Stationed At Pond Barracks and Never Saw the Border

[John Matas]

Camp Reed and Camp May were familiar names to all Cav Troopers who were stationed in Amberg. However, I was assigned as Squadron Awards Clerk for the 3/2 ACR (1986-1987). Due to this posting, I did not have an opportunity to see the Czech border. I was going to go out there on "family day," but I was too embarrassed. So, to those of you who held the line in the snow - you have my deepest appreciation. I do find comfort in the fact that if you received a medal during my time, I processed your paper work.

With regards,
J. Matas

[James F. Burgos]

True, True, True ! We got so sick of being blasted in the pitch black mornings that some of the guys from the Motor Pool started to conspire about using a VTR to tow Mighty Mike SOME WHERE ELSE. That reminds me, the Rads ( that's what we called German Civilians ) could accept the M 60 A l but they FEARED the VTR! You must remember that most of our Fathers fought the Germans in WW II. My dad couldn't believe that our unit was across town from the 12th Panzer ! He served in the 8th Air Force as a B 17 Radio Operator and because of nose bleeds was assigned to the Infantry as Air Co-ordinator for air strikes. He landed in Europe on D-Day + 6 and went through the Battle of the Bulge. My brother, Art , served in Nam and now my eldest Grand daughter is married to a trooper in Ft. Hood, Tx. Uncle fought the Japs as part of the " Tropic Lightning " Division. Toujours Pret ? Damn right we are and proud of it!

[R Stanbery "Stan".]

Thats a great story, James. Cool!

[James F. Burgos]

Back in the Cold War ( '68 and '69 ) I believe we also used Camps Rottz and Pitman. The 2nd of the 14th ACR usually had some Troops on the Wire with ours. 40 years is a LONG time ago.

[James F. Burgos]

Hi Stan, when I was at Pond Barracks we had an old WW II Sherman tank just inside the front gate and in the gap between K Trp. and M Co. we had MIGHTY MIKE ! Mighty Mike was an old M 3 A scout tank which had a 37 mm main gun. When LTC Robert C. Osborne took command of the Sqdn. ( '68?) he had a BRILLIANT IDEA. He obtained some 37mm blanks somehow and one morning during Revelie Mighty Mike sounded off! The concussion made the entire Sqdn. formation jump at the same time and also broke several windows in the HQ Trp. and I Trp. buildings. This went on for a few days ( we left the windows open ) until the Amberg Burghers put their foot down. (no explosions in the morning ). I don't remember if Mighty Mike ran or not but in the main Dragoon Base site there are some photos of one running. I think it is from 1st Sqdn. Bamberg. Sorry it took so long to answer your question but I had trouble finding this Blog. room again.

[R Stanbery "Stan".]

Hey James. Hey, tell me, were the old M-24 display vehicles on display in Pond Barracs then, or did they come later? I have often wondered about them.
John, Al Fox was one of my good friends. Many is the day that we went over to his room and watched tapes of Letterman with him. He loved the David Letterman show, especially the little short dude that used to come on, was it Larry Bud?

Fox sure kept things going funny. I remember that he had a way of answering questions in such a way that you never really knew what he was saying. If I asked him something important, he would sometimes mess with my head and say " What? Are you kidding me?"
Fox was a good guy though. He would give you the shirt off his back. He was a salt of the earth kind of guy.

[James F. Burgos]

In the Rear with the Gear ! Hi guys, I was part of HQ Troop, 20 years before your service. I served from Jan. '68 thru Jul. '69 in the Personnel Office, 1st floor of the I Troop building. ( the Personnel section was scheduled to be moved out of the Sqdn. after I rotated back to the world ) We faced 2 Soviet Armored Divisions and One Czech Division. We had the M 60 A1 MBT and M 113 APC's. According to the Sqdn. TO&E we had one " Ma Deuce" .50 Cal. , and on ALERTS we set it up on the office floor. No ammo and no training! Our section officer, a CWO 3, insisted that we wave goodbye to the Tankers as they rolled by. The Tankers responded with the ONE DIGIT SALUTE. Never had the urge to show up at the Border.

[R Stanbery "Stan".]

He most certainly did, with a little help from his friends. He went over to K-troop in spring of 87, where he joined our little band of merry men. Yeah, I remember those glasses. I think he was quite proud of them.

[John Matas]

Stan, Al Fox was my roommate when he arrived in Germany. He could always be spotted by his Army issued birth control glasses. We "slammed" a few beers together (as he would say) during our tour of duty. He had started out as the squadron legal clerk, but wanted to be switched to a "line unit." He vowed to be drunk for the rest of his time in Amberg. Did he make it?

[R Stanbery "Stan".]

Do you remember a guy from Texas that worked in Pac named "Fox"?

[Eric Heller]

John,

I was in L Trp from 86-88. I did quite a few border tours. I received an Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal and a Certificate of Appreciation. I am full-time Guard here in NY. I changed my MOS to Personnel Service in '99. I always had an appreciation for support personnel during my career, but since becoming one and now supervising many, I truly understand the outstanding work they do for Soldiers. Thanks for your service!