Brienne Le Chateau AAF (APO 325), France

U.S. Army Aircraft Field Maintenance and Avionics Center - Europe

The Army moved into Brienne in September 1961, and remained until June 1965. The Army put it to good use, establishing the only major Army aircraft avionics modification center in Europe for their fleet of over 750 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, as well as certain classified aircraft brought in from the Middle East and Asia.  The center was dedicated to avionics rework and testing of aircraft.  It upgraded communications, radar, autopilot, and reconnaissance sensors systems in their fleet. 

The base handled every type of aircraft including: H-13 Sioux, H-19 Chickasaw, H-21 Shawnee, H-34 Choctaw, H-37 Mojave, L-19 Bird Dog, L-20 Beaver, L-23 Seminole, OV-1 Mohawk, U-1A Otter, UH-1A Huey.

The base’s buildings differed from the standard NATO design; the exteriors had tile roofs, multi-pane windows, more trim, and a mustard colored stucco finish.  There were 3 barracks, each able to house 240 personnel.  The western most barracks housed Officers and Civil Service Employees, as well as some Non-Commissioned Officers.  The middle barracks housed the Avionics Detachment, 256^th Signal Support Group, Headquarters and Military Police enlisted personnel.  The eastern most barracks housed the 582^nd Transportation Co. enlisted personnel.  Each room had 3 wall closets and a sink.  A toilet and shower was shared between each 2 rooms.  Each barracks had a day room, with a pool table.  There was no American radio or television.  The base theater was a small room in the H.Q. building, with a pull down screen and metal folding chairs.  There was a small PX, snack bar and barbershop run by French personnel.  The base only had a Medic Station for sick call.  The Mess Hall was normally open, and offered the best chow of any base anywhere.  Although isolated, the troops did eat well.  There were 40 units located southeast of the base, used as off-base housing, for both Officers and Enlisted personnel and their families.

The Army returned Brienne to France on 24 June 1965.  The airport was purchased by the Brienne Chamber of Commerce and later sold for private development.  It has been an airport for sports aviation, sky diving and soaring.  Two hangers and several flight line buildings have been used for an aviation museum.  The hangers and several buildings still exist today.  Brienne airfield was considered as the site for a super air cargo airport, but the local residents objected loudly, so the developers moved on to Chalons which is now being developed as the largest air cargo terminal in Europe.

I visited Brienne Le Chateau in October 2002.  The old Avionics hanger is still in use as a small museum and flight school.  An Industrial Park occupies the old barracks.  Most of the other buildings such as the Mess Hall, PX-Snack Bar, H.Q. Building, Officers Club, Enlisted Men’s Club and Tower (Base Operations) look as though a bomb had hit them and should be demolished.  The marguerites are all grown over and the runway looks pretty shabby.  But it still handles take-offs and landings.  The town is all grown up and boasts a population of 3,500 inhabitants.  The Chateau itself, which overlooks the town, is an imposing building of the latter half of the 18th century.  A statue of Napoleon commemorates his sojourn at Brienne from 1779 to 1784, when he was studying at the Military School.  The Center Bar and Hotel is still there, and has not changed a bit over the years.  Le Pinchonett Bar, down on the river Aube is still standing and the proprietor is the son of the original owner.  A drive through the old French countryside is like stepping back into the pages of history.