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U.S. ARMY INSTALLATIONS - BAUMHOLDER
WETZEL KASERNE
CARL SCHURZ KASERNE
PRÜM AIR STATION
  
For additions, corrections, or suggestions please contact the webmaster
MAPS
Installation Maps - late 1970s

1. H.D. Smith Barracks, late 1970s

2. Wetzel Kaserne, late 1970s

3. Neubrücke Kaserne, late 1970s

4. Strassburg Kaserne, Idar-Oberstein, late 1970s

5. Nahbollenbach QM Depot, 1953
6. RSA Nahbollenbach, 1989
7. Nahbollenbach QM Depot, 1953
8. Idar Oberstein, 1953

9 . Neubrücke Army Hosp & Hoppstädten Airfield, 1953		      
1956

Army map of area west of Baumholder. This section is from Sheet 4040 (Idar Oberstein) of Series M642, compiled by the Army Map Service in 1956 and printed by USAREUR Engr Intel Center in 1961.

Click on the thumbnail to view a larger format of the same map.

Area west of Baumholder (KB)

PHOTOS
Click on thumbnail to view larger image
H.D. Smith Bks
     

Camp Baumholder, March 1945

Track park of a 2nd Armd Div unit with firing range in the background (Webmaster's collection)
 

H.D. Smith Barracks, Baumholder, recent (Mike Smith)
Smith Barracks parade ground, early 1950s (Webmaster's collection)
 

1. ASP #4, Baumholder Training Area

2. Troops marching at Baumholder, 1952 		   
 
 

Smith Barracks, Baumholder, 1958 (Webmaster's collection)
 

Smith Barracks, Baumholder, 1958 (Webmaster's collection)
 

3. Smith Barracks
4. Smith Barracks
5. Smith Barracks
6. Smith Barracks

7. Smith Barracks
8. Smith Barracks
9. Smith Barracks		  
 
 

2nd BG, 12th Inf, Smith Barracks, 1959 (Marvin Hornbostel)
 

Smith Barracks, Baumholder, 1959 (Marvin Hornbostel)

HQ Building (#8698), Smith Barracks, Baumholder, 1980 (Webmaster's collection)
 

Salute cannon next to HQ Building, Smith Barracks, 1980 (Webmaster's collection)
 

10. Smith Barracks
11. Smith Barracks		    
 
 

Smith Barracks, Baumholder, early 1970s (Ray Biller)
 

708th Maint Bn mess hall, Smith Barracks, Baumholder, early 1970s (Ray Biller)
 

Looking towards the Theater/Snack Bar, 1985 - AHEC
 

The Waggon Wheel Theater, 1985 - AHEC
 

12. Motor pool

13. Electronics Shop 		   
   
 
Baumholder AAF
     

Baumholder Airfield, approx. late 1960s (Jose Alvarez)
 

Baumholder Airfield, 1995 (Hanno Englaender)
   
 
Bitburg AB
     

1. Nike-Ajax (KB)
2. Nike-Ajax (KB)
3. Nike demonstration (KB)
 

4. H-13 (KB)
5. M-48 (KB)
6. (KB)
 

7. USAFE Matador (KB)
8. Matador (KB)
9. Static display (KB)
 

10. F-100C Super Sabre (KB)
11. C-124 Globemaster II (KB)
12. Early model C-130 Hercules (KB)
 

13. 14th ACR O-1 (KB)
14. OV-1 MOHAWK (KB)
15. OV-1 MOHAWK (KB) 		 

16. UH-1 IROQUOIS (KB)
17. U-6A BEAVER (KB)
18. Airfield tower (KB)
  
   
 
Hoppstätten Afld

 

1. (KB)
2. (KB)
3. The old Happy Valley Inn (KB)
4. Bldg S9818 (KB)

5. (A) on the sat pic (KB)
6. Utility shed? (KB)
7. Bldg 9800 (KB)
8. Bldg 9800 (KB)

9. Barracks building (KB)
10. Bldg 9826 (KB)
11. Fire escape (KB)
12. Bldg 9820 (KB)

13. Bldg 9820 served as the mess hall in the mid-1960s (KB)
14. Motor pool? (B) on the sat pic (KB)
15. (KB)
16. Flugsportverein (KB)

17. Insignia of the old tenant (KB)
18. The old flag pole? (KB)		  
   
 
Strassburg Ksn
     

Strassburg Kaserne, Idar Oberstein, 1953 (Webmaster's collection)

Main gate, Strassburg Kaserne, Idar Oberstein, 1950s (Webmaster's collection)
 

Strassburg Kaserne, Idar Oberstein, 1950s (Webmaster's collection)
 

Barrcks buildings, Strassburg Kaserne, Idar Oberstein, 1950s (Webmaster's collection)
 

