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93rd
Signal Battalion |
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| Battalion History | ||||
| 1961 - 1972 | ||||
93rd Signal
Battalion DUI |
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(Source:
Unit History, 93rd Signal Battalion, 1962)
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The 93rd
Signal Battalion was assigned to Seventh Army on 22
Sept 1961. Probably sent to Europe at that time as part of the
build up during the Berlin Crisis. |
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(Source: Brigade Unit History, PIO 93rd Signal Brigade, early 1980s) |
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The 93rd Signal Battalion was inactivated in September 1972 in Germany. |
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If you have more
information on the history or organization of the 93rd Signal Battalion,
please contact me . |
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| 1961 | ||||
| (Source: Email from Roman P. Weber) | ||||
| I returned in June 1961 to the US from my 2nd tour and 7 years total in Germany. After 30 days leave enroute, I was assigned to "B" Company, 93rd Sig Bn, Ft Huachuca, AZ. While there we spent days with civilian firemen fighting forest fires in the Huachuca Mtns & training Co. B, RR Mobile vans, AN/MRC-54, -69 and -73 Teams. The 93rd was alerted to go to Germany for Berlin Crisis. I didn't think I would have to go, since only back in US 3 months and having already had 7 years in Germany. My MOS was 296.10, Fld Rdo Rpr graduate from Ft Monmouth Sig Scls and my primary MOS. (296.10 had been 1648). 296.10 (SP5) TO&E slots were all filled. My Pltn Sgt, Oscar C Rhea. Co. Cmdr, Cpt Jack L Casselberry. M/Sgt Georgeacoupolis (all one name, Greek, called "Sgt George." George didn't have to go to Germany since retiring within next year or so. Oscar & George good friends. Due to alerted for the Crisis, "lots of" correspondence required. Co. Clerk and 1st Sgt, George overloaded with "paper work." Rhea knowing I could type, had me work in the OR for George "a few days." I ended up full-time doing paper work for George and we became good friends. George was being transferred to another Huachuca Company and believing I, too, wouldn't be required to go to Germany, asked me to go with him to his new unit, which I said, "ok." I requested assigned transfer with George. BN disapproved it. Reason: Company B, was short RR Relay Operators and Team Chiefs on MRC's. It had been approved that 296's as me, could fill RR Operator slots. I ended up in Team "C," AN/MRC-73. Our troops loaded our Vans, Trailers, etc on RR flat cars, 24 hours a day. They were loaded on merchant ships (I believe two) at a Texas port for transport to Germany. One driver allocated for each truck/vehicle. (A few of Co. B troops were on the merchant ships to prevent merchant marines from getting into them etc). Most of the BN troops went by ship from I believe SC. Assigned drivers of which I was one, flew from LaGuadia to Paris on commercial plane. The plane was "packed" with troops & duffle bags etc filling seats and the aisles. I remember the stewardess having to climb over duffle bags when bringing chow around. A mess. From Paris, drivers went by "junky" French bus to LaRochelle, a WW2 U-Boat base on French coast. Our vehicles came to LaRochelle because due to mass movement of troops from US for the Crisis, Bremerhaven and Leghorn, Italy were plugged up and couldn't take any more ships etc. We waited about a month for our ships to arrive from TX (Beaumont, I believe). Old U-boat barracks were reopened and "lousy." No passes permitted at all while at LaRochelle. The movie, "The Longest Day", Normandy invasion was being filmed. 8th, Germany, troops took part in filming beach landing. While there many/most of us were hauled by truck every day to LaRochelle putting up dozens of army tents for people working for American movie company. We ate in a mess army tent after civilians were finished eating. Great chow. Beat what we were getting at LaRochelle! Plus, after the evening meal, 1600 or so, and us GIs ate last after the French civilians, were permitted to drink all the wine we wanted from cases of it in the tent. We did!! Plus left-over wine each day, we could take back to our barracks with us. We did! Drank all the way back to the barracks and each night. Was a good deal. One time it paid to "volunteer" for something in the army. We got to watch some of the filming from the high banks above where filming the beach landing etc. German tanks above the beach were only cut out of plywood, assimulating German tanks. Our trucks arrived on the ship and off-loaded by French civilian workers. One 2 1/2 was dropped from high up when a ship winch failed. Blew out all of the tires. Many trucks had ruined bumpers due to rough handling by dock workers, but at the time cared less as long as the trucks would run and could make the trip across France to Germany. As trucks were being unloaded they were formed into pre-arranged serials. Chalk numbers for which serial your truck was in. Serials left some minutes apart in long convoy across France through outskirts of Paris. Began ok, but not long due to vehicle failures, serial leaders confusion etc, serials got mixed up with other serials. The one I was in "somehow" got mixed up with a convoy of some unit not in the 93rd BN. Roads kept getting smaller and smaller and ended up dead end in some French farmers yard. We made a "new road" with heavy ruts etc around the farmer's house. Several trucks arrived in Germany with bent front bumpers, broken headlights, etc, due to running into the vehicle in front of them and following too close to stop at stop signs etc. A bycycle was following my truck for miles. I got rid of him: Purposely I didn't slow down before coming to a stop sign I saw farther ahead. The bike had been using my truck for a wind-break and followed very close behind me. I slammed one the breaks suddenly. Bike hit back of my truck. In mirror I saw the bike driver carry his bike off the road with front wheel bent badly from running into rear of my truck. During the 5 day convoy, MP jeeps brought us pack-lunches. Sandwiches. apple,etc. If moving, they threw a sack into open truck window while moving. We slept every night in Army/AF basketball courts or anyplace else that could be found. First destination was Darmstadt. I think one 93rd Company stayed there. Company B, went to Hanau. I think it was Huttier Kaserne. The only rooms they had for us were scattered all over the kaserne brks. A few troops everywhere. Bed check impossible. Reports in morning to see if everyone there, or not, went by whatever the Pltn Sgts reported at morning formation. When arriving Hanau, Co. B had immediate roll call formation. I was called out and told to report to Orderly Room. My old Huachuca Pltn Sgt, Rhea, was now 1st Sgt. He told me to dump my bags in a room he had waiting for me above the OR and get back to OR ASAP. His as all Co. Clerks were working at BN Hqtrs due to overload of "paper work" at BN. I ended up working full-time in the OR working for Rhea and CO, Casselberry. Never once every saw the MRC-73 I was Team Chief of. (Can tell lots of stories of all that happened while at Hanau, if you want some. Accidents and other "things."). When we arrived at Hanau from LaRochelle via Darmstadt, they had no place for Co B vehicles. Somehow the army arranged for Co B to "make" a motor pool on civilian, farm land I think, outside of the kaserne maybe 1 km away. WE put up rolls of barbed wire, stacked 6 or so feet high. Very near to our makeshift motor pool was a Hungarian DP Camp of prefabs. A day or so after having parked our trucks, our truck pioneer tools and gas cans were disappearing. Hungarians were stealing "anything loose." Cpt Casselberry had a big squad tent put up in the motor park. Detailed several troops to sleep in the tent 24 hours a day taking turns guarding our trucks. A black SSG was NCOIC of the guards. Stealing stopped. Almost, but not quite. Soon learned that the Hungarians timed our two walking guards that walked the perimeter of the motor park in opposite directions. The Hungarians would slip in, in between times (minutes) when guards wouldn't see them. Solved by dhaving the guards not making rounds the same all the time. Worked. Cpt and 1st SGt Rhea made a surprise visit to the motor park. The guards and SSG had full-time frauleins more or less obviously living in the tent with them! Cpt relieved the whole bunch and replaced with others from the Co. I don't remember company punishment given those with the frauleins, but enough that the replacement guards didn't have frauleins. "Didn't have", sort of we found out. They had them come in but not full-time. Cpt knew it, but left it slide. Why not, didn't hurt anything and