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Thanks, your message has been sent successfully. Upon graduating they lined us and announced that if your last name started with A through J your orders were Germany and K through Z your orders were Vietnam. One of the toughest parts of service was seeing people whose lives were ruined or lost because of the war, he said. A rare photo of East of Underground in performance. Right, I got you, very interested to know that fine point. At the end of the Vietnam War, the United States adopted a volunteer Army, but declining military expenditures made it difficult to keep the American forces combat ready and maintain the quality of life for soldiers and their families. He was friendly with street urchins who would badger him for chocolate and other small treats. This is the official public website of the Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Being a noncombatant doesnt mean they didnt feel scared, that there wasnt a looming sense of danger even onthe biggest bases that were considered safer areas, Lair said. We served honorably. That led to deep divisions between Washington and Berlin. You pull together under a common enemy, Shkurti said. In response the Corps of Engineers drastically reduced the size of EUD and reconstituted it as the Europe District. Lomperis served two tours of duty in Vietnam in the Army and Defense Intelligence Agency. They lived in an apprehensive state. [Today in History] Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the The American military presence in Germany began at the end of World War II. 18th Military Police Brigade (United States The mood around the country was not good for the military, not like today with cheers and applause for returning members. The stress of military life was constant. You will now be able to tab or arrow up or down through the submenu options to access/activate the submenu links. For recreation there were basketball, volleyball, tennis and multipurpose courts, football fields, miniature golf courses, a driving range, an archery range and a skeet-shooting range. Good food makes people feel at home, Lair said. But in Vietnam, the Cold War became an inferno. The conventional wisdom was that everybody carried a rifle, patrolled the jungle and faced death daily, but thats false, said William Shkurti, who served as an artillery officer in a remote area about 300 yards from the Cambodian border in fall 1970. Those aircraft were used for military airlift, medical transport, and cargo transport operations in the United States and internationally. The enemy was the Soviet Union and the other signatories of the Warsaw Pact, including the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany. Expert architecture and design solutions for private carriers, next-generation metro and long-haul optical networks, ultra low-latency networks, and Internet backbones. 7) Cologne, Germany. Hit enter to expand a main menu option (Health, Benefits, etc). Deliver vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with our partners, to secure our Nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk. Don't forget Panama and Alaska, Alaska itself in that time period had two Infantry Brigades separate stationed there. He served as budget director for the state of Ohio from 1985 to 1987. HMD released its report, Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft, Jan. 9, 2015. Tomorrow is too unpredictable, especially during deployment, he said. 2 weeks before we graduated they told us, " Class 17, RVN". The Office of History, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Army Center of Military History jointly published this book,Building for Peace: U.S. Army Engineers in Europe, 1945-1991 written by Robert P. Grathwol and Donita Moorhus. The tensions between the two sides were demonstrated when US Army and Soviet Union tanks faced off in a divided Berlin. You had no say in what your MOS would be. The big problem was that Saigon was Sodom and Gomorrah. He was stationed in Gillenhausen, protecting a valley called Folda Gap. We had an Infantry MOS Soldiers on one of our Sheridan Tanks. Error, please try again. Youth activity centers in Germany included this facility in Wiesbaden. Historical Vignettes Active duty personnel who served in a regular USAF unit location where a contaminated C-123 was assigned who had regular contact with the aircraft through flight, ground, or medical duties between 1969 and 1986, and who developed an Agent Orange related disability. One strong memory I have is how tough it was for the families, Thornton said. Veterans (including some Reservists) who state that they flew on or worked on a C-123 aircraft between 1969 and 1986 are eligible for the Agent Orange Registry. WebActivated during the Vietnam War, the Brigade oversaw all Military Police operations in the country for a large portion of the conflict, undertaking a wide variety of missions throughout the country and providing command and control for other military police groups in the region. Instead of breaking them up, Army brass sent them