The 806th Transportation Battalion was the forerunner of the 106th in Bussac.

The 806th was an Army Reserve battalion that was called into active service in 1951. After completing training the US, the battalion was deployed to France in late 1952.

On 18 March 1955, the 806th Transportation Battalion was released from active service and reverted back to Army Reserve status. The unit's colors were sent back to Little Rock, Arkansas. Concurrent with the release from active service of the 806th in France, the 106th Transportation Battalion was activated and assumed the mission, task organization, personnel, equipment and facilities of the 806th.

The battalion's mission at that time was to clear the port of Bordeaux and line-haul cargo and supplies into another battalion's area of operations. The cargo then moved along the French line of communications (LOC) into Germany for support of US Forces there. The next battalion to the east was the 2nd Transportation Battalion.

The battalion's next higher headquarters was probably Base Section, Communications Zone, Europe. The battalion was further battached to the 9th Transportation Group, then located in Saran, France.

Reorganized an redesignated 20 November 1943 as HHD 106th Quartermaster Battalion (Mobile)

Served in the ETO during WWII and remained in Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.

Inactivated 22 February 1946 in Munich Germany.

Converted and redesignated 01 August 1946 as HHD 106th Transportation Corps Truck Battalion.

Redesignated 01 February 1955 as HHC, 106th Transportation Battalion and allotted to the Regular Army.

Activated 18 March 1955 in Bordeaux, France.

Reorganized and redesignated 19 June 1959 as HHD 106th Transportation Battalion

Inactivated 15 September 1993 Rüsselsheim, Germany

In late 1969 the decision was made to move the 106th Trans Bn to a more central location within Germany. In January 1970 the battalion, then under the command of LTC Conner, moved with the 78th Trans Co to Azbill Barracks, Ruesselsheim (between Frankfurt and Darmstadt). (The 67th Trans Co and TTA remained in Bremerhaven. The 67th would later be inactivated, in July 1972.)

Azbill Barracks, originally known by the Americans as Ruesselsheim Kaserne, was redesignated on 12 July 1967 as Azbill Barracks. (The kaserne was used post WWI as a school and then for a civilian labor group unit. From 1961 to 1968, the kaserne served as the home station for HQ 4th TRANSCOM and the 501st Transportation Company (Light).

From 1971 to 1972, the 37th Transportation Command received the newer model International Harvester Commercial (IHC) tractors 4070 and 2000D models. The northern most battalion, the 106th, which had the longest run clearing cargo out of the Port of Bremerhaven received the IHC4070s. The IHC2000Ds had single axles and could not pull the 20-foot containers as well.

Two months later, on 31 August 1972, TTA was attached to the 78th Transportation Company in Ruesselsheim. Bremerhaven cargo was now cleared solely by rail.

Sometime after FRELOC. the 70th left Kassel and relocated in Schloss Kaserne, Butzbach. The unit later moved a few miles north to its present home on the Giessen Army Depot.

Another long time 106th company, the 77th Transportation Company was inactivated at Dachau on 25 June 1970.

The 77th Transportation Company, Eastman Barracks, Dachau.

Eastman Barracks had most things anyone needed: a clinic, dentists, PX, NCO and Officers clubs and a movie theatre. All this was situated on one side of the kaserne close to the artillery battalion. Most of the other buildings between us were shuttered. It gave the place abandoned feel. I say it was haunted.

We loved our side of the kaserne because of the golf course that was situated along that edge of the kaserne. We got to use the pro shop’s bar and restaurant and since it was 50 some yards from our barracks it felt like it was our private club. Of course the kaserne originally was there to house the SS troops that ran Hitler’s first concentration camp. I got to visit that once by sneaking trough the old barbed wire fence. Most of the SS troop’s barracks were razed by the time I got there though. The artillery battalion was housed in an SS barracks that still had the original German eagle that was painted red, white and blue by the army with the Swastika chipped out. The 77th Transportation barracks formerly housed an SS school.

The 77th had been stationed in France for many years but had been relocated to Germany following France’s withdrawal from NATO. Before I arrived it had recently been located in the Kassel area. But after realigning the battalion LOC, Dachau became the new home around 1967.

Some of the older guys who had been part of move out of France kept a sign in the barracks that had been on the last truck of their group leaving France. What was written on it was indicative of the sour feeling they had about being kicked out. It was a large white sign with large type on top that read “Lafayette Old Boy…”, then a large green frog in the center of the sign, followed by the last line on the bottom, “… We Tried!”

The company barracks, motor pool and TTB (Trailer Transfer Point B) was located in the northwest corner of Eastman Barracks. Det B ran an emergency help truck (civilian style) along the autobahns in our area for breakdowns.

We shared the motor pool and maintenance bays with an artillery battalion, the 3rd Bn, 37th FA, 8” self propelled guns.

The guys who served in France and drove the old M52s said they had mechanical turn signals that stuck out small lengths of wood when signaling turns. They said they tried to hit bicyclers with them. By the time we arrived we the battalion was driving the IHC 205.

The 77th was a diverse group of guys, many drafted. Oregon, Mn, Ohio, Cal, NY. Older and real young. White, Black, Latino, American Indian. It was the late 1960's so we had a lot of peace signs going on (note the photos). The company consisted of three (3) truck platoons, a maintenance platoon, and a headquarters platoon. Pretty basic.

The 106th Transportation Battalion Azbill Barracks, Ruesselsheim.

Azbill Barracks was basically two large buildings; headquarters’ offices and their barracks in one and the 78th Trans Company and mess hall in the other. There was a large field in front (see change of command photos) and the motor pool and TTA (Trailer Transfer Point A) behind. There was a VERY small PX outlet run by one the guy’s wife but it really was more for cigarettes and sodas than anything. We had no other support there so we were forced to go to Wiesbaden AB for medical and PX services. They ran a small club in the Headquarters building but that pretty much died.

When I arrived from the 77th I was assigned to the battalion to help coordinate trailer deliveries through our LOC. I worked with 5 other NCOs and specialists. We would coordinate the trailer deliveries on a big board at night and then call up the trailer transfer points to get ready for the next day. I never got to see the new IHC 4070 tractor before I rotated back in March of 1971. The battalion was still using the IHC 205.

I wish I knew the history of the 77th or the 106th at that time just to have a clearer feeling about the units you’re serving in. It would be hard for anyone now to go back to visit like I’ve seen on some web sites. As you see from Google maps the base has been wiped away by the Germans accept for the building we used for the headquarters. Time marches on. It’s never the buildings though, it’s the men who live in them.

You know, when you’re in it can be awful sometimes and great other times. I got to travel to Amsterdam, Spain, and Garmisch in the German Alps. I met a lot of people, good and bad and years later, I wouldn’t change it for anything.
SP5 John D’Asto