kept the guards from sneaking out nights to the Hungarian OFF-LIMITS to Americans. Lots of us, including me, snuck into the DP off-limits camp after mid-night when we had to be in off the streets and out of gasthauses. DP camp was where the "action" was after mid-night! As a 296, I was drawing $60 a month P-2, Proficiency Pay, my MOS critical shortage of in the Army. 7th Army ordered I be transferred to someplace short 296's that were drawing P-pay. I was transferred to Company C, 504th Sig BN, Kornwestheim. Co. C, ran the Signal Depot, Ludwigsburg, not too far from Kornwestheim where we worked. Co. C also had Sig Supply for Southern Area of Command. Click here to read about Roman's tour with the 334th Communications Reconnaissance Company, USASA Europe. Click here to read about Roman's tour with Company "C," 504th Signal Battalion. |
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| (Source: Email from Daniel Sullivan) | ||||
| I was a member
of the 93rd from mid-March 1961 until my discharge in Hanau, Germany
on 20 June 1963. I joined the 93rd at Fort Huachuca, AZ together with
a group of Signal graduates from the Signal schools at Fort Gordon,
GA. We were flown from Augusta, Georgia to Douglas-Bisbee airport
which is fairly near Fort Huachuca outside of Sierra Vista, AZ. That
flight was made with a Super Constellation aircraft...four engine
prop driven. There were a number of other graduates who went on to
the Presidio outside of San Francisco, CA. There are quite a few people that served with us in the 93rd that I would love to be able to communicate with. Some of the people that I remember from 'A' company are: Sgt. E-5 Claude Jones from Bridgeport, CT, Sgt. E-5 Karl Sperber from upstate New York, William Cherney from New York City. There are others as well: Diehl, Hirsch (for a while served as the CO's jeep driver), Davis from Dayton, Ohio, Schuett from Indiana. SFC Klimkowski from PA (I think!). Klimkowski had explosives training and in 1963 was trying to be assigned to Vietnam. Upon being assigned to the 93rd at Fort Huachuca, all of us were told that we were to be on our way to Europe, possibly Germany. After forming up the battalion in proper shape and having undergone intensive training on various maneuvers, we loaded all equipment and vehicles on railroad flatcars to be shipped to South Carolina to be in turn shipped by ocean freight to the port of LaRochelle on the Southwestern coast of France north of Bordeaux. Part of the 93rd accompanied the ship to LaRochelle, the rest of us having military drivers licenses were sent by chartered TWA flights from JFK airport in Queens, New York to Paris, France whereupon we were bussed to the port of LaRochelle. At LaRochelle we prepared the vehicles for movement to Hanau, Germany. We were assigned to the Hutier Kaserne on Lamboystrasse. The convoy of trucks and jeeps took about five or six days to reach Hanau from LaRochelle. Each day we were handed a small box lunch and a rough-drawn road map indicating the route to the next US base where we were given cots for the sleepover, usually on the gymnasium floor. I will always remember the handpainted sign over the mess hall serving line at one of these stopovers: "Take all you want...but eat all you take!!" Perhaps as time goes by I will be able to remember more names and incidents but what I have given you here should jar others' memories and it might help to have more input from other sources. Daniel Sullivan |
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| (Source: Email from William G. Murmann, B Co, 93rd Sig Bn, 1961-1963) | ||||
I served in Company B, 93rd Signal Battalion for two years -- 1961-63.
Joined the unit in Ft. Huachuca, AZ, was deployed to Germany. We sailed
from Charleston harbor on the William H. Darby troopship, and sailed into a
near hurricane off the coast (Tropical Storm Gloria). The Darby sailed
from Charleston to Bremerhaven, Germany. We took a train from Bremerhaven
to Frankfurt and were transported by trucks from Frankfurt to our base in
Hanau. |
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| (Source: Email from Alvin Cooper, B Co, 93rd Sig Bn, 1961-1963) | ||||
I joined the Army on Jan. 29, 1960, from Paterson, NJ. I spent zero week in Ft. Dix, NJ. I was transferred to Ft. Benning, Ga. After basic, I was transferred to Ft. Gordon, Ga. for signal school. In June 1960 I was transferred to Co B, 93rd Sig Bn, USAEPG, Ft. Huachuca, Az.
