Thursday, May 26, 2005
what's an "awscom?"
In case someone other than one of my children should accidentally stumble into this and wonder what an "awscom" is: Back in the good old days when the Cold War's thermostat seemed permanently set at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the U.S. Army maintained missile sites in Europe. These weren't just missiles. They had nuclear warheads - "tactical" warheads, not the "strategic" kind that could wipe out a continent. These missiles demanded the supervision of the Artillery Corps, maintenance services of the Ordnance Corps (not "ordinance," which is the kind of thing I write for a living nowadays), the Military Police (to stand in the towers and watch the encircling trees), and a few administrative support types like me (Adjutant General Corps). As the story went, "If the balloon goes up, we fire the missiles and our job is done." The headquarters for all this activity was the Advanced Weapons Support Command or AWSCOM, a fancier name for what was also called the 59th Ordnance Group. Until computers came along I had no use for the acronym, AWSCOM. Now, it has a ring to it - a cross between "awesome" and "dot-com." So, there. Now you know.
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A unit that was under the AWSCOM shield was the 529th ORD in Massweiler.
I was a top secret documents clerk ar HQ AWSCOM from Feb. 1959 to Feb. 1961. Lots of fine memories from a very claasified unit.....Tom Probst Florida
One of my best buddies was the top secret documents control officer from 1967 to 1968. He'd read the Stars and Stripes in the morning, and in the afternoon he'd find incoming classified documents with essentially the same information that he'd read at breakfast time.
I served with the 619th Ord Co Kriegsfeld, an AWSCOM unit, from 1966-68 working on "special weapons."
I was assigned to the 529th in April or May, 1963 as a Communications Center Specialist -About a year later, transfered to the 541st Signal in Pirmasens. Everything at the 529th was underground, except for the MP's.
Chad Waybright - Syracuse 1-4-07
For all you other AWSCOM folks - go to http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/kregsfeld/
I was assigned to the 529th Ord in March 1971 and moved up the dreaded hill to the 564th MP about 5 months later. My 18 months in Massweiler Depot were a turning point in my life, and are still among my happiest memories. I surf the 'net looking for old Massweiler buds, not much luck so far.
** I served with the 619th Ord Co Kriegsfeld, an AWSCOM unit, from 1966-68 working on "special weapons." **
I served with the 558th MP Co. (also at Kriegsfeld) watching the trees grow.
Paul Harvey 12-04-07
I was assigned to the 564th M.P. company Massweiler from March 71 to April 72. Went back to the site summer of 2000, site is closed. Pirmasens has changed also. The HQs is no longer, converted to apts., Commissiary and PX was closed and boarded. Pirmasens has grown, even had a Home Depot. Such is progress. Anyone assigned during this period pls. respond.
My name is Florian Giro, I am from Massweiler, Germany. I am working on a project to research the history of the US Army in Massweiler which is in danger of slipping into oblivion.
To realize the project I need help in the form of stories, pictures or information about the history of the different units. I am also interested in personal memories about Massweiler. Meanwhile I am in contact with many veterans who was stationed in Massweiler during different time periods. I have collected a lot of pictures, so I sure can bring back some memories.
If you prefer, you can also contact me at:
w.giro@12move.de
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thank You in advance!
Best regards from Massweiler,
Florian
I was club officer in Pirmasens from 1969-1972. I was responsible for POCOM, Frontier club, and EM club. I would enjoy hearing from those stationed in Pirmasens.
rtaylor@sewanee.edu
Randall Taylor
John Savini
I was company clerk at the 529th. Got there in 8/68 and made company clerk in 1/69. Company CO's were Maj Cody, Maj Ailes and Cpt Horsley, (just typing those names again brings back memories). Old friends like Ritt Hobblit, George and Gail Walsh, Daryl Davis, Bob Simenger, Jim Painter, Mike Blair, David Wiliamson, Don Nugart, and so many others, if you read this I'd like to hear how your are doing. Some great times, some scary, some pain in the ass. But I only remember the great ones.
johnnsavini@verizon.net
John,
Thanks for your reply. I didn't know (or remember) any of the folk you mentioned. Some of the Awscom that I remember was, Major Greenburg, Col. Defatta, Col Kirkchum.. Seargeant DeLoach and Sergeant Blackburn ran the Frontier Club and EM Clubs for me. I remember many of the pilots of 22nd aviation detachment. They took me with them on some of their training exercises. I was back in Pirmasens in 2001. Most of the kasern was gone due to the construction of a new Autobahn. The Chapel was a disco, the Frontier club was a motorcycle repair shop, and the POCOM (Officer's Club) was all boarded up. The Awscom hq. building was still standing. I suspect their is little evidence of Husterhoeh Kasern ever existing.....kinda of sad.
Thanks again for your reply. Always good to hear from folk that share similiar experiences.
