Honor Page - 5 Guest Authors Excellent history stories from proud veterans

Among the FIRST 26^th Inf.
"Blue Spaders" in Berlin
(crisis years)

by Lloyd E. Keller
E4, US Army
1^st BG, 26^th Inf. 1961-62
(member 26^th Inf. Regt. Assn.)

I want to first say that I was honored and proud to have been one of the first 26^th Inf. "Blue Spaders" to have served in Berlin during the "crisis". I salute my comrades who served with me, not only in Berlin, but also at our duty station at Baumholder. I salute also all of the "Blue Spaders" who have served in our unit under the "PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT" slogan since it's beginning, especially WW2, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
"I salute and thank you all".

ONCE A BLUE SPADER ALWAYS A BLUE SPADER

When the communist forces started to build the Wall in 1961, the atmosphere in most of Europe became very tense. The United States began to "beef" up our forces in Europe. A program was started rotating Battle Groups in and out of Berlin every three months. In order to make sure that all of our units in Europe were always kept at full strength, entire Battle Groups were brought over from the U. S.

During this time I was assigned to Combat Support Co. 1^st BG, 26^th Inf. stationed in Baumholder. We were part of the 8^th Div. Because of the tense and uneasy atmosphere, our training seemed to have been stepped up in case there was any aggression started. I was in the Assault Weapons Platoon as a gunner on an SS-10 missile jeep, a kind of primitive wire guided anti tank weapon.

On April 17^th 1962, my friend, Sgt. Ralph Miller and I were making plans to go to the nearby town of Idar-Oberstein that evening, when I was summoned to BG HQ. When I arrived at BG HQ. there were about 7 or 8 of us assembled. We were told that the next day we were being sent to Berlin on TDY to augment the 2^nd BG, 47^th Inf. that had just rotated in. Whatever belongings that we did not take along were to be sealed in our lockers and carried to a store room. If we did not return our belongings would be sent to wherever we were. I was proud to have been choosen for this assignment, but also very apprehensive. We had no way of knowing what would happen, but we were ready. We were "Spaders".

On the 18^th I went to the arms room and drew my weapon, got my gear and headed for BG HQ. Of the few of us who went, the highest ranking was an E6. All of us were from different Co.'s so I did not know anyone. We were taken by truck to a train station, what town this was in I can not remember. We had missed the only train for the day so we had to wait till the next day. We found a transient billets, and put our belongings there.
A few of us wandered around the town for a while. After a good nights sleep aided by a few "brews", we finally caught the train. The movement papers that we carried were in three languages, English, French and Russian. I thought it very odd that German was not included. I think it was at Helmstedt, where Russian soldiers, I believe, boarded the train to check our papers. After arriving in Berlin we were sent to Andrews Barracks. We were all assigned to different Co.'s or Platoons of the 47^th Inf, so I did not see any of the people that came up with me until we convoyed out three months later.

Most of the time while I was in Berlin, the BG just kept prepared in case anything happened. We did some training, some maintenance and there were some "alerts" We just tried to stay ready. We did some patrols once in a while. I suppose that we were there for a show of strength and to help deter any thoughts of hostility. We were, after all, inside of the "Iron Curtain". The way the situation was at that time, anything could have happened. On our time off some of us would visit some clubs or bars. Sometimes we would just walk around Berlin. One time we got lost, but with the help of some friendly Berliners, we found our way. The people of Berlin mostly treated us well and were very friendly. I enjoyed my time there.

I remember that on June 1, 1962, the British Army held a parade in honor of the Queen's birthday. The British know how to make a grand occasion of something like that. We were taken to a parade ground somewhere in Berlin, and had to stand in units while the "Brits" held their parade. There were units of the Welch Regt. 2^nd Green Jackets, the Durham Light Infantry and the Royal Tank Regt. There were also four bands, a drum corps, buglers and many Vehicles. The whole thing took over two hours. It was very hot and some troops passed out, not only in the British units, but also in ours. I still have the parade program that we were given. It is nineteen pages long. I have since seen entire parades shorter than their program is.

After three months in Berlin, the 47^th left by convoy. I traveled with them and then returned to the 26^th Inf. in Baumholder. In Sept. 1962 I left Germany. The next year, in 1963, the 2^nd BG, 26^th Inf. went into Berlin. The 26^th was no longer part of the 8^th Div. They were now part of the Big Red One. There was not a lot of military "excitement" associated with my service in Berlin, but I feel very proud to have been one of the first to represent the 26^th Inf. "Blue Spaders" in Berlin, and to have helped not only my country, but the people of Berlin as well. These were very trying times for the people of Berlin.

Again I thank the people of Germany and Berlin for making us feel welcome in their country. I remain always your friend.

After leaving the United States Army, I returned to my hometown, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. My wife Diane and I were married in 1971. We are the proud parents of two sons, Scott and Kurt. Diane and I now live in Millersville, Pennsylvania. It is a small town, home of Millersville University, located about three miles from Lancaster.

I was employed in the Automotive parts aftermarket business, working for a locally owned chain of nine stores. I retired in 1998 after twenty seven years, first as a buyer and then the last ten as purchasing manager.

I am a member of the 26th Inf. Regt. Assn. and also the Berlin United States Military Veterans Association. ( BUSMVA )

PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT
"Let Him Bear The Palm Who Has Won It."

Now so many years are gone but the memories are lasting forever. My warmest greetings to all my old comrades and friends here and there. I wish them good health and happiness!

"an old Berliner"
Lloyd E. GENE Keller


After 43 years I've received a certificate of recognition for my service during the so-called Cold War. Full of pride it's framed now. I like to share it on this Berlin Brigade website with all other proud Berlin veterans!

