The compound also housed a Transportation Group and part of the 32d Army Air Defense Command. Sometime after my departure, the compound was turned over to the Air Force and became Kapaun Air Station.

My initial assignment was as the HHC Signal Operations Platoon Leader with SFC Bryan Dawson as my Platoon Sergeant. Later I was moved to the position of Battalion Radio Officer in the Battalion S3 shop.

The Sig Ops Platoon was required to operate the Battalion’s tactical communications terminal (Florida Terminal) 24/7. In order to make staffing and maintenance of the more efficient and requiring fewer resources, we dismounted our AN/TCC-7 and SB-86 switchboard assemblages and built them into a room on the top floor of the building in which the Battalion HHC was located.

My Platoon originally had a radio terminal on a mountain behind the barracks from which we ran cable down to the mux terminal. That split terminal was called “Pennsylvania Terminal” with a 00 (zero-zero) designation. For reasons I don’t recall, the name was later changed to “Florida Terminal.” The terminal included two AN/TTC-7 multiplex racks and an SB-86 switchboard that was designated “Ceramic” in the 7th Signal Brigade network. We had a Radio-Wire Integration interface tied into the switchboard. I believe the radio relay assemblage included three AN/TRC-24 radios.

I left the Battalion in January, 1971 after my request for an intra-theater transfer to the Republic of Vietnam was approved.

Thanks for bringing back many good memories.

These pictures came from Daniel McMunn, now retired 1st Sgt and in his 70's. These pictures are from the 1964/65 period. I was Dan's room mate for over a year before being promoted to Sgt. in late 1965. He just sent these pictures to me.

There were 7 of us in Det 1 (Company A, on the Einkorn hill) and we were with the 34th Signal at Dolan Bks. Schwabisch Hall.  

The 34th Signal had a much large operation of about 40 people and was headed up by Sgt Price NCOIC.

Your 34th Web page said the site was shut down in 1968.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Det 1 shot from Einkorn was to Panzer Kaserne, Boeblingen (7th Army). We provided some of the first data sub-channels.

(Click here for Denton's email regarding his assignment to Co A, 26th Sig Bn.)

Texas 09 was operated by A Co, 1st Signal Bn while I was there. I can remember John Peterson. And I have just been reminded by my old friend, Ron Hochstetler, that we had maintained signal to other sites such as 101 in K-Town and I think it was A3 in Mannheim which was also operated by A Co.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
As I can remember we had about 22 to 25 personal at the site and had radio "shots" to 101, A3, 29 and 49.

The biggest "past-time" on the The Hill was the Cabin. The Cabin was a little log cabin that sat on the edge of a cliff about 10 minutes walk west of the site perimeter. I’m sure most that were ever on site made the trip out to the cabin for a little (or A LOT) of "extracurricular activity"! ~evil grin~ Those that did, know what I’m grinning about!

The other, and perhaps most important, past-time was in Bad Durkheim itself: The Good Old "Rathskeller". Not many of us had POVs back then so the few that did would load up all the drunks and head downtown. When I think about all the brain cells that were brutally murdered there it amazes me that I am alive today!!!!

Many of us tried to start a new Army payroll option called "Check to Rathskeller" but the finance guys at 45th there on Kleber didn’t see the humor in it.

SSG Harvey Stanley was the site chief when I got there. He later came to Kleber and worked in the A Company OPS.

At the risk of overlooking people and hurting some feelings, I will attempt to list as many people as I can recall during my stay on The Hill from 75-79:

Brief bio: I went thru ROTC at Indiana University which then taught only general military science in ROTC. I was assigned to the Signal Corps just before being commissioned because the assigning officer noted I had worked for the telephone company one summer in college. The only reason I had worked for the telephone company (in a non-technical job) was because my father was an executive there. In short, I did not know (and still do not know) a watt for an ohm when I went to Basic Signal Officer's training at Ft. Monmouth in July, 1961.

Upon graduation (as a liberal arts major I graduated well behind my classmates with engineering degrees), I, along with all of my classmates and thousands of other U.S. Army personnel were shipped to Germany because East Germany had erected the Berlin wall in August and the Soviet Union was rapidly expanding its presence in Eastern Europe.

I still remember the car ride from Rhine Main Air Base to Panzer Kaserne along with two other new 2nd Lts. I was awed by:

(a) the autobahn (the US interstate highway system had not yet reached Indiana);

(b) The immense pine forests; and

(c) The picturesque German cities, towns, and villages which we passed.

I spent the first night at the Boblingen Officer's Club at Panzer Kaserne which is quaint and overlooks a beautiful valley. I then reported as ordered to H.Q. 1st. Sig. Bn. along with the other new 2nd Lts. We were assigned to Cos. B, C, and D in the order that we stood before the Bn. Adjutant. Since I was last in line, I was assigned to Co.
D. No inquiry about our skills in electronics, etc. Just assigned per place in line. Standard Army SOP!!!!!!!!!!!!

My understanding of events is that the 1st. Sig. Bn. was created in Oct. 1961 by breaking up the old 229th Sig. Co. which formerly supported 7th Army HQ. The most experienced personnel from the 229th were assigned first to Co. A of the 1st. Sig. Bn., then to Co B, and so on. As a result, my Co. D was the greenest.

My first position was that of carrier platoon leader. Later I became the Signal Center Platoon Leader. I believe all companies of the 1st Sig. Bn. spent as much time in the field as in garrison during the period from Oct. 1961 to May 1963 while I was there. The 1st Sig. Bn. was in support of the 7th Army which under constant threat of attack from the East. The Cold War was at it high point and the Soviet Union presented a constant threat. However, while on active duty in Germany, I was able to take leave and travel throughout Europe and Great Britain. In fact, I took more leave than I accrued so that when I was released from active duty, the Army withheld funds from my final active duty pay.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The photos on usarmygermany.com for 1st Sig Bn in the 1960s show impressive radio relay antenna equipment on fixed platforms. All we had thru May, 1963 were mobile "fly swatter" antennas about 25 to 30 feet tall raised by block and tackle.

1st Sig Bn was entirely mobile and had no fixed sites to my knowledge. The VHF Radio Relay equipment and Telephone Carrier equipment were vans on beds of WW II vintage 2 1/2 trucks. The trucks were a maintenance nightmare.

In garrison, the trucks with equipment were parked outside between the motor pool bays. The bays were erected for tanks by the Germans before WW II and were not tall enough to accomodate the signal equipment vans. Given the extremely cold temperatures, it is a wonder that the equipment operated when turned on.

I am not quite sure on the equipment used, but think we were using a Radio Set AN/GRC-26 or its VHF equivalent. I think I had 12 VHF units in my platoon. We also had 12 AN/TCC-7 telephone terminal and/or AN/TCC-8 telephone repeaters (I could never tell the difference!).

The 1st Sig Bn was part of the 505th Signal Gp. which was also located at Böblingen. I wore the 1st Sig Bn insignia.