1. Review parade
2. Dependent housing
3. Post chapel
 
       

Strassburg Kaserne seen from the town of Idar Oberstein (German postcard)
 

Strassburg Kaserne, Idar Oberstein, during French occupation (Postcard)

Strassburg Kaserne, Idar Oberstein, 1980 (Webmaster's collection)
 

Athletic field and housing area, Idar Oberstein, 1980 (Webmaster's collection)
 

4. Bldg #9006
5. Basketball court
6. Bldg #9008 (left)
7. Kaserne sign at main gate

8. Athletic Field
9. Athletic Field
10. Access road to kaserne
  
   
 
Nahbollenbach AD
     

Quartermaster Depot Nahbollenbach, 1953 (Webmaster's collection)
 

1. Nahbollenbach, early 1960s (KB)
2. Nahbollenbach, 2002 (KB) 		   

3. Bldg 9640, 2005 (KB)
4. Bldg 9640, 2005 (KB)		  

5. Nahbollenbach Main Gate, 1950s (KB)
6. Nahbollenbach Depot, 1964 (KB) 		   
       
Neubrücke Hosp
     

Aerial view of Neubruecke Army Hospital, 1953 (Webmaster's collection)
 

Aerial photo of former Neubruecke Army Hospital, as it appeared c. 2000
 

Aerial view of the former USAH at Neubrücke now converted into the Birkenfeld Campus of the University of Applied Sciences at Trier 		Click on the thumbnail to access the Umwelt-Campus website

A facility map of the Campus with building numbers (the original building numbers were kept) can be found under KONTAKT.

A PDF with photos and the aerial view can be found under STUDIUM -- Informationsmaterial (click on the link for the Broschuere.pdf - 6.6 MB).

Click here for a Wikipedia Page with information on the Environment Campus Birkenfeld (english).

1. Bldg 9911 (KB)
2. Bldgs 9914 - 15 - 16 (KB)
3. Bldg 9939 (KB)
4. T9952? (KB)

5. Old Transportation Section (KB)
6. Bldg 9939 (KB)
7. Close up of Bldg 9939 (KB)
8. Campus cafeteria (KB)

9. Heating plant? (KB)
10. Post chapel (KB)
11. (KB)
12. (KB)

13. Rail head (KB)
14. Bldg 9954 (KB)


     
Pruem      

1. Pruem Air Station, 1985 (399 KB)
      
     
USMCA Baumholder (APO 09034) - Garrison History & Operations
 
USMCA Baumholder insignia
222nd Base Support Battalion crest
1980
 
HISTORIES & MISC. INFORMATION
 
Research Request
 
Information is being compiled for a history of the U.S. Army installations in the Baumholder, Idar Oberstein and Neubrücke area, 1945 to 1990s.
Help keep the memories alive!
 
1. Historical information on installations and units
 Requester: Webmaster
Subject: Looking for historical information on units and military activities including base support in the Baumholder, Idar Oberstein/Nahbollenbach, Neubrücke/Hoppstätten and Prüm areas between 1945 and the 1990s.
Contact: webmaster

2. Aerial & ground photos of kasernes & housing areas
Requester: Webmaster
Subject: Looking for period photos of the US Army installations (including dependent housing areas, schools, shopping centers, service (gas) stations & miscellaneous storage or maintenance facilities used by EES/AAFES, Quartermaster, Ordnance, Signal and Transportation units/activities) in and around Baumholder, Idar Oberstein/Nahbollenbach, Neubrücke/Hoppstätten and Prüm from 1945 to the 1990s.
Contact: webmaster

3. Installation map
Requester: Webmaster
Subject: Looking for facility/post engineer maps of the various installations, activities and housing areas in the Baumholder, Idar Oberstein/Nahbollenbach, Neubrücke/Hoppstätten and Prüm areas from 1945 to 1990s.
Contact: webmaster

4. Military Community map
Requester: Webmaster
Subject: Looking for a map that shows in detail the Baumholder military community boundaries for the period 1974-1990.
Contact: webmaster
 
HISTORY OF THE BAUMHOLDER INSTALLATIONS

Source: Willkommen in Baumholder Issue, Champion Times (Baumholder MILCOM), May 24 1985
Neubrücke Army Hosp.    
1952 Neubrücke Army Hospital was constructed as a General Hospital.
Fully operational, Neubrücke Hospital could house 1000 beds to include an intensive care unit, operation rooms, an emergency room, a lab, a dental care section, a pharmacy and X-ray (room).
1 Feb 1954 The 98th General Hospital opened at Neubrücke.
The primary mission of the hospital was to provide general hospital care for patients in Europe. It also provided specialized care in such areas as: physical rehabilitation, opthalmology, and orthopedic clinic, general surgery and radiology. The services were both in and out-patient care.
early 1970s Due to budget cuts in 1970, the Neubrücke Hospital was closed.
1984 The hospital was reactivated for REFORGER training.
1985 The hospital remains in "warmbase" status. At present (1985), the Air Force and other Army units occupy some of the hospital building. In an actual mobilization, these units would be required to move out to make room for units arriving from the States.
 