When I received my orders, I asked my sergeant if he knew anything about it. He had no idea of it nor did he say anything about it.The only thing he knew was that the two top graduates were going there, myself and another GI. We were flown out of Atlanta, we landed in Tyler, Texas to drop off some GI's and then we went on to Tuscon, Az. When we landed, we were taken on an army bus, there were ten of us from different schools in Ft. Gordon. It was approx. 100 miles from Tuscon to the fort, and it was about midnight when the driver turned off the inside lights of the bus and announced that we were on the only mountain in the area, and he pointed out the lights of the fort and said that it was 51 miles away. We were in the old section of the base in the WWII barracks. In early 1961 we moved closer to Main post in barracks that resembled garden apartments. At that time, we were involved in very extensive microwave signal experiments. It was a step above the normal UHF and VHF signals that were already in use at the time. Microwave was a very new thing at that time, a very precise beam had to be sent on a certain azimuth to the receiver and it could not be picked up by the enemy. This could be a possible reason why the 93rd was selected to go to Germany for the "Berlin buildup" in October 1961. Almost the entire summer of 1961 was spent on "War Games" with our rival the 16th Sig Bn. When we received our orders that we were going to Germany, it was considered a "Gyroscope", in that the entire unit plus equipment was going to be sent over. We had a combination of REO and GMC's (Jimmy automatics) 2 1/2 ton trucks that the signal vans were carried on. All the GMC's were changed to REO's from the 16th. Every vehicle had to have new tires and all the radio and carrier tubes (do you remember radio tubes?) had to be wrapped in waterproof seals. The equipment was then sent by rail with a small contingent of GI's and officers to Galveston, TX where it was loaded on a ship for France. All GI's and officers with less than 13 months active service were transferred to the 16th Sig Bn and volunteers from the 16th took their place. Everyone was given 30 days leave. Drivers and assistant drivers would report to NY and fly over to France. Everyone west of the Mississippi would return to base, and be flown to Charleston, SC. Everyone east of the Mississippi would report directly to Charleston and go by ship to Bremerhaven, Germany.
Co B, 93rd Sig Bn was a very integral part of Operation Wintershield, in that we were on a mountain outside Wiesbaden, and we were able to maintain communications on a multi-national scale between American, English, German and French armies, air forces and navies. This was quite the spectacular feat at the time. At one time we were able to receive and retransmit a message from a German General in Bavaria to an American General in Berlin and an American Naval Captain in the Atlantic somewhere to a Royal Navy Captain in the North Sea. We were also part of the Cuban Missile crisis, we were sending reports of Russian tank movements and troop buildups on the Czech border. I left Germany in Jan. 1963 from Bremerhaven. I would especially like to contact Ralph Clinton of Waterford, NY. I had signed up on the "BUDDY PLAN" with a good friend of mine after high school and the army recruiters said that we would stay together for our entire enlistment. Well, we did stay together for the zero week in Ft. Dix and I did not see him again until Jan. 1963 when we got out. As it turned out, Ralph Clinton was my buddy. We were in Ft Dix, Ft. Gordon, Ft. Huachuca and Germany together. I am very proud to have been a soldier, and just as proud to have been in the 93rd Signal Bn. I was discharged from Ft. Hamilton, NY on Jan. 28, 1963 as a SP/4. After discharge, I took the test for fireman in Paterson, NJ. After 25 years I retired as Captain, then I served for another 10 years as a fire inspector. I am presently retired and living in Wilmington, NC. I hope some of this history will help you, and I would be very happy to hear from anyone from the old 93rd. Alvin Cooper |
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| (Source: Email from David Snodgrass) | ||||
| When I left the 93rd Sig Bn in June 1963, it was still headquartered in Hanau, Hq, A, B and if I remember correctly, C company were located in Hanau. D company was located in Darmstadt. | ||||
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| 1964 | ||||
| (Source: Email from Emory Longstreth) | ||||
| I arrived in
Hanau, June, 1964 and was assigned to Headquarters Co and to S-3.