on tour. WebThe entirety of Germany was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the Berlin Declaration on 5 June 1945 to the establishment of West Germany on 23 May 1949. GRAFENWOEHR, Germany More than 30 veterans of the Vietnam War living in Germany were awarded pins Tuesday by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post in recognition of their service. Regardless of how we each served, part of our soul was left in that place with those who never came back alive, and with those who suffered and died after, and we should be honored for our collective loss if for no other reason. Brutal tactics were the norm during the Vietnam War, and no one suffered more than the Vietnamese themselves, both in the North and the South. Hitt says he had already been in one Army band by the time he joined the group. During the war, these men felt like they were part of the military endeavor, but its not what the public celebrates. Napoleon said, An army marches on its stomach, and the U.S. military followed his advice. The U.S. has had personnel stationed in Germany and South Korea, two of its military allies, for several decades, yet the number of active-duty troops in each country is at a modern low. Well, one. They were also stationed in Germany, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Korea, Guam and the continental United States. Life athome goes on without them, and it must have been difficult to navigate when they returned, she said. In retirement he wrote Soldiering On in a Dying War focusing on the Vietnam drawdown and The Ohio State University in the Sixties.. At any moment all hell could break loose, Lair said. To access the menus on this page please perform the following steps. 7th Army in particular suffered heavily, especially with loses of combat arms NCOs Then there was the two infantry brigades in Alaska, the 171st and 172nd, both gave up one battalion each for transfer to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii before it left there for South Vietnam, two full battalions had to be raised to replace the ones sent away. Many veterans struggled with feeling that their experience didnt measure up. Once we got our orders, the guy Just below me went to Germany. By Since his older two brothers were already serving in Vietnam he was not allowed to go. Then, there was the shopping. After Nazi Germany surrendered on 8 May 1945, four countries representing the Allies (the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and France) asserted joint authority Like all the other members, he was a draftee, and had come from a tiny town in Mississippi. TCDD, the toxic substance in Agent Orange, may be inhaled as an aerosol or ingested by contaminated food or water or from hand-to-mouth transfer. Today, he cautions people not to draw quick lessons from the war. WebThe conventional wisdom was that everybody carried a rifle, patrolled the jungle and faced death daily, but thats false, said William Shkurti, who served as an artillery officer in a remote area about 300 yards from the Cambodian border in fall 1970. He never carried a gun because if he was shot, the enemy soldier could have claimed it was self-defense, he said. He wasn't wealthy or connected in anyway and he also had an Infantry MOS and he was one of three soldiers out of his basic training platoon that went to the ROK. Powered by Invision Community, Vietnam Era Draftees Stationed in W.Germany, South Korea, and CONUS, US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY. You could watch The Beverly Hillbillies, Appy said. Its kind of like playing goalie for a soccer team. Reflecting back, Im more skeptical whether a war of choice can help defend a country in the long run. When I left Korea, the first thing I did when I got to Germany was to find Special Services, which happened to be right next to my barracks," Hitt recalls. There were Viet Cong all over the place, but if you were street-smart you stayed safe, Lomperis said. Im also more respectful of what servicepeople endure. I think I never knew, or know even today, of any Vietnam-era vets I would not embrace as brothers. WebAs the threat of imminent invasion receded in the late 1950s, U.S. Army Engineers continued to build and maintain facilities that supported American and NATO combat power and housed and supported U.S. forces and their families, now permanently stationed in West Germany. 