One of the other guys who dropped me a line and sent some pics was Richard Whitt. Richard was stationed at Peden twice - first time as an Army dependent in 1960 in the 8th grade and later in 1968 as part of HHB, 1st / 67th Arty, a Nike Herecules missile unit. There can't be many folks who experienced Wertheim as a dependent and on active duty I bet. Anyway, he sent several pics and a few stories. Here's one:"I took this from the arch with a 200mm telephoto lens in 1968. When I was here in 1960, there was still a steel sign, sort of like an arch, going across the top of the gate with "PEDEN BARRACKS" in steel letters on it. Sometime during the summer of 1960, the artillery guys returned from Graf with their equipment. I guess the M-52's were brought to Wertheim by flatbed rail and then driven to the top of the hill. A lot of the dependents were at the gate to greet them, sort of a "welcome home" parade. As the M-52's passed through the gate, one of the 50's atop one of them had it's barrel elevated. The barrel caught the steel sign and ripped the 50 and it's mount off the top of the M-52. It landed on the pavement with a sickening thud not 20 feet from where I was standing,.........it still hurts me today just thinking about it. After that, the arch with sign was removed. "
8 comments:
Hi! Mark
I just want to mention a few things
about the narrow front gate.It was
sure hectic during the early morning alerts to get through and the next challenge was the mad dash downhill to Wertheim and beyond. Thank goodness no one got hurt..I(A.Higaki) served with the 72nd F/A Grp.HHB.1966-67.
Hi Mark -
Found your sight and enjoyed all of the pics. I discovered many facts regarding Peden Barracks that I was not aware of while stationed in Werthheim. With C battery 2/25th 67-68 and levied out in May to Vietnam. Our barracks were across the street from the EM club on the circle. Most memorable time was throwing snowballs at the officers billets and trying to knock the beer bottles off the window ledge.
Long journey to Peden Barracks,Ger.
We all traveled a different path to
PB and in my case I was drafted soon after graduating from college.
It was a bit of surprise but not
totally considering the Vietnam
War was heating up.After recieving
orders for Ger. this started the
long journey to PB:SF,Dallas,New
Orleans,New York.Ft.Dix.Brooklyn
(shipped out),Bremerhaven and finally to picturesque Wertheim
by train, just two of us got off.
Up the hill to PD and dropped off
at the 72nd Arty Gp.HHB. A fitting
end to all the traveling.
The day,USAF assaulted Peden Barracks, a moment in time.
We were ordered to stay in the bar-
racks during the assault and app-
arently the Germans working on the
post didn't get the message.It was
spectacular with F4s and Fl00s(
believe) swooping-in on the post.
There was no way we're going to
miss this exercise;some of us
actually went outside or stood
by the doorway.This was exercise for the anti-aircraft missile site.
It was quite show and it happened
in the mid-sixties.
IT WAS INTERESTING TO READ THE COMMENTS AND SEE THE PHOTOS OF PEDEN. I SERVED THERE FROM APR 56 TO DEC 57-LEFT XMAS DAY FOR BREMERHAVEN AND ETS. MY UNIT WAS THE HQ 72DFA GROUP, S-3. WE SPENT ABOUT 1 OF EVERY 3 WEEKS IN THE FIELD. THE PHOTO OF THE TOWER WAS INTERESTING AS WE STOPPED TO HAVE WINE THERE ON THE WAY TO TOWN. USED TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME AS THE ROD AND GUN CLUB. PLAN TO VISIT PEDEN IN DECEMBER AND WILL TRY TO POST PHOTOS UPON RETURN.
The hillside tunnel used by the
Germans to fly the planes.
Yes I too heard about it from the
guys in the unit but it was just
a rumor.This is why Whitt's story is simply revealing and wonderful.
I believe the Stuka dive bombers
were used at the old airport but
I don't think these planes were
flown out of the tunnel, too heavy
and slow.If they were it would be
simply amazing.Best story is Whitt
living at Peden Barracks as a
dependent and later returning 8
yrs to the same post as a soldier.
How in the world did he pull that
one off? He must have been one hap-
py camper.
I was there @ 1st & 67th in fall 69
there was a ladder in the EM barraks acroos from the EM club, that led to a cement coverd port leading down. I heard stories about the bunker, can't find much on the web about it. There was something under those barraks.
i was there in 1972-1974 72nd f/a grp would anyone know where i might find the on time on target hat pin insignia at i cant find any on internet i like the rod&gun club nice to read all these comments
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