Master sergeant Buzzart was my main contact. A Cap't McStravic was
the head of S-3. Both he and Buzzart were good people, treated me
fairly, protected me from some potential revenge and trouble, and
both left me with good impressions. Specialist Lemar - from N./S.
Dakota, another Spec from Georgia, Joe - a Cherokie indian, Herbie
from Florida were some of the guys that I remember from the 16 months
I spent in Hanau and Darmstadt with S-3. Field duty was the major change of pace from the "spot paint on top of spot paint so that we looked like we were working when we really didn't have any work to do routine" that dominated life at the base. Unless, like me when I first got there, I was the typist for S-3. Then I made the switch to S-2, Sergeant Morris with his smelly cigar, he and I eventually got crossways and Sergeant Buzzart helped to get me out of there. I left Morris and took over the maintenance of our five vehicles, trailors, and equipment that we used for field duty. That put me under McStravic and Buzzart and that is were I stayed until I was transferred, at my request, to SE Asia and MACTHAI in Bangkok, Thailand. My nickname is "Stretch"; from San Diego back then; I played on the battation basketball team in 1964-65. Did some traveling in Germany and enjoyed it; learned to snow ski at the army's restort at Bechtesgarten. Enjoyed the clean and on time buses and trains. Finally got bored of Germany, wanted to get home at the Army's expense and wanted to serve in Vietnam so I volunteered, filled out the paper work. All those who had to sign it said it wouldn't happen - once in Germany you were there for your 30 months. To my surprise and everyone's shock, about two months later the orders came down for two of us (the other guy was from a line company) to ship out to the states and then on to SE Asia. Emory Longstreth |
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| (Source: Email from Bill Mackey) | ||||
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| 1965 | ||||
| (Source: Email from Eddy Clemons, HHC, 93rd Sig Bn, 1965-67) | ||||
| I served with the 93rd Signal Battalion from September 1965-March 1967 in Darmstadt, Germany. I was assigned to Headquarters Company and worked in the S2 Section. I am trying to find some of the guys that were serving with me at that time. It is good to learn that someone is interested in maintaining a website about the 93rd Signal Battalion. This site brings back a lot of memories about the guys and events of that era. I have attached a partial list of the personnel that were assigned to Headquarters Company. I really would like to contact some of the guys. 93rd Signal Battalion Headquarters Company Darmstadt, Germany, 1965-1967 Sgt. James (Jim) Miller (S-2) Sgt Malcolm Lugee (S-2) Sgt. James Matthews (Personnel) Sgt. Gallegos (S-3) Sgt 1 st Class James Huggins (S-3) Sgt/Major “Dusty” Rhodes Sgt. Cahill E4 Donald Steward (Cleveland, Ohio) E4 Stonewall Bishop (Kansas City, MO) E4 Jack Wilson (New York) E4 John Starkey (Ohio) - was injured in a motor pool accident E4 Paul Boosier (Ohio) Pvt. Donald Thomas (Detroit, MI) E4 Jack Burch E4 John L. Lewis E-4 Ozell Starks (Gary, IN) These are some of the people that I can remember. |
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| (Source: Email from Roy D. Schickedanz, Co B, 93rd Sig Bn, 1965-57) | ||||
| Today, to my great surprise I found this web site concerning the 93rd Signal Battalion.
