Yes there really was a Grenadier Castle. Apparently it was built right after the war by the first US Army soldiers stationed at Grenadier Kaserne.
It was all of about 5 or 6 feet high with a moat filled with water. It was lighted for a while but when the wiring failed we never got it fixed. The picture above features Harry Wickart and myself making some minor repairs. We were featured in Stars and Stripes and then again in my hometown newspaper in Fort Bragg, CA. When I visited the Kaserne in the mid 80’s it was gone so I am sure some gung ho officer saw it as an eyesore.
IF YOU WERE STATIONED AT GRENADIER KASERNE OR IN ONE OF THE UNITS IN THE AREA LEAVE A COMMENT.
Most men of a certain age...70+/-... remember the last draft. Those with high draft numbers were safe while those with low numbers had a decision to make. Have a good time until the Army came calling or enlist now and get it over with. Consequently there is a high percentage of 70ish guys with memories of their service years. For most,these memories are vague, at best, with only a few high points still surviving in the old memory bank. Then along comes Tim Daugherty who not only remembers but he remembers names and dates and remembers them in several languages. And he can write! Nice blog Tim!
ReplyDeleteWas with Ordnance group at Grenadier kaserne 1960 before I was transfered To Warner Kaserne Munich after I clipped a German on a motorcycle in the leg, when my old Borgward's brake gave out as I was driving back to the Kaserne from Robinson barracks.
ReplyDeleteI remember the Ordinace group. It was in the building just below us. What was the unit number? It has been driving me nuts for years. Was it the 69th. Was it a Bn, Group, Co?
DeleteThe 524th Engr Co guys actually 'rebuilt' the Grenadier Castle around 1965. It was cleaned up, painted blue and the mote was filled with water. Electric was also restored to the site.
DeleteThat's great! We enjoyed repairing it earlier and it's good to know someone else cared. When I was there in the 80's it was gone. Of course most of it is gone now, replaced by townhomes etc. What building were you in?
DeleteTim,
DeleteI believe it was the third building past the gatehouse. It was painted blue. The next building up housed the German Kanteen. The 524 occupied part of the first floor (orderly room and mailroom) and the billets were on the second floor up to the iron gates that housed a communications unit. We also occupied the row of garages that were located behind the mess hall and our motorpool was also located in that area. The 524 was an Engineering (TOPO) unit and had quite a few vehicles. The unit was transferred back to Fort Hood in 1968. I went back to Zuffenhausen two years ago and saw that the kaserne was gone, save one building. I organized a reunion with some German friends that I had in the area and we had a great time drinking Dinks, looking at old pictures and reminising. Thanks for the time to share this info !!
Hi-
DeleteI think you may be one building off!? When I was there 61-63 there were 5 building on the left side of the street. I don't recall what was in buildings 1 and 2. There was an engineer outfit in the third building. We were in the fourth building, in both the basement and the entire first floor. The second floor was the German Civilian office that hired the Germans who worked for the U.S. government. The fourth floor was the 66th MI. Some intelligence unit that had barred off the entire top floor. There was also a Stars and Stripes office (2 rooms) in the basement of building 3.
The building behind us(fifth building)had the Kanteen. At least that is where it was when I was there.
All the buildings were the same color so they must have painted it after I left.
I always kept in touch with the German who worked for us and saw a few times in the 80's when I was working in Europe. Had occasion to stop at Grenadier to see the old place and it was pretty much the same except that the castle was gone.
There was a mess hall (first building on the right past the gate) where we could eat. We thought, at that time, that it actually belonged to your outfit.
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DeleteError - The Stars and Stripes office was in my building, building 4, not in building 3 as stated above.
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ReplyDeleteTim,
ReplyDeleteYou may be right, the old mind is getting foggier. This may help----------our building was located directly by the castle. We would form up every morning (except Sunday) in the parking area nrxt to the castle. Was the EM Club open at the time you were there? An NCO Club opened directly across the street from our building in, I believe, 1967.
Then you and I were in the same building just at different times. It was building 4. Kanteen was in building 5. That places the Ordinance unit in building 3 when I was there. We had a 2 1/2 ton commo truck at the far end of the building near the fence. There were two front entrances. If you went out the front door closest to the main street from the gate the castle was to the left near the street. Was there a transportation unit in the building? the 594th? when you were there? We started our own NCO club (private) in the second building on the right of the street. Lasted about a year. I used to tend bar at the NCO club at Robinson Bks.Contact me at tsdaugherty42@gmail.com if you like. Working thru the blog is a bitch from this end.
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