It was a great surprise to read about the 142nd Field Artillery Group, written by Clyde Titus. I remember Clyde well and would appreciate any help in making contact with him. My mind, at age 85, says he was from Illinois, Champlain comes to mind.

My contact with the 142nd started the last week in December, 1952 to May of 1954. After landing at Bremerhaven, I was put on a train to Baumholder with 11 newly arrived replacements, all from southern States, myself coming from Idaho. We were all Field Wiremen trained after basic training, mine at Ft Riley, Kansas. After three days at Baumholder, the 12 of us along with six NCOs and one Lt. were headed for Wertheim, Germany. Our purpose, unknown to us, was to open what had been a small Luftwaffe base, located about one mile above the beautiful village of Wertheim. This was to be the new location of the 142nd Field Artillery Group. During the 18 months I was stationed there, the name Peden Barracks (1) was never used or mentioned. Our advanced detail spent two weeks traveling between Wertheim and Wurtzburg, about 25 miles, transporting equipment and supplies to house the soon to arrive 142nd from Baumholder. The base headquarters and housing building were far superior to any barracks I was ever stationed in. Those German pilots had a great location and great accommodations.

At the time of our arrival in Wertheim we had to board a ferry to cross the Main River to be on the side of the 142nd home base. A new bridge closer to the village of Wertheim was almost completed crossing the Main and was opened within two or three days of our arrival. The owner of the ferry crossing thought his use was over when the bridge was opened and he committed suicide.

For the next 18 months that I was with the 142nd FA GP it was operating from Wertheim. I know we had the 756th FA BN on base. During those 18 months we had at least one and often two of our FA Battalions on either the southern border of the Russian Zone of Germany, or along the Western edge of the Czech border of the American Zone. Headquarters Battery was out at least once and often two weeks of each month.

My duty as a Field Wireman lasted about three months. When on maneuvers, we would lay phone communication between our FA Battalions and Group Headquarters. Usually we would start a Field Wire team from each end until we would make contact with each other. If good time was made, and there was extra time, the team Sgt’s would allow the teams to select a Gast Haus along the way to go back to for refreshments – beer usually. Once in those three months we went in a Gast Haus where Russian soldiers were also, and once, they in where we were. Neither they nor we were aware of whose zone we were in along the borders. One thing we figured out was that neither of us wanted to cause problems.

One morning after three months I was told to report to the Personnel Office. When I reported they informed me I was now assigned to their office. A Chief Warrant Officer, a Master Sergeant, and a Staff Sergeant, plus me, a soon to be PFC. These men were all old timers and had been involved in all kind of action during the war. After a couple of days I asked how this assignment came about. Their reply was that they needed someone who could work with records and type. When looking over all the records of Headquarters battery they found I was the only college graduate in the battery. That included the Captain and a Lieutenant. The Group Headquarters had officers no doubt with college degrees and the Col was West Point!! Once I learned the ropes my assignment as a Personnel Administration Specialist was much enjoyed. The time passed quickly.

The self propelled 8” guns that Clyde Titus mentioned were large and very cumbersome to and from maneuvers. If possible they were loaded on train flat cars and taken near the maneuver area. The other method of moving the slow vehicles was to load them on trucks with flat beds. The back end of the beds also had a driver who was able to maneuver the back of the trailers to help maneuver the big loads around the tight turns in the small villages. There was not room for mistakes. When maneuvering in the open they did great damage to fields, trees, grape vineyards, irrigation canals and many other obstacles in their way. Constantly there were teams of Germans and American service personnel to go behind and determine the amount of damage done. The German property owners were well paid for the damage, based on estimates of how many years it would take to repair said damages and to calculate the value of lost crops or damaged property.

In 2002 on a trip to Germany with my wife, daughter and her husband, we visited beautiful Wertheim where the Tabor River runs into the Main River. It was on Easter Sunday. Everyone dressed in their Sunday best enjoying the same town plaza I remember from my 18 months in 1953-4. The very vast change was the hillside from the village to the former base. Before there had been one home on the mile walk or ride from the base to Wertheim. Now there were hundreds of buildings from single homes to large five to ten story complexes. Streets all over the hill up to the base. Trying to find the base seemed useless. At the time we were giving up and had stopped along the street my daughter saw a sign telling about the 142nd Field Artillery Group and others that had been there. I looked ahead and there was the big arch going onto the base.

As soon as we drove inside the arch everything came back. On the right the theater that had been built right after our arrival. This building was still in use as a theater for the German people in that area. On the left was the large mess hall building for eating, used both by the Germans and the 142nd. Further on the right were the barracks for the 756th FA Battalion, now German apartments. Next was the Health Center, no doctor at that time. Wurtzburg had a large Field Hospital for serious medical needs. To the left was the parade area, now some buildings in the area. Straight east of the parade area was the headquarters for the 142nd, both barracks and their offices. Sadly, there was now a heavy fenced in area and we could not enter to see where I had worked and slept for those 18 months. A sign said it was now, fifty years later, a German Police Academy. Now traveling to the north was still the motor vehicle parking and repair building for the base. It no doubt had also been for the German airplanes, possibly for the dive bombers, mentioned by Clyde Titus that had once been stationed there. Along that back side traveling west was the NCO Club on the right and the big PX on the left. A turn south by the west wall brought us back to the arch and out. That part all the same, but everything outside of the base packed with those many new homes, other businesses, and complexes.