Reading Eddy Clemon E-Mail about his military career, bringing back memories for me, as I was assigned to the 93rd Signal Battalion during 1965 to 1967 period. Here, I was assigned to "B" Company as an HF operator working the AN/GRC-26D rig. I later inherited the MARS Radio Station (AE1DZC) from Sgt Crowder (E-5). After AIT at Fort Knox, passing 7 words per minute of Morse code, I was shipped to Fort Gordon, Georgia for Teletype school, learning the world of Frequency Shifty Key spending several weeks in the field, and learning crypto before being shipped to Germany. Leaving Georgia for permanent assignment, headed to McGuire Air Force for the jet flight across the Atlanta, landing Rhein Main being bussed to 21st Replacement Battalion in Frankfurt, overlooking the Main Hauptbahnhof (Gutleut Kaserne). Looking out of the window of the 21st Replacement Bn I couldn’t believe the size. Here, we waited all day before shipped out late in the afternoon to our permanent party. I met Gilbert Williams from Winchester, Virginia, who was being assigned to 93rd Signal along with my self. It began our friendship. In fact, Gil and I were assigned to same Company. In any case we waited at the train station to be picked, feeling that they had forgotten us. It was quite dark as we were loaded into 21/2-ton truck for our ride to the unit. The only that could be seen riding to our unit was the light reflection off the cobble stone streets. We were shoved into the guardhouse for the night at 93rd Signal Bn, which was in the basement of Headquarters Company. It was so hot it was unbelievable. The heat would literally put you to sleep. Nonetheless, the HF (High Frequency) section was concentrated as a group in Headquarters versus later being dispersed back to the individual companies. The HF operated with Headquarters in the field, having a close relationship with Staff Sgt Huggins, who actually ran the Battalion, knowing all aspects of our mission and equipment. I have the greatest respect for Sgt Huggins (would like to know what happen to him). He wore a 173rd airborne brigade patch. Here, was a great America, the finest soldier that I ever meet, and I would do anything for that man. Our battalion was nothing without him! Captain Smallwood ran S-3. He was a West Pointer. I remember one day, he came up to me about my clearance, which I thought would have been more of a concern before my work in S-3, first as a draftsman as all sorts of classified material floated around S-3, Operations, where the war safe containing our war plans were held. PS Let's get a little organization going for a possible reunion. Let's hear some signals from you guys... over and out!!! The QTH is Darmstadt, Germany CQ CQ 20 |
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| 1966 | ||||
 Members of Co "A," 93rd Sig Bn in Darmstadt, 1966 (Michael Lynch) |
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| (Source: Email from Michael Lynch, son of John "Jack" Lynch, a member of Company "A," 93rd Sig Bn, Darmstadt) | ||||
| My father passed away last year and I found an old photo of him when he served in Germany in 1966. While searching I came across your site and wanted to send in the photo. Maybe someone might recognize someone in the photo. Written on the back of the photo says "June 66 - Standing Dave + Gary. Sitting Gene? (not sure of that, a little faded), Danny, Fanzo and you know who (my Dad, John "Jack " Lynch, bottom right). Would love to hear any stories of my Dad if anyone knew him. Webmaster nore: The STATION LIST for June 30 1966 has Company "A" located at Kelly Barracks, Darmstadt while the remainder of the Battalion was at Cambrai-Fritsch Kaserne. Can anyone confirm this? |
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| 1971 | ||||
| (Source: Michael Hillhouse, 93rd Sig Bn) | ||||
| I was part of the TADDS unit from 1971 to 1972. When I arrived in At that time we were tactical and moved the system to various towns to test the deployment of the system to the field. We eventually were stationed at the Cambrai-Fritsch Kaserne in The job was pretty challenging especially when we were deployed to the field for exercises. We had to dismantle the entire computer system, drive the vans to the field and get the system operating with generators. But we were able to make the system successful and the United States Army would no longer have to rely on big fixed mainframe systems that would be difficult to move out of any location. Mainframe Computers were truly tactical. Randy Harvey |
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| Related Links: 93rd Signal Brigade - official web site; the 93rd Sig Bde is the successor to the 93rd Sig Bn which was reorganized and activate as a Brigade in 1981. |
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