(Source: USAH Neubrücke Christmas 1955 Greeting Pamphlet)
Christmas Greetings Pamphlet, 1955
Operating and attached units:
98th General Hospital
7785th Army Unit
6th Convalescent Center
34th Ambulance Train (Rail)
 

Unit Rosters
USAH Neubrücke

 

1. 98th Gen Hosp 1 2 3 4 5 6

2. 7785th AU (KB)

3. 6th Conv Center (KB)

4. 34th Amb Train (KB)
5. ARC and Sp Svc (KB)
 
 
Source: STARS & STRIPES, March 16, 1953
Carl Schurz Kaserne   (a.k.a. LSU Camp)
1953 Carl Schurz Kaserne was constructed 1952-53 just south of Nahbollenbach QM Depot.
15 March 1953 The Labor Service camp is designated as Carl Schurz Kaserne.
The new kaserne serves as home for the 6991st LS Quartermaster Battalion and one of its subordinate units, the 8015th LS Quartermaster Company.
6991st LS Quartermaster Battalion Patch
(Patch courtesy Siegbert Mann's wesbite)
 
Strassburg Kaserne, Idar-Oberstein

Units located at Strassburg Kaserne in Dec 1955
 
(Source: 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armd Div web site, 2003)
Baumholder Military Community Historical Facts

The Baumholder 222d Base Support Battalion and the surrounding area has a colorful history dating back to 1,000 B.C., when the first farmers settled in the area. Since then, the land fell under the dominion of the Romans, the Franks, and a succession of French and German rulers.

The name Baumholder has been associated with modern military activities since 1937, when the German government needed a large area for military training. Due to its varied terrain - forests, fields, hills and valleys - a sparse population, an area of approximately 25,000 acres to the north and northeast of the city of Baumholder was selected to become one of the largest military training areas in Germany. Some 13 villages and 14 farms and mills, including 722 houses with 842 families (4,060 inhabitants) were evacuated.

After World War II, the military installation was occupied by the French Army, and in 1951, the post was turned over to the Americans.

Combat Command R of the 2nd Armored Division was the first U.S. unit to occupy Baumholder. The same year, an extensive construction program was begun to build facilities to house the families of military personnel.

The French, however, retained overall control of the maneuver area and established their Headquarters at Camp Aulenbach, a Kasern adjacent to what is now H.D. Smith Barracks.

In March 1952, the 293rd Engineer Battalion (Construction), previously located in Karlsruhe, was transferred to Baumholder and has been permanently stationed here until 1993. Then, it was replaced by the 40th Engineer Battalion.

Elements of the 2nd Armored Division remained at Baumholder until December 1957, when it was replaced by armor, infantry and field artillery units of the 8th Infantry Division.

In March 1960, the Baumholder Major Training Area (MTA) was transferred from French to German control. The German garrison moved to Camp Aulenbach replacing the French while the U.S. units remained at Baumholder proper.

On 17 January 1992, 8th Infantry Division was deactivated and the 1st Armored Division was activated at Baumholder.
 
US ARMY FIRE STATIONS IN & AROUND BAUMHOLDER
 
Baumholder

Baumholder Fire Station in the DEH Compound on Smith Barracks (Benno Knor)
 

German firefighters, members of the Baumholder Fire Station (Benno Knorr)
 

German firefighters, civilians and an American officer at a get together in Baumholder (Benno Knorr)
 

1. Location of the fire station on post
2. 1950s (?) fire fighting equipment
3. German firefighters of the Baumholder station
4. Fire station in the background
 
Idar Oberstein
 

Strassburg Kaserne Fire Station, Bldg 9020 (Bennor Knorr)
 

1. Location of the fire station on post		      
 
Nahbollenbach
 

Nahbollenbach Fire Station (Benno Knorr)
 

1. Location of the fire station on the depot		      
 
Neubrücke
 
 
 

1. Location of the fire station on post		      
Related Links:
Pruem Air Station - Scott Sevin's great web site dedicated to all units (Army and Air Force) stationed at Pruem from the 1950s until its closure in the early 1990s. Lots of great photos!
Pruem Air Station Germany - Rick Hanson's fine web site covers more the 1980s era at Pruem.
Map of H.D. Smith Barracks - recent German online map of the city and US kaserne - courtesy of the Baumholder City web site