Randall Taylor (Captain Taylor during time in Pirmasens)
Hey there: My email changed to
florian.giro@gmx.de
Greets from Massweiler
Florian
This is Mike Mallett, I was there in '69 and '70, and remember the guys also, Brizendine, Smith, Guralchek, Dugie, Grimm, Hirchert, Sams, Yowell (where r u Ray?) Cates, Painter, Almeida, Siminger, Walker, Barnes, Scheider, Baker, Odosij,Mayah, Harvey, Beaver, Stefanski, Jackson, Beckner, Abrahamson, Maurer,Glen, Santa, Walsh,Franklin, Smithberg, Foster, Bliss, McKnight, Davis, Delaney, Shelton, Dirkman, Eilers, Hall. Van Zant. Gates, Owen, Skuza, Newcomb, Bemke, Tipton, Martinez (crazy injun), Stawicki, Hicks, Apodaca, and Humble. To the caves!!
I was at Massweiler from winter of 78 until the summer of 80. At the time it was the 207th signal company. I have often wondered what became of the site. I have many great memories of my time there and still think of the family Rose (sic). They were the family that ran Rosies guesthouse in the village that the servicemen frequented. I anybody knows what became of Stefanie, Iris, Bearnt and, Norbert please post what you know.
I was the documents clerk with the 529th from Dec 1961 thru Mar 1965,
lots of great courier runs and shipment guard trips. Lots of fun and travel married local girl that didn't last long she returned and worked in the mess hall for a while.
Bill Stroud
The 207th Sig co. became the 63rd Sig Bn. in 1984 and eventually shut down operations in 1991.
I was with the 564th from 1/71 to 4/72. Part of that time I worked parttime at the EM/NCO club at the top of the hill. I am still in touch with a few of the guys I was there with and would enjoy hearing from any others out there. One thing I have been looking for is a photo that was taken at the top of the hill gate. It was of 3 of the farmers pigs dressed in MP gear next to the 564th sign. I think one of the medics from the 529th showed it to me. If anybody knows of the picture or who the medics were in early 1971 please contact me at neilsworld@cox.net. Thanks Neil Roddini...
I'm looking for anyone that was stationed at Massweiler during the time I was there...April 79 until June 0f 1981.
I remember many a night drinking warm beer at Rosie's guest house. Would love to find any of the guys that used to work in the "vault" with me. Jim Bursicki (sp?) (Dated young Stephanie-Norbert's daughter) Darwin P. Lowry, Karl J. Kunkel, Jim Pendleton, Sgt. Richard Wenzelberger....any of the others?
I was stationed in massweiler, as an MP, from '68 to '69. Went home in June of 69. Memories linger. I joined the Army Reserve in '75 for 20 years. 65 years old now. Benefits are worth the effort. E-mail thornjs@peoplepc.com Jerome
Bill Stroud, do you remember a guy at the 529th named Gene Dinkin? Email me cuz I was there beginning in April 1962. Email is boots787@twcny.rr.com
Thanks - Chad Waybright
i was one of the radio men at the 529th from 70'thru 71'. the other guys were Sgt. Sommerville, Jerry Flores, and Chaney. we ran the radio rig, took care of all the field phones and radios and did a lot of convoys. my last name is Ramos and my partners name is Flores so Sgt. Sommerville use to call us a "bouquet of flowers". i remember Yowel working the kitchen at the nco club and serving those ham and egg pizzas and sandwiches. i think it was 99 steps up the hill to the club. i took a look at Massweiler thru the google locater. the old church is still there and the basic town layout is the same(twisting streets) but gone are the cobble stones and i did see dishes on some rooftops. i wonder if the Gasthaus is still there and how Gertie and her sister Uli made out. strange times and lots of memories.
Hi Mr. Ramos! My name is Florian, I'm still living in Massweiler. I'm working on a history project about the US Army in Massweiler which is in danger of slipping into oblivion. Meanwhile, I made contact with more than 100 people stationed here between 1956-1991. I've collected a lot of memories and pictures, both from the past and nowadays. Would be nice to chad with you as well. My email is florian.giro@gmx.de
Best regards,
Florian
I served with the "dreaded" (?) 564th from '61-'63 and have many fine memories. Many high ranking and political luminaries visited. Good officers and a few not so good. Top notch NCO's. The unit excelled. AWSCOM headquarters (Pirmasens) was a "goat f_ _k" and couldn't find its ass we either hand.
I was stationed with the AWSCOM 59th ord grp. I worked in personnel and handled assignments and promotions. I still remember the layout of the Pirmasens depot. I was there from July 1970 to April 1972. Anyone interested contact me at:
John Treadaway
TreadSebFL@aol.com.