WE WERE THERE !

written by US ARMY veteran
Detlev (Denny) Lothar Werk
1^st Battle Group / 26^th Infantry,
"BLUE SPADERS"

It was a predictably cold and typical mid-April day of 1962 in Baumholder, Germany. We were in Combat Support Company of the 1^st Battle Group/26^th Infantry, the famous "Blue Spaders"; "dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" was to be the patriotic maxim for some time yet. Officially, the world knew of us to be at APO34, USAREUR, US Forces; we knew we were at Baumholder Post, a base with much military history. The previous year we had been "extended" from 18 to 24 months in this theatre, no doubt due to the intensity of the regional situation. The situation was that, the East German Forces, in "cooperation" with the USSR had about a year earlier built a wall right through the city of Berlin, right through territory that heretofore had been passable by us and the rest of the Western world. That was now over and "verboten"!

8^th Infantry Division and subordinate units were to "provide a supportive force" in Berlin to augment the "Berlin Brigade" and the various troops already stationed there. Rotations were on a 90-day basis. To our knowledge, the "Blue Spaders" of Baumholder were at that time the only active members of the 26^th Infantry, and we too were to make a commitment. Our BG CO, COL John R. Acuff Jr. and his XO LTC Robert R. Kemm as well as with input from our CSM Theodore L. Dobol ("King"-Blue Spader) and various company commanders made the choice of hand-picking a short "token" of men for this purpose. Each had a specialty MOS, including men from our company, designed to fit into the force. Orders for movement were cut on 17 April by LTC M. H. Boutelle, AGC, Asst AG, and on 18 April 1962, this contingent then travelled via Helmstedt to Berlin. We had until 25 April to report to the designated group within the 2BG/47^th Infantry, as an attachment. (Exactly who and how many were chosen from 1BG/26 INF is still a mystery; anyone with knowledge of this event is encouraged to share their experience).

Aside from tiring "alerts" and constant stressful visitations to strategic "hot points" within "our" part of the city, our short tour of 90 days passed relatively uneventful; and even some time was spent at some of Berlin's famous watering holes, for "Berliner Weisse" etc. As we remember, the population had great supportive patience with the forces in the area, and they were exceptionally good hosts. They well remembered and appreciated the days of the "Luftbruecke" and understood the tasks before us all. Even today, many will recall these days in history. We all felt like "Berliners".

It has been said, and officially documented that, 2^nd Battle Group/26^th Infantry was the only "Blue Spader" unit in Berlin, July through October 1963, in support of the "Berlin Brigade" and other forces. This obviously is not entirely true, as some of us from the 1BG/26 INF were there as well, over 1 year earlier! Who documented this activity? Who gets recognition for this support? Acuff, Kemm, and Dobol are gone, and yes, regrettably, so is their memory.

But we remember!
Once a "Blue Spader", always a "Blue Spader"!

-THANK YOU DENNY for your great support-, -Reinhard !-







Remark:


On Veterans Day 2007, an 'Honor Brick' was placed for Detlev 'Denny' Werk at the Veterans Memorial walkway of A.L. Post 100 (Ocilla, GA). Many thanks to Blue Spader comrade Lloyd 'Gene' Keller and Marion 'Buddy' Green, who have made this possible.

42^nd ENGINEERS MAINT- PLATOON
written by
SP4 John Vilcek
U.S. Army


   

   

   

Visiting websites like Reinhards sure has jogged a lot of memories of my days in Berlin, and the majority of them were good.

The 42^nd ENGINEERS had German civilians that worked in the basement, and I remember these guys almost always brought a case of beer with them in the morning, and left with the empties at days end. They must have been doing something right, because they always kept us with plenty of hot water, and electricity to keep those bose 901 speakers rocking the brick. I remember the mess hall, and the two serving lines well because lots of times I would go thru one line, eat, then give my mess card to a married friend who was on separate rations, and he would go thru the other line to eat, two for the price of one. I might add when those cooks went down to the zone with us, and had to try and come up with some good chow, cooking out of tents, that usually came thru, but were never given credit for the work they did.

Something was always going on in the motor pool. If the Ten-Ton, wasn't going out with the dozer, or picking up a broke down vehicle, the boys were stretching out there portable bridges, or ground hopping the big-ass engine they had just yanked out. Myself, I drove E-58 the fuel truck for about a year and a half. I remember water survival over at the pool, and climbing up to the top of the highest platform, and riding down on a pulley, what a gas. Alerts to the Grunewald in the wee hours of the morning. Oh and back to mess halls. It was really nice that ASA had there own chow hall, because a lot of those people worked swing shifts, and we could go over there at night and get a hell of a breakfast for 50 cents. Parades out in front of the cafeteria, and flag detail with the really big flag on windy days. Commanders call in the theater, and trying to keep your eyes open so early in the morning. The E.M. club right next to the barracks, the bars right outside the gate the REC center, the GYM. parties when they invited the British over and we had tug a war contests with a 100 foot rope. For a small post, there was a lot to do, let alone when you ventured out into the city.

What I remember the most about Berlin, and West-Germany too were the people. When I first go to Berlin , I thought that people would harbor resentment for Americans especially older people on account of the war, but for the most part that simply wasn't true, and thank God lots of Germans could speak English. Looking back, being stationed in Berlin was a blessing for me, I love living in Montana, and wouldn't trade it for the world, nor would I trade my time in Berlin either. It was a cultural awakening I'll always treasure. I'm glad for the German people that the wall finally came down, but then again look at all the great things that came about because of it. Kind of ironic. Like the radio station always used to say:

" Berlin, the bear and the best".

Sincerly. John Vilcek, MAINT- PLATOON 42^nd ENGINEERS, 1974-1976.