When I first arrived in B.K. the 33rd was under the command of Capt. Coe. I was one of three communication MOS soldiers in the unit. I was a 31C. We also had a 31V and a cable puller. The three of us operated the RATT rig (Radio & Teletype). I also assisted the NBC NCO with keeping up with the equipment database.

The RATT rig was only used during field exercises and training events. The smaller image above shows the inside of the RATT when I first arrived with 2ea TT-99. The second image above was after we upgraded to the UGC-74. Both were secure but the UGC-74 was capable of duplex transmit and could “burst” a signal thereby cutting down the overall transmit time (and reducing the chance of enemy being able to triangulate our position).

The 33rd provided support to the 8th ID in BK so we also worked very closely with 8th Signal.

Our comms were pretty simple really. We had a German telephone system and an internal phone system that was linked “theater wide” with most units. We did not have a standard “switchboard”. Each phone had its own extension. So, for instance, if 60th GP Commo wanted to call 33rd Commo they would just dial the extension direct and my phone would ring.

60th GRP Commo was a bit more complex. It was on the second floor (most of the floor in fact) of HQ (building). There were 2 TACSAT receivers and a “RED PHONE” with direct link to the Commander US Army Europe as well as 21 SUPCOM. There were sleeping quarters as well – Maj. Capps liked to keep the commo folks all together and near “just in case” . We also had a RATT set up 24/7 with 4 – 5K generators linked in a daisy chain.

You asked about the role of the RTO. That stands for Radio Transmitting Operator. My job was to always be near the commander during operations with either a PRC-10 (backpack radio) or a VINSON for more secure communications. When the unit was doing a “hot load” from a PSP or ASP it was my job to assist the commander and the German CSG.

About a year after I arrived Capt. Lopergolo assumed command of the unit. He had a different idea about the commo section and I was reassigned to help the CW4 in the motor pool. Major Capps, who was the 60 OD Group Communications Officer submitted a request for me to transfer to Group HQ as his RTO. I finished out my time in Germany at 60th Ord Gp HQ.

I still have the toasting glass from LTC McLellan’s retirement party. It is on a shelf along with the wine glass from the 60 OD GP Christmas Party.

I was assigned to the 33rd Ordnance Company in Bad Kreuznach in January 1988. It was my first assignment following my Officer Basic Course and I was the Executive Officer. The 33rd Ordnance Company was located at the Hospital Kaserne in Bad Kreuznach. It was a designated Type B Augmentation Company, meaning that it had a full allotment of equipment for a 221 man MTOE but only had 13 assigned soldiers, plus 3 NCO’s that were attached from the 23rd Ordnance Company, giving us a total of 16 military personnel. Much of our equipment was in storage and the majority of the vehicles were parked across town on the Minick Kaserne. Made for a long day when we had to shuttle vehicles from parking to our motorpool area on the hospital kaserne for weekly PMCS—60th Ordnance Group required an E5 or above shotgun in each vehicle at the time.

The 33rd Ord Co managed two ammunition sites: one west of town called Fuerfeld, the other almost an hour’s drive north called Spabruecken. While we maintained the stock records account, the German Civilian Support Group moved the actual ammunition. As part of a USAREUR security upgrade program, we had perimeter lights put in at both of the ammunition sites in the mid-1980’s and many Germans thought this was an indication of nuclear weapons being stored at the sites (which was not true).

In June of 1988, the 33rd Ordnance Company was relocated to Miesau Army Depot, leaving the 191st Ord Bn and falling under the Miesau Army Depot Commander, who was an O6 and reported to the 60th Ord Group Commander, also an O6. There were some initial plans to build the 33rd into a 400 man unit that would be responsible for moving ammunition throughout the entire Depot, but that never materialized. Later, in the 1990s, the 191st Ord Battalion HHC was moved to Miesau and the battalion O5 became the Depot Commander, in addition to the battalion commander. At this point, the 33rd Ord Co again became part of the 191st Ord Bn.

When the 33rd Ord Co moved to Miesau, I moved to the 23rd Ordnance Company, located at Kriegsfeld Army Depot (also known as Northpoint). The 23rd was a sub-installation to Worms, but we received various support from Worms, Bad Kreuznach, Mannheim, Kaiserslautern, and Sembach. The 23rd was a 221 man unit, the only full sized DS/GS Ordnance Company in the 60th Ord Group at that time. There was no remote site pay for those stationed at Kriegsfeld: the location failed to meet the two criteria for remote site pay. It did meet the driving time requirement to Worms, but the straight line distance fell short. So…no remote site pay.

The 23rd Ord Co assumed control of the two former 33rd Ord Co ammunition sites, in addition to the three it currently had in June 1988. The largest of the five was Kriegsfeld Army Depot and was just down the road from the kaserne. The other two were very small and essentially only contained prop charges: Gerbach and one other which I cannot recall at this point.