I was at Massweiler in the 564th MP Company from December '71 to January '72 except for couple of months TDY near Grunstadt doing a security hitch for the Air Force. I was back there just a couple of years ago visiting my daughter who has a husband in the Air Force. Massweiler is closed up and locked up, now owned by a private utility company. I got some pictures, but not much since there was no access. I remember walking up and down those miserable steps three times a day to eat unless I was too tired and then walked up to the Club where a buddy worked tending bar (Sgt. Bill Castro and could he put away the beer). We had some good times in town at the gasthaus, but had forgotten the name until I read it here. Also forgot how to find it in town as I looked when there and came up blank. The main gate shack is still there, in disrepair, but the MP shack on the hill by the Club is gone. The Club still there and the engineering building, but I couldn't see any of the MP barracks.
Bob Allison rja87@insightbb.com
Did I say December '71 to January '72? If I did I obviously meant January '73. If I didn't the maybe I'm not getting old and senile. Anyway when I was there they were shutting down the towers and we just manned the gates and caves. I'm thinking we were in level 3 most of the time. When I came back from TDY they were shutting down and deactivating the units, so they sent me to Butzbach for the rest of my tour until I hit my ETS date. I understand the depot was reactivated later and in fact a woman in my current office was stationed there in the last '80s.
Comments or questions, contact me:
Bob Allison My email: rja87@insightbb.com
I was there with the 564th from Dec 68 to around March of 1970 when I was transferred to Brussels, Belgium to work At NATO HQ with NATO SHAPE Support Element.
I became the company clerk while at the 564th even though I was an MP and worked with 1SG Larry Joe Brunty. He went to RVN and they tried to frag him.
Our CO was a LT by the name of Daniel A. Doughtery. I ran into him in DaNang RVN in 1971. He was out S-3 for the 504th MP BN in I Corps. He later made it to BG. Not too bad for someone that went to OCS.
I finally got married to the girl that I was dating in while at Massweiler. She lived in Rodalben.
I do not have a lot of nice memories of the duty at Massweiler. It was the old, old Army when you could not even wear blue jeans off post and had to have a pass to get out of the gate etc.
I do remember all of the steps though between the 564th and 529th. I would [probably have a heart attack if I had to walk them now.
I have never been back but the last time my wife was home, she and my daughters gave me some photos and yes it is closed. There is only one of the barracks still standing and it is some kind of animal shelter.
yes I remember the steep steps, gun towers and cave duty of the 564th MP Massweiler 1958-1960 It is a wonder that any survived the " mental "cide" duty got some serious fungi lung infection from cave duty as did many others
Joe, Hello from Ray Rumble. Nice bit of history your wrote. Bruty was sure a piece of work; I still can still see his face like it was yesterday. He hated 2lt's and looking back, I can understand why. HOpe you are well.
I was at Massweiler Kaserne from 1985 to 1989 made many great friends, had lots of fun and got into trouble numerous times running around germany. Anybody else that was there in HHC or A company hit me up. Randy Carpenter
nofearpi@yahoo.com
Husterhoeh Kaserne, home of the 59th Ord Bde, has been closed and returned to the German government. All that remains is the housing area, which serves as a "bedroom community" to nearby Kaiserslautern. Mike, USAREUR HQ, Heidelberg.
i was the company clerk at the 529th from sep 71 until it closed in november of 72. i was then transferred to the 59th to be the company clerk until i returned stateside in may of 73. loved massweiler. wife and i lived in reifenberg, a short distance away. sp4 gill randall midland michigan
i was stationed at Northpoint in the 558th MP co from 1966 to 1969. got there a private and left an E-5.
Anyone know how to get in touch with Ray Rumble. Was XO of the 564th.
Randy Carpenter,
I served at "the Rock" from 87-88ish .You may remember me Cook who fell down stairwell ??????? the old Boot & Mosque. Sgt Sgt .I was there and HATED it but we did what we did. Blondin2bl@comcast.net
I was at North Point with the 619th from 1966-68. I have a website at www.angelfire.com/tx5/kregsfeld and we have information on a lot of guys who were stationed there. If you were there get in touch so we can add you to the group. Reunion being planned for the first of the year! My contact information is on the website. All units are are included on the site!
I was in Germany from summer of 59 until January of 61, with the 541st Signal. I spent the first half in Permasens, and the second half at Missau. I was an MOS 053 radio operator. Spec 4 Ken "Charlie" Brown
Hi MShau...I was stationed at Massweiler from June '79 to September '81...I remember all of the names you mentioned...Lowry...Kunkel...Bursicki...and all...While I'm not one of the guys...I did work in the vault with you and the crew...Do you know the whereabouts of Sgt. Aaron Grant...I am in touch with SFC Meek...and friends with Pillot and Baez on FB...Hope to hear from you...Many good memories of 207th...
Barbara
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