4) The Alps Swiss, German or French. I was able to get into a band there. At least we all went to the same unit, one guy and I went through basic together. The thought of army music evokes a certain tradition say, trumpets and drums in the style of "Pershing's Own." As my husband likes to preach: expectation management.. None would be here if Vietnam never happened, so it creates bittersweet feelings but no regrets, Thornton said. This massive program to improve American weaponry and conditions for troops and their families, supported by the commitment of huge resources to building the facilities required, was one factor in shaking the resolve of Soviet leaders and exposing the hidden weaknesses of the Soviet military and political systems. Abook describes and analyzes the important Engineer effort in Europe. Even as the war drew down in 1975 and early 1976, the pressure was intense as huge numbers of men came home with addictions and injuries too horrible to really describe, Thornton said. Combat veterans offered a truly unique and special contribution to the war, but that doesnt mean it wasnt a sacrifice for people who served as support, Lair said. The King of Rock 'n' Roll, as Elvis Presley would eventually become known, was drafted in as a soldier and began his military service in Germany in 1958. German Chancellor Gerhard Schrder, knowing the majority of voters supported him, ruled out Germany's involvement. The U.S. military presence in Germany peaked at 274,119 in 1962, nearly eight times its level last year. Ask me or any other serviceperson and they will tell you they are proud of their service, Shkurti said. I say 16 months because his orders were involuntarily extended because he was in the ROK when the USS Pueblo was taken. At the end of the spraying campaign in 1971, the remaining C-123 planes were reassigned to reserve units in the U.S. for routine cargo and medical evacuation missions spanning the next 10 years. He also wrote the liner notes, which reveal a surprising fact: The U.S. Army spends an estimated $200 million a year on music, and is the largest single employer of musicians in the country. Upon graduating, I was the only one in our Company sent to Ft. Knox Ky.. All of the other Draftees in our class stayed at Ft Lewis in Infantry. "All the branches of the armed services have always included music as part of their mission. Why is Netflix pouring billions into South Korean shows? This is not about being negative or complaining, but simply having a balanced outlook for your transition. Despite separate residential districts, there has always been contact and exchange between German and American families. I worked in an air-conditioned office and wore khakis, starched shirts, spit-shined shoes and a belt with a shiny brass buckle. Many celebrities joined in the protests. The war changed and dealt cruelty to many families, not just mine, but I have seen the sadness in my fathers eyes, and we both know what is there, and what is missing.. The US Army employed 17,000 American civilians in Germany in 2019. VA decides these claims on a case-by-case basis. In-depth strategy and insight into critical interconnection ecosystems, datacenter connectivity, product optimization, fiber route development, and more. Because he was one of the last there in that formation and those three went to the ROK. Their silence carried a message and concealed the fact that many veterans served in the rear echelon and not in combat capacity, Lair said. We had each other, and we understood it takes so much honor to serve during the tough times. The Federal Republic of Germany became an important strategic location during the Cold War. Heavily guarded Pershing-II rockets were brought to the US base in Mutlangen in 1983. Ukraine updates: Zelenskyy urges more effective air defense, Ukraine: Russia continues to target civilian sites, Ukraine's counteroffensive: Goals, opportunities, risks. The history of US troops in Germany There were swimming pools, bars, cheap booze, entertainment, dancers and strippers, American TV. I thought, hot dog, going to go relic hunting. Your message has not been sent. Vietnam Era Draftees Stationed in People dont understand how consequential the decisions were that were being made at headquarters, he said. From the end of World War II until the end of the war in Southeast Asia, the Army component command in Germany, the U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR), managed military construction in the theater with its own Engineer organizations. On leave, Thornton would head home to see family and friends, but the war changed things. Both Germany and Vietnam were on the front lines of the Cold War. Home was tough because my parents did not agree with my volunteering. I thought it would be easy, but it was actually tough, said Shkurti, who served as a fire direction officer and supervised a six-person team. Dave. With pressures on USAREUR in the mid-1970s to reduce the size of its headquarters and budget, the command asked the Corps of Engineers to take responsibility for military construction in the theater. Troop Deployment, 1950-2003 The question became: When will someone tell what my war was like? Lair said. According to the report, from 1972 to 1982, approximately 1,500 to 2,100 Air Force Reserve personnel trained and worked on C-123 aircraft that previously had been used to spray herbicides, including Agent Orange, in Vietnam. It was still no guarantee you wouldn't be sent to Vietnam and in some cases even be sent to do something else besides what you trained for. They also ate pretty well. My middle brother died five years ago from extended PTSD and the ravages of the drug addiction he endured while trying to cope with his memories from Vietnam. He was with the 3rd Infantry Division