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102nd Signal Battalion
Tilloy Radio Site
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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1957-59 (Tony Rivera)


USAREUR Patch, 1955-19..
 
102nd Signal Battalion
 
TILLOY (FR) RADIO SITE
 
(Email from Tony Rivera, with Co "D", 102nd Signal Battalion in 1957-59, at Tilloy, France)
I was stationed at Tilloy, France (Co. D, 102nd Sig.Bn) Microwave Relay site from 1957-59. The site consisted of 6 men: 1 NCO & 5 E4's to operate and maintain all equipment. The site with routines had minimal problems, the hardest job was replacing the lights on the tower and keeping the furnace up at night during the winter.

Every one was single, we worked around a schedule that gave us lots of time off. We spent most of the time in one of three local towns: Chalons-sur-Marne, Epernay and Rheims, the heart of France's Champagne industry. As a young man it seemed to be the best duty one could have. We took leaves to Paris, went two weeks TDY to the Siemens factory in Munich to learn maintenance on new equipment, spent time in Luxembourg, Heidelberg and Frankfurt.
The site was located on N4 one of the main roads from Germany to Paris, so at times we would get GI's stopping by for direction. The site was kept in good shape and won "Top Site" awards, we all received separate rations and pro pay. We hired a local woman, Marie Petrowski, as cook and house keeper. We bought our food in Verdun's commissary about once a week and picked up the latest movies to be shown at the site, a USO show even stopped by to entertain us.

The site had three buildings. The main one consisting of the living quarters (two bed rooms, kitchen and living room), and the equipment room, another building was for the backup power generator and the third for local power. 

The tower was about 280 ft, and we had a 3/4 army truck to get us around.

Sending some photos as an attachment.
Tony Rivera

102d Sig Bn - 1957-59
Tilloy, France

 

1. Tilloy MW Radio Site, 1957 (KB)
2. (KB)

3. Main building and main gate (KB)

4. The tower (KB)
5. Bird's Eye view (KB)

6. Equipment room (KB)

7. Tony Rivera (KB)
8. (KB)

9. Marie Petrowski, LN site cook (KB)