(1) The Wertheim Fliegerhorst was known to the Americans as Rheinhartshof Kaserne in the first years after the war. In March 1953, the kaserne was redesignated as Peden Barracks in honor of T/5 Forrest E. Peden (BTRY C, 10th FA BN, 3rd INF DIV), who was awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry during WWII.

In June of 1950 the Korean conflict broke out. In July President Harry Truman sent me a telegram indicating that Summer Camp was cancelled and we were ordered to report for active duty in Lafayette, Indiana on September 10, 1950.

We were stationed in Lafayette for 2 weeks and then we went by train to Camp Rucker, Ala. In fact we were the first troops to occupy the camp on its reactivation. (It had been closed since WWII ended.) We did not have any of our equipment, and were only at 1/3 TOE strength, so we spent our time cleaning up troop compounds. We completed 3 such areas. Ultimately, Rucker became the helicopter headquarters for the Army and later became Fort Rucker.

On January 4th or 5th the 393rd was transferred to Camp Polk, LA. Shortly after we reached Rucker I became the Battery Clerk of Service Battery and remained so the rest of my time on Active duty. At Camp Polk we began to acquire our equipment for the 3 gun batteries, mainly the 155mm self propelled gun. The other batteries in the Battalion were Headquarters and Service Batteries. We also acquired the rest of our TOE strength.

After training to the ready we were ready to ship to Korea by August 1951. By that time, Dept of Army did not need or want us in Korea. However, the Russian Bear was growling and they were worried that he would come into Germany, by way of Checoslovockia. On December the 10th we departed by train to New Orleans and boarded the General Harry S. Taylor.

Two weeks later, on Christmas Eve we landed at Bremerhaven Germany and the next day we got off the train at Neckarsulm Artillery Kaserne. The 452nd Artillery Bn traveled with us and they were in the same kaserne. We would maneuver at Grafenwoehr and Vilseck (next to the Chec boarder). I believe we were assigned to the 30th Group, 7th Army.

I can remember traveling to Frankfurt to give General Eisenhower a roaring sendoff when to went to the States to run for President.

We were activated for 21 month service and then extended to 24 months. Some of the fellows started going home at 20-21 months. I shipped back mid July 1952 on the General Patton, arriving at New Jersey a week later.

A little different than when I went over. Via Camp Kilmer NJ and in a few days Camp Breckenridge KY I mustered out of active duty on August 7th or 8th. I was assigned to the inactive reserve and on December 4th 1952 I completed my reserve enlistment. Since I had reserve enlistment and my active duty requirement concurrently I was total discharged from any further military requirement and I received my “Discharge” and my DD214 in early January 1953.

I don’t know any history of the 393rd or how or when it was assign to Lafayette, IN.

If anyone wants to contact me I can be reached at Wesley.schissler@insightbb.com.

Cpl Wesley E. Schissler, Battery Clerk, 393rd FA Bn

I was stationed at Peden Barracks in 1953-54 as a track vehicle mechanic. Actually, I was at Baumholder first for a short while, but assigned to C Btry, 756th FA Battalion (8in, Hv, SP).

Moving to Wertheim was wonderful, as we had steam heat in Peden Barracks, and many of the facilities were new. The German people welcomed us with open arms and I made many friends there, as well as finding my wife there and we just this year celebrated our 50th anniv.

We have been back to Germany several times in the years since 1970, but now all of my wife's family have passed on. Last year we did attend a wedding of a friends daughter and had a good time.

I remember the 194th FA Battalion. They were nearby and had 155 howitzers (towed). We had 8-inch self-propelled, 4 to each btry. (A, B and C).

Service Btry. had 5-ton Ints. and a VTR as well as a 5-ton wrecker. Each Btry. also had several 2 1/2 ton Reos.

The other units as I remember at Peden were 557th Ambulance Co. and I think 142nd Gp. HQ. (Not sure about the number). Col. Pennel was Gp. commander and had survived the Bataan death march in WWII. We also had a sgt. who went through that and he and the Col. got together at times.

I think that the "grasshopper" was for all the units at Wertheim, although we GIs didn't get to see much of it. Our Chaplain's asst. was in charge of the plane and must have been a liscensed A & E. I never knew who the pilot was.

It would be great to have a roster of the men in 756th at about early 1953. My fellow mechanic who shared a semi-private room at the caserne, passed away a few years ago. Massive heart attack.

I have been in contact with a few of my buddies from that time, but have no clue where most of them are now. Had intended to attend a reunion and was given a list of names, but none of them were familiar, except the btry commdr. and the exec officer.

Wertheim is definitely different-no longer a US Army town and a real tourist trap. However, it still has a lot of charm and a lot of good memories for my wife and myself.

Enjoyed reading your message on your website.
Regards, Bill.