in Schweinfurt. He could take that information back to the base. East of Underground was one such band a multiracial, seven-piece group stationed in Germany at the tail end of the Vietnam War. Anyone who served in the military during the war faced the possibility of being sent to Vietnam, though. After completing Field Artillery Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Shkurti was sent to Germany not Vietnam. Even today, many see otherwise, but only at home., One place the guys in the rear and combat soldiers would cross paths was at rearward bases, which ranged from isolated fire bases less than a city block in size to major bases like Long Binh Post that resembled an American city, said Chris Appy, author of three books about the American war in Vietnam: American Reckoning: The Vietnam War and Our National Identity, Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered from All Sides and Working- Class War: American Combat Soldiers and Vietnam.. WebIn An Army in Crisis Alexander Vazansky analyzes the social crisis that developed among the U.S. Army forces stationed in Germany between 1968 and 1975. Please switch auto forms mode to off. Everyone else went directly to Vietnam, or a few were sent to Ft. Benning to attend the NCO School or Airborne Training. I am focused on peace and conflict reduction on a global and local scale, he said. Vietnam So many popular movies feature the combat side of war ground combat or maybe the air war. Grafenwoehr is a tiny base compared to almost anywhere youve been stationed in the US. Involved in the Vietnam War Some 20 years later, US President George W. Bush went to war with Iraq over its alleged program to develop weapons of mass destruction. WebThe Vietnam War exposed this problematic dimension in the U.S.-German relationship most dramatically. To prop up sinking morale and keep soldiers safe on base rather than heading into Vietnamese towns, the U.S. military strove to make bases as home-like as possible, Appy said. So many servicemen came home and saw how the story (of the Vietnam War) was being told. An official website of the United States government, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Website, About the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Website, Historical Vignette 105 - Engineers Played an Important Role in Europe During the Cold War, Deactivated Nuclear Power Plant Program (DNPPP), Regional Environmental and Energy Offices REEOs, Industry Information Re: COVID-19 Support, Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity, G-1 Reserve Component Augmentation, Office of Human Resources Directorate, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Thornton returned to school later in life and is now finishing his doctorate in business administration in the field of cross-cultural competency and conflict management. Country western music blared all over Saigon, Lomperis said. He says it was completely random, some bodies had to go to 7th Army and his lucky number came up. 8) Bruges, Belgium. Lewis Hitt played guitar in East of Underground. To make it even more complicated, just what is a combat veteran? She served me milk and cookies, and we have been together now for 44 years, Thornton said. Veterans must show on a factual basis that they were exposed in order to receive disability compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure. "I'm just amazed that [the band's] three singers didn't have hit records after they left the Army. After completing his enlistment, Shkurti returned to Ohio State University to earn a masters degree in public administration. They deserve our respect. Responding to these concerns, VA asked the Health and Medicine Division (HMD) (formally known as the Institute of Medicine) of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study possible exposure and increase in adverse health effects in C-123 crew members. Mastering these complicated and delicate international arrangements, EUD accomplished a large and complex construction program, especially during the 1980s. In the early years, dances were held on the streets of Berlin in summer months and in winter, the US Army organized Christmas parties for local children. Over the years the US Army has become firmly entrenched in the German landscape. He remembers his commanding officer Abrams as a political genius who turned the war around.. The book became the first volume in aCenter of Military History series, U.S. Army in the Cold War. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, During the era of the Vietnam War, American troops and facilities were neglected forcing Engineers to marshal their slender resources augmented by host nation contributions to keep American forces ready for war and take care of Army and Air Force personnel and their families. Find out if you qualify for VA health care. Some Air Force Reservists who were crew members on C-123 Provider aircraft, formerly used to spray Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, have raised health concerns about exposure to residual amounts of herbicides on plane surfaces.