I get emails from folks from time to time who were on the hill over the course of several decades. Here are a few of them:
1. I was stationed in Peden Barracks in 1981 march until 1982 April it was a great time the people, Graf. So cold in the winter and beautiful in the summer the festivals Wurzburg ,Stuttgart. I was in Nuremburg for thirty days R&R then back to Wertheim 3/35 FA SSG Baker was my section chief the 8'howitzer self propelled was cool put a round down range around 21 miles on with a white bag charge less with greens…
2. Thank you for the pictures. It brought back many memories. I served in Service Battery and HQ Battery from 1958-1960. I was the court's and boards clerk for the Battalion. Thing's hadn't changed much from the time I served in 1958 to your time in the 80's. Interesting to read about the changes to Peden Barracks today. The brewery in town was known as the Lutz Brewery in 1958, original owners of that brewery migrated to the U.S. and helped establish Budweiser. We crossed the river by ferry. There was a small restaurant and bar located in a small area in the castle. Enjoyed walking the street's of Wertheim on a Sunday afternoon. Was stationed with two GI's who entered the town in 1945 shortly after it was invaded by allied troops. They told me the castle was held by member's of the Hitler Youth movement and they had a difficult time getting them out. Many of these young men (teen's) are buried in a cemetery near the brewery. It was a different time, Cold War, alert's, trips to Graf. You always knew when pay day was in Graf, the prostitutes from Weiden would cross over from the Russian zone to take the GI's money. It has been almost 47 year's that I have been away from Wertheim and your picture's brought back many memories. I worked in Germany about 15 year's ago. Alway's thought about returning for a visit to Peden Barracks, never did return. Classmates.com has a section for those who served at Peden barracks throughout the year's. Have connected with a couple of guy's who served there at the same time I did.
3. I had chills going down my spine as I viewed the images. I left Peden on March 30 1992 almost 1 week before complete shutdown. I was in C 3/25th FA in August 1990, 1sg Cook then sent me to SVC Btry 3/35th December 1990 (they thought I was smart) and worked in S-4 and was deeply involved in the shipping and transporting of all equipment and supplies to other barracks (Patton, Wurzburg and Parmesan ). I will never forget the day all remaining personnel stripped the barracks. Tossing out wall lockers onto the ground outside. M998 (HEMMT) loading them up and taking them to other barracks. Railheading all the guns, (started in August 1990 with M210 8", then changed to 155 in 1991). You should Google Earth Peden now. WOW!! the FTA stripped and now farmland, you can see the three white lines where the connex's and guns were lined. Just strange…
4. Just want to say I stumbled on to your web-site and enjoyed seeing pictures of Peden, what a trip down memory lane. I was stationed there from 1985 to 1992, and was actually one of the last guys on the post to help clear it working in Bldg.2. I was with 4-27 but when they moved to Babenhausen, I stayed at Peden until I could get my wife a visa. I'm retired now but sure did appreciate the pictures. I actually drove through Wertheim in 2000 when I was in Germany TDY but didn't have enough time to go up the hill. Thanks again for the memories…
5. I was stationed at Peden from 1989 - 1991. I met, and married a local, we are still married, almost 16 years. She and my son were just there in late Aug. She said that they have made great improvements to the post. The MP station is gone, they have opened many little shops. She said it is really beautiful, now. She did say that the building I was in Charlie, and I believe Alfa were condemned, and so they were boarded off and ready for demolition. The Peden Grill is still there, the Woodstock is long gone. Man, those days were some of the hardest of my life, but glad I did it.
6. I just ran across your web site on Peden Barracks in Wertheim. I was stationed there in the 251st FA Bn. from early 1955 until mid 1956 when the 251st rotated to Fort Carson, CO. Since I was a short timer (less than 6 mos. to go) by then, they transferred me to Bad Kissingen where I served the remainder of my time. At Peden I was in Battalion Maintenance. It is strange, but I have little specific recall of my time at the 'kaserne' in Wertheim. My wife and I drove into the facility in 1967, but just passed through town. But the story about the M52 hitting the arch rings a bell. We had a 5 ton wrecker take out the overhead door frame at the Bn Maintenance shop. I have lost touch with everyone in the outfit, though I did see our motor pool sergeant a few years ago and saw a fellow mechanic in the 60's. It is interesting to see the pictures and information you have posted, along with the stories. I never heard even a rumor about an underground air facility. That is a great story. It tracks with one my Norwegian friends told me about. During the war the occupying German troops took over a church (at Herdla near Bergen) for their commando forces. They dug up a cemetery and built a tunnel to the sea for their commando access. Gravestones were tossed aside and graves churned up. I have some pictures, but that's a different story. One story does come to mind. When the US moved occupation troops out of Austria in (I believe) late 1955, we got a new mechanic who outranked most of our guys and let them know it. When the BN commander's new German Taunus 4-door came in for maintenance he took it over and right away slid the floor jack under it. Someone told him he had it positioned wrong, but he bulled right ahead and jacked it up. Unfortunately, he had put the jack right under the Colonel's oil pan and it sprung a serious oil leak. No new oil pan was available anywhere for several days. On the fortunate side, we had an excellent welder in Ron Rising, the pride of International Falls, MN. Ron was able to stem the leak by welding the aluminum pan, which is no small task. I do not know if the Colonel ever found out, but the car had to be called back a week or so later for its new oil pan. One of these days we'll return to Wertheim.
