REFORGER = Return of Forces to Germany. At that time the C-5 fleet at Dover AFB in Delaware had the capability to take any equipment in a Mechanized Brigade and air drop into the Fulda Gap. I spent a little time at Dover in 87 making sure the Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System and Paratroop Delivery Systems worked by doing functional tests on the ground. It was one of those times in my life that I had to remind myself that I was a defense contractor and not in the military. I did enjoy the times I got to get out of the office and go work with troops in the field.
Reforger in 81. Flew into what i remember to be ramstien air base. Drew equipment in K-town. Was in a bridging outfit and remember towns ingolstodt(?) And swetzigen. Not sure of spelling. Good time but a totally different mindset at that time for the US.
Yep; you flew into Ramstein, which is adjacent to Kaiserslautern. Was there from '84 through '92. AFN would always have on 'info tips' on how to avoid damaging civilian farms aimed at armor. Always interesting.
I was stationed at Grafenwoher and deployed to support an Army helicopter unit. We jumped three or four times the last being the best one. We set up our expando van and tents on a hill to of a Monestary orchard. The monks gave us fresh pressed apple cider and we traded chem lights with the local kids for brochens (fresh baked rolls). I did 25 years in the Air Force, 21 of those years as Army support...The best of both worlds!
Never new what the reforger meant. Civilian in frankfurt west germany 83-89. The german tv commercials warning motorist to never tailgate tanks due the high temp exhaust melting stuff on your car. Can you imagine tanks driving around the streets of your town? The streets there were tougher than here. There were always a number of fatal accidents. Reforger was a big big deal, even as a non soldier. Much respect for the U.S. Military.
I was in 3ID, 74-77, in FRG. REFORGER was always the big deal. Never failed that some deaths resulted from 1/4 tons trying to be driven like Porsches or an APC crew thinking it was amphibious.
I was stationed in Bamberg (North of Nurnberg) with the 1st Battalion 52nd Mechanized Infantry and participated in REFORGER 82. I saw a lot of Northern Bavaria from atop an M113 APC during the exercise.
Also saw the aftermath of a German and his girlfriend on a crotch rocket who weren't patient about our battalion column of tracks and trucks and jeeps being on the same road as them. I watched him darting around the vehicles behind us several at a time, pass us, and continue up the column. A little while later we passed the spot where he had misjudged traffic and had to cut in before he wanted to, just as the column accordioned to a stop at that spot. Piled into the rear of a 113 at about 60mph. Killed him and almost killed his woman. I knew the guy who was driving that track at the time (it was from A Company, I was in B). He said later that he didn't know it had happened, never felt a thing when the bike hit. His TC had to tell him to stop.
'88. Fell asleep on guard duty standing up. Cursed out 2 NCOs from NY National Guard smoking and joking while I changed their HMMWV alternator at 2 am, after I busted my knuckles on the slide bolt. Was 3/2 ACR, lots of time in Grafenwoer- drove to Berlin on the A3 at 150 MPH in a BMW M3 in May of '89- Checkpoints Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie. Hind D helicopters, and those oh-so-pretty Swedish girls in West Berlin. No, I'm not nostalgic. (Ask me about our return from the Gulf..)
REFORGER = Return of Forces to Germany. At that time the C-5 fleet at Dover AFB in Delaware had the capability to take any equipment in a Mechanized Brigade and air drop into the Fulda Gap. I spent a little time at Dover in 87 making sure the Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System and Paratroop Delivery Systems worked by doing functional tests on the ground. It was one of those times in my life that I had to remind myself that I was a defense contractor and not in the military. I did enjoy the times I got to get out of the office and go work with troops in the field.
ReplyDeleteI was there for Reforger 3 &4, I believe it was. 1973, and 1974. Captured the other sides Intelligence Officer in a "well laid" ambush.
ReplyDeleteDave
Reforger in 81. Flew into what i remember to be ramstien air base. Drew equipment in K-town. Was in a bridging outfit and remember towns ingolstodt(?) And swetzigen. Not sure of spelling. Good time but a totally different mindset at that time for the US.
ReplyDeleteYep; you flew into Ramstein, which is adjacent to Kaiserslautern. Was there from '84 through '92. AFN would always have on 'info tips' on how to avoid damaging civilian farms aimed at armor. Always interesting.
Deletei was there for reforger 76. spent my whole time on kp...never call a top sergeant 'Dickhead'
ReplyDeleteI was stationed at Grafenwoher and deployed to support an Army helicopter unit. We jumped three or four times the last being the best one. We set up our expando van and tents on a hill to of a Monestary orchard. The monks gave us fresh pressed apple cider and we traded chem lights with the local kids for brochens (fresh baked rolls). I did 25 years in the Air Force, 21 of those years as Army support...The best of both worlds!
ReplyDeleteMSG Grumpy
That was at Reforger 87 - I was at Graf from 87-89.
DeleteMSG Grumpy
Reforger 1980, here. One of the 82nd's 3/325 Airborne Infantry that jumped in after a non-stop flight from the States. THOSE were the days.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI did 5 years in Germany and loved it Always fascinating watching the units coming in from the states to do REFORGER. Damm good times.
Never new what the reforger meant. Civilian in frankfurt west germany 83-89. The german tv commercials warning motorist to never tailgate tanks due the high temp exhaust melting stuff on your car. Can you imagine tanks driving around the streets of your town? The streets there were tougher than here. There were always a number of fatal accidents. Reforger was a big big deal, even as a non soldier. Much respect for the U.S. Military.
ReplyDeleteI was there, in the 8ID at the time. Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI was in 3ID, 74-77, in FRG. REFORGER was always the big deal. Never failed that some deaths resulted from 1/4 tons trying to be driven like Porsches or an APC crew thinking it was amphibious.
ReplyDeleteI was stationed in Bamberg (North of Nurnberg) with the 1st Battalion 52nd Mechanized Infantry and participated in REFORGER 82. I saw a lot of Northern Bavaria from atop an M113 APC during the exercise.
ReplyDeleteAlso saw the aftermath of a German and his girlfriend on a crotch rocket who weren't patient about our battalion column of tracks and trucks and jeeps being on the same road as them. I watched him darting around the vehicles behind us several at a time, pass us, and continue up the column. A little while later we passed the spot where he had misjudged traffic and had to cut in before he wanted to, just as the column accordioned to a stop at that spot. Piled into the rear of a 113 at about 60mph. Killed him and almost killed his woman. I knew the guy who was driving that track at the time (it was from A Company, I was in B). He said later that he didn't know it had happened, never felt a thing when the bike hit. His TC had to tell him to stop.
'88. Fell asleep on guard duty standing up. Cursed out 2 NCOs from NY National Guard smoking and joking while I changed their HMMWV alternator at 2 am, after I busted my knuckles on the slide bolt. Was 3/2 ACR, lots of time in Grafenwoer- drove to Berlin on the A3 at 150 MPH in a BMW M3 in May of '89- Checkpoints Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie. Hind D helicopters, and those oh-so-pretty Swedish girls in West Berlin. No, I'm not nostalgic.
ReplyDelete(Ask me about our return from the Gulf..)
Cold War “war stories”, classic.
ReplyDelete