . .
HQ 1st Infantry Division
 

Emery Barracks, Würzburg, home of HQ 1st Infantry Division, c. 1953 (Wilmer Braunel)
 
Emery Barracks, early 1950s (Anne (Tubinis) Audette)
 
(Source: Email from Anne (Tubinis) Audette, daughter of a former member of the 1st Inf Div, 1951-53)
Headquarters troops of the 1st Infantry Division were stationed at Emery Barracks in the 1951-53 timeframe.
1952

Location of 1st Infantry Division units and stations, 1952 (Walter Elkins)
Click on the graphic to view a higher res version
If you have additional information/corrections, contact the webmaster - see email link at top of page
 
1954

Members of the Division General and Special Staffs, Aug 1964 (Webmaster's collection)
(Click on image to view higher resolution version of page)
 

Location of 1st Infantry Division unit, 1954 (Webmaster's collection)
(Click on image to view higher resolution version of map)
 

Hq building, 1st Infantry Division, Emery Barracks, 1954 (Webmaster's collection)
 
 
1955
(Source: various STARS & STRIPES issues)
Airfields under 1st Infantry Division control (1955) :
  Division airfield Emery Barracks airstrip (Würzburg)
  16th Infantry Regiment (Conn Barracks, Schweinfurt)
  18th Infantry Regiment Nilkheim airstrip (Aschaffenburg)
  26th Infantry Regiment Bamberg airstrip
  Division Artillery Ferris Barracks airstrip (Erlangen)
    (incomplete)  
122nd Transportation Truck Battlion
 
1948
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Dec 18, 1948)
The 122nd Transportation Battalion with six transportation truck companies is assigned to the 1st Inf Div for logistical support of the division's infantry troops.

The battalion headquarters is located at South Kaserne (later known as Merrell Kaserne). Attached units are the 24th, 57th, 58th, 63rd, 544th and 590th Truck Companies.

In a combat situation, two truck companies would be attached to each of the three infantry regiments in the 1st Division to transport them.
(Source: Email from Everette Coppock)

122nd TC Trk Bn patch
worn during the 1948 mission		   The first challenge to the US Army during the Cold War came when the Soviet Union closed off freight traffic of its former Allies into Berlin hoping that they would turn their portion of the capitol over.

The Russians imposed a blockade of Berlin on 21 June 1948.

The US Army and Air Force responded by delivering supplies to Berlin through the air corridor. Operation Vittles had its airborne birth on 26 June 1948.

Rhein-Main and Wiesbaden became the Airports of Embarkation (APOE) with TC Airhead Tempelhof in Berlin the Airport of Debarkation (APOD).

The 2nd Traffic Control Group opened another APOE at Wiesbaden Air Base on 29 June 1948.

The 122nd Truck Battalion consisted of the 24th, 58th, 59th, 63rd, 544th, 590th Transportation Companies and would add the 76th Transportation Company to the Berlin line haul in August 1948.
 
1951

122nd Trans Trk Bn, 1951 (The American Traveler)
 
ORGANIZATION (1951):

UNIT DESIGNATION

DUTY STATION COMMENTS
HHD, 122nd Trans Trk Bn Merrell Bks, Nürnberg  
24th Trans Trk Co Nürnberg  
58th Trans Trk Co Bamberg  
59th Trans Trk Co Nürnberg  
63rd Trans Trk Co Nürnberg  
544th Trans Trk Co Hammelburg  
590th Trans Trk Co Hammelburg  
701st Ordnance Maintenance Battalion
 
701st Ord Maint Bn DUI (The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 701st Ordnance Battalion on 26 May 1954)
 
1952
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, Nov 9, 1952)
The 701st Ordnance Maintenance Company is located at Würzburg and commanded by Maj Homer D. Smith, Jr.

The company's mission is to issue and maintain all types of ordnance equipment, including vehicles, tanks, artillery, small arms and fire control instruments.

Supplying the division's needs for spare parts is the responsibility of the Supply Platoon. In order to carry out its supply function in the field, the platoon takes with it 20 trucks and trailers that it uses as mobile warehouses. Each truck houses certain spare parts so when a requisition is made to the platoon, it can find the part quickly.

The company's two maintenance platoons only handle third echelon maintenance.

For a 1st Inf Div unit to have a vehicle repaired, it must send the damaged vehicle to the 701st and submit a job order to the 701st shop office. The requisition form must state as nearly as possible the amount of work involved to repair the vehicle.

The next step is a complete technical inspection on the vehicle to determine if the 701st has the parts and facilities available for the repairs. If the 701st does not have the parts, the vehicle will be held by the company while the supply platoon requisiitons the parts. If the parts are available or once the requisitioned parts are received, the vehicle is moved into the automotive shop where technical workers take over.

After the repair work is completed, the vehicle is sent to the Service and Recovery section, if necessary. This is were carpenters, painters, and battery repairmen do their job.

After the vehicle is back in serviceable condition, it is picked up by the user unit.
 
1953
(Source: 701st Maintenance Battalion AHR FY 1982)
The 701st Ordnance Maintenance Company was reorganized and redesignated on 1 April 1953 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 701st Ordnance Maintenance Battalion.

The distinctive unit insignia for the battalion was originally approved on 26 May 1954.

1st Ordnance Battalion, 1954
 
1954
(Source: 36th Anniversary Issue of the AMERICAN TRAVELER, August 1953)

Related Links:
Society of the First Infantry Division - A wonderful site hosted by the official organization of veteran's who have served in the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) of the U.S. Army.
16th Infantry Regiment Association - The website has a great deal of historical information on the regiment, including a fair amount on the 1945-55 period when the regiment had elements in Germany, Austria, and Berlin.
26th Infantry Regiment Association - A great site dedicated to the "Blue Spaders" vets